Congress Passes “No Surprises Act” To Protect Consumers From Unexpected Medical Bills
Tucked inside the omnibus appropriations bill that was passed in the waning days of the 116th Congress, the “No Surprises Act” aims to address the problem of surprise medical bills. Surprise medical bills happen when a patient unexpectedly receives services from an out-of-network provider or in an out-of-network facility. The bill provides protection from surprise medical…
State AGs Utilize Consumer Protection Laws to Address Allegations of Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church
When it was released on Aug. 14, 2018, a Pennsylvania grand jury report exposed decades of alleged clergy abuse and cover-ups by Roman Catholic bishops and other church leaders in six of Pennsylvania’s eight dioceses.1 The impact of this unprecedented and comprehensive report was immediate and extensive,2 and it continues to this day.3 Recently, the…
Federal Consumer Protection News
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) announced a $35 million settlement with Discover Bank, The Student Loan Corporation, and Discover Products, Inc. (collectively, Discover), resolving allegations that Discover violated a 2015 Bureau order, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA). Under the settlement, Discover…
The Uncertain Future of TCPA Litigation
As succinctly stated by Justice Kavanaugh: “Americans passionately disagree about many things. But they are largely united in their disdain for robocalls.”1 And on February 1, 2021, a bipartisan coalition of 35 state attorneys general, led by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, echoed this sentiment and filed an…
Challenge to the FTC’s Restitution Authority to be Heard by Supreme Court
Led by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a bipartisan coalition of 30 attorneys general filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) right to obtain disgorgement and restitution for victims of deceptive practices in cases filed in U.S. district court under Section 13(b) of the FTC Act. The…
Working Group Submits Recommendations to Congress for Preventing Illegal Robocalls
Washington, D.C. — The interagency robocall working group, of which the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a member, has shared a robocall report with Congress with recommendations for the prevention and prosecution of unwanted telemarketing calls. The working group was established under the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. Signed…
Social Security Administration Should Implement New Database
Consumers in our respective jurisdictions continue to contact us about the growing problem of identity fraud. The fraud comes in various forms and causes various harms, including monetary loss, damage to credit score, and detriment to personal security. As both law enforcement officials and advisors to government agencies, we know the challenges of keeping government systems a step ahead of fraudulent actors. Although the challenge may be great, we urge you to prioritize making your systems as nimble and strong as possible to combat this growing problem.
NAAG Urges Congress to Adopt New Consumer Protections to Protect Airline Industry Customers
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter yesterday urging Congress to enact new consumer protection measures for airline industry customers, whether as part of a financial relief package or in separate legislation, as soon as possible. “State attorneys general are on the front lines of protecting American consumers from…
Evolution of Health Claim Substantiation
This article was originally published in the October 2020 edition of the NAGTRI Consumer Protection Monthly newsletter. Stephanie N. Guyon, Deputy Attorney General, Idaho Attorney General’s Office[1] “Life is pain. Anybody that says different is selling something.”[2] If you browsed a newspaper during the 1918 flu pandemic, you would have found ads for Owl’s throat…
Bipartisan Coalition of Attorneys General Supports Legislation to Protect Victims of Elder Fraud
Washington, D.C. — In a letter sent today, NAAG urged Congress to include Edith’s Bill in COVID-19 relief legislation. Unfortunately, seniors are vulnerable targets of COVID-19 scams, such as providing personal information to fraudsters claiming to offer COVID-19 tests. The legislation would help senior victims recover financial losses as the result of fraud. The NAAG…
