WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The Federal Trade Commission announced Jan. 16 that it will mail 7,583 checks worth a total of about $2.2 million to consumers who were victimized by an alleged business coaching scam.
Each check is worth $295. The FTC noted recipients will need to deposit or cash the checks within 60 days, and there are no fees associated with the process. The FTC never requires people to pay fees while dealing with checks during restitution cases.
The $2.2 million in restitution comes from a June 2017 settlement with the alleged scam operators. The FTC also banned the operators from selling business coaching services and work-at-home opportunities. The defendants had operated the alleged scam under a variety of names that included Professional Learning Institute, Pinnacle Learning Institute, Advantage Education and Discover Education.
According to the FTC, the defendants made false promises to consumers by guaranteeing they could earn significant incomes from home-based Internet businesses if they purchased services from the defendants.