Chris Mufarrige, director of the Federal Trade Commission's consumer protection bureau, has pledged to continue aggressive enforcement against deceptive business practices, telling doubters to examine his agency's record and expect more tough consumer-friendly moves this summer. Since taking office in early 2025, Mufarrige has expanded oversight of finance companies and secured settlements with Amazon, StubHub, Instacart, Shutterstock, and others over deceptive subscriptions and pricing.
Record of enforcement
An April FTC report highlighted the role of Meta's Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram in scams that cost consumers $2.5 billion in 2025. This week, the FTC joined five states to force Deere & Co. to allow farmers to repair tractors and equipment, a push initiated by the Biden administration. Mufarrige stated, "The Facebooks of the world, they have a responsibility here to deal with … clearcut fraud on their platforms."
Challenges to authority
Consumer advocates question the FTC's effectiveness amid the Trump administration's efforts to defund the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, carve-outs for Trump-friendly companies, pardons of white-collar criminals, and the firing of FTC commissioners. The FTC's five-member commission is down to two Republican members after Trump fired two Democrats in 2025, a move backed by the Supreme Court. The agency has cut 287 employees since the end of 2024, according to government data.
Mufarrige's perspective on independence
When asked whether administration policies impact his work, Mufarrige said, "It has not impacted my job one bit. I would put our last 15 to 16 months, our record, up against anybody's. We've been extremely active with cases against LA Fitness, Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Uber, Amazon." He contrasted his approach with predecessors, stating they sought to replace consumer choice, while he aims to reinforce markets and ensure meaningful choice.
Legal framework and future actions
Mufarrige explained that Section 5 of the 1914 Federal Trade Commission Act allows flexibility in targeting problematic conduct, focusing on business conduct that undermines consumer choice and sovereignty. He emphasized that online scams are a critical focus, particularly impersonation of businesses on search engines and social media platforms. Regarding privacy, Mufarrige noted an intense focus on children and teenagers, especially how AI interacts with them, with plans to release findings publicly early next year.
Support from the White House
Mufarrige said he has strong support from the White House, noting the chairman's role on the fraud taskforce created by Trump in April. He encouraged consumers to report violations via reportfraud.FTC.gov, describing the FTC as "a cop on the beat."
