National FTC Online Referral Agency Complaint

Placement & Referral Agencies

For A Fair MarketPlace

A number of us are assessing the interest from other referral and placement agencies across the country regarding pursuing a collective formal complaint to the Federal Trade Commission, or any other government agency to assess the need for a further investigation into the business practices of some of the Online referral agencies.

We will be asking the FTC and/or other Governmental agencies to evaluate their relationship with families and with the assisted living communities at large, to assess if they violate any Federal or State Fair Business Practice laws.

Specifically, we are discussing their current agreements which include a "First to send the referral owns the client for life" clause.

We believe that families should have the right to work with any agency that they choose at any time, regardless if they have filled out an online form.

We also believe that families may be unknowingly "entering into an agreement" with some online companies which then surrender their personal information to communities for two years or more.

We also believe that the agency that truly places that family member should obtain the rights to the commissions for that client.

We believe that their agreements may obstruct fair competition in the marketplace since many of us knowingly end up ultimately working for free.

This happens when clients have previously filled out an online form or have spoken to an online company and then choose to work with us for more personal services.

We believe that some of the online companies do in fact, know of the situation and put undue pressure on the assisted living communities and the residential homes if they do not pay them.

Please Note:

We are not trying to put anyone out of business. The Online companies do service families to their approval and they have some very good and honest people working for them.

We are at issue with some of their business practices regarding their agreements with their provider partners.

At the end of the day, we are just asking for an "equal playing field"

We are requesting that you sign the electronic petition below in which we intend to deliver to government agencies for consideration of a formal investigation. Signing this petition DOES NOT commit you to any financial obligation what-so-ever.

For Franchisees of Placement Franchise Systems:

Please fill this out in the name of your individual business entity and your PERSONAL EMAIL. For example, you should sign it as Bob's Placement Agency LLC, not CarePatrol, Assisted Living Locators, Always Best Care etc.

Again, thank you for your support, we will keep you in the loop (if you would like) on all developments.

First Name *

Last Name *

Individual Legal Business Name

Street Address *

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Phone Number *

Email Address *

Are You A Part of a Franchise? *

Which One? *

Please email me updates

I agree with all or some of the statements above and give permission to give my name to any government entity that could assist resolving this issue *

YES

NO

I am interested in being on a committee to participate in collaborating on strategy and direction of this initiative. *

YES

NO

I have a family who might come forward to discuss this issue. *

Yes

No

I represent *

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