The Federal Trade Commission is cautioning consumers looking forward to rebate checks from the government that they may be targets of scammers out to steal their identity. The agency has issued an alert to help consumers avoid this situation.

The schemes work like this: consumers get a call or an e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or some other government agency, and claiming to need some bit of personal information to process the rebate check. Consumers may be asked to provide their social security number, bank account number, or another piece of personal information that a skillful crook can use to commit identity theft. E-mails often include a link for a consumer to click: that link may take the consumer to an official-looking – but phony – website that is simply phishing for the consumer’s information. Or, the link may take the consumer to a legitimate site but install spyware or some other form of malware on the way.

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As part of the Federal Trade Commission’s intensified efforts to protect consumers from mortgage foreclosure rescue scams, the agency has filed two lawsuits charging six individuals and their businesses with falsely claiming that they will stop foreclosure. The FTC will seek to bar them from further violations and make them forfeit their ill-gotten gains.

“Consumers who are at risk of losing their homes are in a vulnerable position,” said Lydia B. Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies that take money from these consumers with false promises to save their homes from foreclosure will face swift action from the FTC and its law enforcement partners.”

In the first case, Florida-based Mortgage Foreclosure Solutions, Inc., Debra Behrens, and Michael Siani are charged with falsely representing that they will stop foreclosure in all or virtually all instances, in violation of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive acts or practices. They allegedly claim that they can stop foreclosure regardless of consumers’ hardships or payment histories, stating in one such claim, “We are so confident of our abilities to provide you with a solution in stopping your foreclosure that we guarantee our services in writing to you.” Their promotions have appeared on Internet Web sites and blogs, including www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.biz, www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.com, www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.info, www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.net, www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.org, and www.mortgageforeclosuresolutions.us.

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In an ongoing effort to crack down on businesses that prey upon homeowners facing foreclosure, the Federal Trade Commission has charged six businesses and three individuals with violating the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA), the FTC Act, and the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) by enticing homeowners into high-cost, short-term loans secured by an additional mortgage on their homes. The FTC will seek to bar the defendants from further violations, make them forfeit their ill-gotten gains, and stop collection and foreclosure actions or efforts to seize or transfer properties.

The defendants are Safe Harbour Foundation of Florida, Inc., Silverstone Lending, LLC, Silverstone Financial, LLC, Southeast Advertising, Inc., Keystone Financial, LLC, MT25 LLC, Peter J. Porcelli II, Bonnie A. Harris, and Christopher Tomasulo.

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The Federal Trade Commission has charged a business operation with violating federal law by falsely claiming that its weight-loss pills cause users to lose weight without dieting or exercise.

According to the FTC’s complaint, since 2005 the defendants have marketed their product throughout the nation under the names Zyladex Plus, Questral AC, Questral AC Fat Killer Plus, Rapid Loss 245, and Rapid Loss Rx. Their advertising, which has included statements such as “Lose up to 15 pounds a week,” “Not Even Total Starvation Can Slim You Down and Firm You Up This Fast - This Safe!,” and “No Dieting, No Exercise,” has appeared in Sunday newspaper supplements, including SmartSource by News America Marketing FSI, Inc.

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The Federal Trade Commission has stopped a father, his two sons, and their network of companies from deceptively selling a healthcare business opportunity with false promises of earning up to a million dollars in profits. In addition, the FTC has halted their sale of an herbal tea product, marketed with claims that it could prevent, treat, or cure a number of diseases, including AIDS, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, strokes, and heart disease. The defendants will turn over all of their frozen assets to settle the FTC’s charges.

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The Federal Trade Commission finished its case against the purveyors of an envelope stuffing scam. The FTC settled charges with the remaining defendants, who falsely promised that consumers would earn a substantial income from stuffing envelopes.

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The FTC has charged that Budget Rent-a-Car's fuel fee program was deceptive and violated federal law. Budget Rent-a-Car did not adequately disclose its billing practice and made deceptive claims about returning cars with a full tank of gas on its Web site, point of sale disclosures, and rental contracts.

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The IRS has put out a series of communications in 2007 warning consumers of a variety of email scams involving the IRS.  The different scams to watch out for include:

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Until October 27, 2007, the Federal Trade Commission will be accepting refund requests from consumers who bought CortiSlim or CortiStress. The FTC alleged that CortiSlim was advertised with false and unsubstantiated weight loss claims and that CortiStress was advertised with false and unsubstantiated disease prevention claims. The FTC’s settlement with the marketers of CortiSlim and CortiStress included money for consumer refunds. The amount of the refund will depend on the number of consumers who request refunds.

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FTC: Products Worn or Rubbed on the Skin Do Not Cause Weight Loss

A company and its owner are banned from selling weight-loss patches in the future and will pay $180,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that advertising claims for their weight-loss patches were false and unsubstantiated.

According to the FTC, Transdermal Products International Marketing Corporation and William H. Newbauer sold a supposed weight-loss patch to about two dozen domestic and foreign retailers, and provided them with sample deceptive advertising and bogus substantiation materials, including purported expert endorsements and clinical studies of their weight-loss patch by Marvin Kaplan. The retailers in turn used these materials to sell the weight-loss patches to consumers in the U.S. and abroad. The sample advertising made false or unsubstantiated claims about the product, including that it caused weight loss and that the main ingredient, sea kelp, had been approved by the FDA for weight loss.

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