Tackling Money Mules
Whether perpetrating a consumer fraud, business email compromise, or unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme, fraudsters located overseas increase their chances of successfully obtaining proceeds from their schemes when they use U.S.-based financial infrastructure. Victims of consumer fraud schemes, such as lottery fraud and technical-support schemes, are more likely to believe the ruse when asked to…
Federal Consumer Protection News: October 2021
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Rohit Chopra as the third Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Chopra was serving as FTC Commissioner, a post he had held since 2018. Chopra issued a statement after he was sworn in, emphasizing “the essential role” the agency plays “within the Federal…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: October 2021
Multistate Actions Led by California Attorney General Bonta, Florida Attorney General Moody, Massachusetts Attorney General Mara Healey, Nebraska Attorney General Dog Peterson, Tennessee Attorney General. Slatery, and Vermont Attorney General Donovan, a bipartisan coalition of 52 attorneys general sent a letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security. The letter…
Consumer Chief of the Month: Chris Lewis, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office
They say timing is everything. Accepting the position of Consumer Protection Chief for the Commonwealth of Kentucky in December 2019, only months before the start of a global pandemic, was not the timing I had in mind, but I am thankful to have the opportunity to serve my fellow Kentuckians and support Attorney General Cameron…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: September 2021
Multistate Actions Led by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, a bipartisan coalition of 11 attorneys general announced settlements with StubHub for refusing to refund ticketholders for COVID-19-related cancellations. StubHub had refused to provide refunds, instead providing customers a 120% credit for future events. Under the settlements, StubHub agreed to provide refunds unless customers elected to…
The Relentless Battle to Eliminate Robocalls
As attorneys general, we have made it our mission to protect the residents of Michigan and Ohio from illegal robocallers. Robocallers are like a plague of locusts, except these locusts use 21st century technology to swarm through the international telecommunications landscape where they strike in overwhelming numbers, working to scam and defraud…
Consumer Chief of the Month: Steve Kaufmann, Colorado Attorney General’s Office
Just before I walk (or log) out of meetings, I often tell my colleagues “I love my job.” Why? First, my consumer protection teammates are incredibly dedicated and committed to working together. Second, the problems that we tackle tangibly impact the lives of the people of Colorado. And third, we deal with interesting, often cutting-edge…
Federal Consumer Protection News: September 2021
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) settled with student lender Better Future Forward, Inc., an income share agreement (ISA) provider for mispresenting its product and failing to comply with federal consumer financial law that governs private student loans. Under ISAs, students agree to pay a percentage of their income for a…
Federal Consumer Protection News: August 2021
Federal Trade Commission Online lender LendingClub Corporation agreed to pay $18 million to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the company deceived consumers about hidden fees that it charged and whether their loan applications were approved. In addition, the settlement bars LendingClub from making misrepresentations to loan applicants and requires that the company clearly…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: August 2021
Multistate Actions Led by Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fight back against the scourge of illegal robocalls by moving up the deadline for smaller telephone companies to implement caller ID…