Four Major Companies Settle with FTC and Face Data Breaches This Month

July brought enforcement actions against deceptive business practices and a wave of data breaches affecting millions of people. Here's what happened and what you need to know.

Travel App Hopper Pays $35 Million Over Hidden Fees

Travel booking app Hopper agreed to pay $35 million to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission. The company charged customers fees it didn't disclose upfront and misrepresented what its VIP Support and Price Freeze services actually offered. Hopper made millions despite advertising that there were no hidden fees. The lesson here is straightforward: when you book travel, read the fine print before you confirm. Look at the full cost breakdown before entering your payment information. If a service promises "no hidden fees" but the final total surprises you, contact customer support before paying.

Moody Bible Institute Breach Exposes 2.3 Million People

Hackers breached Moody Bible Institute in June and stole personal information from over 2.3 million donors, supporters, students, and alumni. The stolen data included names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and other details. The hackers attempted extortion before releasing the data publicly. If you've ever donated to or attended Moody Bible Institute, monitor your credit reports and watch for unusual account activity. You may also receive a notification letter from the organization with steps to take.

Madison Square Garden Sports Hit by Data Breach

Nearly 10 million customers and employees of Madison Square Garden Sports had their information stolen in a June 2026 breach. Email addresses, personal details, employment information, and customer data were compromised. This breach also came from an extortion attempt. If you have a ticket account with MSG Sports or any affiliated venue, consider changing your password if you haven't recently. Watch your email for phishing attempts that reference your account or recent ticket purchases.

Food Distributor Sysco Exposes Employee and Customer Data

Sysco, a major food distribution company, experienced a data breach in June affecting 2.7 million people. Email addresses, names, phone numbers, physical addresses, job titles, and customer feedback were stolen. This breach also resulted from an extortion campaign. If you work in the food service industry or your business receives Sysco deliveries, you may be affected. Monitor your personal information for signs of misuse and watch for emails claiming to be from Sysco asking you to verify your account.

Publishing.com Settles FTC Case Over False Earnings Claims

The FTC finalized an order against Publishing.com and its owners for misleading consumers about how much money they could earn through self-publishing on the platform. The company made false claims about earnings potential to attract users. If you used this service, understand that income claims on any platform should be treated with skepticism. Before signing up for any service that promises to help you earn money, research real user experiences and ask for proof of the claims being made.

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None of these situations requires panic. If your information was exposed in one of these breaches, you'll likely receive notification. If you used services from any of these companies, stay alert for unusual account activity and phishing emails. You're in control of your response. A little attention to your accounts goes a long way.