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FTC, States Put Remaining Defendants in Massive Caribbean Cruise Lines Robocall Operation in Permanent Dry Dock The Federal Trade Commission and 10 states have closed the book on the remaining defendants who assisted a Florida-based cruise line company in running an illegal telemarketing campaign that flooded consumers with billions of unwanted robocalls. In settling the charges, Fred Accuardi and his companies are barred from robocalling and illegal telemarketing, as well as helping anyone else make such calls. In early 2015, the FTC and its state partners alleged that that the companies involved in the scheme illegally sold cruise vacations using political survey robocalls. The FTC and states filed charges against—and reached settlements with—most of the defendants in the case, including Caribbean Cruise Line, Inc. (CCL). The CCL robocall campaign ran from October 2011 through July 2012 and averaged approximately 12 to 15 million illegal sales calls a day. Consumers who answered these calls typically heard a pre-recorded message telling them they had been selected to participate in a 30-second research survey, after which they would receive a “free” two-day cruise to the Bahamas. In reality, the calls were designed to market CCL’s cruises and various up-sell packages. The illegal robocalls generated millions of dollars for CCL. The complaint charged Accuardi and his companies with assisting and facilitating the illegal calls by providing robocallers with hundreds of telephone numbers, making it possible for them to choose and change the names that would appear on consumers’ caller ID devices, funding a part of the robocalling campaigns, and hiding the robocallers’ identities from authorities. The proposed settlement order announced today bars Accuardi and his businesses from: 1) initiating, or causing anyone else to initiate, any robocalls or helping anyone else make robocalls; and 2) engaging in illegal telemarketing practices. The proposed order also includes a judgment of $1.35 million, which will be suspended after the defendants pay $2,500. If the FTC finds the defendants have misrepresented their financial condition, the entire judgment will become due. The attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington, as well as the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, helped the FTC in bringing this case, and Commission appreciates their assistance. The Commission vote approving the proposed order was 3-0. The FTC filed the proposed order in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources. FTC Obtains Court Order Against Fake Prize Scheme Defendant One of the defendants in a fake prize scheme has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that he provided services for a direct mail scheme that tricked people into thinking they had won $1 million or more if they paid $25 to collect the fake prize. But those who paid received nothing. The operation targeted hundreds of thousands of mostly elderly consumers. The settlement resolves the charges against Ian Gamberg, who printed and mailed the promotions and participated with other defendants in editing the language and layout of the mailers and envelopes. The promotions were mailed under the names Paulson Independent Distributors, International Procurement Center, Phelps Ingram Distributors, and Keller Sloan & Associates. Under a stipulated final order, Gamberg is banned from misrepresenting any good or service, including the misrepresentations alleged in the FTC’s complaint. He also is prohibited from failing to clearly disclose that certain distributed promotions are meant to solicit a purchase; that the recipient has not won anything of value; and if a consumer has won anything, the value of the prize. The order also bars Gamberg from selling or otherwise benefitting from consumers’ personal information and failing to dispose of it properly. The order imposes an $800,000 judgment that will be partially suspended when Gamberg has paid $1,400. The full judgment will become due immediately if he is found to have misrepresented his financial condition. Litigation continues against the remaining defendants in the scheme, Millenium Direct Incorporated and its principal David Raff. The case was filed as part of an international initiative against mass-mail fraud, which included actions taken involving law enforcement agencies from Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group – a network of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies from several countries, and co-chaired by the FTC and the Department of Justice – has identified mass-mail fraud as a major financial threat to consumers. The Commission vote approving the stipulated final order was 3-0. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered the order on February 13, 2017. NOTE: Stipulated final orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge. The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources. MDS Foods Inc, of Massillon, OH is Expanding the Current Recall to include Products Identified by Deutsch Kase Haus, LLC of Middlebury, Indiana from their 02/15/2017 Product Recall 02/20/2017 01:36 PM EST Deutsch Kase Haus, LLC of Middlebury, Indiana, supplied MDS Foods with cheeses that have been found to be contaminated with the pathogenic organism Listeria Monocytogenes which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. At the time of this release, no illnesses have been reported. Biery Cheese Company Recalls Various Types Of Specialty Longhorn Colby Cheeses Due To Possible Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination 02/17/2017 10:32 AM EST Biery Cheese Co. is voluntarily recalling specialty Longhorn Colby cheese due to potential contamination of Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. For detailed information pertaining to this Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts message, please click the link at the beginning of this bulletin.For detailed information pertaining to this Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts message, please click the link at the beginning of this bulletin.