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Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

Be Wary of Home Repair, Charity Scams in Quake's Aftermath

Seattle - March 1, 2001 - In the wake of Wednesday’s 6.8 earthquake that rattled the Puget Sound region, consumers must be particularly vigilant to protect themselves from fraudulent home repair scams and charity appeals.

The Attorney General’s office recommends that consumers faced with making home repairs take a few minutes to take the same precautions they would under normal circumstances. A little bit of care now can save a consumer major headaches down the road.

For instance, consumers:

State Task Force To Study Increasing Tort Payouts

Olympia -2/28/01- Governor Gary Locke and Attorney General Christine Gregoire today announced the formation of a Risk Management Task Force to address an increase in state tort lawsuits and payouts.

In the last ten years there has been an 80 percent increase in tort lawsuits against the state and payouts, which for five years averaged about $22 million, soared to more than $65 million in 2000.

The group will assess the state's risk management programs and look for ways to reduce or mitigate risk.

Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Illegal Pyramid Promoters in Tri-Cities

Pasco -March 1, 2000- Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire today filed a lawsuit against 13 promoters of Renewal Celebration, a large-scale illegal pyramid scheme operating out of the Tri-Cities.

The lawsuit stems from a Renewal Celebration meeting in Kennewick last September. Plain clothes police officers estimate as many as 1,800 people attended and as much as $2.1 million was put in circulation during the evening. The officers broke up the meeting and with court authorization seized various records and about $50,000.

AG McKenna plans to appeal in “Top Two” primary case

OLYMPIA—Attorney General Rob McKenna today released the following statement regarding a U.S. District Court judge’s decision to strike down Washington’s voter-approved “top two” primary as unconstitutional:

“We strongly believe the ‘top two’ primary, adopted by Washington voters last fall, meets the constitutional standards set by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing today’s ruling and we plan to appeal the case to the 9th Circuit.”

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MAZDA VIOLATES AG AGREEMENT

SEATTLE - September 30, 1999 - Attorney General Christine Gregoire today announced Mazda Motor of America , Inc. will pay just over $5.2 million to Washington, 24 other states and the Federal Trade Commission for violating a 1996 consent decree which required the auto dealer to change the way it advertises auto leases.

"Mazda did make some changes, however, it continued to highlight low monthly payments while obscuring the total lease cost, "Gregoire said. "Using small size type and obscuring the cost amidst advertising clutter misleads consumers," she added.

AG Warns Consumers to Avoid Phone Card Pyramid Scheme

February 13, 1996 - The Attorney General's Office today warned consumers to avoid illegal pyramid schemes including those involving long distance phone cards.

Consumers from Vancouver to Tacoma already have been lured with promises of 1000 percent return on an initial investment of about $100. The scheme is also expected to hit the Seattle area and Eastern Washington. About 10 consumers have filed formal complaints, although many more individuals have contacted the Attorney General's Office to inquire about the scam.

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