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…
Plain Language: Lawmakers’ Preferred Solution
Plain language requires drafting documents so readers will understand the intended message. Nationally and internationally, lawmakers are turning to plain language more often. Legislatures, regulators, and courts alike are voluntarily implementing plain language into their operations or requiring plain language from others. As a result, attorney general offices face plain language on three fronts: (1)…
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…
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…
NAAG Marks National Consumer Protection Week for 2023
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) joins the nationwide celebration of National Consumer Protection Week from March 5-11, 2023. National Consumer Protection Week was established to help consumers understand their consumer rights and avoid common frauds and scams. NAAG and its attorney general members are critical resources for consumers in fighting…
Center for Ethics and Public Integrity Newsletter: February 2023
CEPI RESOURCES The U.S. Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) Training Unit is offering a Financial Investigations Fundamentals Seminar Remote Series from February 28 to March 2, 2023. Nine remote webinars will cover a variety of topics. The program is available only to government attorneys and members of law enforcement. MLARS…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: January 2023
Multistate Actions A bipartisan coalition of nine states joined the U.S. Department of Justice in filing an antitrust action against Google alleging monopolization of ad tech markets. The lawsuit alleges Google leverages control over the technologies through which web display ads are bought and sold, driving out competition and receiving profits that far exceed what could be…
Court Affirms States’ Parens Patriae Standing in Antitrust Case
Forty-nine states sued 20 manufacturers of generic drugs, alleging an anticompetitive scheme to “fix, maintain, and stabilize prices, rig bids, and engage in market and customer allocations” of certain generic pharmaceuticals. The district court recently decided defendants’ motion to dismiss, holding that although the states could not seek disgorgement, they do have parens patriae standing…