[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52797-52798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25668]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
[File No. 932-3297]


Telebrands Corp., Ajit Khubani; Analysis To Aid Public Comment

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Consent agreement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In settlement of alleged violations of federal law prohibiting 
unfair or deceptive acts or practices and unfair methods of 
competition, this consent agreement, accepted subject to final 
Commission approval, would among other things prohibit the Roanoke, 
Virginia-based mail and telephone order company--and an individual who 
is an officer and director of the company--from representing that the 
Sweda Power Antenna (a device purported to improve television and radio 
reception) provides the best, crispest, clearest or most focused 
television reception achievable without cable installation, and would 
require any claim about the relative or absolute performance, 
attributes, or effectiveness of any product intended to improve a 
television's or radio's reception, sound, or image to be truthful and 
supported by competent and reliable evidence. The consent agreement 
would also prohibit the respondents from making a number of false or 
unsubstantiated claims about the WhisperXL (a purportedly major 
breakthrough in sound enhancement technology). The consent agreement 
resolves allegations in an accompanying complaint that the respondents 
made unsubstantiated and false claims in advertising for the Sweda 
Power Antenna and the WhisperXL, and misrepresented a money-back 
guarantee with respect to the Sweda Power Antenna. A related federal 
district court decree will require the respondents to

[[Page 52798]]

pay a $95,000 civil penalty, and will prohibit them from violating the 
Commission's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: FTC/Office of the Secretary, 
Room H-159, Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20580.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Bloom, New York Regional 
Office, Federal Trade Commission, 150 William Street, 13th Floor, New 
York, New York 10038-2603, (212) 264-1207. Donald G. D'Amato, New York 
Regional Office, Federal Trade Commission, 150 William Street, 13th 
Floor, New York New York 10038-2063, (212) 264-1223.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 6(f) of the Federal 
Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C. 46, and Section 2.34 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice (16 CFR 2.34), notice is hereby 
given that the above-captioned consent agreement containing a consent 
order to cease and desist, having been filed with and accepted, subject 
to final approval, by the Commission, has been placed on the public 
record for a period of sixty (60) days. The following Analysis to Aid 
Public Comment describes the terms of the consent agreement, and the 
allegations in the accompanying complaint. An electronic copy of the 
full text of the consent agreement package can be obtained from the FTC 
Home page, on the World Wide Web, at ``http://www.ftc.gov/os/actions/
htm.'' A paper copy can be obtained from the FTC Public Reference Room, 
Room H-130, Sixth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20580. Public comment is invited. Such comments or views will be 
considered by the Commission and will be available for inspection and 
copying at its principal office in accordance with Section 
4.9(b)(6)(ii) of the Commission's Rules of Practice (16 CFR 
4.9(b)(6)(ii)).

Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment

    The Federal Trade Commission has accepted an agreement to a 
proposed consent order from Telebrands Corp. (``Telebrands'') and Ajit 
Khubani. Proposed respondents are marketers of varied products, 
including the Sweda Power Antenna and the WhisperXL, which were 
subjects of this investigation.
    The proposed consent order has been placed on the public record for 
sixty (60) days for the reception of comments by interested persons. 
Comments received during this period will become part of the public 
record. After sixty (60) days, the Commission will again review the 
agreement and comments received and will decide whether it should 
withdraw from the agreement and take appropriate action or make final 
the agreement's proposed order.
    The Commission's complaint charges that the proposed respondents 
made the following unsubstantiated and false representations about the 
Sweda Power Antenna: (1) Sweda Power Antenna provides the best, 
crispest, clearest, or most focused television reception achievable 
without cable installation; (2) Sweda Power Antenna takes a television 
or radio signal and electronically boosts it before it gets to a 
television or radio; and (3) the installation of a Sweda Power Antenna 
will more effectively improve television's or radio's reception, sound, 
or image than the installation of a television or radio dish antenna.
    Further, the complaint alleges that the proposed respondents failed 
to timely honor their money back guarantee for the Sweda Power Antenna.
    Part I of the proposed order prohibits proposed respondents from 
representing that the Sweda Power Antenna provides the best, crispest, 
clearest or most focused television reception achievable without cable 
installation or will more effectively improve a television's or radio's 
reception, sound, or image than the installation of a television or 
satellite or external dish antenna.
    Part II of the proposed order requires that any claim proposed 
respondents make that the Sweda Power Antenna takes a television or 
radio signal and electronically boosts it before it gets to a 
television or radio be truthful and supported by competent and reliable 
evidence. Similarly, Part III of the proposed order requires that any 
claim about the relative or absolute performance, attributes, or 
effectiveness of any product intended to improve a television's or 
radio's reception, sound, or image be truthful and supported by 
competent and reliable evidence.
    Part IV of the proposed order prohibits the proposed respondents 
from misrepresenting, by act or omission, any guarantee of satisfaction 
or refund offer in connection with the advertising or sale of any 
product, and requires the proposed respondents to make a full refund of 
the purchase price, as well as any shipping, insurance, and handling 
charges, within seven business days of receiving the consumer's request 
for the guaranteed refund. The proposed order permits the respondents 
to exclude fees, such as handling charges, paid by the consumer from 
the terms of the guarantee of satisfaction or refund offer so long as 
the exclusion is clear, conspicuous, and in close proximity to the 
guarantee of satisfaction or refund offer.
    With respect to the WhisperXL, the complaint charges that the 
proposed respondents made the following unsubstantiated and false 
representations about the WhisperXL: (1) WhisperXL is a major 
breakthrough in sound enhancement technology; (2) WhisperXL is an 
effective hearing aid; (3) WhisperXL is designed to produce or produces 
clear amplification of whispered or normal speech, television, radio, 
or other mid- to high-frequency sounds at a distance of more than a few 
feet; (4) WhisperXL allows the user to hear a whisper from as far as 
100 feet away; and (5) WhisperXL allows the user to hear a pin drop 
from 50 feet away.
    Part V of the proposed order prohibits the proposed respondents 
from making these claims for the WhisperXL. Further, Part VI of the 
proposed order requires that any claim respondents make about the 
relative or absolute performance, attributes, or effectiveness of any 
hearing aid be truthful and supported by competent and reliable 
evidence.
    The proposed order contains recordkeeping requirements for 
materials that substantiate, qualify, or contradict claims covered by 
the proposed order (Part VII), and requires the proposed respondents to 
keep and maintain all records demonstrating compliance with the terms 
and provisions of the order (Part VIII). Parts IX and X of the proposed 
order require distribution of a copy of the order to current and future 
officers and agents. Part XI provides for Commission notification upon 
a change in the corporate respondent and Part XII requires Commission 
notification when the individual respondent changes his present 
business or employment.
    Part XIII provides for the termination of the order after twenty 
(20) years under certain circumstances. Part XIV obligates proposed 
respondents to file compliance reports with the Commission.
    The purpose of this analysis is to facilitate public comment on the 
proposed order, and it is not intended to constitute an official 
interpretation of the agreement and proposed order or to modify in any 
way their terms.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-25668 Filed 10-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M