Whistleblower Group

January 7, 2015

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, along with eight other attorneys general, announced a settlement with Nevada-based online retailer Zappos.com, Inc. to resolve allegations that Zappos placed consumers’ personal data at risk by allegedly failing to protect financial information during a data breach that occurred in 2012. Zappos has agreed to pay $106,000 to the states and must take certain actions intended to better protect consumers’ information. FL

January 6, 2015

The FTC has approved a final amendment to its Cooling-Off Rule that increases the exclusionary limit for certain “door-to-door” sales. The Cooling-Off Rule previously provided that it is unfair and deceptive for sellers engaged in “door-to-door” sales valued at more than $25 to fail to provide consumers with disclosures regarding their right to cancel the sales contract within three business days of the transaction. Under the final rule, the revised definition of “door-to-door sales” distinguishes between sales at a buyer’s residence and those at other locations. The revised definition retains coverage for sales made at a buyer’s residence that have a purchase price of $25 or more, and it increases the purchase price to $130 or more for all other covered sales at temporary locations. FTC

January 6, 2015

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley announced Massachusetts retail electricity supplier Just Energy Group Inc. agreed to pay $4 million to settle allegations of deceptive marketing and sales that promised savings but charged significantly higher rates, entered consumers into agreements without their consent, and charged costly termination fees. MA