The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is distributing more than $6.7 million to consumers who were affected by deceptive earnings claims made by Arise Virtual Solutions, a gig work company.
In July 2024, the FTC filed a complaint alleging that Arise Virtual Solutions targeted individuals seeking remote work opportunities, including stay-at-home mothers, with misleading advertisements about potential earnings. According to the FTC, Arise promoted jobs on its platform as paying "up to $18/hour" for remote customer service positions with major companies. The agency stated that these actions violated the FTC Act and the Business Opportunity Rule, which requires truthful disclosure of earnings claims.
As part of a settlement reached in July 2024, Arise Virtual Solutions is now barred from making any unsubstantiated or false claims about potential earnings to consumers. The company was also ordered to pay $7 million for consumer compensation.
The FTC is sending checks to 98,254 affected consumers. Recipients are advised to cash their checks within 90 days as indicated. Consumers with questions can contact Epiq Systems at 888-998-8059 or visit the FTC website for more information on the refund process. The Commission emphasizes it will never ask for money or personal account details in exchange for a refund.
Interactive dashboards on the Commission’s website offer a state-by-state breakdown of refunds distributed in FTC cases. In 2024 alone, actions taken by the FTC resulted in over $339 million returned to consumers nationwide through various settlements and enforcement actions (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/refunds).
The Federal Trade Commission continues its efforts to promote competition and protect consumers through education and enforcement. Consumers are encouraged to learn more about scams and report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
