PR firm busted by FTC for posting phony reviews on iTunes store

A public relations agency working for video game developers has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that it posted fake reviews on the iTunes store to boost its clients' sales – for which it also received a piece of the action.

According to FTC charges, the PR firm, Reverb Communications, Inc. and its owner, Tracie Snitker, engaged in deceptive advertising practices when they failed to disclose that their employees posed as ordinary consumers and posted positive reviews of its clients' games on the iTunes store.