I. Introduction: The Rise of State-Level Junk Fee Enforcement
The national conversation about so-called junk fees — charges hidden until the final stage of a consumer transaction — has accelerated dramatically over the past three years. Federal regulatory efforts have
Eight state attorneys general (AGs) filed separate but coordinated lawsuits against OpenAI on October 14, alleging that the company misled consumers about ChatGPT’s safety and failed to adequately protect children and other users from harmful interactions.
On September 18, 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued two significant updates to the Justice Manual affecting False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement. First, DOJ attorneys are now required to affirmatively assess whether dismissal of a qui tam action serves
On October 8, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that his office may begin enforcing the commonwealth’s new electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) directory starting October 19. Pursuant to Pennsylvania’s Act 57 (72 P.S. § 206-1), importers, wholesalers, and retailers
On October 2, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission, and the attorneys general of Utah and Nevada, sued online contact lens retailer Lens.com, alleging that the company advertised contact lenses at prices significantly lower than what consumers ultimately paid after
Health care market pressures and the evolving role of state enforcement were the focus of a recent National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Eastern Region meeting. Tracy Wertz, chief deputy attorney general (AG) of the Antitrust Section in the Pennsylvania
California’s latest legislative session delivered a wave of privacy developments, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing a broad set of measures affecting consumer rights. But one proposal did not make it across the finish line: AB 1542, which would have
In this special crossover episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast and Regulatory Oversight, Chris Willis, Stefanie Jackman, and Mike Yaghi discuss California Governor Gavin Newsom’s appointment of former CFPB Director Rohit Chopra to lead the state’s newly
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a settlement on September 28, 2026, with Mavis Tire Supply to resolve allegations that the company engaged in deceptive sales and repair practices. Under the settlement, filed in the form of an Assurance of
In this episode of Payments Pros, host Carlin McCrory speaks with Frank Van Driessche, head of the ISO 20022 practice at Federal Reserve Financial Services, about the global messaging standard reshaping the payments industry.
