Your Bitcoin on Every Block: An Introduction to Cryptocurrency Kiosks

Their Purpose – A Technical Understanding Cryptocurrency kiosks, also known as Bitcoin ATMs, are coming to a location near you. Some people consider these machines as a step towards widespread cryptocurrency adoption while others raise the alarm over the criminal conduct these devices facilitate. In this article we will discuss the technology behind cryptocurrency kiosks…

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Attorney General Consumer Protection News: April 2022

Multistate Actions Led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, a bipartisan coalition of 28 attorneys general sent a letter to crowdfunding charity platform GoFundMe asking it to provide greater transparency regarding its terms of service. The letter calls for GoFundMe to provide a…

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Federal Consumer Protection News: April 2022

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) filed suit against TransUnion, two of its subsidiaries, and longtime executive John Danaher for allegedly violating a 2017 law enforcement order. The order was issued to stop the company from engaging in deceptive marketing regarding its credit scores and other credit-related products. The…

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Press Invited to Attend Second Half of Attorney General Meeting in Austin

WHO: The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) invites members of the press to attend the second half of its Attorney General Symposium, one of NAAG’s biggest events of the year. Attorneys general scheduled to speak include: Tom Miller, NAAG President and Iowa Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney…

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Attorney General Consumer Protection News: March 2022

Multistate Actions A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general announced a nationwide investigation of TikTok to determine whether the company violated state consumer protection laws that put the public, especially young children and young adults, at risk.  The investigation is led by attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. On…

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Consumer Chief of the Month, Shannon Halijan, Deputy Attorney General, Arkansas Attorney General’s Office

I was named Deputy Attorney General for the Public Protection Department (PPD) of the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office (AR AGO) on September 1, 2021. I began my career with the AR AGO in January 2019 as an Assistant Attorney General after several years of serving the Arkansas Department of Human Services as an assistant director…

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Federal Consumer Protection News: March 2022

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau entered into a $1 million Consent Order with student-loan servicer Edfinancial Services, for allegedly making deceptive statements to student loan borrowers and misrepresenting their forgiveness and repayment options. Edfinancial allegedly deceived borrowers with Federal Family Education Loan Program loans about their eligibility for Public Service Loan…

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Discussing Privacy Fallacies: Concluding Thoughts

Third in a Series  Talking about privacy is like trying to hug an octopus. The concept covers a wide array of practices and technologies, including targeted advertising, surveillance, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, biometrics and facial recognition, social media platforms and mobile apps, and online and geolocation tracking, to name just a few. Understanding all…

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Attorney General Consumer Protection News: February 2022

Multistate Actions The $26 billion national opioid agreement was confirmed by the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – and Johnson & Johnson. Fifty-two states and territories have signed onto the agreement. Following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants have committed to the deal and will start releasing…

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Federal Consumer Protection News: February 2022

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued a series of bulletins in February providing guidance regarding the Bureau’s interpretation of legal requirements related to a range of financial services. Bulletins included guidance for student loan servicers handling of accounts of borrowers eligible for public service loan forgiveness, providers of…

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