Consumer Law

Dodge tsunami charity scams

Posted on March 11, 2011
As our hearts go out to Japan, scammers are likely going for our wallets.

Washington AGO helps goad Smurfy solution to Smurfberry Kerfuffle

Posted on March 10, 2011
It?s been dubbed the great Smurfberry Kerfuffle of 2011 ? children unwittingly ringing up charges while playing Capcom?s ?freemium? game Smurfs? Village on a parent?s  iPhone or iPad. Apple responded to our concerns with a fix. Read our full blog post for the details, and tips for parents.

CP week tip of the day: Find the cheapest gas

Posted on March 09, 2011
Spokane drivers may not feel like they?re getting much of a bargain on gas these days ? but the $3.35/gallon they?re paying on average makes them one of the cities with the lowest prices in the nation. Here are a few online resources to help you find the lowest prices in your community.

Consumer Resource Centers saved public $4.8 million

Posted on March 08, 2011
In a sluggish economy when every dollar saved counts, the Attorney General?s four Consumer Resource Centers are a valuable ally. Helping consumers and businesses resolve disputes, at no cost and without picking sides, the program?s volunteers and staff handled complaints from more than 22,000 people last year and helped recover $4...

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Collections agencies, ID theft top consumer gripes for 2010

Posted on March 08, 2011
What are consumers complaining about? The Attorney General's Office and the Federal Trade Commission released their lists of top 2010 gripes.

CP week tip of the day: Dealing with debt and collectors

Posted on March 07, 2011
It?s National Consumer Protection Week and in a short while, our office will release our list of industries that received the most consumer complaints in 2010. I?ll give you a hint ? there?s a good reason why today?s tip focuses on dealing with collection agencies and debt...

Grandparent scammers using Caller ID spoofing

Posted on February 28, 2011
Grandparent scammers have added a new layer to their stack of lies: Caller ID spoofing.

Spring into shredding season

Posted on February 28, 2011
Spring is the season for cleaning and shredding. Check out one of these free events in Spokane, Renton, Federal Way and Bellingham.

Soldier impersonators target women online

Posted on February 28, 2011
Internet scammers are pretending to be soldiers to seduce women.

Three-digit cell phone phishing scam

Posted on February 24, 2011
Anyone else get a call from a three-digit number today? The calls to cell phones appear to be a phishing scam.

Auto warranty seller barred from doing business in Washington

Posted on February 23, 2011
The Washington Attorney General?s Office wrapped up its case with a company accused of hawking pricey service contracts through deceptive junk mail, illegal robocalls and misleading TV ads. Our settlement bans Credexx and its former owner, David J. Tabb, from doing business in Washington again.

Scamming S.A.T. takers?

Posted on February 23, 2011
A woman received a phone call from someone claiming to be from The College Board who wanted $129 for materials related to the S.A.T. that her grandson had supposedly ordered.

FTC sends refund claims to auto warranty fraud victims

Posted on February 18, 2011
Nearly 12,000 Americans defrauded by an auto "extended warranty" robocall scheme are eligible for refunds. The Federal Trade Commission mailed out claim forms this week to consumers swindled by calls made by Voice Touch, Inc., on behalf of Transcontinental Warranty, Inc.

CONSUMER ALERT: Misdialed ?toll-free? number can cost you

Posted on February 15, 2011
Something obnoxious is going on in the world of toll-free numbers and, if you aren't alert, "fat-finger dialing" can cost you dearly.

EDITORIAL: More action needed to protect America's intellectual property

Posted on February 14, 2011
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna, co-chairs of NAAG's Intellectual Property Committee, wrote the following editorial, published in The Hill.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau launches Web site, social media

Posted on February 03, 2011
The federal government's new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched a new Web site and social media tools.

Insurance Commissioner's Web site offers search tool

Posted on January 31, 2011
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner  is rolling out new consumer tools for the new year, including an easy way to look up past violations and complaints against insurers and agents. The agency also recently added a Facebook page to its lineup of social media.

Privacy in the era of social media

Posted on January 28, 2011
Attorney General Rob McKenna wrote the following post for our Facebook page today. Additionally, Facebook is sharing McKenna's post on its Facebook and Privacy Page, which also includes remarks from experts at the the Future of Privacy Forum, Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and NetChoice.

Anchor Blue gift cards to expire this weekend

Posted on January 26, 2011
If you have a gift card for Anchor Blue, shop now. The clothing store chain is closing all of its stores and will honor gift cards, certificates and store credits as payment for purchases through Jan. 28.

Service in Ernest

Posted on January 26, 2011
Consumer protection?s beloved grandpa is retiring today. For 20 years, Ernest Cassirer has been a staple in the Attorney General?s Consumer Resource Center in Seattle, taking countless calls from curious, concerned and frequently crass consumers. And he?s done it for free...

Snow Day: Who has to shovel?

Posted on January 25, 2011
Just who is responsible for shoveling snow in manufactured home park? Here?s the answer from the fine folks who run our Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program.

Warn loved ones about grandparent scam, other money-wiring schemes

Posted on January 21, 2011
Over and over, my office has warned Washington residents about the grandparent scam. But elderly residents continue to be robbed of as much as $13,000 because they haven?t heard our warning. If you haven?t talked to your relatives about the grandparent scam and other wire-transfer schemes, now is the time.

Hack job

Posted on January 18, 2011
I?ve done quite a few television interviews in my lifetime, but no one would consider me rich. So when my mother received an e-mail from me last weekend telling her to click on a link to watch my NBC interview about how I?d discovered the secret to becoming wealthy, she knew it was a fake...

Editorial: A Safety Net for Online Shoppers

Posted on January 14, 2011
Businesses and consumers agree that saying ?no? means ?no.? But does not saying ?no? ? or simply remaining silent ? qualify as a ?yes?" Some marketers seem to think so.

BBB's top scam list

Posted on January 12, 2011
The Better Business Bureau in Western Washington released its list of the most frequently reported scams in 2010.

Two AGO consumer protection bills have public hearings this week

Posted on January 10, 2011
Lawmakers are back in Olympia today for the start of the legislative session. Two bills requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna are scheduled for public hearings this week. They aim to save taxpayers money and protect immigrants from poor legal advice.

Gift card questions answered

Posted on January 05, 2011
All Consuming Blogger Kristin Alexander answers readers' questions about gift card and gift certificate laws. Can I return them? Do Groupons expire? What to do with the unwanted gift cards? When can I get money back? Any options when a store goes out of business?  

Ascentive software to pay refunds

Posted on January 04, 2011
Ascentive, perhaps best known for its FinallyFast.com commercials, must offer refunds to an estimated 5,500 Washington consumers as part of a settlement reached with our Consumer Protection Division.

Update on Qwest-CenturyTel merger

Posted on December 28, 2010
The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General?s Office has reached an agreement with Qwest, CenturyLink, and the staff of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) on a set of conditions to benefit consumers affected by the companies? proposed merger...

Returning a gift? Bring your ID

Posted on December 27, 2010
It?s ugly. It?s tacky. You already have one. Whatever the reason for taking back your gift, be sure you bring a receipt with you to the return counter. While some stores have loosened up on their return policies, you?ll still find the process easiest if you bring a receipt and your ID and don?t dilly-dally.

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