Rockefeller's committee has been investigating Affinion, Vertrue, and Webloyalty and their partnerships with e-commerce retailers. The committee has found the three firms use a controversial tactic that has led many consumers to sign up for the three firms' discount clubs without consumers' knowledge while checking out after purchasing a product or service from an online retailer. As part of their agreements, the retailers had been passing on consumer credit and debit card information to the marketing firms without the consumers' knowledge.

Rockefeller said Friday that eight online retailers announced they will no longer allow these firms to market such memberships as part of the checkout process on the retailers' Web sites. The retailers include Air Tran Airways, Continental Airlines, Fandango, Intelius, 1-800Flowers.com, Priceline.com, US Airways and Vistaprint. This follows recent announcements from Affinion, Vertrue, and Webloyalty that they would start requiring that consumers provide their entire credit or debit card numbers when signing up for the firms' discount membership clubs online.

"Tricking consumers into buying goods and services they do not want is not okay. It's not ethical, it's not right, and it's not the way business should be done in America. American consumers shouldn't have to worry that their favorite Web sites are ripping them off during the checkout process," Rockefeller said. He said the committee would continue its investigation until other online retailers stop engaging in such practices.