FTC Strikes $650K Deal With Experian Over Email Spam Charges

Experian will pay $650,000 to settle charges it sent consumers “unsolicited email without offering” a way to opt out, the FTC said Monday. Experian's ConsumerInfo.com spammed consumers after they signed up for credit reporting services, the agency said. The commission voted 3-0 to allow DOJ to file the complaint. Experian’s actions violated the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act, the first federal anti-spam law. “Signing up for a membership doesn’t mean you’re signing up for unwanted email, especially when all you’re trying to do is freeze your credit to protect your identity,” said FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Samuel Levine. The company didn’t comment.