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 scams, protecting their privacy, and advocating for their rights. State and territory attorneys general are on the front lines of consumer protection, serving as the primary enforcers of consumer laws within their jurisdictions and educating consumers of their rights. Consumer protection issues addressed by attorneys general include illegal robocalls, online scams, and home improvement scams, to name but a few.
“Attorneys general are a leading consumer protection force in the country,” said Todd Leatherman, Acting Director for NAAG’s Center for Consumer Protection. “Nationwide they play a significant role in investigating claims from consumers about deceptive business activity and scams, and work together to address consumer protection violations.”
Attorneys general often work collaboratively and with federal agencies on consumer protection issues. In recent years, these efforts have led to successful consumer protection case settlements with national opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies; security breach actions involving national companies such as Uber, Equifax Inc., and Neiman Marcus Group, LLC; deceptive practices by electronic cigarette manufacturer JUUL; privacy rights violations by Google; and predatory auto lending by Santander Consumer USA Inc. These bipartisan efforts are also coordinated through NAAG via policy letters, which have recently addressed pressing issues such as social media platforms designed specifically for children, unaccountability in the airline industry, and protections against robocalls.
Ahead of this year’s National Consumer Protection Week, NAAG surveyed its members on the top consumer protection concerns expressed by consumers in their state. Among the consumer protection concerns shared by states were renter’s rights, utility charges and payments, purchasing and maintaining a car, and protecting against identity theft. These concerns, along with others listed, will help guide attorney general consumer protection priorities.
To file a consumer protection complaint with your attorney general, visit their website. Find your attorney general here. Learn more about consumer protection work by attorneys general on the NAAG website here.
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