Consumer Law

Heading off dangerous toys at the ports

Posted on March 05, 2008
Some 25 million toys were recalled last year due to high lead content and other safety problems. Now, the Consumer Product Safety Commission hopes to intercept many of those toys and other potentially hazardous goods before they reach store shelves ....

CP Week Tip of the Day: Shopping online? Read the small print at checkout

Posted on March 05, 2008
Washington residents like to shop, but our records show they don?t always have a positive experience.  ... Complaint analysts in our Consumer Resource Centers say they frequently hear disputes over refund policies and shipping costs. ... But consumers could avoid many unpleasant surprises if they take the initiative ...

CP Week Tip of the Day: Debt collectors fall into 2 categories ? legit and bogus

Posted on March 04, 2008
Collections agencies climbed to the No. 2 spot last year on the Attorney General?s list of consumer complaint categories. ... If the trend continues, collections will take over the top spot in 2008. Collection agencies fall into two general categories ? legit and deceptive...

Do your know what your home insurance policy covers?

Posted on March 04, 2008
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is urging consumers to check their homeowners insurance. ?In the wake of last year?s storms and flooding, many consumers found out the hard way that they did not have adequate insurance coverage,? Kreidler said in a news release...

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Insurance companies overcharged Washington consumers

Posted on March 03, 2008
The Washington Insurance Commissioner?s Office announced today that it fined a bunch of insurance companies for a range of violations including overcharging Washington consumers and illegally selling annuitities. ...

Don?t be suckered by investment scams

Posted on March 03, 2008
The state Department of Financial Institutions recently identified 10 investment scams as the most likely to trap Washington investors ...

CP Week Tip of the Day: Choosing a cell phone plan

Posted on March 03, 2008
The Attorney General?s Consumer Protection Division released its annual Top 20 list of consumer complaint categories today in conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week. Each day this week, we?ll post a tip related to industries that receive the most complaints...

Choosing a tax preparer

Posted on February 27, 2008
It's tax season again. According to a Better Business Bureau (BBB) analysis, nearly one-third of complaints against tax preparation companies allege that the preparer made an error or mistake in the tax return, often requiring the consumer to pay fines or added fees to rectify the problem...

Car tab renewal scam

Posted on February 22, 2008
Watch out for a new scam targeting Washington car owners. Cons posing as Department of Licensing representatives are contacting folks and telling them their vehicle tabs are expired.  They then ask for credit card information ...

Refunds for mail-order pantyhose

Posted on February 22, 2008
The manufacturer of Silkies hosiery will pay $455,000 to settle a case with Washington and 14 other states regarding the company?s marketing and sales practices. ... Under an agreement filed late Thursday in Thurston County Superior Court, HCI Direct agreed to pay $455,000 to the states, change its marketing practices and refund consumers who claim they did not order merchandise shipped by the company...

AG claims Mandatory Poster Agency violated state consumer laws

Posted on February 15, 2008
A company that allegedly deceived Washington businesses into purchasing labor law and safety posters is prohibited from mailing future advertisements that appear to originate from government-affiliated agencies. Mandatory Poster Agency, Inc., of Lansing, Mich...

AG McKenna to host town hall for Latino consumers

Posted on February 15, 2008
Attorney General Rob McKenna invites the Latino community to attend a free town hall meeting on Friday, Feb. 22, in Pasco to learn more about the office?s work on identity theft, car sales, notarios and other consumer protection issues. The meeting will be conducted in Spanish and English, with real-time interpreting...

Use caution looking for love online

Posted on February 14, 2008
A Valentine?s Day e-card that infects your computer, cons who pose as online suitors and a futuristic software program that tricks you into revealing personal information are just a few of the hazards lurking online. The Washington Attorney General?s Office urges Internet users to be skeptical and take precautions to avoid Cupid?s arrow from hitting their wallets or poisoning their PCs...

FTC report shows fewer Washington consumers reporting ID theft

Posted on February 13, 2008
The Federal Trade Commission released its annual fraud and identity theft report today. Washington slipped down the ranks to 13th in the nation for identity theft complaints per capita last year ... but we bumped up to 2nd in the country for overall fraud complaints ...

