State AGs
FTC and Illinois Take Action to Stop Alleged Deceptive Conduct by Company Related to Purported Fake Business Listings
By Richard B. Newman |
On May 11, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission announced that the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the FTC, and the state of Illinois sued Chicago-based company Premium Home Service and its owner for allegedly fraudulently creating thousands of fake online business listings for home repair companies to purportedly deceive consumers into thinking they…
New York AG Secures Over $5M from Crypto Platform for Alleged Promotion of Fraudulent Investment Scheme
By Richard B. Newman |
On April 29, 2026, the Office of the New York Attorney General announced that it has secured more than $5 million from the cryptocurrency platform Uphold HQ, Inc. (Uphold) for allegedly misleading investors and promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme purportedly orchestrated by Cred, LLC (Cred) and it’s Chief Executive Officer. According to the OAG, an…
New York Attorney General Warns of Investment Scams on Meta Platforms
By Richard B. Newman |
On April 6, 2026, the Office of the New York Attorney General issued an “investor alert” to warn New Yorkers about the purported prevalence of fraudulent investment schemes proliferating across Meta platforms, including on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to the NY OAG, ”scammers are increasingly using deceptive advertisements and ‘deepfake’ technology to lure investors…
SCAM Act Legislation Introduced to Hold Platforms Accountable for Deceptive Ads
By Richard B. Newman |
On February 4, 2026 Senators Gellego (D-AZ) and Moreno (R-OH) introduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on deceptive online ads. The Safeguarding Consumers from Advertising Misconduct (“SCAM”) Act would require online platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent fraudulent and deceptive ads and strengthen accountability when they slip through the cracks. The bill could potentially…
5 Star Intel: FTC and State AGs Investigating Fake Google and Yelp Reviews
By Richard B. Newman |
The Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General are aggressively investigating the use of fake or false consumer reviews and testimonials – including AI-generated reviews – on consumer review platforms like Google and Yelp. At both a federal and state level, regulatory agencies are seeking harsh monetary civil penalties and damages against violators of applicable…
NYC Mayor Mamdani Signs Executive Orders to Stop Junk Fees and Subscription Tricks
By Richard B. Newman |
On January 5, 2025, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Member Julie Menin, and DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine, announced that it has signed two executive orders: to combat businesses’ deceptive use of junk fees and crackdown on subscription tricks and traps that that drain money from New Yorkers and make…