OLYMPIA - State officials are urging telephone customers served by Verizon to keep an eye out for an important notice explaining that they must act quickly to protect the privacy of their telephone calling information.

Verizon, a local telephone company serving about 1 million customers statewide, is issuing "opt out" notices that let customers know that their personal and private calling information will be used to market other services unless customers say otherwise.

SEATTLE -April 1, 1999- A travel club that promised spectacular savings that never materialized for the many Vancouver and Portland residents who purchased memberships has been sued by the Attorney General's Office.

"Consumers were promised savings of up to 50% on travel if they purchased a club membership," said Attorney General Christine Gregoire. "People paid between $2,000 and $5,000 just to be able to purchase discounted travel. That's more money than most people ever spend on a summer vacation."

Olympia -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire today opposed Qwest's request to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) to deregulate rates for its business customers.

In testimony filed with the WUTC, attorneys for the Public Counsel Section of the Attorney General's Office argued that deregulation would harm the company's small and medium-sized business customers because Qwest continues to dominate the local telecommunications market in Washington State.

Spokane - June 28, 2001 - Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire today sued members of an Eastern Washington vacuum cleaner sales ring for using unfair and high-pressure sales tactics on vulnerable elderly citizens.

"These defendants preyed on vulnerable people and in some cases held them virtual hostages in their own homes," Gregoire said. "This is one of the most disturbing examples of illegal sales tactics that my office has seen."

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SEATTLE - October 8, 1997 - In an agreement negotiated by the Attorney General's Office, Vacation Time Worldwide will reimburse consumers who purchased travel club memberships and have not received their promised vacations. The Bellevue travel club has established a $100,000 trust fund to cover the reimbursement costs.

Olympia - May 29, 2001 - The U.S. Supreme Court today decided not to review a case brought by three University of Washington Law School applicants who claimed that a former school admissions policy encouraging racial diversity discriminated against them on the basis of race.

Seattle -September 22, 2000 - US Bank has agreed in a settlement not to share their customers' personal financial information with bank affiliates or other businesses until consumers are given the opportunity to keep the information confidential, Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today.

"Consumers trust banks with their money," Gregoire said. "In exchange, banks should respect the privacy of consumers' credit cards, Social Security numbers and other personal financial information. Unfortunately, that's all too often not the case."

Seattle -August 3, 1999 - Washington State Attorney General Christine Gregoire today filed action against Ultima Systems, Inc. of Bothell for continuing to violate a 1997 consent decree and simultaneously filed a new lawsuit against a related travel marketer, Vacation Marketing Systems, Inc. of Lynnwood.

"The business name may have changed but the deception is the same," said Gregoire. "Vacation Marketing appears to have stepped right in and picked up where Ultima left off."