Protecting older adults is one of the FTC’s top priorities, and a new report to Congress tells how the agency tackled fraud, scams, and other issues affecting older adults over the last year. It’s been a busy year at the FTC, so what are some of the highlights?
One of the cases with the biggest impact on older adults was the FTC’s case against Publishers Clearing House (PCH), charging that the company used “dark patterns” to mislead people about how to enter sweepstakes drawings, making them think they had to buy something to win (or increase their chances of winning). A court required PCH to turn over $18.5 million to the FTC to use for customer refunds.