Fraud alleged: the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection filed a series of civil and criminal charges against five Van Nuys companies accused of bilking consumers out of about $300 million by selling fraudulent programs related to real estate or online businesses.

FRAUD ALLEGED: The Federal Trade Commission' s Bureau of Consumer Protection filed a series of civil and criminal charges against five Van Nuys companies accused of bilking consumers out of about $300 million by selling fraudulent programs related to real estate or online businesses. The cases are part of a federal crackdown dubbed Operation Short Change. The companies--John Beck Amazing Profits, John Alexander, Jeff Paul, Mentoring of America and Family Products--and five people who had founded or run those companies were accused of violating federal laws related to telemarketing and consumer fraud.