How to Report Xfinity Home for False Advertising

Did you lose money on a recent purchase because of false advertising? We explain the laws that govern false advertising, how to report it, and what to do for compensation.

What is False Advertising?

False advertising or marketing is any time a company gives you information as the consumer that is misleading, incorrect, or fraudulent. This doesn’t have to be done intentionally; companies could accidentally present misleading information (usually to get you to buy something). But the FTC examines the literal message or information presented, and the general idea or impression it gives off, because sometimes the impression you get as the consumer is very different from what is actually said. And that can still be considered false advertising.

The FTC defines false advertising below:

Sourced from the FTC with creative input from FairShake.

The laws and rules which businesses have to follow exist at the state and federal level in the form of consumer protection laws. Most of these laws are governed by The Federal Trade Commission Act, which established the FTC in 1914. The FTC has jurisdiction to respond to complaints about false advertising from individuals or businesses, as outlined in the US legal code.

Note: No one actually needs to be misled for a court to find that an advertisement is misleading.

What Are the Different Types of False Advertising?

Sourced from the FTC with creative input from FairShake.

The FTC categorizes a lot of different types of false advertising like hidden fees, where you sign up for an advertised price or make a purchase for a set price point, only to find out there are things like sign up fees, maintenance fees, or other fees they didn’t make clear.

Xfinity Home False Advertising Scandals

One case raised eyebrows everywhere when a home invasion that became quite gruesome took place without the Xfinity Home security system ever going off, without any intruder alert or motion detectors working, and without the cops ever being called. In this lawsuit, the plaintiff’s, one a son who was tortured by those who broke in, argued that the system was falsely advertised because it was installed by Xfinity Home technicians and they were assured that things like the motion detector would work even in the basement providing them with a false sense of security when in reality no feature of the system worked.

This issue of the security system being open to flaws is prevalent. In the aforementioned case, the thieves had prepared their attack and were ready to disarm the system, but actually noted that it didn’t need any disarming because it didn’t work. These security flaws are complained about elsewhere, as customers take issue with the advertisements painting a very different picture than the products and services.

What to Do If You See Xfinity Home False Advertising in Action

The FTC needs consumers like you to report any company including Xfinity Home for false advertising when you see it in action. The FTC does not require that anyone, yourself included, actually be affected by the false advertising in order to investigate or punish a company for false advertising.

So, you can report the company by submitting a consumer complaint to the FTC when you see false advertising in action. Only by filing a complaint with the FTC can they investigate and take action. You can also submit a complaint to TruthinAdvertising.org where it will go public.

But if you were wronged personally and want your money back, the rules that govern how you can get compensation will depend on your state’s laws related to Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices.

What can happen to Xfinity Home?

The FTC can issue a variety of penalties to Xfinity Home like asking them to change the misleading ad, remove the false information, and so on, or they can fine them. The punishments get worse for subsequent cases.

Affected by False Advertising? Here’s What You Can Do

So what can you do if you were affected by false advertising, if you lost money? You can try to get that money back by reaching out to Xfinity Home customer service but they might not be able or willing to help. So what now? Now you try Consumer arbitration.

Consumer arbitration is usually faster and less expensive than going to court. However there is still paperwork and deadlines, because it is a legal process and that can get complicated. That’s where we can help. FairShake helps you navigate the consumer arbitration process, from filing your claim to getting the resolution you deserve.