The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending over $140,000 in refunds to consumers after taking action against companies that it alleged made false claims that their products were “Made in USA” or “Hand Crafted in USA.”
The agency took this action against Chaucer Accessories, Bates Accessories, Bates Retail Group and the companies’ owner, Thomas Bates, in 2023, alleging that a number of their belts, bags, wallets and shoes were wholly imported or used imported components, the FTC said in a Wednesday (Nov. 20) press release.
When announcing in a June 2023 press release that the FTC was taking action against the companies, Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said: “‘Made in USA’ means what it says. Falsely labeling products as ‘Made in USA’ hurts consumers and competition, and the FTC will continue to aggressively enforce the law to stop deceptive claims and hold violators accountable.”
The FTC said Wednesday that it is sending the payments to 4,061 consumers who purchased the goods addressed in the case, according to the release.
The agency is sending payments via checks and PayPal, per the release. Consumers are expected to cash their checks within 90 days or redeem their PayPal payments within 30 days.
The FTC uses a variety of payment methods to send refunded money to consumers, PYMNTS reported in September. Consumers can visit an FTC webpage to see whether the refund program in which they are involved is sending checks, debit cards, Zelle payments or PayPal payments.
The agency’s lawsuits resulted in over $324 million in refunds to consumers in 2023.
That total includes money returned to consumers as a result of all FTC cases, whether the refund program was administered by the FTC, other federal agencies or the defendants, the agency said in its annual report on refunds released in June.
The FTC itself refunded $137.7 million, and 1.4 million people cashed FTC payments. It sent first distributions totaling $134 million in 15 cases in 2023.
The agency also maintains interactive dashboards for refund data that provide state-by-state and case-by-case breakdowns of refunds in FTC cases.
We get a lot of press releases here at PYMNTS. We consider all of them, and some are more newsworthy than others. But this one really got our attention. This past week, Diebold Nixdorf made headlines with its announcement of successfully installing two new automated teller machines (ATMs) at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station in Antarctica. This achievement marks a significant milestone in banking accessibility, to be sure. We would like to meet the crew that installed them. We’d also like to know why they needed two. Was there a line at the first one? More to come on that.
According to Diebold, McMurdo Station is Antarctica’s largest research and logistics hub, supporting a fluctuating population that ranges from fewer than 200 residents during the winter months to up to 1,100 individuals during the summer (October through February). The presence of these ATMs is crucial, it says, as the next closest banking facilities are thousands of miles away, making them the only ATMs on the entire continent. How’s that for a value proposition?
The DN Series ATMs are designed for always-on availability. And why do they need two? One ATM is actively in use, while the second serves as a backup for spare parts, ensuring uninterrupted service in this isolated area. These machines are connected to the DN AllConnect Data Engine, which leverages Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor their performance. A dedicated team continuously aggregates and analyzes technical data to identify potential issues, enabling remote diagnostics and repairs. The ATM can be maintained by trained staff at NSF McMurdo Station, or the Diebold Nixdorf service team can remotely guide them through the repair process.
Anyway, it got us thinking. Are there other surprising ATMs in extreme locations? Well, of course, there are. Here’s a sampling of what we found.
At an altitude of about 5,364 meters (17,600 feet), the Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal is another unexpected place to find an ATM. Although it’s not a permanent fixture and is often set up seasonally, it caters to climbers and trekkers who need cash for local transactions. This temporary ATM service underscores the adaptability of banking services in extreme environments.
In some parts of the Amazon rainforest, particularly in Brazil and Peru, ATMs can be found in small villages and towns. These machines are vital for local communities, providing access to cash in areas where digital payment options might be limited. The presence of ATMs here demonstrates how banking services can reach even the most remote communities.
Located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Nagqu is home to one of the highest ATMs in the world. This region is very remote, with limited infrastructure, making the presence of an ATM a notable example of banking accessibility in extreme environments.
In the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu) off the coast of Jakarta, Indonesia, there’s a floating ATM. This unique ATM serves the local community and tourists on the islands, demonstrating how banking services can adapt to isolated marine environments.
Longyearbyen, the administrative center of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway, boasts the most northerly ATM. This location is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth, with limited access to mainland Norway, making the ATM a vital service for residents and visitors.
On a more serious note, the installation of ATMs in places like Antarctica and other remote locations highlights the evolving nature of banking technology. With advancements in IoT, AI and remote diagnostics, it’s becoming increasingly feasible to provide banking services in areas previously considered inaccessible. As we look to the future, it will be interesting to see where else ATMs might appear. Whether it’s on a remote island, at the top of a mountain or even in space, the ability to access cash is becoming more universal than ever. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll see an ATM on Mars, serving the first interplanetary travelers.
For now, the presence of ATMs in unexpected places reminds us that banking is not just about transactions; it’s about connecting people and communities across the globe, no matter how remote they might be.
