Law & market

FTC advertising rules checker

US federal advertising rules centre on the FTC Act §5 ban on deceptive practices, the fake-review rule (16 CFR Part 465) and the Green Guides on environmental marketing, backed by FDA rules on health claims.

What it covers

ComplyAds checks your listing text against the US rules that most often trip sellers up, and cites the specific instrument behind each flag:

• Medical or health claim — claims that a product treats, cures or prevents a condition FTC Act s.5; FDA unapproved-new-drug / disease-claim rules (21 USC 331, 355)
• Fake or incentivised reviews — fake, bought or undisclosed incentivised reviews FTC 16 CFR Part 465 — fake/AI reviews rule (civil penalties per violation, with the maximum adjusted annually for inflation; a maximum, not a standard amount)
• Unsubstantiated efficacy claim — efficacy claims like "clinically proven" made without solid evidence FTC Act s.5 — substantiation doctrine (competent and reliable evidence)
• Misleading or drip pricing — inflated "was" prices, fake discounts and fees revealed late Reference prices: FTC Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, 16 CFR Part 233 — §233.1 (former-price comparisons: the former price must be genuine and offered in good faith for a reasonably substantial period), §233.2 (retail/comparable-value comparisons), §233.3 (manufacturer-suggested/list prices), issued under FTC Act s.5. Drip pricing (fees revealed late): FTC Act s.5 (deceptive or unfair practices) plus state all-in-pricing laws (e.g. CA SB 478, MN, VA; CO and CT commencing 2026). 16 CFR Part 464 (the FTC fees rule) covers only live-event tickets and short-term lodging, not general e-commerce.
• Unqualified superlative or absolute claim — unqualified superlatives and absolutes — "best", "#1", "100%" FTC Act s.5 — substantiation doctrine: an objective superiority claim requires competent and reliable evidence before it is made. 16 CFR Part 255 (Endorsements) where the claim is endorsement-framed. Obvious puffery is not actionable.
• Unqualified environmental claim — vague environmental claims like "eco-friendly" or "carbon neutral" FTC Green Guides 16 CFR Part 260 (guidance under FTC Act s.5)
• Possible false urgency or scarcity — invented urgency — "only 3 left", "ends today" — that isn’t genuine FTC Act s.5 — deceptive acts or practices. False scarcity, fabricated countdown timers and "only N left" claims that do not reflect real stock are treated as deceptive; there is no dedicated urgency rule, so s.5 is the operative anchor.

An example that gets flagged

ComplyAds flags that as a health claim and points to the exact rule it relates to, not just the act — a prompt to look more closely before you publish.

How the checker works

Paste a listing, ad or post; the risky phrases we detect are highlighted in your text with the reason in plain English and the rule behind it. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. It reads English-language text only; listings in other languages are not checked.

Not legal advice. ComplyAds is an informational risk check that flags potentially problematic wording under US rules. It does not certify compliance or cover every rule, and it is no substitute for advice from a qualified professional in the markets you sell in.

Questions