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American Federal Trade Commission to write to consumers affected by Next-Gen scam

The American Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plans to send refunds to more than 240,000 people around the world who lost money to a deceptive sweepstakes and prize scheme operated by Next-Gen, Inc., Opportunities Unlimited Publications, Inc., and related companies. This includes a small number of consumers in Ireland.

In February 2018, the FTC and the State of Missouri sued these companies, alleging that they sent deceptive sweepstakes and “game of skill” mailers to people across the United States and in dozens of other countries. The mailers falsely promised cash prizes in exchange for a small fee. Many people paid the fee several times before realising there was no prize.

To settle the charges brought by the FTC and the State of Missouri, the defendants agreed to give up cash and assets worth about $30 million. The FTC is now using this money to provide refunds to affected consumers.

Next Steps

The FTC is writing to all Irish consumers that are entitled to a refund. The FTC letter will provide details on how to access the refund via PayPal. Please note that the FTC will only require eligible consumers to provide a claim number which will be included in the letter from the FTC and an email address in order to access the refund. No further information is required. Also, please note that the FTC have stated that consumers must request their PayPal payment by the 31 January 2023.

If you have not received a letter from the FTC, but believe you may be entitled to one, then you can contact the FTC through their website at the link provided below.

You can find more information on the FTC case and answers to common questions about refund payments on the FTC website. The FAQ page on the FTC website also provides information on how you can assure yourself that the FTC payment or claim form is legitimate as well as how the FTC got your information.

If you have any questions in relation to this matter, please feel free to contact the CCPC through our Consumer Helpline on 01 402 5555. Alternatively, you can email us at info@ccpc.ie.