Attorney General Clark Recognizes Consumer Protection Week
CONTACT: Lauren Jandl, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Announces top 10 consumer complaints of 2022 & “Stopping Scams Together” initiative
CONTACT: Lauren Jandl, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Announces top 10 consumer complaints of 2022 & “Stopping Scams Together” initiative
Fake package scam leads the list; Social Security phishing scam falls from list
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Nano Hearing Aids for misleading consumers about the effectiveness and quality of its products. The lawsuit alleges that Nano engaged in multiple layers of deception by making misleading statements on its website and in advertisements, implying its products are FDA-approved, and falsely representing its products as American-made.
Vermont recently joined three multistate settlements involving Experian data breaches that occurred in 2012 and 2015. The breaches compromised the personal information of millions of consumers nationwide, including 2,133 Vermont consumers who had applied for T-Mobile postpaid services and device financing between September 2013 and September 2015.
Attorney General Susanne Young today announced that Vermont will receive $4 million from a multistate settlement with Google over its location tracking practices related to Google Account settings. The settlement also requires Google to be more transparent with consumers about its practices, including giving users detailed information about the types of location data Google collects and how it’s used. The multistate settlement announced today was negotiated by a coalition of 40 attorneys general and totals $391.5 million.
Vermont recently joined three multistate settlements involving Experian data breaches that occurred in 2012 and 2015. The breaches compromised the personal information of millions of consumers nationwide, including 2,133 Vermont consumers who had applied for T-Mobile postpaid services and device financing between September 2013 and September 2015.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) is warning Vermont business owners, non-profits, and employees about an uptick in business imposter email scams. In the last two months, CAP has received five reports of business imposter email scams resulting in a total loss of $210,799. Scammers are impersonating employees or familiar business representatives’ emails and contacting company bookkeepers and office administrators asking them to change bank account information, direct deposit information, or asking them to write checks.
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has joined 33 other states in reaching a $438.5 million agreement in principle with JUUL Labs, resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. Under the terms of the agreement in principle, the State of Vermont will receive approximately $8 million over a period of six to ten years.
Vermont has joined a nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force of 50 states to investigate and take legal action against the telecommunications companies responsible for bringing foreign robocalls into the U.S. Gateway providers that bring robocalls into the U.S. have a responsibility to ensure the call traffic is legal, but these providers are not doing enough to stop illegal robocalls.
Vermont is set to receive another substantial settlement in its ongoing work to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crises. For the second time this week, a drug manufacturer, Abbvie, disclosed a proposed settlement to its investors in its earnings report released today. The proposed settlement will require Allergan, acquired by Abbvie in 2020, to pay up to $2.37 billion to participating states and local governments.
The Vermont Attorney General’s Office has reached an agreement in principle on key financial terms with opioid maker Teva, which would provide up to $4.25 billion to participating states and local governments. While critical details of the settlement remain the subject of ongoing negotiations, Teva disclosed the key financial terms in its earnings announcement yesterday.
Carnival Required to Change Its Security and Breach Practices
The Attorney General’s Office announced a multistate settlement with Florida-based Carnival Cruise Line stemming from a 2019 data breach that involved the personal information of approximately 180,000 Carnival employees and customers nationwide. As part of the settlement, Carnival must strengthen its email security and breach response practices. The company must also pay the states a total of $1.25 million, of which Vermont will receive $10,000.
The Attorney General’s Office is holding a community forum for landlords on Vermont’s Lead Paint Law on Wednesday, June 29, at 4 p.m. in St. Johnsbury. Vermont law requires owners of residential rental properties built before 1978 to file lead safety compliance statements with the Vermont Department of Health every year. To help landlords understand how to ensure their properties are inspected and filings are properly completed, the Attorney General’s Office has initiated a public education and outreach campaign to promote safe housing and help landlords with compliance.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan announced a settlement with Pfizer Inc. following an investigation into the company’s business and advertising practices for its copayment coupon program. As part of the program, consumers were told that they would “pay no more than” certain amounts out-of-pocket for specific drugs – but ended up spending far more at the pharmacy. As part of the settlement, qualified Vermont consumers will automatically receive restitution for the amounts they overpaid.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced a multistate settlement with Ford Motor Company regarding claims that Ford falsely advertised the real-world fuel economy of certain model years of C-Max hybrids and the payload capacity of certain Super Duty pick-up trucks.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced a settlement with Florida-based Centurion Filing Services, LLC (Centurion), for sending misleading mailings to Vermont businesses.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general earlier this week in filing two amicus briefs defending efforts to ensure that community health centers, clinics, and institutions serving low-income and underserved patient populations have access to discounted prescription drugs.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced a settlement with TurboTax, Intuit Inc. (Intuit), for deceiving Vermont consumers into paying for tax services that should have been free. As a result of a multistate agreement, Intuit will pay $141 million in restitution to millions of consumers across the nation who were unfairly charged. In addition, Intuit must suspend TurboTax’s “free, free, free” ad campaign that lured customers with promises of free tax preparation services, only to deceive them into paying for services.
