FTC Updates (March 2-6, 2026)

The FTC had a relatively quiet week, with only one notable update from the agency. On March 5, Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige delivered remarks at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, outlining the FTC's ongoing enforcement priorities—including fair ticketing practices, payment system integrity, and actions to stop deceptive negative option subscriptions. More on these enforcement priorities after the jump.

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Bureau of Consumer Protection; Consumer Protection

• In prepared remarks delivered at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School on March 5, 2026, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Christopher Mufarrige outlined three enforcement priorities under the agency's current leadership: (1) ensuring fair and transparent ticketing markets, (2) protecting the integrity of the payments system, and (3) combating deceptive negative option subscriptions. Mufarrige described the agency's use of the Better Online Ticketing Sales (BOTS) Act and new price transparency rules to pursue cases against both ticket brokers and major firms like Ticketmaster, with the goal of removing market distortions that disadvantage consumers. He discussed recent FTC actions targeting not only fraudsters but also payment processors and intermediaries who enable scams within the U.S. payments system, as well as major settlements with companies like Paddle and Cliq that returned millions in redress to consumers. Finally, Mufarrige highlighted aggressive enforcement under the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) and Section 5 of the FTC Act against companies such as Cleo AI and others that used confusing subscription terms or made it difficult for consumers to cancel. Mufarrige emphasized that these enforcement efforts are "market-reinforcing" to protect both individual consumers and fair competition, ensuring that neither hidden fees nor obstructive business practices prevent consumers from exercising informed choice across a range of everyday markets.