Safeguarding Consumers

A key priority for the Attorney General’s Office is to safeguard consumers from fraud and unfair business practices by:

• Enforcing consumer protection and antitrust laws, recovering refunds for consumers and imposing penalties and injunctions on offending businesses.
• Educating the public on issues such as identity theft and scams that target seniors, minorities and vulnerable populations.
• Informally resolving complaints between consumers and businesses at no cost to either party. On average, two out of three complaints filed with our office are satisfactorily resolved.
• Administering Washington's Lemon Law for new motor vehicle warranty enforcement, including arbitration, education, and manufacturer and dealer enforcement.
• Administering the Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program to help manufactured/mobile home tenants and landlords resolve disputes.
• Representing consumers who would not otherwise have an effective voice in cases regarding utility company rates and operations.