Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. Here are this week’s updates.
Monday, November 22, 2021
Consumer Protection
- Washington D.C. Attorney General Racine issued a consumer alert warning consumers of scammers using the Uber app in phishing schemes that trick consumers to reveal private information. The alert encourages consumers to screenshot messages that appear to be phishing and report them on the Uber app’s “Help Page.”
Financial Misconduct
- New York Attorney General James announced the guilty pleas of nonprofit Millennium Care, Inc. and its executive director for tax evasion and theft of over $2 million that was meant for a homeless shelter’s operation.
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Consumer Protection
- New York Attorney General James announced that her office reached an agreement with a debt collector and his companies Northwood Asset Management Group LLC, Pinnacle Asset Recovery Group LLC, and Koalaty Pay LLC, permanently banning them from consumer debt collection in the future and requiring a $1.2 million payment. New York Attorney General James’ office found that collectors working for the companies used illegal tactics for debt collection such as wage garnishment, driver’s license suspension, lawsuits, and false threats of criminal action.
- Vermont Attorney General Donovan announced that his office reached settlements with eight online e-cigarette sellers for violating the state Delivery Sales Ban and Consumer Protection Act. The settlements require the companies to pay a total of $145,750 in civil penalties and notify consumers that they do not ship to individuals in the state.
Environment
- New York Attorney General James, Connecticut Attorney General Tong, and Acting New Jersey Attorney General Bruck sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency asking it to act more quickly in increasing controls on air pollution from heavy duty trucks. Specifically, the attorneys general are seeking stronger emissions standards for nitrogen oxides emitted by new on-road heavy-duty trucks and engines for model year 2027 and later.
- A multistate coalition of attorneys general submitted comments in support of the U.S. government’s proposal to restore rules requiring comprehensive environmental reviews of federal projects under the National Environmental Policy Act. The coalition also asked the government to more quickly revise or repeal a 2020 rule that reduced requirements ensuring that federal agencies evaluate the environmental and public health impacts of their activity.
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Consumer Protection
- Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro announced that his office filed a complaint against online stores Internet Hobbies, LLC and Hobby Models, LLC and their operators, alleging that they failed to deliver products and refund consumers’ payments, violating state consumer protection law. The lawsuit seeks restitution, civil penalties, and injunctive relief including to stop doing business in the state.
False Advertising
- New York Attorney General James announced a $5.1 million judgment against stem cell clinic Park Avenue Stem Cell and its managing doctor, resolving a 2019 lawsuit that alleged the company illegally and fraudulently advertised its stem cell procedures. The business allegedly advertised that it could treat a variety of serious medical issues with patients’ stem cells, even though there is no adequate scientific substantiation that these claims are true. The judgment also includes permanent injunctive relief from false advertising.