Employment law and consumer protection, explained by the attorneys who litigate it. Straight answers on your rights at work and in the marketplace.
Consumer Rights
Debt Collection Agency, Gordon, Cappolli & Associates along with its owner, Stephanie Lowinger, were found guilty of conducting a scheme to defraud. Ms. Lowinger is also permanently banned from conducting any debt collection activities in New York. According to an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office, “Lowinger targeted military personnel specifically, telling the victims that if payment was not […]
Consumer Rights
According to the retaliation lawsuit, two bartenders were already engaged in a wage-and-hour lawsuit against Coyote Ugly alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) when the president and founder of Coyote Ugly posted an entry on her blog, mentioning the lawsuit and alleging that one of the employees was fired for theft and added “f*** […]
Consumer Rights
A text message marketing company investigated by the FTC for allegedly sending millions of illegal spam text messages to consumers is banned from sending any unsolicited text messages, under a settlement agreement entered by a federal court. According to the FTC millions of text messages were sent pitching mortgage modification services to consumers and instructing them visit various websites advertised […]
Consumer Rights
Game Theory LLC, a mobile-content corporation based in San Jose, California was investigated for sending unsolicited spam text messages to consumers and then tricking them into signing up for costly texting services. Game Theory has agreed to correct its business practices and pay $500,000 in penalties for deceptive and fraudulent advertising of its premium text message service. […]
Consumer Rights
Allied Interstate, one of the country’s largest debt collection agencies paid $1.75 million for allegedly making repeated phone calls to collect debts from the wrong person or to collect the wrong amount from debtors. According to the FTC, Allied demanded payment from people even after they were told by the consumer they did not owe the debt. Allied reportedly did nothing to […]
Consumer Rights
Debt Collectors, Luebke Baker and Associates have reached a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, (FTC) following charges that they illegally harassed consumers to pay for bogus magazine subscriptions. According to the FTC, the defendants knew, or should have known, that many of magazine debts were invalid. The proposed settlement order, bars Luebke Baker and Associates, Inc., from representing that […]
Consumer Rights
Cynthia Castillo, 38, was driving her Ford Explorer on Interstate 15 in Riverside County, California when the tread separated on the left rear tire. The rear end of the Explorer fishtailed, causing it to veer right and off the interstate. The Ford then rolled over several times and struck a tree. Castillo sustained serious injuries in the accident […]
Consumer Rights
Target Corporation, as well as a mechanical door manufacturer, have agreed to pay $7 million to an elderly woman injured when an automatic door at the Target store malfunctioned and knocked her down causing a brain injury. According to court documents, as Plaintiff , Claire Putman as was entering the Target store, the door malfunctioned and closed before […]
Consumer Rights
Jou Chau a former LaJolla, California Starbucks barista alleged that Starbucks supervisors were illegally forcing baristas to share tips with them since October 2000. In court, California Superior Court Judge Patricia Y. Cowett ruled that Starbucks must provide restitution, with interest, of over $100 million to approximately 100,000 former and current Starbucks baristas who worked in California stores dating back to October 2000. She also granted […]
Consumer Rights
Attorney General Greg Abbott sued the THPA, (deceitfully named “Texas Highway Patrol Association) for taking donations under false claims they would pay money to families of slain state troopers. By using a name that illegally included “Texas Highway Patrol” , the organization tricked people into thinking they were associated with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The THPA’s telemarketers raised […]
Consumer Rights
The Welk Resort Group. located in San Diego has sued VO Financial, its CEO Adam Lacerda, and co-founder Ashley Lacerda in Federal Court, claiming that VO Financial made “repeated and harassing phone calls” to Welk’s timeshare owners to “fleece” them and the resort.According to the complaint: “VO Financial falsely represents itself as a ‘timeshare research and resolution firm that offers mortgage reduction programs […]
Consumer Rights
The FTC is alleging that Instant Response Systems of Brooklyn New York used deception, threats, and intimidation to bully elderly consumers to pay for medical alert systems they neither ordered. According to the Federal Trade Commission, IRS’s telemarketers called elderly consumers using high pressure tactics in an attempt to get them to buy medical alert services and if they did not purchase […]
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