Federal Consumer Protection News and Other Items of Interest: March 2021
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) sued payment processor BrightSpeed Solutions Inc. and its former CEO Kevin Howard for supporting Internet-based tech-support scams. The CFPB alleges the defendants knowingly processed more than $71 million in payments for clients who tricked consumers, often older Americans, into purchasing expensive and unnecessary…
Consumer Chief of the Month: Phil Carlson, Assistant Attorney General, Nebraska Attorney General’s Office
I want to begin this month’s “Chief of the Month” section by saying that I take great joy in my family and to thank them publicly for their willingness to tag along with me in this crazy journey I’m going to tell you about. My wife, Jean, is a stay-at-home mom who wrangles me, our…
The Impact of Recent Tax Law Changes on Consumer Protection Settlements
On January 14, 2021, the IRS promulgated final regulations in connection with the tax laws and reporting requirements found in 26 U.S. Code § 162(f) and 26 U.S. Code § 6050X which impact consumer protection settlements and state attorney general offices. These final regulations, found at 26 C.F.R. § 1.162-21 and 26 C.F.R. § 1.6050X-1,…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: March 2021
Multistate Actions Led by California Department of Justice and the Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, 48 attorneys general announced a $186 million multistate settlement with surgical mesh manufacturer Boston Scientific Corporation to resolve deceptive marketing allegations. A bipartisan group of 24 attorneys general expressed disappointment in the Purdue Pharma restructuring plan submitted in bankruptcy court. …
2020 Consumer Protection Year in Review
Attorneys General Respond to COVID-19 Challenges and Maintain Strong Efforts Across Full Range of Consumer Issues The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to state and territory attorneys general in 2020, including price gougers, charlatans peddling bogus treatments or cures, and companies refusing to provide refunds for cancelled travel and other events. For many attorney general…
Consumer Chief of the Month: Kate Carter, Deputy Attorney General, Kansas Attorney General’s Office
Kate Carter, deputy attorney general for the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, is Consumer Chief of the Month for February 2021.
Federal Consumer Protection News and Other Items of Interest: February 2021
This article includes recent federal consumer protection news.
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: February 2021
This article summarizes recent attorney general consumer protection news, including multistate and individual attorney general actions.
How Scammers and Marketers Use Psychology to Persuade Consumers
In celebration of National Consumer Protection Week, the NAAG Consumer Protection Committee and NAGTRI Center for Consumer Protection will host a dialogue with experts in the field of consumer psychology and consumer advertising. They will discuss how consumers make decisions and how scammers and marketers use psychology to persuade consumers. Dr. Dahr will focus…
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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…
