Consumers urged to “Check it, Lock it, & Shred it”

Vancouver, WA – More than 40 AARP Fraud Fighters lit up the phone lines today as part of a “Reverse Boiler Room,” dialing hundreds of seniors in Portland and Vancouver.

In an ironic turn on a favorite tactic of con artists, volunteer Fraud Fighters operated their own telemarketing boiler room. But instead of hearing from crooks, local seniors received tips and information on how they can protect themselves from identity theft.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced new settlements with operators of LA Weight Loss diet centers in Washington. The agreements resolve allegations that LA Weight Loss continued to misrepresent program costs and make unsubstantiated health claims even after paying penalties as part of a previous state lawsuit. As part of the settlement terms, LA Weight Loss will refund the enrollment costs of some customers who received services in Washington.

SEATTLE -- Checks go in the mail tomorrow for millions of compact disc buyers who filed claims in a national antitrust price-fixing case.

Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that more than 213,000 Washington consumers who filed a claim in the lawsuit should within days receive their restitution checks for $13.86.

SEATTLE -- More than 1,150 Washington consumers who were overcharged for the anti-anxiety drug BuSpar began receiving restitution payments today, Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced.

Washington claimants will receive a full refund of their overcharges based upon their BuSpar purchases. Payments will average $800 per claimant, with payments to Washington consumers totaling about $938,000. State agencies, including Medicaid, will receive $2.1 million.

Defendant allegedly used Microsoft’s name in online ads to deceive consumers

SEATTLE – Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with a New Hampshire man accused of using Microsoft’s name in advertisements to deceive consumers into purchasing a software program that falsely claimed computers were infected with spyware.

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire today urged the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to consider filing additional claims to disgorge profits on both long- and short-term BPA/Enron contracts on behalf of Northwest power customers who suffered because of Enron's fraudulent and manipulative actions in the West Coast energy market in 2000-2001.

SEATTLE -- The Attorney General's Bankruptcy & Collections Unit (BCU) has passed a major milestone-recovering more than $100 million in taxes owed the state over the past 11 years. The amount is nearly double what was anticipated when the unit was created in September 1993.

OLYMPIA -- Four private attorneys paid by Clark County to provide legal services to indigent criminal defendants have agreed not to set terms and rates for their services in a manner that would violate state antitrust laws.

The Attorney General's Office filed a consent decree today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma ordering Clark County defense attorneys to stop uncompetitive business practices. The four attorneys named by the decree were accused of leading other local attorneys in a scheme to fix the terms and rates of their legal services to the county.

SEATTLE -- A Redmond-based Internet web service company which failed to deliver promised services has agreed to stop misrepresenting its services and pay restitution to consumers, Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today.

A lawsuit was filed against Internet Advancement (IA) along with a simultaneous settlement in King County Superior Court. IA also does business as 4GreatBuys.com. Others named in the suit and settlement include Todd Wickham, Chief Executive Officer of Internet Advancement, Ken Committee, President, and Ernesto Villamor, Secretary and Treasurer.

SEATTLE -- The Attorney General’s Office is warning consumers about the re-emergence of a long-distance scam called advance fee fraud because they often originate in that African country.

The scam usually involves a fraudster who convinces victims to perform a “good deed” by sending money, saying the victim will benefit financially once the money is received. Of course, the fraudster keeps the money, never delivering on his promise to share the wealth.