AI Fraud Tracker.
Resolved

DOTAuthority.com Inc.

Also known as: DOTAuthority.com, DOT Authority.

The FTC alleged that DOTAuthority.com Inc. and related companies posed as government-affiliated motor carrier registration services, obscured service fees, and enrolled businesses in automatic billing. A settlement required $900,000.

1Official action
$900KRedress ordered

Resolved. Refunded, settled, ceased operating, or the claim did not hold up. Kept for the record.

Identity

Published so you can confirm this entry refers to the party you are checking, and not to somebody who shares a name.

Registrations
FTC v. DOTAuthority.com Inc. (FTC case 152-3157, 2016)
Jurisdictions
United States (federal)

Motor carrier registration case ended with a $900,000 order

DOTAuthority.com Inc. and related companies sold services for federal and state motor carrier registrations. The FTC alleged that they sent robocalls, emails, and text messages that created the false impression of affiliation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Unified Carrier Registration system, or another government agency. The messages used official-sounding names, warnings of $1,000 civil penalties, and threats of law enforcement.

The complaint alleged that the defendants took in more than $19 million from thousands of small businesses. It also alleged that they did not adequately disclose service fees ranging from $25 to $550 or more and enrolled some customers in the SafeRenew annual billing program without their knowledge or consent.

The operators settled the FTC charges in 2018. The order barred false claims of government affiliation, required disclosure that the businesses were private third-party service providers, and required express consent before billing. It imposed a $900,000 judgment payable within one day. The FTC later sent $89,736 to 246 small businesses, followed by $757,946 to 14,948 small businesses in a second distribution.

What is not established

The matter ended in a stipulated final order. The supplied releases do not report an admission of wrongdoing. The more than $19 million figure is what the FTC alleged the defendants took in, while the record panel separately reports the $900,000 ordered for redress.

Sources

Every claim above rests on one of these. Open them and check.

  1. Enforcement action October 17, 2016
    FTC Charges Operators of Scheme That Used Fake Government Affiliation to Sell Commercial Trucking Registration Services
  2. Enforcement action March 19, 2018
    Operators of DOTAuthority.com Motor Carrier Registration Service Settle FTC Charges That They Misled Small Businesses Using Fake Government Affiliation
  3. Enforcement action June 18, 2018
    FTC, BBB, and Law Enforcement Partners Announce Results of Operation Main Street: Stopping Small Business Scams Law Enforcement and Education Initiative
  4. Enforcement action October 2, 2018
    FTC Returns Nearly $90,000 to DOTAuthority.com Customers
  5. Enforcement action August 19, 2019
    FTC Returns an Additional $757,946 to DOTAuthority.com Customers in Second Distribution

Right of reply

No contact has been logged for this entry yet.

If you are named here and something is wrong, dispute this entry. There is no charge, the route never expires, and your response is published unedited.

Other b2b services entries

See all b2b services entries, or browse the full record.

First recorded October 17, 2016 · Last updated August 19, 2019