AGO News Releases With Topic: Consumer Protection

Nearly 100 sites in Washington sites join DEA’S nationwide effort  OLYMPIA — The abuse of prescription drugs inflicts a deadly toll in Washington state. Painkillers, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin soothe chronic pain and improve lives.  But such painkillers are increasingly abused by those who mix them with other drugs and alcohol or even crush and smoke them for a quick — and sometimes deadly — high.  Unused or expired painkillers left in medicine cabinets are contributing to the problem.

SEATTLE – A Vancouver man who sells business cards and graphic design services over the Internet will refund customers who never received their orders under an agreement reached this month with the Washington Attorney General’s Office.

 DIY legal forms aren’t a substitute for an attorney SEATTLE – If you’ve watched cable TV, you’ve likely seen celebrity attorney Robert Shapiro tout his company, LegalZoom, as a way to start businesses, patent inventions and create wills. “We put the law on your side,” he says.

SEATTLE – If dreams of instant riches have you buying stacks of magazines in the hope that Prize Patrol will soon knock on your door, you may be disheartened to know that the only thing you’ve gained over other prize contestants is some reading material. Joining with his colleagues across the country, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a new agreement with a company famous for its sweepstakes promotions, Publishers Clearinghouse.

 SEATTLE – An Ohio-based window manufacturer has settled allegations over erroneous energy-savings claims. In a settlement with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Great Lakes Window, Inc. agrees not to make false or unsubstantiated representations about the energy efficiency of their window products.

OLYMPIA – Following concerted efforts to prevent unnecessary foreclosures, the Washington Attorney General’s Office and a group of other state attorneys general and banking regulators say they’ve seen improvements in programs designed to help homeowners. But they’re concerned that foreclosures continue to outpace loan modifications, and note that most modifications increase the loan balance.

SEATTLE – Washington’s Lemon Law requires that dealers inform buyers if a car has ever been returned to a manufacturer. The Attorney General’s Office, which enforces the law, says a Bothell Chevrolet dealer neglected more than once to provide the required disclosures.

Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp and others accused of price-fixing SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a lawsuit accusing the makers of Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp and five other brands of liquid crystal display (LCD) screens of fixing prices.

SEATTLE – Hundreds of thousands of consumers may have unknowingly enrolled in membership programs while using Web sites owned by Bellevue, Wash.-based Intelius. A two-year investigation by the Washington Attorney General’s Office alleges that Intelius received thousands of consumer complaints regarding unauthorized enrollment in the programs and that  company management including CEO Naveen Jain knew about the complaints but chose to continue the deceptive and tremendously profitable marketing tactics.

SEATTLE – Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna and 33 other attorneys general reached an agreement with Internet message board host Topix.com to improve consumer protections and eliminate the $19.99 fee to expedite review of abusive or inappropriate posts.