FTC Ad Claim Checker

Paste your ad copy or landing page text below to instantly flag risky phrases — unsubstantiated superlatives, prohibited health claims, fake urgency, deceptive guarantees, and endorsement triggers. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Likely violation (red) High caution (orange) Caution (yellow)

How it works

This tool scans your text against a hardcoded dictionary of FTC red-flag patterns grouped into five violation categories. All processing uses pure JavaScript regex in your browser — no text ever leaves your device.

🔴 Unsubstantiated Superlatives "Best," "#1," "most effective," "world's greatest" — phrases that claim superiority without evidence. Flagged under the FTC Act Section 5 deception standard.
🔴 Prohibited Health Claims Words like "cures," "treats," or "prevents" paired with disease or condition names are structure/function claims that require FDA approval for supplements.
🟠 Deceptive Guarantee Language "100% guaranteed," "risk-free," unconditional refund promises — these trigger FTC scrutiny when not backed by clear, honored policies (16 CFR Part 239).
🟡 Fake Urgency / Scarcity "Limited time," "only N left," "offer expires" when not genuinely limited are deceptive under FTC Act Section 5 and recent dark-patterns guidance.
🟡 Endorsement / Disclosure Triggers "As seen on," "recommended by," "sponsored," testimonial phrases — these trigger mandatory disclosure requirements under 16 CFR Part 255 (.com Disclosures).
Caveat This tool flags patterns for human review — not legal advice. Context matters: "best before date" is not a superlative claim. Always review with qualified counsel.

Frequently asked questions

What FTC rules does this checker cover?
The checker covers the core FTC enforcement areas for advertising: FTC Act Section 5 (deceptive and unfair acts, the legal basis for most ad enforcement actions); 16 CFR Part 255 (Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials, updated 2023); 16 CFR Part 239 (Guides on the Use of the Word "Free" and guarantee representations); 21 CFR 101.93 via FDA/FTC coordination (dietary supplement health claims); and the FTC .com Disclosures guidance document covering digital advertising. It also checks for patterns associated with the FTC's 2022 dark-patterns enforcement priorities, including fake countdown timers and artificial scarcity.
What's the difference between a red flag and a yellow flag?
Red flags indicate phrases that are almost always problematic without substantiation on file — e.g., claiming a supplement "cures" a named disease, or calling your product "#1" without a cited study. The FTC has issued warning letters and taken enforcement action for these exact phrases. Orange flags are high-caution patterns that are frequently deceptive but context-dependent — e.g., "100% guaranteed" is fine if the guarantee is clearly disclosed, easy to use, and actually honored. Yellow flags are disclosure triggers or patterns that require additional text nearby (an "#ad" label, a specific disclaimer) to be compliant.
My ad says "best value" — is that really a problem?
Potentially yes. The FTC's deception standard asks whether a "reasonable consumer" would interpret a claim as an objective, verifiable fact. "Best value" could be read as a provable claim of lowest cost per unit — not just puffery. Compare "amazing flavor" (classic puffery that no reasonable consumer takes as measurable fact) vs. "best price in town" (implies a price comparison that can be verified). This tool flags superlatives so you can decide whether yours is genuine puffery or a claim that requires a substantiation study, price survey, or qualifying language like "in our opinion."
Does this tool check for Green Guides / environmental claims?
Yes — broad environmental claims are flagged as caution-level patterns. The FTC's Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260) prohibit unqualified claims like "eco-friendly," "natural," "sustainable," "carbon neutral," and "recyclable" unless they are accurate and qualified with specific, substantiated explanations of what the claim covers. Vague green language has been a top FTC enforcement focus since 2023. If your text contains these terms, the checker will flag them and cite the Green Guides rule so you can add the required qualifications.
Is my text stored or sent anywhere?
No. This tool is entirely client-side JavaScript. The text you paste never leaves your device — it is processed locally in your browser using regex pattern matching against a hardcoded dictionary. There is no server, no analytics on your input text, and no clipboard access beyond what you explicitly paste into the text area. This makes it safe for confidential ad copy or pre-launch campaign text.