FTC Refund Checks | May 2020

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that it is sending out FTC refund checks for five cases in which the FTC accused companies of taking advantage of consumers.

I Works FTC Refunds

Full FTC refund checks have been sent to 147,333 people who were tricked into signing up for trial memberships with I Works. These refunds total more than $12 million. 

Allegedly, I Works implemented schemes in 2010 that took the form of online marketing campaigns.

The FTC accuses I Works of telling customers that federal grants can be used for personal work. The company allegedly also told customers to purchase money making products to make a profit and charged them for the products.

The FTC says the company told customers that they would have a free trial membership and only needed to submit their credit or debit card numbers to pay a shipping and handling fee.

However, the company then charged customers a hefty one-time fee of around $129.95, which was then succeeded by additional monthly fees of $59.95. Allegedly, these fees were charged without the customers’ consent.

Customers can direct questions to the refund administrator JND Legal Administration at 1-888-304-0228.

NatureCity FTC Refund Checks

In another case, the FTC has announced that more than 22,500 FTC refund checks are being sent to people who purchased two health products which were allegedly falsely advertised. These checks total more than $470,000, says the FTC.

The FTC had accused NatureCity LLC of falsely advertising its TrueAloe and AloeCran health products as effective treatments for multiple ailments.

The company allegedly said that the products could help treat chronic pain, diabetes, acid reflux, and ulcerative colitis, all conditions that the FTC notes affect many senior citizens.

The FTC argued that despite NatureCity LLC’s claims, no scientific evidence indicated that the products were effective treatments for these ailments. The FTC had claimed that these advertisements were deceptive and misleading to consumers. 

Customers can direct questions to the refund administrator JND Legal Administration at 1-877-545-0233.

Lighting X-Change FTC Refunds

FTC refund checks were previously sent to customers taken in by an office supply scheme. Now, a second round of refund checks is being sent out to customers regarding the same scheme.

These second round of 2,906 FTC refund checks total more than $81,000 in value.

They are reportedly going to consumers who have already cashed their first benefits check.

The checks are being sent out because there is additional money in the compensation fund, after the first round of checks were sent out in July 2019.

According to the FTC, a company called Lighting X-Change Company LLC implemented a scheme in which it sold high-priced office supplies to people who did not order them.

The FTC notes that the company ran this scheme using a range of names, including Werner International Enterprises, LMS Lighting & Maintenance Solutions, Easton Chemical Supply, and American Industrial Enterprises. Allegedly, it targeted nonprofit organizations and small businesses among other organizations. 

Customers can direct questions to the refund administrator Analytics Consulting at 1-877-202-5930.

National Urological FTC Refund Checks

A third round of checks is being mailed out to customers who purchased allegedly deceptively marketed dietary supplements. This third round of checks totals more than $8.5 million and follows $6 million in checks that were previously sent out.

More than 100,000 customers benefit from these FTC refund check mailings. The third round of checks is being sent out because there was unclaimed money left after some checks were not cashed by recipients. 

The FTC had accused National Urological Group and several associated companies of falsely advertising three dietary supplements. The supplements at issue are Thermalean and Lipodrene, two weight loss supplements, and Spontate-ES, an erectile dysfunction treatment.

Customers with questions can contact the refund administrator Epiq Systems at 1-877-483-2883.

NetSpend FTC Refunds

The FTC is reissuing checks to NetSpend debit card customers who were unable to access funds. These checks are worth more than $3 million and are being sent to 150,000 recipients. 

The FTC says that NetSpend denied the activation of some customers’ debit cards, or blocked them from using their cards. According to the FTC, this left some customers unable to access their funds. 

There was a first round of checks previously issued in the NetSpend refund case, sent in September 2018. 

Customers who have questions about the refund checks can contact the refund administrator Analytics Consulting at 888-684-4858.

In each of these five cases, customers are urged to cash their checks in 60 days, as they will become invalid after that point. More information about the cases is available on the FTC website. 

Have you received a refund check? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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