Consumerist
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refunds
Vonage Reaches $3 Million Settlement With 32 States
If you had trouble canceling your Vonage account in recent years and ended up getting charged for services you didn't want, you might be eligible for a refund under an agreement Vonage just made with the attorneys general of 32 states. More » -
EVT America
EVT America Delivers Slow, Inaccurate Scooter, No Lemon Law Refund
Brett wants the EVT America electric scooter he was promised. A scooter that was supposed to have a top speed of 40-45 mph, and required a motorcycle license. Unfortunately, while at top speed the speedometer reads 45 mph, he claims that reality differs. More » -
mortage meltdown
Newsflash: The Next Tsunami Of Aggressively Irresponsible Loans Didn't Magically Disappear
We've been talking about the next wave of the mortgage crisis for quite some time now, and it seems that, as predicted, it's cresting and about to hit. We are, of course, speaking of Option-ARM loans — considered the riskiest of all mortgages due to their ability to grow rather than shrink. Yes, there actually exists a mortgage that allows the borrower to pay less than the interest that is accruing on the loan. More » -
complaints
Top Ten Consumer Complaints To State AG's In 2008
The National Association of Attorneys General has polled state attorneys general, who are typically responsible for enforcing consumer protection laws in their states, and announced the top ten consumer complaints for 2008. It's an interesting list. More » -
good news
National Arbitration Forum Exits Credit Card Dispute Business
Score one for the consumer over unfair arbitration. Just last week, Minnesota's Attorney General sued the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) for fraud, false advertising, and deceptive trade practices—and now the company has agreed to pull out of the credit card business entirely. According to the settlement reached on July 17th, "The only business NAF can now be involved with is in arbitrating Internet domain disputes, a business it has long been in." More » -
settlements
DISH Network Will Pay $5.9 Million Back To Customers
In 2006, five states launched an investigation into DISH Network's crummy sales practices after hundreds of complaints from consumers. Now the company has agreed to pay $5.9 million to 46 states in a settlement announced today—and at least some of that money is earmarked for DISH customers. More » -
tagged.com
NY Attorney General Unfriends Tagged.com, Files Lawsuit
New York's crusading Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, has a new target:social networkingcontact-spamming site Tagged.com. He intends to stop the company's practices and seek fines from them. Were the fine $1 per spammy e-mail they've sent, the total would be $60 million. Too much? More » -
tickets
Ticketmaster Pays $50,000 Fine, Closes More Than 100 Deceptive Site
Ticketmaster will pay a $50,000 fine and shutter more than 100 deceptive brokerage sites as part of a wide-reaching agreement with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Madigan's office accused Ticketmaster's always shady subsidy, TicketsNow, of creating sites that masqueraded as local venues selling tickets at face value. The settlement also requires TicketsNow to wait until after Ticketmaster puts non-sporting events on sale before hawking tickets at outrageously inflated prices. More » -
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lawsuits
Craigslist Sues Attorney General Of South Carolina
Craigslist has announced that they are suing South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster "seeking declaratory relief and a restraining order with respect to criminal charges he has repeatedly threatened against craigslist and its executives." It's on, people. More » -
prostitution
Craigslist Will Drop "Erotic Services" Section
Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal has announced that Craigslist will be dropping its controversial "erotic services" section, and will replace it with a moderated "adult" category. More » -
mortgage fraud
Treasury Announces Multi-Agency Crackdown On Mortgage Fraud
Various U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, announced a multi-agency crackdown on foreclosure relief fraud today, vowing to "redouble efforts to crack down on schemes that target distressed homeowners and also to share more information and resources across agencies and with state officials," says the WSJ. More » -
settlements
Only 42 People Want A Piece of Dell's $1.5 Million Settlement? Seriously?
Come on people, Dell agreed to dole out $1.5 million to customers who had problems with warranty repairs, credit financing, and rebates, but with only a week before the filing deadline, Washington's Attorney General says that only 42 people in his state have submitted claim forms. We know there are eligible Dell victims out there. Our tipline alone has nearly 1,000 Dell-related complaints. Please, fill out your claim form now and get the money your state attorney generals earned for you! More » -
verizon fios
New Jersey Sues Verizon Over "Free LCD TV" Disaster
The State of New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against Verizon, alleging that its marketing, sales, billing and customer service practices for its FiOS television, telephone and internet services are deceptive and misleading. The lawsuit is partly in response to the now-infamous "Free LCD" disaster. More » -
Add Alabama to the unpublicized states that are also participating in the Dell settlement. If your state wasn't in the original list of 34 earlier this week, be sure to check your attorney general's website just in case. [Alabama settlement info - PDF] (Thanks to Henry!)
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It's not one of the 34 states publicized earlier this week, but Texas is another one of the states where you can get a piece of the DELL settlement. [Texas Dell Claim Form]
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scams
Contractor Scams 88 Year-Old Out Of More Than $80,000
Contractor scams are some of the most heartbreaking because of the potential for the scammer to obtain large amounts of money from the victim. About two weeks ago, the NY Attorney General's office announced the arrest of a Western New York home improvement contractor for "repeatedly pressuring an 88-year-old widow into paying more than $80,000 for home improvements that were never done", or were so poorly done as to be worthless. More » -
scams
Fake Debt Collectors Are Trying To Intimidate You Out Of Your Money
ABCNews says that the West Virginia Attorney General is warning people about fake debt collectors who will call you repeatedly at home and at work, threatening you with arrest for not paying a debt... that doesn't even exist. More » -
worst company in america
Throwdown! Connecticut Sues Countrywide For Deceptive Lending
Someone ring a bell because Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has just sued Countrywide (and, of course, Bank of America) for deceptive lending practices. They're seeking damages of $100,000 for each violation, as well as "up to $5,000 per violation of state consumer protection laws, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains and an order compelling the company to cease its illegal practices." More »
attorneys general
New York, 7:16 PM
Mon Nov 23
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