FTC Stops False Advertising, Phony Reviews by Online Trampoline Sellers

By Karol Rutkoski

Two brothers have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that in marketing and selling their trampolines, they deceived consumers by directing them to review websites that claimed to be independent but were not, and by failing to disclose that one of the brothers posted online product endorsements without disclosing his financial interest in the sale of the products.

Under an administrative consent order announced today, Son “Sonny” Le and Bao “Bobby” Le are barred from engaging in such deceptive behavior in the future and must clearly and conspicuously disclose any material connections between a reviewer or endorser and the product being reviewed.

According to the FTC’s complaint, working together and using several fictitious business names, the Les marketed and sold Infinity and Olympus Pro brand trampolines on several websites. These sales websites prominently featured logos from supposedly independent review entities, including “Trampoline Safety of America,” the “Bureau of Trampoline Review,” and “Top Trampoline Review.”

Consumers who clicked on the logos were directed to the websites of those reviewing organizations, which claimed to provide objective information, including unbiased “expert reviews” of specific brands and models, as well as ratings based on safety, performance, and other qualities. Each review site recommended the Les’ Infinity and Olympus Pro trampolines.

In reality, the review sites were not what they appeared nor were they unbiased, as all were owned and run by the Les. The FTC alleges that the logos were fake, as were claims on the sites stating, for example, that Trampoline Safety of America (one of the purported reviewing entities) “is a third-party organization involved in studying the technical aspects of all the major trampoline sites in America” comprised of structural engineers, trampoline gymnastic coaches, and professionals whose goal was to educate the public about “the safeties of trampolines.”

The FTC also charged in its complaint that Bobby Le posted online reviews that appeared to be from ordinary trampoline owners – praising the “strong frames” and other attributes of the Les’ products, while disparaging other brands – without disclosing his connection to the products he was promoting.

The proposed order settling the FTC’s charges prohibits the Les from making any of the misrepresentations alleged in the complaint and requires them to disclose clearly, conspicuously, and in close proximity to an endorsement any unexpected connection between an endorser and the company or anyone associated with it. Finally, the order requires that if the Les review a product that they sell or that competes with one they sell, that they clearly and conspicuously disclose this fact, as well.

Read full article and learn more about Deceptive Advertising here.

Here’s How To Make Sure You, Your Business & Website Is FTC Compliant

By now it should be clear how important it is for you to be FTC compliant. But how can you do that without spending $7,500-$8,000 or more on Internet Attorneys?

Smart business owners around the world are doing it with the help ofFTC Guardian.

FTC Guardian is a service that is 100% focused on helping to keep you get and stay FTC compliant and fully protected. And right now, we are offering a free training to give you the knowledge, information, and guidance that you need to stay out of trouble with the Federal Trade Commission.

The training is titled: 3 Tragic (Legal) Privacy Policy List Building Mistakes That Can Get You In Hot Water With The FTC Today – Resulting In Your Business Being Shut Down… And How To Solve It!

Here are some of the things you’ll discover on the training:

Real-Life Examples of People Who Didn’t Think They Were At Risk, But Who Got Nailed By The FTC, And Why It Could Happen To You, Too

The 3 Enormous Powers The FTC Has That Can Change Your Life – And Your Family’s Life – Forever!

How to Avoid FTC Claims When Collecting Leads With Optin Forms

3 Privacy Policy Mistakes Every Digital Marketer Is Making, And Why You’re In The FTC Crosshairs.

And Much More…

Remember: legal protection is a massively important part of your business, and it’s one you cannot afford to ignore any longer.

Go here to register for our next FREE training and make your business is FTC compliant today!

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It’s not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Neither the author nor FTC Guardian, Inc. is endorsed by the Federal Trade Commission.