March 4, 2011 -- The Federal Trade Commission increased its efforts against schemes that target the unemployed and those aiming to make extra income via “be your own boss” and guaranteed job opportunities. “Operation Empty Promises” is a interagency initiative that has already cracked down on scammers, having issued more than 90 recent enforcement actions for infractions related to these schemes. “Under pressure to make ends meet, [the victims] risk their limited financial resources in response to the promise of a job, an income – a chance at a profitable home business,” said Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, David C. Vladeck, in a press conference Wednesday. “But these [schemes] turned out to be empty promises – and the people who counted on them ended up with high levels of frustration and even higher levels of debt.” Additionally, the FTC has recently updated consumer education materials to aid consumers in avoiding these scams.
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