Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. Here are this week’s updates.

Multistate

  • A coalition of 9 attorneys general sent a letter to Dividend Solar Finance, GoodLeap, Cross River Bank, Sunlight Financial, and Solar Mosaic urging these solar lending companies to suspend loan payments and the accrual of interest for customers who financed the purchase of a solar power system from Pink Energy, and have not received a working solar power system. The attorneys general also asked the lenders to assist Pink Energy customers who are experiencing other functionality and installation issues. 

California

  • In the wake of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided consumers with tips on shopping safely this holiday season.
  • Attorney General Bonta also provided California donors with tips to avoid fraud and other scams when making charitable donations during Giving Tuesday.

Florida

  • Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody urged Cyber Monday shoppers to watch out for online scams. Cyber Monday is traditionally one of the most popular online shopping days of the year—last year, consumers nationwide spent more than $10 billion.
  • Attorney General Moody also warned Floridians to be wary of charity scams on Giving Tuesday.

Louisiana

  • Shortly before Black Friday commenced, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry published consumer safety tips for holiday shopping.

Maryland

  • Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh publicized the Consumer Protection Division’s warnings about home warranty scam letters addressed to homeowners. The letters urge Maryland homeowners to renew a home warranty by claiming the current home warranty “may be expiring or may have already expired.”

Michigan

  • Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel launched her annual holiday consumer protection campaign focused on ways to protect shopper information.

Montana

  • Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen reminded Montanans to be aware of common scams, which tend to increase during the holiday season.

Oklahoma

  • Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor urged Oklahomans to use caution when making purchases and donations this holiday season to avoid scams and fraud.

Rhode Island

  • Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha published a statement approving the proposed sale of Roger Williams and Fatima Hospitals.  Under Rhode Island’s Hospital Conversions Act, transfers of 20% or more of ownership, assets, membership interest, authority or control of a hospital require approval by the Attorney General.

Virginia

  • Virginia Attorney Jason Miyares released a video about his Office’s Identity Theft Program as Virginians are more likely to spend time online buying gifts for family and friends during this holiday season.

Washington

  • Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that he is pursuing funding from the Legislature to establish an Organized Retail Crime Unit in his office. The Organized Retail Crimes Unit will be able to assist with the Organized Retail Crime Task Force’s investigations — including coordinating them across multiple jurisdictions — and deploy resources where they are most needed. The unit will also be able to prosecute cases referred the office by county prosecutors. 

Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced a settlement with Los Angeles-based American Tax Solutions requiring the company to pay more than $328,000 in consumer restitution and forfeitures. The consent judgment resolves allegations that American Tax sent tens of thousands of illegal mailers to Wisconsin consumers and operated as a debt adjustment service company in the state without a proper license.