The FTC banned Support King, LLC (SpyFone) and its CEO from the surveillance business for secretly harvesting and sharing users' data without consent, and ordered the deletion of all illegally collected data and notification to affected device owners. The company failed to secure the data, leading to a hack that exposed 2,200 consumers.
The consent order bans Support King, LLC and Scott Zuckerman from offering or selling surveillance apps, requires them to delete all illegally collected data, and mandates notification to device owners about the secret monitoring.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with app developers or surveillance technology providers, as well as any customer or partner agreements where monitoring or data collection services are involved. Specific clauses to scrutinize include those governing data collection consent (ensuring explicit, informed consent is obtained), data sharing and transfer (prohibiting unauthorized sharing), security obligations (requiring robust information security programs and regular assessments), data retention and deletion (mandating timely deletion of collected data upon termination or request), breach notification (requiring prompt reporting of security incidents), and explicit prohibitions against developing, selling, or promoting surveillance or stalkerware applications. Changes may be needed to strengthen consent language, mandate independent security audits, require immediate data deletion upon order termination, and add clear bans on bypassing device security settings.
Entity
Support King, LLC
Also known as: Support King
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/07/ftc-seeks-comment-petition-vacate-2021-order-related-provider-stalkerware-apps
192 3003 spyfone complaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_complaint.pdf
192 3003 spyfone agreement and order without signatures 0
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_agreement_and_order_without_signatures_0.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Support King, LLC, which did business as SpyFone.com"
"secretly harvested and shared data on people’s physical movements, phone use, and online activities"
"without the device owner’s knowledge"
"GPS locations"
"failed to keep it secure"
The FTC finalized an order banning Support King, LLC and its CEO from the surveillance business for selling stalkerware apps that secretly collected and shared users' personal data without consent. The order requires them to delete all illegally collected data and notify affected device owners.
The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.
The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.
The FTC alleged that Greenway Auto Group advertised vehicle prices thousands of dollars below the amounts consumers actually paid and used mailers falsely suggesting recipients had won cash prizes. Greenway agreed to an order requiring transparent pricing and prohibiting deceptive prize mailers and other misrepresentations; the press release does not state a monetary penalty.
The FTC sent warning letters to 24 large healthcare services companies, cautioning that incomplete, inaccurate, or untimely pricing information for scheduled medical care may be unfair or deceptive. The letters urge recipients to review their price-disclosure practices and take corrective action; they announce no fine or formal order.
$1.9M
The FTC alleged that Premier Franchising Group LLC and Franchise Fastlane LLC made deceptive and unsubstantiated claims about the Premier Martial Arts franchise opportunity and violated the Franchise Rule. The proposed settlements require the companies to pay a combined $1.85 million to compensate franchisees, prohibit certain misrepresentations, and require Franchise Rule compliance; certain franchisees may also cancel their agreements without penalty.