FTC bans 'negative option' marketing

On Thursday, the feds put an end to an alarming business practice KIRO 7's Amy Clancy first warned consumers about three years ago.

  The Federal Trade Commission has banned Jesse Willms and his many companies from using "negative-option" marketing.

 Clancy first exposed the practice in March of 2009, after consumers complained they could not opt-out of acai berry products after signing-up for a so-called “free” trial.

The settlement will put an end to more than $1 billion worth of online marketing fraud that has occurred in just the past two years.

• See Clancy's original story in the video below
  
• More on action from the FTC
• PDF: Final judgment against Jesse Willms