State law goes into effect this week to protect immigrants against immigration scams

OLYMPIA…A new Washington state law, protecting consumers from immigration-related fraud, went into effect Thursday, Oct. 20.

The recently enacted Immigration Services Fraud Prevention Act, requested by the Attorney General’s Office, prohibits anyone from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in an immigration matter, unless that person is a licensed attorney or is otherwise authorized to provide legal services under federal immigration law.

OLYMPIA – A United States District Court judge ruled today that there is no reason to shield from public view petitions from a 2009 ballot measure on domestic partnerships.

SEATTLE – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today warned consumers about a text-message trap to capture financial information and drain credit card and bank accounts. Such text message scams are called “smishing.”

“If you don’t wish to be smished, ignore text messages that look like they’re coming from your bank or credit card,” McKenna said. “Flip over your credit or ATM card and call the number on the back. If there’s a problem with your account, that’s the best way to find out.”

McKenna says Americans deserve a timely answer on requirement to buy federally-approved insurance

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today reiterated his position on the 26-state lawsuit challenging the federal health care reform law passed in 2010.

OLYMPIA - Today we’ve released the letter from online classified site Backpage.com responding to inquiries from most of the nation’s state attorneys general. We received the letter late Friday.

McKenna says Americans deserve a timely answer on mandate to buy federally approved insurance

OLYMPIA – Today, the 26 states challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care law filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case in its upcoming term.

Vancouver car dealer and his market associate must pay more than $128,000

OLYMPIA - Deceptive advertisements will cost a Vancouver marketing company and its owner more than $128,000 in penalties and attorneys’ fees.

Attorney General Rob McKenna originally filed a lawsuit in 2009 against RGH Marketing, Inc., and its owner Robert G. Hubbard, Jr., a former manager of Interstate Auto Liquidators, alleging both violated Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, Promotional Advertising of Prizes Act and Dealers’ Licenses Act.

McKenna says merger means higher prices, fewer choices for mobile phone service

OLYMPIA — Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that his office joined the Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit seeking to block a merger between AT&T and T-Mobile.

Washington state and six other states joined as plaintiffs an amended DOJ complaint, filed today in Washington DC, seeking to block the deal.

SHORELINE – Proving once again its commitment to helping Washington homeowners avoid foreclosure, the Attorney General’s Office today provided an additional $550,000 to provide free housing counseling to distressed homeowners.

“Housing counselors are lifelines for borrowers on the brink of losing their homes,” McKenna said. “The work of these counselors is important because preventing foreclosures – and stabilizing home values – is key to helping kick-starting our economy.”

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Supreme Court today ruled 7-2 that Attorney General Rob McKenna must file an appeal as requested by the state Commissioner of Public Lands, despite the fact that an Okanogan Superior Court considered and ruled against the Commissioner’s position and despite the Office of the Attorney General’s judgment that the appeal was not in the legal interest of the state of Washington.