We find and expose illegal websites that seek to trick the military community into enrolling in predatory colleges. Our work led the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to shut down some deceptive websites (Army.Com, Air-Force.Com, NavyEnlist.Com, MarinesEnlist.Com, and others) and to require Victory Media, Inc. (“GI Jobs”) to fully disclose its pay-to-play “Military Friendly Schools” ranking and cease its illegal practices.
Most of our work with law enforcement agencies is confidential. Here is what’s public:
OUR WORK
Our Memorandum to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Ashford University
MEMORANDUM REGARDING ASHFORD UNIVERSITY TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Veterans Education Success presents the following information for consideration by the Federal Trade Commission. Veterans Education Success is a non-profit organization that works to advance higher education success for all military-affiliated students and provides free counseling and legal [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead Generators
For Immediate Release Contact: Aniela Szymanski, Senior Director of Legal Affairs and Military Policy | aniela@vetsedsuccess.org June 24, 2020 Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead Generators Submits two petitions against lead generating website that seek to mislead prospective veterans and [...]
Our FTC Petition: Lead Generators
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of businesses that operate unfair and deceptive lead generator websites in violation of Section 5(a) of the [...]
Our FTC Petition: Army.com and Partner Schools
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of schools that may have purchased leads from deceptive lead generators 1 in violation of Section 5(a) [...]
The Predatory Underworld of Companies that Target Veterans for a Buck
The recent law enforcement crackdown on for-profit colleges is well documented. These schools mislead students by promising a fast track to a brighter future and then loaded students up with mountains of debt for worthless degrees—a form of consumer fraud that stretches back for decades. But the public may be [...]
Free Credit Monitoring for Servicemembers
VES and other veterans and military service organizations write to US Federal Trade Commission regarding free credit monitoring for servicemembers
OUR WORK ON FAKE MILITARY WEBSITES
We brought to FTC’s attention fake military websites that pretended to be a place where Americans could join the Armed Forces, but never gave the information to the Armed Forces, instead selling patriotic Americans’ personal information to bad actor colleges that bombarded them with deceptive and aggressive recruiting. Some of the websites even wrongly promoted certain bad actor colleges as endorsed by the military.
- VES’ FOIA request to the US Federal Trade Commission requesting the names of colleges that participated in fake military websites (Nov. 28, 2018)
- 28 Veterans and Military Leaders, led by VES, ask US Federal Trade Commission to release the names of the schools that participated in fake military recruiting websites (Nov. 19, 2018)
- Veterans and Military Leaders, led by VES, ask US Congressional Armed Services Committees to ensure future military recruitment is not disrupted by fraudulent college lead generator companies (Nov. 20, 2018)
- Federal Trade Commission shuts down predatory fake military websites (Sept. 6, 2018)
- Army.Com, Air-Force.com, ArmyEnlist.com, NavyEnlist.com, AirForceEnlist.com, MarinesEnlist.com, NationalGuardEnlist.com, AirGuardEnlist.com, and CoastGuardEnlist.com
OUR WORK ON DECEPTIVE “MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS”
We brought to FTC’s attention the problem of a company’s “Military Friendly Schools” scheme, wherein it charged schools for the designation of “Military Friendly Schools” and also sent aggressive and deceptive e-mail solicitations to service-members and veterans on behalf of schools that paid.
- FTC: Announcement on Victory Media, G.I. Jobs, and Military Friendly (Oct. 19, 2017)
- VES Press Release: Veterans Education Success Hails FTC Action Against Fraudulent “Military-Friendly Schools” (Oct. 19, 2017)
- VES Research Report: Misleading Websites and “Lead Generators”: A Case Study: Victory Media’s “Military Friendly Schools” (Aug. 2016 | updated Feb. 2017)
FTC REPORTS & ACTIONS
FTC Online Tool on Consumer Complaint Data by Military and Veterans
July 13, 2020 U.S. Federal Trade Commission For Release The Federal Trade Commission launched a new tool that explores data about problems military consumers may experience in the marketplace. For the first time, data about reports the FTC has received from active duty service members and veterans will be available [...]
FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Victory Media Advertising Case
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to military consumers. According to the FTC’s complaint, some of the company’s materials and tools deceptively [...]
Federal Trade Commission announces lawsuit and settlement terms with Victory Media/GI Jobs/Military Friendly
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to military consumers. According to the FTC’s complaint, some of the company’s materials and tools deceptively [...]
Federal Trade Commission Announces $100 Million Settlement with DeVry University for False Job Placement Claims
DeVry University and its parent company have agreed to a $100 million settlement of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit alleging that they misled prospective students with ads that touted high employment success rates and income levels upon graduation. The FTC settlement secures significant financial redress for tens of thousands of [...]
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Staff Perspective on Lead Generation (deceptive websites that sell personal information)
One pundit has called it the most pervasive industry that nobody knows about, which is why the FTC has sponsored a workshop, brought law enforcement actions, and just published a Staff Perspective to call attention to the consumer protection implications.
