SEATTLE - In another significant victory for Washington's anti-spam law, A King County Superior Court judge today declared that misleading commercial e-mail sent to millions of people violated Washington's 1998 statute.

The case against Jason Heckel of Salem, Ore., was the first filed by the Attorney General's Office under the state's1998 Unsolicited Commercial Electronic Mail Act, which prohibits e-mail that contains deceptive subject lines, misrepresents the e-mail's point of origin or uses a third party's domain name without permission.

November 18, 1996 - Washington's Chief Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Mix is pleased with today's U.S. District Court decision upholding the Washington law requiring oil tankers to follow state oil spill prevention regulations. The law requires oil tankers to employ the best achievable protections to safeguard Puget Sound.

SEATTLE - July 11, 2002 - Attorney General Christine Gregoire today filed a lawsuit against two Minnesota men whose e-mail pitches for debt consolidation services could mislead some people to think their credit ratings are at risk.
 
The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, accuses Samuel and Adam Meltzer and their companies, Chippynet.com and Mobydns.com, of sending possibly thousands of deceptive e-mails to Washington residents in violation of the state's groundbreaking anti-spam law.

Seattle - August 13, 1998 - In its second action in eight months against the same firm, the Washington Attorney General's office has fined a New Jersey fundraiser $109,290 for violating a Court order that the firm agreed to obey just last December.

Consumer Links:
To file a complaint regarding a charitable solicitation call the AG's Office at 1-800-551-4636 (1-800-833-6384 for the hearing impaired)

SEATTLE -April 9, 1997- The Washington State Attorney General's Office today filed lawsuits against three fund-raising organizations who use and abuse the name of police and fire fighters to deceive consumers and businesses into donating thousands of dollars each year.

Seattle - Janaury 7,1998 - In a continued crackdown on deceptive charitable solicitations, the Attorney General's Office today announced a $55,000 settlement with a New Jersey based telephone fund-raiser for two major Washington police organizations.

In addition to the $55,000 settlement payment, Civic Development Group, LLC, which raises funds for the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association and the Washington Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, agreed to stop its solicitors from claiming to be police officers and making other misrepresentations.

Seattle - August 8, 2000 -Washington and 29 other states and territories today accused some of the nation’s largest recorded-music distributors and retailers of illegally fixing compact disc prices charged by retailers, Attorney General Christine Gregoire said.

A lawsuit filed by state attorneys general in U.S. District Court in New York accuses distributors and music labels of engaging in a scheme to stop some non-traditional music retailers—such as Best Buy, Circuit City and Target—from offering compact discs at deep discounts.

Olympia -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire today called for an aggressive, sustained and comprehensive assault against spam by government, industry and consumers.

Gregoire spoke at a press conference where Microsoft announced 15 lawsuits against alleged spammers. Thirteen of the lawsuits are U.S. cases and allege violations of Washington's anti-spam laws. Two were filed in the United Kingdom.

December 11, 1998 - The state will receive nearly $400,000 in restitution and overpayments from two Tacoma dentists who were sentenced yesterday in Pierce County Superior Court for submitting false bills to the state's Medicaid program.

Olympia -July 27, 2000- An Olympia car dealer accused of unfair and deceptive sales practices will pay $75,000 in fees and penalties and be required to make restitution to consumers victimized by its practices, Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today.