Value Click Fraud
The FTC announced that Value Click will pay almost $3 million for its fraudulent advertising.
"According to the FTC, ValueClick subsidiary Hi-Speed Media used deceptive e-mails, banner ads, and pop-ups to drive consumers to its Web sites.The e-mails and online ads claimed that consumers were eligible for "free" gifts, including laptops, iPods, and high-value gift cards, and included come-ons such as "Free PS3 for survey," and "CONGRATULATIONS! Select your FREE Plasma TV."
The FTC alleged that consumers lured to ValueClick's Web sites by these promises were led through a maze of expensive and burdensome third-party offers - including car loans and satellite television subscriptions - which they were required to "participate in" at their own expense, in order to receive the promised "free" merchandise.
The FTC charged that ValueClick's use of deceptively labeled e-mail offering free gifts and its failure to disclose that consumers must expend substantial sums of money to obtain the promised "free" merchandise violates the CAN-SPAM Act and the FTC Act."
