Consumer Law

Red flag for ?The Green Millionaire?

Posted on August 24, 2010
Ripping another page out of the ?If it sounds too good to be true?? playbook, The Consumerist posted a story this month about the apparent post-transaction marketing scam that is The Green Millionaire.

Court squishes açaí berry pusher

Posted on August 19, 2010
Sorry, but açaí pills aren't going to make you magically drop 10-15 pounds in a month. And while we know you love Oprah and Rachael Ray, those gals aren't endorsing them. Earlier this week, a U.S. District Court ordered Central Coast Nutraceuticals, which pushes AcaiPure and Colopure, to stop selling.

'Up to' be debated

Posted on August 18, 2010
A FCC study shows most Internet users only receive half of the advertised broadband speed.

Intelius banked on consumer confusion, says Washington Attorney General

Posted on August 11, 2010
?Intelius chose cash over candor,? Attorney General Rob McKenna said during a news conference yesterday where our office announced a $1.3 million settlement with Intelius.

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Serious business, indeed.

Posted on August 10, 2010
It's one thing for adults to make crude jabs at each other online, but when minors are the victim of this, the results can be tragic. This is why our office found it crucial to join 33 other state attorneys general in an effort to keep kids safer from cyberbullying on the popular Internet message board Topix...

When one loophole closes another one opens

Posted on August 04, 2010
Look out for "professional cards" and "rebate cards." Credit card issuers are finding creative ways to recoup revenues lost because of the CARD Act.

FCC launches Help Center and Canada is, in fact, a foreign country

Posted on August 02, 2010
Public Affairs Intern Darius Schwarz shares his unfortunately true "fish story" about roaming costs ...

Some mobile apps banking more info than you bargained for

Posted on July 29, 2010
Citi's mobile banking app stores your sensitive data. While an innocent-looking Android app sends your personal info to China.

FTC bans upfront fees for some debt relief companies

Posted on July 29, 2010
This just in: Some companies that promise to reduce or eliminate credit card balances and other debt for customers will no longer be allowed to charge an upfront fee under new restrictions adopted by the Federal Trade Commission.

Tacoma debt repair program to pay back consumers

Posted on July 26, 2010
A Tacoma company that promised to lower interest rates on credit cards will pay everything it has ? $1.5 million ? to refund consumers.

Bad legal advice nearly causes deportation

Posted on July 23, 2010
Nearly a year ago, I posted a story about a woman facing deportation because she relied on bad legal advice. I called her ?Teresa? but her real name is Maria Villegas Báñales. And today, I?m happy to announce that she?s a permanent U.S. resident. The man who reportedly provided that advice is required to pay refunds to consumers under a settlement with our office.

You have to buy a lottery ticket to win

Posted on July 21, 2010
Nova Trust Financial's name is being used in another fake check scam. ... At the risk of sounding condescending, I?m going to say it again: If you didn?t buy a lottery ticket, you didn?t win the lottery ...

AG's Office a-Twitter over 2010 Waggy award

Posted on July 20, 2010
Breaking news from the 2010 Conference of Western Attorneys General Annual Meeting: The Washington State Attorney General's Office has won the 2010 WAGGY Award for best social media!

Ford Driving Skills for Life comes to Seattle

Posted on July 19, 2010
Even if the only damage is to the vehicles involved, getting into a car accident is easily one of the scariest things that can happen in a person?s life.

NOT ?The Real Thing?

Posted on July 15, 2010
Scams to steal your personal information on Facebook are getting insanely clever. Now I like to think of myself as fairly savvy when it comes to these things (this is a consumer protection blog, after all), but even I got nabbed the other week.

Phony news sites push supplements

Posted on July 14, 2010
Did you see Jesse?s report on Monday on fake news sites that try to sell you acai berry supplements and colon cleansers? It shows just how far scammers will go to try to convince you to buy their products.

Boost your Money Smarts next week at KCTS

Posted on July 14, 2010
Economy still got you down? Sign up for next week's free Money Smarts workshop at KCTS 9 and learn how to stretch your dollar.

Redmond Internet marketing company to reboot its claims

Posted on July 09, 2010
A Redmond search marketing firm agreed to change course after customers complained the company promised Web hits but struck out.

Timely warning on timeshare sales scams

Posted on July 09, 2010
Summer?s finally here and that brings thoughts of a vacation ? if you can afford one in this sluggish economy. Lifestyle changes, unemployment and rising costs have many timeshare owners hoping to sell their vacation properties. If you?re one of them, be careful.

Avoid car lease traps

Posted on June 25, 2010
Thinking of leasing a car? Then be sure to watch this short piece from KING TV?s Jesse Jones, who interviewed Consumer Protection Division Doug Walsh -- an expert on leasing cars.

Phony health inspectors target restaurants

Posted on June 25, 2010
Scammers posing as health inspectors are leaving a bad taste in the mouths of restaurant operators.

FBI warns of scam that hijacks your phone

Posted on June 24, 2010
The FBI is warning people about a new scam in which computer hackers tie up a person's phone lines as a diversion while hitting the victim's bank account.

Spike in phone phishing attacks

Posted on June 24, 2010
Several sources are reporting a spike in automatic telephone calls warning folks about fraud on their credit card and bank accounts. The robocalls direct customers to call a phone number to ?verify? their account information.

Another 2 million cribs recalled

Posted on June 24, 2010
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), with the cooperation of seven firms, today announced voluntary recalls of more than two million cribs to address drop-side hazards and other hazards that affect the safety of young children.

Aussie Internet fraudster pleads guilty

Posted on June 22, 2010
An investigative tip from the Washington Attorney General?s Office has led to an Australian man pleading guilty to 16 felony counts for selling bogus medical advice over the Internet ...

Avoid upfront fees for loan modifications

Posted on June 21, 2010
Like many people today, Lynnette was looking for away to cut costs. She responded to a commercial for a law firm that promised to reduce her mortgage payments and lower her credit-card debt ...

Oil clean-up jobs offered to Yakama Nation members too good to be true

Posted on June 17, 2010
Hundreds of Yakama Nation tribal members turned over their personal information this week to an individual with a pattern of promising jobs that never pan out.

Hype this!

Posted on June 14, 2010
I remember watching the 1994 NHL All-Star Game as a kid and seeing the most peculiar commercial. There were military helicopters zooming through the air, scientists in white lab coats running around, searchlights panning the sky, and a wall of press straining to get a sound bite as flashbulbs exploded all around them ...

Gulf oil spill spawns slick stock scams

Posted on June 09, 2010
The U.S. Securites Exchange Commission issued a warning regarding a stock scam that is morally troublesome ? with a slight dusting of irony. ...

Gain your Money Smarts at Spokane and Lacey workshops

Posted on June 03, 2010
Economy still got you down? Sign up for a free Money Smarts workshop and learn how to stretch your dollar. AARP has teamed up with a bunch of experts including folks from the Attorney General's Office to teach consumers how to spend less, save more and outwit the latest economic scams and schemes.

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