Consumer Chief of the Month: Laura E. McFarlane, Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Director, Public Protection Unit, Wisconsin Department of Justice
I am honored to be featured as the NAGTRI Center for Consumer Protection’s Chief of the Month. I was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. While I realize now how lucky I was to be raised here, at the time I graduated from high school, I was very much ready to leave Wisconsin. After graduating…
Restitution: The Superior Remedy
In most consumer fraud cases, restitution is the optimal remedy, serving the two-fold purposes of restoring consumers and deterring businesses from engaging in unlawful acts and practices. State attorneys general may sometimes settle matters without obtaining restitution for a variety of reasons, some of which are addressed below. However, prioritizing restitution begets important recoveries for…
NAGTRI and IJM Join Forces to Train Prosecutors and Investigators Across Ibero-America
For the first time, the National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute (NAGTRI), the training and research arm of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), and International Justice Mission (IJM) are joining forces to train prosecutors and investigators from the Ibero-America region on case management and proper care for victims of violence against women…
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. …
Bankruptcy 101 Course
This course covers some basic bankruptcy law concepts like claims, the bar date, and property of the estate, but focuses primarily on the automatic stay and the discharge injunction.
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.
