Federal Trade Commission (FTC) | USAGov (2024)

FAQs

What did the Federal Trade Commission FTC do? ›

The Federal Trade Commission enforces a variety of antitrust and consumer protection laws affecting virtually every area of commerce, with some exceptions concerning banks, insurance companies, non-profits, transportation and communications common carriers, air carriers, and some other entities.

As the nation's consumer protection agency, the FTC takes reports about scammers that cheat people out of money and businesses that don't make good on their promises. We share these reports with our law enforcement partners and use them to investigate fraud and eliminate unfair business practices.

Telling the Federal Trade Commission helps us stop ripoffs, scams, and fraudsters. Your complaints matter here. To file a complaint, just go to ftc.gov/complaint, and answer the questions. Or call That's all there is to it.

The FTC enforces consumer protection laws to stop illegal business practices and get refunds to people who lost money. The chart below includes all active refund programs managed by the FTC. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize.

The FTC enforces federal consumer protection laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices. The Commission also enforces federal antitrust laws that prohibit anticompetitive mergers and other business practices that could lead to higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation.

The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. The FTC is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy.

What can I report? Report anything you think may be a fraud, scam, or bad business practice. For ideas of what you might report to the FTC, check out consumer.ftc.gov for more information and advice, or take a look at the FTC's latest cases at ftc.gov. Start your report now.

These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anti-competitive behavior and more.

Satisfactory quality: The product shouldn't be damaged or faulty when you receive it. Fit for purpose: You should be able to use it for what the seller says it will do (its purpose), whether that's their statement when you buy it, or an answer to your question. For instance, a tin opener should open tins.

That means that, while we can't put people in jail, many of our partners can and do, including the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys, and other federal, state, and local criminal law enforcers. When FTC cases include behavior that also violates criminal laws, we let criminal prosecutors know.

What can I do if a company won't give me a refund? ›

Your report goes into Consumer Sentinel, a database available to federal, state, and local law enforcement across the country. But you also can file a report with your state attorney general or local consumer protection agency.

My role at the Commission is not to litigate cases. You are not going to find me in federal court arguing the Commission's position – as much as I might like to. Instead, Commissioners shape the overall enforcement agenda of the agency. We make the final determination on all matters going to court and all settlements.

The Federal Trade Commission is the primary federal agency that protects consumers. 3. The Federal Trade Commission is charged with eliminating competition to protect consumers.

Under this Act, as amended, the Commission is empowered, among other things, to (a) prevent unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce; (b) seek monetary redress and other relief for conduct injurious to consumers; (c) prescribe rules defining with specificity acts ...

The FTC Act of 1914 prohibits unfair methods of competition, and unfair or deceptive acts, in or affecting interstate commerce. The basic objectives are to initiate antitrust actions and protect consumers.