FTC Settles Online Porn Billing Case
From Associated Press
An Internet firm has agreed to forgive $17 million in customers’ bills as part of an agreement with the government, the Federal Trade Commission said.
In exchange, the FTC will end its probe of Alyon Technologies Inc., which had been accused of illegally billing unknowing customers for a dial-up connection to pornographic websites.
The New Jersey-based company also agreed to forgive $22 million in bills incurred before June 15, 2003, for customers who disputed the claims.
The FTC estimates that more than 200,000 customers will be affected.
Alyon Technologies may continue to bill customers, and it does not have to return money it has already collected, the FTC said.
