FTC Sends Nearly $50 Million to U of Phoenix Students

Inside Higher Ed 

Scott Jaschik

March 25, 2021

The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling nearly $50 million to more than 147,000 University of Phoenix students who may have been lured by allegedly deceptive advertisements.

The refunds stem from a lawsuit the FTC filed against Phoenix alleging that it used deceptive advertisements that falsely touted its relationships and job opportunities with companies such as AT&T, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Twitter and the American Red Cross. The FTC also alleged that Phoenix’s advertising gave the false impression that the online division worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students and tailor its curriculum for such jobs.

In addition to the nearly $50 million in direct payments for some students, the $191 million settlement includes $141 million to cancel unpaid balances owed directly to the school by eligible students.

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