Credit and Money Matters

As Congress considers legislation to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna is leading a group of 40 state attorneys general in urging federal lawmakers to uphold the role of the states in enforcing consumer protection laws ...

Cons in Canada are still preying on grandparents. Since All Consuming first alerted readers about the "grandparent scam" (also called the "grandchild scam") in summer 2008, people continue to tell us how they or their loved ones fell victim to the ploy. Attorney General Rob McKenna joined Consumerman Herb Weisbaum at the KOMO TV newsroom yesterday to issue another warning ...

Window sellers need to be transparent in their marketing. Roofers need to stay on top of the law. And home siding installers shouldn’t sidle up to consumers with inappropriately high-pressure sales pitches. That’s the gist of a letter sent Tuesday by the Washington Attorney General’s Office to more than 30 home remodelers around the state.

I confess: I have credit card debt. If you’re like me, you’ve likely found that as soon as you pay down one card you need to use it to buy something else. Due to recent changes in laws regulating credit card companies, many card issuers are raising interest rates and fees for consumers with good credit. At the same time, banks have rolled out new cards including one with an interest-free feature for certain purchases and another with simple, stripped-down rules.

David, an All Consuming reader, recently wrote for advice: “I cannot make my car payment. If I pay the interest and a little towards the principal, can I keep the car until I get back on my feet?” Attorney General Rob McKenna replied in today's Ask the AG column. I've posted the response below.

All Consuming blog moderator Kristin Alexander answers reader questions ...

Gas vouchers were a hot promotional tool last year, used to lure potential customers to dealerships, furniture stores and seminars. A Vancouver, Wash., car dealer must now reimburse customers who responded to one such promotion that the Washington Attorney General’s Office says was deceptive.

In a sign of the economic times, credit cards and predatory lending/mortgages cracked the national top 10 list of consumer complaints to state attorneys general offices last year, the National Association of Attorney General announced today.

The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office is challenging electric and gas rate increases proposed by Avista, saying the Spokane-based utility’s request is not justified and that, in fact, the company might be charging its customers too much for service.

Textbooks are something all college students need but the prices seem to keep going up with no sign of stopping. Fortunately, many people understand the plight of students and are now offering cost-efficient ways for students to acquire and sell textbooks. ...