Consumer Law

It's National Consumer Protection Week! Arm yourself with Information

Posted on March 07, 2013
Consumer protection advocates across the country are celebrating National Consumer Protection Week this week?spotlighting information available to help people and their families protect themselves against scams, fraud and other financial problems.

Spoofers strike again

Posted on March 07, 2013
Today, the Attorney General?s Office learned people are receiving e-mails that appear to be from the AGO Webmaster or other ?@atg.wa.gov? e-mail addresses with the following subject lines: ?    New Pick Coming! But First I need your help, details inside?    Pick Of The Week?    This Stock is another monster week ahead?    DON?T MISS TODAY?S TRADING IDEA?    Your Mind Blowing Monster Pick!?    News Out & Must Read Inside...

Free shred events starting again

Posted on February 20, 2013
Thankfully, the shred event season has begun and I won?t have to spend hours catching up on my shredding, and neither will you. We can bring our boxes to a free community shredding event to keep our personal information out of the hands of crooks. The first shred event of the season was last week, and events are scheduled through October...

Respecting Privacy. Safeguarding Data. Enabling Trust.

Posted on January 28, 2013
January 28 is Data Privacy Day. To mark the occasion, the Online Trust Alliance (OTA) announced a series of town hall meetings and the release of the OTA 2013 Data Protection & Breach Readiness Guide. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is the keynote for the Seattle event on January 30.

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E-Receipts: Love them or hate them?

Posted on January 23, 2013
Like many of you, I was introduced to e-receipts during the frantic holiday shopping season. Frustrated and tired at the end of a long day, I was barely listening when the cashier asked me if I wanted a paper receipt, email receipt or both. Working at the AGO, I know better than to agree to something before looking into the details.

Stop sneaky Scrooges from sidelining your support

Posted on December 20, 2012
With the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy fresh in our minds during the holiday season, many of us are seeking ways to share our blessings with those in need.

Nationwide data breach affects 20,000 Washingtonians

Posted on December 05, 2012
On October 3, 2012, a portion of our computer network that is used by Nationwide Insurance and Allied Insurance was criminally intruded upon by an unidentified perpetrator.

The password is ?pleasestealmyidentity?

Posted on October 31, 2012
Just in time for Halloween, here?s some scary news about people leaving themselves wide open to having their identities stolen, bank accounts breached and personal information posted for the whole world to see. FoxNews.com reports on the 25 worst passwords on the web.

Senior Assistant Attorney General David Huey recognized by WSBA

Posted on October 17, 2012
Congratulations to Senior Assistant Attorney General David Huey, who last night received the Washington State Bar Association?s (WSBA) Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Public Service.

Senior Assistant Attorney General David Huey recognized by WSBA

Posted on September 21, 2012
Congratulations to Senior Assistant Attorney General David Huey, who last night received the Washington State Bar Association?s (WSBA) Angelo Petruss Award for Lawyers in Public Service.

Looking for some extra cash?

Posted on August 07, 2012
Tell us what's wrong with this job offer

Is that a legit credit card company calling, or just another scam?

Posted on August 03, 2012
Received annoying calls about your credit card interest rate? Along with being annoying, it might also be a scam.

Consumer alert: Businesses should be on the lookout for fake invoices

Posted on August 02, 2012
After receiving more than 500 complaints in the last 36 months, the Better Business Bureau this month issued a warning to businesses about misleading invoices sent by California-based US Telecom. The invoices have been sent to businesses in Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, Montana and beyond...

Test your scam-awareness with this ?urgent message from Sudan?

Posted on August 01, 2012
Yesterday I received the following email from daidou@tora-rd.com..

My lucky day?

Posted on July 16, 2012
A challenge: please count the number of things wrong with "Col. Smith's" email.

Rendezvous with a scam?

Posted on July 11, 2012
When it comes to love, the euphoric feeling of personal affection for another person, we all want it. We all deserve it. However, where you find it can be a little tricky. I?m not talking about the bar scene or bumping into someone at a coffee shop. I?m talking about online dating sites, which scammers have discovered in recent years.

Olympic College Students & Faculty Victims of ID Theft

Posted on July 06, 2012
According to the Kitsap Sun and Q13Fox, 16 students and employees at Olympic College reported that their credit cards had been compromised. The victims told college security officers that their credit card companies notified them of suspicious activity.

Survey says: shoppers can't fight their impulses

Posted on June 15, 2012

Did you win the Summer Olympics Lottery?

Posted on June 13, 2012
Sorry, but you are not a winner. Click through to find out why..

What is the worst email scam you?ve received?

Posted on June 08, 2012
In honor of National Internet Safety Month, we are taking a moment to discuss some of the worst email scams we?ve seen recently. Some have poor spelling and grammar and others are just too good to be true, but they are all scams. Remember, when you receive one of these emails the best thing to do is delete it...

Can you pass this test?

Posted on May 14, 2012
It's time to test your consumer protection knowledge. This quiz question relates to how to handle certain things that show up in your e-mail inbox.

No place like home

Posted on May 14, 2012

Emergency! Don't fall for the 911 scam

Posted on March 23, 2012
Residents of Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania and other states have reported receiving calls from someone requesting money for 9-1-1 services. The caller claims that residents must pay a fee to register their house in a 9-1-1 database so first responders can locate the home in an emergency...

Consumer alert: Don?t be carried away by ?the Love Boat scam?

Posted on March 21, 2012
         

Consumer alert from the FBI?

Posted on March 14, 2012
 Too good not to share..

National Consumer Protection Week: Never commit to big home repair jobs the same day and always get multiple bids.

Posted on March 09, 2012
Imagine this situation: your kitchen sink is clogged and you need a plumber to fix it. You?ve never been in this situation and you?re not sure which company to call. You open the Yellow Pages and randomly pick a plumbing company...

Oops! Scammer tries to rip off a scam investigator

Posted on March 08, 2012
One thing you hear often from us: a warning never, ever to wire money to strangers. Once you do so, the money is gone forever. 

National Consumer Protection Week Tip of the Day: Craigslist Rental Scammers

Posted on March 08, 2012
One of our Assistant Attorney Generals in Spokane is selling a house. She?s had people contact her saying they?ve rented her house through an offer on Craigslist.  The unsuspecting parties submitted an application with financial identification information (which can be used to steal a person?s identity) and sent a security deposit by Western Union to a nice landlord working in Nigeria with homeless and disabled kids.

National Consumer Protection Week Tip of the Day: Grandparents still being scammed

Posted on March 07, 2012
 By now we hope you?ve heard about the Grandparent Scam. But did you know that the scheme continues to drain money from unwitting victims? bank accounts? It does so by becoming deviously more sophisticated. A new twist involves a supposed grandchild or other relative who?s been arrested overseas and begs you not rat him out to his parents...

National Consumer Protection Week Tip of the Day: You may already (not) be a winner

Posted on March 06, 2012
Congratulations! You may receive a certified check for up to $400,000 in cash! That's right, lump sum and tax-free! Hundreds of people win every week using our secret system! You can win too!

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