Dealing with a Federal Trade Commission investigation or lawsuit can be a lengthy and expensive event for you. Few businesses can afford to fight the FTC.
In addition to the legal fees, there are the lost opportunity costs. Every moment you spend dealing with a government investigation or lawsuit is one less that you can spend on growing your business.
The Federal Trade Commission knows this…and now you do too.
Many business owners find that it is less damaging to settle with the FTC than to fight regardless of the merits.
Although FTC investigations are usually non-public, it is a different story for trials and consent orders. If you and the FTC decide to settle, a proposed consent order with the settlement terms is published for public comment. After 30 days, the FTC can make it a final settlement.
If you subsequently violate the consent order, the Federal Trade Commission can go to court to enforce it.
The good news is that you don’t have to admit liability in a consent order.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there.
