Letter to the Hon. Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission - Investigate Offcie Depot Services

Letter

Dear Chairwoman Ramirez:

I have been made aware of attempts to sell consumers unnecessary malware to repair new and unused computers, as a way of increasing the sale of tech services offered by Office Depot, Inc. Therefore, I am requesting that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate these allegations.

A recent news report by KIRO news of Seattle, Washington documents that many Office Depot stores in Washington State and in other cities across the United States are offering "free computer scans" that often indicate problems and result in consumers purchasing unneeded computer repair packages.

American consumers rely on their personal computers now more than ever. Kids need computers for their school work; families need computers to keep track of their finances; and small business owners need computers to run their enterprises. They are the gateways through which we live our lives. In this context, Office Depot's exploitative behavior is particularly disturbing.

As you know, Section 5 of the FTC Act (15 U.S.C. Section §45) gives the FTC jurisdiction to bring enforcement actions against deceptive or unfair marketing practices. I urge you to use this authority to investigate deceptive and unfair marketing practices Office Depot stores and to punish offenders. I am requesting the FTC to investigate these marketing practices. We must to stand up for American consumers and make sure they are not being deceived into making purchases with their hard earned dollars.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. I look forward to working with you to protect consumers and your timely response on this matter.

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