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Comment by shiftpgdn | Hacker News Reader

Sorry but that's rubbish. Even if you play by the rules they'll just change them via some obscure FTC policy or congressional rider.

Look at what happened to all the "Work from home" companies a few years ago. All the owners had their assets seized in full for breaking a new FTC policies that had been published for only a matter of days.[1]

The reality is if you're doing something the government doesn't like you NEED to leave the country. They'll just keep moving the goal posts until you're in prison.

[1]http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/11/ftc-ex...

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I can't think of many people less deserving of sympathy than the people in the linked article (even the Bitcoin money-launderer deserves more), and the world is unequivocally a better place for the FTC moving the goalposts to catch them. Frankly, you shouldn't need to read FTC guidelines to understand that peddling lies and then not honouring promised refunds might get you into trouble, and conmen whose businesses get suspended by court 12 months after the FTC introduces explicit guidelines banning their business practices are not victims, unlike their paying customers.

The rules in this case are "don't enter into a drug based money laundering business", which is allegedly what went on here. It's certainly not new or obscure.

>drug based money laundering business

No ambiguity there!

"The US government is cracking down on companies that scam millions of dollars out of people looking for jobs, WHERE'S THE FREEDOM??"

Come on, man.

These rules were publicized in November of 2011,[1] and implemented March 1, 2012.

Press release November 15, 2012.

I don't think 6+ months qualifies as "a matter of days."

1: http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/ftc-ad...

http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus79-selling-work-home-or...

FTC makes rules, not laws. That is a important distinction, and the Courts determine where the rules are consistent with the pre-existing laws.

If you're trying to avoid taxes and do shady stuff with your money, eyeah. You're going to have a bad time.

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