Class Action Lawsuits That Protect Consumers Recover Their Money

New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Minnesota, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington have all filed lawsuits against Donald Trump. New York attorney generals recover multimillions of tax dollars from those who steal from taxpayers by evading taxes, filing false financial information, and failing to file accurate tax returns. Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, indicted in Manhattan on July 1, 2021, faces 15 years in prison for Trump Organization tax fraud. The Consumer Protection Division of your Attorney General's office can help you with identity theft, landlord tenant issues, and deceptive marketing practices.

Landlord Tennant Disputes

Even Donald Trump's Jared Kushner is not above the law. Tenants in Jared Kushner's 15 apartment complexes in Baltimore, Maryland, filed a class action suit alleging that their payments were'baselessly' inflated with late fees and interest capriciously attached to their monthly bills without regard for Maryland law limiting late fees and penalties to 5 percent of their rent. In some cases, fees were added after their payment was received putting tenants in a vicious cycle of payments applied to fees rather than rent resulting in court costs and legal fees. Furthermore, the creditor aggressively pursues tenants who've finally moved from 15 apartment complexes in the Baltimore area. In defense, management claims a fiduciary duty to its investors and strives to collect on its delinquent accounts.

Recurrent Payment Marketing Schemes

New York Attorney General Letitia James reminded New Yorkers to beware of deceptive practices that charge you a fee or a second time renewing your membership, subscription, or access to their services. A prevalent form of deceptive marketing is the 'free' trial period which converts to a membership if you do not cancel the service with the required time period. Consumers willing submit their credit or debit card number without thoroughly reading the merchant's terms and conditions. New York's Automatic Renewal Statute, GBL 527-a includes important consumer protections, and the Office of your Attorney General can help you resolve your complaints with deceptive marketing schemes. Magazine subscriptions often renew annually charging a higher rate than your introductory subscriptions.

Faceless Identity Theft

Ricky Bailey, (25), was sunning himself on the beach when police offices entered his motel room in the Sun Suites Motel. They found 46 credit cards fraudulently obtained with his address book of names, birthdates, and social security numbers. Identity theft is especially heinous when it deprives the victim of money they need for food, clothing, and shelter. Brooklyn man Otis Barnes (29) will serve three years in prison for stealing the identity of a 90-year-old man after a joint investigation by the United States Postal Service and the Office of the Attorney General. He assumed the elderly man's identity at check cashing places and at the post office where he purchased money orders for his personal use.

Buying Gifts and Gift Certificates

Convenience isn't everything. Gift cards sold by an individual online may be stolen or counterfeit. Scams only benefit the fraudster who manages to capture your personal and financial information. Always buy gift cards directly from the merchant or an authorized merchant like your supermarket.

Refunds

Regardless of a business or website's 'no refund' policy, your state law gives you an implied warranty. Your implied warranty requires vendors, resellers, and merchants to refund your money or replace your product if the merchandise you receive is broken or torn, not what you ordered, or the wrong size. If you are unable to get a refund for a defective product, contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of your Attorney General.

Charitable Contributions

You contribute money to causes you believe in or causes that you believe make a significant difference. Serial fraudsters who know how to take advantage of your generosity outnumber sincere charitable nonprofits in your state. Research charities before you contribute to them. Fraudsters use names, logos, and copies of charitable webpages to divert your contributions into their own accounts. Employees within a charitable organization may be stealing your funds.

State Attorney Generals Bring Class Action Lawsuits for Individuals

If a large business in a class action settlement tries to tell you that you don't meet the criteria for inclusion in a subject class, your attorney general will try to resolve the matter amicably. If you are the victim of a scam, identity theft, or a dispute with a landlord or merchant, your attorney general's office can initiate administrative or legal proceedings on your behalf.