Dun & Bradstreet to Pay $5.7 Million to Resolve Alleged FTC Order Violations

Key Takeaways

• Monetary Relief: Dun & Bradstreet will pay roughly $5.7 million, including civil penalties and customer refunds.
• Order Enforcement: The settlement addresses alleged violations of a 2022 FTC administrative order.
• Sales Practices in Focus: Regulators cited inaccurate renewal pricing notices, misrepresentations during sales calls, and recordkeeping failures.
• Small Business Protection: The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of credit-related services marketed to small businesses.
• Stronger Follow-Through: Federal agencies signaled continued enforcement against companies that fail to comply with FTC orders.

Deep Dive

Dun & Bradstreet has agreed to pay more than $5.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated a prior order issued by the Federal Trade Commission, according to a statement released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The settlement follows a case brought by the Justice Department on referral from the FTC. A federal court has entered a stipulated order requiring Dun & Bradstreet to pay a $2.063 million civil penalty and $2.785,786 in customer refunds, in addition to $924,590 in refunds the company had already issued. In total, the monetary relief amounts to approximately $5.77 million.

The action stems from an administrative order the FTC issued against Dun & Bradstreet in 2022 over alleged unfair or deceptive business practices under the FTC Act. According to a complaint filed in the Middle District of Florida, the company failed to comply with several requirements of that order related to its sales of credit-related services to small businesses.

Specifically, the complaint alleges that Dun & Bradstreet sent customers inaccurate notices about automatic renewal pricing, misrepresented or omitted material information about its products during sales calls, and failed to retain all required call recordings documenting compliance with the FTC’s order.

Federal officials framed the settlement as part of a broader effort to reinforce compliance with FTC orders and protect small businesses from deceptive practices. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that American small businesses receive accurate information about the products and services they purchase,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, adding that the department will continue working with the FTC to enforce its orders.

FTC officials echoed that message, emphasizing that prior orders are enforceable obligations rather than guidance.

“Our signed orders are not suggestions,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. He described the settlement as part of the bureau’s efforts to strengthen enforcement and protect small businesses from deceptive and unlawful conduct.

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