Other LanguagesOLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna and Scott Jarvis, Director of the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), announced today that more than 12,000 Washington residents are eligible for an estimated $9.1 million in restitution from Ameriquest Mortgage Company and its related companies. The money comes from last year’s $325 million national settlement, in which states alleged widespread fraud by Ameriquest as part of a high-pressure scheme to sell mortgages that trapped consumers into debt and put them at risk of losing their homes.
TACOMA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today warned businesses to beware of traveling salesmen who fraudulently claim to be federal government representatives and use coercive tactics to sell labor law posters. Cons were recently reported in the Tacoma area.
OLYMPIA – Thousands of Washington apartment homes and hotels may be especially vulnerable to fire. The Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office says up to 500,000 fire sprinkler heads in Washington may be defective – and officials don’t know where they are located.
OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today warned Washington homeowners and businesses to beware of cons claiming to repair your driveway. Scammers have been reported in communities across Washington, most recently in the Vancouver and Tacoma areas.
SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that thousands of Washington consumers are eligible for refunds under a settlement with the operators of www.privasafe.com and www.surfsafeinternetservices.com that could ultimately cost the defendants $1 million.
SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with Coranda Living Trust Services and its owner, Stephen Cuccia, Jr., in which the former Sumner resident agreed to provide refunds to Washington residents who purchased estate planning products. The agreement resolves allegations that Cuccia made misleading statements in order to sell living trusts and insurance annuities to at least 70 seniors.
SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a multistate settlement with ChoicePoint that resolves allegations the company failed to adequately maintain the privacy and security of consumers’ personally identifiable information. The settlement with attorneys general of 43 states and the District of Columbia stems from a 2005 data breach that compromised personal financial records of more than 163,000 consumers, including an estimated 3,000 Washington residents.
A group of telemarketers have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their “debt elimination program” violated federal and state laws by falsely promising consumers substantially reduced interest rates and thousands of dollars in savings. Under the proposed settlement, two business owners are permanently barred from engaging in any debt negotiation or debt elimination business. According to a complaint filed by the FTC and the Washington State Attorney General, the defendants made unsolicited phone calls to consumers nationwide and marketed the program on Internet Web sites, including www.debt2wealth.com and www.acceleratedfinancialinc.com.
OLYMPIA – A listserv account used by the Washington Attorney General’s Office to send news items was hijacked as part of a “phishing” scam. State agencies have resolved the problem to ensure further unauthorized e-mails are not sent.
SEATTLE – You may be owed money if you paid for a video subscription service from Movieland.com, bought Spyware Cleaner software or a Sony BMG music CD, or were billed for a shopping service or travel club you didn’t want. The Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division says thousands of Washington consumers are potentially eligible for refunds for products and services as a result of government settlements. But with deadlines rapidly approaching, those consumers need to submit their claims soon in order to receive payment.