OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the Attorney General’s Office will be the first state agency to receive confirmation from the state Dept. of Personnel for its performance-based recognition program for general service employees.

“Attorneys and staff at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office are committed to meeting high standards, serving the state with dedication and accountability,” McKenna said. “That is our baseline.

Seattle - Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced settlements with representatives of two California businesses accused of blanketing the Seattle School District and other organizations with junk e-mails. The settlements resolve Washington’s first lawsuit under the federal anti-spam act filed in 2004 and bring the total penalties, restitution and other fines assessed in the case to more than $4.1 million.

SEATTLE, June 19, 2006 – Attorney General Rob McKenna will welcome consumer protection advocates from across the nation next week when they converge in Seattle for the 31st annual conference of the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators. Experts from the public and private sectors will address hot issues including predatory lending, high-tech scams and telemarketing fraud, new credit and bankruptcy regulations, and proven strategies to protect consumers.

OLYMPIA - As the Legislature passes the halfway point of the 2006 session, a series of bills requested by Attorney General Rob McKenna to protect children and communities, reduce crime and enhance open government continue to move toward becoming law.

Protecting children and communities from sex predators:

“This legislative package will help keep kids and communities safer by getting tough on sex offenders and giving law enforcement and others the tools they need to keep known sex predators away from our children,” McKenna said. 

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna and Attorneys General from 49 other states submitted a joint letter to Congress yesterday to express concern about drastic cuts of more than $1.2 billion from the Federal Crime Victims Fund that is used to provide direct assistance to victims of violent crimes.

Consumers urged to “Check it, Lock it, & Shred it”

Vancouver, WA – More than 40 AARP Fraud Fighters lit up the phone lines today as part of a “Reverse Boiler Room,” dialing hundreds of seniors in Portland and Vancouver.

In an ironic turn on a favorite tactic of con artists, volunteer Fraud Fighters operated their own telemarketing boiler room. But instead of hearing from crooks, local seniors received tips and information on how they can protect themselves from identity theft.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced new settlements with operators of LA Weight Loss diet centers in Washington. The agreements resolve allegations that LA Weight Loss continued to misrepresent program costs and make unsubstantiated health claims even after paying penalties as part of a previous state lawsuit. As part of the settlement terms, LA Weight Loss will refund the enrollment costs of some customers who received services in Washington.

SEATTLE -- Checks go in the mail tomorrow for millions of compact disc buyers who filed claims in a national antitrust price-fixing case.

Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that more than 213,000 Washington consumers who filed a claim in the lawsuit should within days receive their restitution checks for $13.86.

SEATTLE -- More than 1,150 Washington consumers who were overcharged for the anti-anxiety drug BuSpar began receiving restitution payments today, Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced.

Washington claimants will receive a full refund of their overcharges based upon their BuSpar purchases. Payments will average $800 per claimant, with payments to Washington consumers totaling about $938,000. State agencies, including Medicaid, will receive $2.1 million.

Defendant allegedly used Microsoft’s name in online ads to deceive consumers

SEATTLE – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with a New Hampshire man accused of using Microsoft’s name in advertisements to deceive consumers into purchasing a software program that falsely claimed computers were infected with spyware.