Bondi
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an $800,000 settlement Tuesday with an internet-based advertising company headquartered in Columbia, S.C., for allegedly neglecting to include sufficient disclosures and violating federal law.
SubscriberBASE Holdings Inc. promotes internet-marketed goods and services, including free gifts to consumers who register for internet offers. The company's "free" offers ,advertised through search engines, a popular social media site and other internet sites, allegedly did not clearly and conspicuously disclose the terms and conditions of the offers.
In addition, the email solicitations sent by, or on behalf of, SubscriberBASE Holdings, allegedly violated the Federal CAN-SPAM Act, which prohibits misleading and deceptive header information in commercial e-mails.
"Florida law requires that all advertisements, including internet ads, provide sufficient disclosures about terms and fees and not be misleading," Bondi said. "We are committed to protecting Floridians from unfair and deceptive trade practices, and we will not allow the Internet to become a medium where deceptive marketing practices flourish."
As part of the agreement, SubscriberBASE Holdings, Inc. must disclose and prominently display all necessary information on internet-based advertisements to allow consumers to make informed decisions. The company must also pay $800,000 to Bondi's office to reimburse the state for court costs and to further the office's mission to uphold the law.