联邦贸易委员会FTC警示加盟陷阱：200多人各付逾4.95万美元加盟武术学校 「每周工作不到15小时」承诺无文件依据
联邦贸易委员会（FTC）10月19日发布消费者警示，披露其对Premier Martial Arts特许加盟商一案的查处结果：200多人（包括退伍军人）在收益宣传的吸引下购买了该品牌的武术学校加盟资格，而FTC指这些收益说法在《特许经营披露文件》（FDD）中并无依据。
据FTC投诉材料，每名买家支付的初始加盟费在49,500美元以上，之后还要投入数十万美元的装修与运营成本，许多人为此背上大额债务。涉案宣传的核心说法是：没有武术背景的人也可以以半托管方式经营一家或多家场馆，每周工作不到15小时即可盈利。
拟议和解方案合计185万美元用于退赔：Premier Franchising Group在387万余美元的判决金额下支付65万美元，Franchise Fastlane支付120万美元；委员会以2票赞成、0票反对通过和解，部分加盟商可无罚款取消合约。案件在田纳西东区联邦法院审理，和解尚待法官签署生效。
FTC在警示中说明了加盟规则：任何关于销售额、收入或利润的说法，都必须出现在FDD的第19项中；本案涉及的FDD为2020、2021与2022三个年度版本。FTC表示，有意购买加盟资格的人应要求对方提供书面依据，并联系FDD中列出的现任与前任加盟商核实经营情况。
FTC Warns Franchise Buyers After 200+ People Paid $49,500 or More on an 'Under 15 Hours a Week' Promise
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on October 19 issued a consumer alert detailing its case against the Premier Martial Arts franchisor: more than 200 people, including veterans, paid to open franchises after earnings claims that the FTC says were not supported by the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
According to the FTC complaint, each buyer paid an initial franchise fee of $49,500 or more, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional build-out and operating costs, with many taking on significant debt. The core claim at issue was that people with no martial arts background could profitably run one or more studios semi-absentee, working less than 15 hours a week.
The proposed settlement totals $1.85 million for redress: Premier Franchising Group will pay $650,000 against a $3,875,424 judgment, and Franchise Fastlane will pay $1.2 million. The Commission approved the settlement 2–0, and certain franchisees may cancel their agreements without penalty. The case is pending in the Eastern District of Tennessee and awaits a judge's signature.
The FTC alert explains the governing rule: any claim about sales, income or profit must appear in Item 19 of the FDD; the FDDs at issue were the 2020, 2021 and 2022 versions. The agency says prospective franchise buyers should demand written substantiation and contact current and former franchisees listed in the FDD.
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图片来源：图：美国一家跆拳道馆的儿童课堂（资料图）。图：美国海军陆战队，公共领域
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