Rutland Superior Court issued a judgment last week in a lawsuit brought by the Attorney General’s Office against Rutland rental property owner John Ruggiero and his companies for failing to comply with Vermont’s lead in rental housing laws and consumer protection laws. The Attorney General’s Office sued Mr. Ruggiero earlier this month after the Vermont Department of Health received complaints of two children residing in Mr. Ruggiero’s properties with elevated blood lead levels. The Consent Judgment orders Mr.
Settlements Resolve Violations of State’s Delivery Sales Ban and Consumer Protection Act
Washington Superior Court has issued a judgment in the civil lawsuit brought by Attorney General T.J. Donovan against Missouri-based Karabell Industries and its owner, Eli Karabell, for making repeated illegal telemarketing calls and harassing state legislators to pay exorbitant sums of money. The Consent Judgment, issued yesterday, resolves the Attorney General’s lawsuit by requiring the Defendants to cease all business and telemarketing activity in Vermont and refrain from contacting anyone in Vermont about any marketing, sales, offers, or otherwise.
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today filed a civil lawsuit against Missouri-based company, Karabell Industries, and its owner, Eli Karabell, for making repeated illegal telemarketing calls and harassing state legislators to pay him exorbitant sums of money. The lawsuit was filed in Washington Superior Court after numerous state legislators complained of receiving late-night phone calls from the Defendants who claimed to offer “government consulting services.” The Defendants then emailed state legislators proposing contracts and demanding payments of $18,500 per hour or even $48 billion.
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
CONTACT: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
AG Donovan Has Negotiated Over $100 Million From Opioid Litigation for Vermont
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Court Approval Required
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced a national settlement in principle with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family, for their role in the opioid crisis, that will increase the amounts of funds paid by the Sacklers from $4.325 billion under the original bankruptcy plan to at least $5.5 billion. The settlement is subject to court approval.
Contact: Lauren Jandl, Asst. Director of Communications, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828–3171
CONTACT: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Settlement Requires Company to Provide Debt Relief and Cease Unfair and Deceptive Practices
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-03171
The Final Installment in a Three-Part Video Series on Imposter Scams
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
“I am pleased with the Court’s ruling rejecting the Purdue bankruptcy plan which would have dismissed Vermont’s legal claims against the Sackler family. This ruling gives Vermont the ability to continue to pursue those that helped create the opioid crisis.”
Thinking about giving this holiday season? Here are five tips to help ensure that your contribution is going to a charity in need for a cause you support.
1- Research the charity. Understand how your money will be used by the charity before you donate. Websites like the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator make it easy to find this information.
The Second in a Three-Part Series on Imposter Scams
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
The First in a Three-Part Series on Imposter Scams
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Settlements Resolve Violations of State’s Delivery Sales Ban and Consumer Protection Act
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Postal Service Adopts Plan Without Public Input That Could Slow Mail & Increase Costs
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, (802) 828-3171
After a letter sent by Attorney General T.J. Donovan and other attorneys general in May, Facebook today announced that it will pause its development of its Instagram app designed for children, “Instagram Kids.”
CONTACT: Charity Clark, Chief of Staff, (802) 828-3171
Lawsuit Alleges Exxon, Shell, Sunoco, CITGO Misled Vermonters About Fossil Fuels and Climate
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced that his office has reached settlements with three different online sellers of electronic cigarettes for violations of Vermont’s Delivery Sales Ban and Consumer Protection Act. Under the settlements, the companies resolved claims that they sold electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, or other tobacco paraphernalia to individual consumers. As of July 1, 2019, it is illegal to sell electronic cigarettes and related vaping products over the internet to individual Vermont consumers.
Contact: Charity Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Vermont to Receive Roughly $60 Million from Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Johnson & Johnson
I do not support the proposed Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan because it does not sufficiently hold the Sackler family accountable. The Sacklers are the founders and owners of Purdue Pharma, which sparked and fueled the opioid crisis. Through this bankruptcy plan, the Sacklers are leveraging their enormous wealth to obtain the protection of the bankruptcy court by having the court extinguish the states’ claims against the Sacklers.
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3172
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
Attorney General T.J. Donovan today expressed disappointment when reacting to the plan Purdue Pharma filed in bankruptcy court. Along with 23 other states, Attorney General Donovan released the below statement:
“We are disappointed in this plan. While it contains improvements over the proposal that Purdue announced and we rejected in September 2019, it falls short of the accountability that families and survivors deserve.
Contact: Charity R. Clark, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171
MONTPELIER – Attorney General T.J. Donovan today announced that Vermont, as part of a coalition of 41 attorneys general, has settled with Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, doing business as American Medical Collection Agency (“AMCA”) resolving a multistate investigation into the 2019 data breach that exposed the personal information of over 7 million individuals, including 2,889 Vermont residents, and potentially exposed the personal information of up to 21 million individuals throughout the United States.
Contact: Lisa Jensen, Assistant Director of the Consumer Assistance Program, 800-649-2424.