Top Stories

 Appeals court finds that Amazon is strictly liable for defective products from third party sellers; would cover counterfeits; different outcome from other courts; may end up with Supreme Court

Supreme Court rules SEC can get disgorgement in fraud cases; ruling may affect pending issue of that tool for the FTC

  • Opinion suggests FTC may be able to use equitable powers of court
  • Limits disgorgement to net profits, after deducting expenses
  • Disgorgement must go to victims; but FTC always tries that first; left over money goes to Treasury
  • Joint and several liability of defendants also considered

Supreme Court finds CFPB unconstitutional; but saves agency by allowing President to replace head at will like other executive branch heads

My new BBB study on crooked moving companies was just released

  • Thousands of complaints to BBB
  • Crooks give very low estimate; double or triple the price AFTER loading goods; illegal to raise price after loading
  • Goods arrive weeks late, often serious damage
  • Crooks often born in Israel; located in South Florida
  • It is critical to check movers out carefully in advance; go to BBB.org

Virus benefit theft

Coronavirus

FTC saw huge spike in complaints about online shopping during shut down; half of them about products never delivered

  • Face masks, PPE, puppies and many other products
  • Number of people that got nothing at all quadrupled since 2015
  • Losses $420 million reported since 2015

Phone recording of scam sale of nonexistent PPE

Happy Fourth of July!  We’re all Americans together, and will get through these times.  No major country in history has been so tolerant and offered such freedom and opportunity. For those with an interest in US History I heartily recommend the Oxford History of the United States.  It is eight volumes now, and perhaps my favorite is Battle Cry of Freedom by James MacPherson, perhaps the best one volume history of the Civil War you can find.

Full report here