It prohibits false or misleading statements or misrepresentations in the marketing, sale, or distribution of any product or service and prohibits the defendants from providing others with the means and instrumentalities to commit deceptive acts. The settlement also contains various record keeping and reporting requirements designed to assist the FTC in monitoring the defendants' compliance. The Commission's vote to approve the filing of the proposed consent judgment was 5-0. It was filed by the FTC in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, and entered by the Court on November 14, 2000. A Stipulated Final Judgment and Order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendants of a law violation.
Consent judgments have the force of law when signed by the judge.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.