FTC Archives - Americans for Financial Reform

News Release: Treasury, FTC, and CFPB Announce Pivotal Interagency Effort to Promote Safer Solar Lending

The U.S. Department of the Treasury, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a critical interagency effort that aims to protect consumers from solar fraud and scams, clamp down on bad actors and practices in the industry, promote safe green lending that can benefit consumers and responsible solar businesses, and mitigate climate change. This move comes as more consumers are being marketed and offered loans and leases for green products and projects, due in part to new federal financial incentives that make them more affordable

News Release: Groups Call on Federal Agencies to Fight Private Equity Abuses in Health Care

Today over 90 organizations and individuals, representing patients, workers, communities; public interest advocates, and health care researchers, called on federal authorities, as part of their review of competition in health care, to take action to curb the abuses of private equity and safeguard the ability of doctors to deliver quality care to all patients and achieve equitable health outcomes.

Letters to the Regulators: Letter in Support of the FTC’s Proposed Rulemaking for Premerger Notification, Reporting, and Waiting Period Requirements

AFREF submitted a comment supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule to require complex companies including private equity firms to disclose more information about their holdings and business lines when pursuing mergers and acquisitions.

Letters to Regulators: Letter to the FTC to Ban Non-Compete Clauses

AFREF joined a letter led by the Open Markets Institute and supported by 50 labor and public interest groups urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban non-compete clauses as well as functionally equivalent restraints such as training repayment agreement provisions (or TRAPs), for all workers.

A book titled "Consumer Protection" on a desk with a gavel resting on top

Letters to Regulators: Letter to the FTC on Junk Fees

AFREF and partners led a letter to the FTC urging it to use its rulemaking authority to protect American consumers from junk fees and put money back into our pockets. Millions of consumers have expressed outrage at the imposition of service fees for live event tickets, “amenity” or “resort” fees charged by hotels, endless surprise rental car fees, hidden internet and cell phone charges, junk fees in the financial sector, and more. The federal government has taken a holistic approach to this problem, including the White House Competition Council, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Transportation (DOT) and now the FTC.

Letters to Regulators: Letter to FTC in Response to NPRM on Auto Financing

AFR joined a letter to the FTC in response to their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on auto financing.

Blog: Structural Racism Flourishes in the Auto Lending Market

In much of America, owning a car is necessary to participate in the economy, and to live a full and vibrant life. However, this ticket to opportunity comes at an increasingly steep price – as of 2021, Americans owe $1.42 trillion in auto loan debt.

Letters to Congress: Letter in Support of the Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2022

AFR joined a letter to Congress in support of S. 4145, the Consumer Protection Remedies Act of 2022. This bill would restore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) authority to stop misconduct in the marketplace, and critically, to provide timely refunds and equitable relief to victims of consumer fraud and deception.

A pair of hands writing on paper with a pen

Letters to Regulators: Comment Letter in Response to the FTC and DOJ’s Request for Information on Merger Enforcement

AFREF, joined by the Center for Economic Policy and Research and United for Respect, sent a comment letter responding to the FTC and DOJ’s request for information on merger enforcement. The letter calls on the agencies to to closely scrutinize and create presumptions to challenge acquisitions that employ leveraged buyouts and techniques like it.

Letters to Congress: Letter in Support of Three Crucial Provisions of BBB to Strengthen the FTC

AFR joined a letter to Congress in support of three crucial provisions of the Build Back Better Act that would strengthen the FTC’s hand against discriminatory and abusive data practices and the businesses that engage in them.