Rosenblum v. Living Essentials: A Victory for Oregon Consumers
On May 5, 2023, the Oregon Supreme Court issued a significant opinion affirming the Attorney General’s authority under Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA) to take enforcement action against false and misleading marketing. State ex rel. Rosenblum v. Living Essentials, LLC, 371 Or. 23 (2023). The case is a long-running action against Living Essentials, makers…
Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: April 2023
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against the former executive officer of Integrity Advance, a short-term, online lender, James Carnes, and his wife Melissa, for allegedly hiding money through a series of fraudulent transfers in order to avoid paying more than $40 million in restitution and penalties for illegal…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: April 2023
Multistate Actions California Attorney General Rob Bonta led a multistate coalition of attorneys general demanding a recall of the theft-prone Hyundai and Kia automobiles. In the letter to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), the 18 states urged NHTSA to take immediate action by instituting a recall of the allegedly unsafe Hyundai and Kia vehicles, whose easily-bypassed…
Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: March 2023
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against Portfolio Recovery Associates, one of the nation’s largest debt collectors, for violating a 2015 CFPB order and engaging in other violations of law. The CFPB filed a proposed order that would require Portfolio Recovery Associates to pay more than $12 million to…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: March 2023
Multistate Actions This month was kicked off by National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), which occurred March 5-11, 2023. NCPW is a week when government agencies, consumer protection groups, and other organizations work together to share information about consumer rights and help people learn to spot, report, and avoid scams. For more information regarding this year’s…
Consumer Fraud Prevention: How to Tell Consumers About Scams
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET Consumer Fraud Prevention: How to Tell Consumers About Scams Hosted in conjunction with the NAAG Consumer Protection Committee DESCRIPTION Consumer education is critical to preventing consumer harm. Crafting effective messages and educational outreach efforts is also critical to reach and teach consumers. Representatives from the…
Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: February 2023
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule to curb excessive credit card late fees. The Bureau alleges that major credit card issuers continue to use late fees that are protected by an expansive immunity provision. Based on the CFPB’s estimates, the proposal could reduce late fees by as much as…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: February 2023
Multistate Actions Led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a coalition of 22 attorneys general submitted a comment letter to the Department of Education in support of student loan income-driven repayment plan reform. The coalition supports the Department of Education’s new proposal to end negative amortization experienced by…
Kate Donoven, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, Arkansas Attorney General’s Office
As head of the Consumer Protection Division, I lead a small team of lawyers and investigators who are deeply committed to taking on bad actors at the state and national levels. Our team manages antitrust, tobacco, charities enforcement, privacy, and everything else covered by our deceptive trade practices act. I started my legal career as…
February Consumer Protection Article of the Month: California Attorney General’s Victory in Mesh Case Becomes Final
This February, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a cert petition by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in its appeal of a California Court of Appeals decision upholding $302 million in civil penalties for their “active, willful measures . . . to suppress information and conceal serious risk and complication information” regarding their surgically implanted pelvic mesh…
