JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dun & Bradstreet, a business intelligence company headquartered in Jacksonville, will pay a total of $5.7 million to settle allegations of violating a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order related to deceptive business practices.
The settlement includes a civil penalty of $2,063,000 and customer refunds amounting to $2,785,786, in addition to $924,590 already issued in refunds.
The FTC issued an administrative order against Dun & Bradstreet in 2022, citing allegations of unfair or deceptive practices.
The order stipulated that the company must accurately notify customers of automatic renewal pricing, refrain from misrepresenting its products and maintain compliance records.
The complaint, filed in the Middle District of Florida, states that Dun & Bradstreet failed to provide accurate pricing notices and misrepresented facts during sales calls to small businesses.
According to the complaint, many customers received incorrect pricing information and failed to retain all of the call recordings, leading to confusion and disputes over the charges.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that American small businesses receive accurate information about the products and services they purchase,” said Brett A. Shumate, assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, emphasizing the importance of accurate information for small businesses.
As part of the settlement, Dun & Bradstreet is expected to enhance its compliance measures regarding notification and transparency in its business practices.
The FTC and Justice Department plan to continue monitoring similar cases to enforce consumer protection laws effectively.
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