- The FTC has asked for public comments to improve collaboration with AGs in order to protect consumers from fraud and scams, as mandated by the FTC Collaboration Act of 2021. This act, signed by President Biden in October 2022, requires a study on FTC-AG collaboration and a report to Congress with recommendations for enhancing collaboration.
- The request for public comments highlights the shared mission of the FTC and AGs to protect consumers from deceptive business practices and unfair competition. As we have previously reported (and discussed on our State AG Pulse podcast), the FTC and AGs maintain a robust state-federal partnership, regularly conducting joint investigations, exchanging complaint data, and sometimes taking joint enforcement actions.
- The FTC’s request seeks advice on enhancing collaboration on efforts to prevent, publicize, and penalize fraud and scams. The FTC is interested in viewpoints on topics such as the respective roles and responsibilities of the FTC and AGs in advancing consumer protection, resource allocation for optimal consumer protection outcomes, and potential accountability mechanisms to ensure collaboration and consumer protection.