More foreclosure help for struggling borrowers

Posted on February 12, 2008
Countrywide Financial Corp. and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, better known as ACORN, announced a plan Monday to help distressed borrowers avoid foreclosure. Meanwhile, White House officials announced "Project Lifeline" and Attorney General Rob McKenna?s requested legislation to reduce foreclosure rescue scams survived today's committee cutoff  ...

CM Travel to refund job applicants

Posted on February 12, 2008
CM Travel, based in Bellevue, must refund individuals who answered an employment ad for travel agents but instead were offered opportunities as independent contractors. The Attorney General?s Office announced a settlement today with company and its owners, resolving allegations that they violated ...

FTC turns tables on phishing scam; cons now ask you to call local numbers

Posted on February 07, 2008
Kudos to the staff at the Federal Trade Commission?s regional office in Seattle for turning the tables on an attempted phishing scam. ... Cons have now altered their messages to ask recipients to call a local ?customer service? number instead ...

Report finds delinquent borrowers not receiving help to prevent foreclosure

Posted on February 07, 2008
Seven out of 10 borrowers who were seriously delinquent on their home loans in October were not receiving help to prevent the possibility of foreclosure, according to a report published Thursday the State Foreclosure Prevention Working Group. ...

Washington sues precious metals dealer for deceptive sales practices

Posted on February 06, 2008
The Washington Attorney General?s Office filed suit today against an Auburn business that sold precious metals online but allegedly failed to deliver the items by the promised date. The complaint filed in King County Superior Court also alleges ...

Can a mechanic refuse to do business with my insurance company?

Posted on February 04, 2008
A consumer wrote, ?I recently visited a Seattle auto body shop for a repair estimate. They told me they only work with specific insurance companies ...

Three new identity theft scams happening right now

Posted on February 01, 2008
Identity thieves keep hatching new ways to trick folks into revealing personal information. Here are three new twists on telemarketing and e-mail fraud occuring in our state ...

Send me less junk mail!

Posted on February 01, 2008
Hate junk mail? Several services including the Direct Marketing Association?s newly revamped Web site allow you to remove your address from mailing lists for catalogs and more. See Attorney General Rob McKenna?s latest column for ...

Intelius abandons cell phone directory

Posted on February 01, 2008
RCR Wireless News reported that Bellevue-based Intelius, Inc., shelved its cell phone directory service after being battered by public officials, corporate executives and consumers over privacy ...

Resist too-good-to-be-true investment offers

Posted on January 29, 2008
The state Department of Financial Institutions is reminding investors not to allow recent negative economic news and stock market volatility to lead them into high-risk speculative investments ...

Why rebates go unfulfilled

Posted on January 24, 2008
U.S. News & World Reports recently published an article titled "Why Shoppers Love to Hate Rebates" that helps explain why so many rebates go unfulfilled. Here?s an ...

Auto dealers should choose ad firms carefully -- or risk being sued

Posted on January 24, 2008
Washington auto dealers need to pick their business partners carefully. The Attorney General?s Consumer Protection Division today announced our third settlement in recent months involving car advertisements. We?re seeing an increase in out-of-state firms  ...

Drug makers take Vytorin ads off the air

Posted on January 23, 2008
Drug makers Merck & Co. and Schering-Plough Corp. have suspended TV ads for Vytorin, a week after a study revealed the cholesterol drug is no more effective than a high dose of one of its components available generically at a third of the cost ...

E-mail claiming to be from IRS is a scam

Posted on January 22, 2008
If you receive an e-mail from the IRS suggesting your tax refund has been delayed, don?t click on the reply link. It?s a phishing scam ...

AT&T to refund consumers for collect calls made by prisoners

Posted on January 22, 2008
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission is requiring AT&T to pay thousands of dollars in refunds to families of prison inmates who were overcharged for collect phone calls placed from two Eastern Washington state prisons ...

Learn how to pick a contractor

Posted on January 16, 2008
Planning to do a remodel on your home? Labor and Industries is attending home shows statewide to educate homeowners about how to check out contractors. The Attorney General's Office received more than 800 complaints last year about contractors. Be smart and choose wisely so you don't end up paying too much or fixing someone's shoddy work.

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