FTC Scam Suit Leads to $102 Million in Refunds

Payback due for consumers misled by websites mimicking DMVs, benefit programs

People standing outside, in a line awaiting to enter the Department of Motor Vehicles

Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg 13+ / Alamy Stock Photo

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Published April 18, 2022

Consumers deceived by a sprawling online scam promising easy access to government services like driver’s license renewals and housing vouchers are in line for relief with the help of a federal lawsuit that secured more than $102 million in refunds for victims.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the launch this month of a process to reach people who did business with On Point Global, the umbrella entity for a network of Miami-based companies that operated more than 200 websites offering supposed shortcuts to government benefits and services.

Stretto, the company handling the refund process, is contacting people misled by the multiyear scheme, which targeted consumers nationwide. If you made a payment or provided personal data such as your age, income, gender, or credit or debit card number to an On Point Global site, you have until July 17 to file a claim.

Search ads led to phony sites

The sites, with names like DMV.com, floridadriverslicense.org and my-food-stamps.org, used search engine advertising to target people looking for information about driver’s license and vehicle registration renewals in their state, hunting and fishing licenses, and eligibility for federal aid such as Section 8 housing vouchers and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to the FTC, which filed suit against the operators in late 2019.

Users who paid fees starting at $22.98 received little more than a PDF “guide” with general, publicly available information on the relevant service or program. Those who provided personal information were deluged with sales and marketing calls after On Point and its affiliates sold their data, the FTC says.

The consumer-protection agency secured an injunction in early 2020 shutting down the sites, which a U.S. District Court judge described as “patently misleading.” The same judge convicted several individual defendants and dozens of interlinked companies in a nonjury trial in November 2021 and awarded damages of $102.8 million based on the On Point network’s revenue from sales of guides and monetizing users’ data.

How to claim a refund

The FTC says eligible claimants should have received emails by mid-April, at the address they used in dealing with On Point, with instructions on the refund process. Legitimate emails related to the settlement will be from noreply@onpointclaimform.com or an ftc.gov address.

If you believe you are eligible but did not receive an email, visit onpointclaimform.com for information on filing a claim. The FTC also has information on the refund process at separate websites on the fake DMV and fake government assistance schemes.

Consumers who paid fees to an On Point guide site between January 2017 and December 2019, and who have not already gotten a refund from the company or secured a credit card charge-back, can receive full repayment. Those who provided personal information to one of the network’s benefit sites can get up to $15 in damages.

Andy Markowitz is a contributing writer and editor for AARP, covering Social Security and fraud. He is a former editor of The Prague Post and Baltimore City Paper.

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