FTC

FTC’s Mortgage Assistance Relief Services: MARS Rule & Short Sales

by Bill & Jackie Patterson | February 14, 2011

In the mid 90′s there was a lot of talk about a popular book called “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus”, and it was the topic of many talk shows and conversations. Today, we’re talking about MARS again bit in a different context. Regardless of what planet you’re from, when it comes to [...]

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Real Estate Marketing

New FTC Advertising Guidelines Could Affect Real Estate Professionals!

by Christina Inman | October 24, 2009

Now, before I get started, please keep in mind that I am not a lawyer, nor should you consider what you are about to read as legal advice. I am just trying to pass something along that I think you should all be aware of.

In case you haven’t heard, on October 5, the Federal Trade Commission issued an update to its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising–the first update since 1980!

This update is mainly concerned with two things; first, stopping fake blog sites where the blogger is a totally made-up person with a totally made-up story designed to sell something (you know, those fake weight loss blogs, teeth whitening blogs, and money-making blogs we’ve all seen time and again), and second, how advertisements can use testimonials and endorsements.

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Real Estate

Real Estate Gurus, Fake Testimonials, and the Law

by Tom Koziol | June 13, 2009

Image by Getty Images via Daylife If I said “Whole Foods” to you, would you know how that company is related to real estate? I wouldn’t have either but I read Hallie Mummert’s Editor’s Notes in this month’s Target Marketing Magazine. It seems their CEO, John Mackey, was exposed for using a pseudonym to post [...]

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Commentary

Mortgage and Loan Modification Scammers “Beware” Says Obama Administration

by Rob K. Blake | April 12, 2009

Image by Getty Images via Daylife The Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner and U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder are getting tough on loan modification scams, or so they say. A new initiative was announced this week on the Feds desire to work with State law enforcement to shutdown predatory loan modification companies who prey on foreclosure [...]

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