Penalty Amount
$8,000,000
The FTC and State of Nevada settled charges against the operators of American Tax Service for impersonating federal and state government tax authorities and making false promises of tax debt relief. The defendants will surrender over $8 million in cash and assets and are banned from debt relief services, tax preparation, telemarketing, and impersonation.
The defendants must surrender over $8 million in cash and additional assets to be used for consumer refunds. They are permanently banned from debt relief services, tax preparation services, telemarketing, and impersonation of individuals, governments, or businesses. A $77.7 million judgment is suspended based on inability to pay.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with tax relief or debt settlement companies to ensure compliance with FTC rules on telemarketing, deceptive advertising, and impersonation. Key clauses to examine include representations and warranties regarding compliance with the FTC Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule, indemnification for deceptive practices, and termination rights for regulatory violations. Additionally, contracts should prohibit vendors from impersonating government entities and require clear disclosures about services.
Entity
American Tax Service (ATS)
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/06/ftc-nevada-will-require-tax-relief-scammers-pay-cash-turn-over-assets-worth-nearly-10-million-settle
2523026atstro
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2523026atstro.pdf
ATS StipulatedOrder
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/ATS-StipulatedOrder.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"operators of American Tax Service (ATS)"
"will surrender over $8 million in cash"
"imposes a judgment in the amount of $77.7 million"
"impersonating federal and state government tax authorities and promising tax debt relief"
"Federal Trade Commission and State of Nevada"
The FTC, Utah, and Nevada sued Lens.com Inc., alleging that it advertised artificially low contact lens prices while hiding mandatory checkout charges and misleading consumers about its AutoRefill subscription. The complaint seeks to stop the alleged practices; the court has not yet decided the case, and no penalty or remedy has been imposed.
The FTC issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment on whether ad-optimization tools offered by online platforms may help scammers impersonate businesses and government agencies. This is a proposed regulatory inquiry, not an enforcement action against a named company; no penalty or remedy was imposed.
$2.5B
A federal court approved a revised order in the FTC's Amazon Prime case under which Amazon will accelerate and expand redress payments under the September 2025 $2.5 billion settlement, which resolved allegations that Amazon enrolled millions of consumers in Prime subscriptions without their consent and knowingly made cancellation difficult. More consumers now qualify for refunds, the maximum payment cap rises from $51 to $200, and all future payments will be distributed automatically starting October 1, 2026, with potential supplemental $149 payments by April 2027. Amazon has already issued more than $845 million in redress payments as of September 2026.
$225.0M
The FTC and the state of Washington filed a joint complaint and proposed stipulated order requiring Amway Corp. and two affiliates—World Wide Group, L.L.C. (WWG) and Leadership Team Development Inc. (LTD)—to pay a $225 million judgment, the largest monetary recovery ever obtained from an MLM in an FTC action, over allegations that they used deceptive earnings claims and unfair tactics to recruit Independent Business Owners. The complaint alleges the companies falsely promised substantial income and recruitment success, pressured IBOs to buy products they could not resell, and instructed IBOs to falsely report sales. Nearly all of the judgment will be used as redress for IBOs who lost money, and the proposed order imposes structural reforms including a 70% resale requirement, independent audits of sales records, and a ban on approved providers charging new IBOs for first-year training.
$100.0M
FleetCor Technologies Inc. (now Corpay Inc.) and its CEO Ronald Clarke agreed to pay $100 million to settle an FTC administrative action alleging the company charged small business customers hidden and unauthorized fees for fuel cards and misrepresented gas savings, fraud-control features, and fees. A federal district court granted the FTC summary judgment on all counts in 2023, and a federal appeals court upheld that judgment and the permanent injunction in 2026. The settlement funds will be used to provide redress to harmed business customers.
FTC staff published FAQs on price transparency to help the automobile industry comply with the FTC Act, reiterating that an advertised vehicle price must be the actual price any consumer can pay, excluding only government-required charges. The guidance follows warning letters the FTC sent to 97 auto dealership groups earlier in 2026 and signals continued litigation against dealers that advertise one price but charge more through undisclosed fees. No specific entity was charged and no penalty was imposed.