Attorney General Pam Bondi today joined five other attorneys general to support President Donald Trump’s appointment of Mick Mulvaney as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In a letter to President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the attorneys general expressed their support for the President to select the acting director, not the outgoing agency head.
“I fully support the President’s decision to appoint Mick Mulvaney as the director of the CFPB,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Executive staff at the CFPB should strive to protect consumers from abusive powers, as the agency’s mission claims, not cause turmoil and instability throughout a federal protection agency.”
Last week, Director Richard Cordray resigned from the CFPB and selected Deputy Leandra English for acting director. However, President Donald Trump appointed Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as the federal agency’s director. English has since filed a complaint against the President and Mulvaney in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, requesting the Court block Mulvaney’s appointment and grant her temporary authority as acting director of the CFPB until the U.S. Senate confirms a new director.
Attorney General Bondi’s Consumer Protection Division works regularly with the CFPB to protect all consumers from businesses engaging in deceptive and unfair behavior.
In addition to Attorney General Bondi, the letter was signed by attorneys general from Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Arkansas.
To view the full letter, click here.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Attorney General Bondi Offers Giving Tips Ahead of Giving Tuesday
Attorney General Bondi is releasing tips for charitable giving ahead of Giving Tuesday. Encouraging generosity following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a day recognized around the world that is devoted to giving back. While the holiday season often inspires many to be kind and give to a good cause, scammers may seek to take advantage of the kindness of others.
“‘Giving Tuesday’ is an important time to support charities working to improve the lives of others, and helping those less fortunate is especially important during the holiday season—BUT before you donate, make sure the charity you are giving to is legitimate and not a scam,” said Attorney General Bondi.
Here are some tips to safeguard against charity-related scams this holiday season:
- Research a charity by using Charity Navigator to confirm the charity is legitimate;
- Understand how much of the donation will actually go toward the work of the charity as opposed to administrative and fundraising expenses;
- Be proactive and donate to a reputable charity, rather than wait to be solicited;
- If donating online at a fundraising site, be sure to confirm the identity of the recipient and be careful when providing any personal contact information;
- Ask for a pledge form and information about the charity in the mail if the charity you are interested in donating to initiates contact;
- Do not give credit card or bank account information over the phone or in response to an unsolicited email; and
- Contact the Attorney General’s Office at (866) 9-NO-SCAM or call the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance at (703) 276-0100 to determine if there are any complaints against a charity.
For more responsible giving tips, please read Attorney General Bondi’s 2017 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide.
Attorney General Bondi Releases 2017 Holiday Shopping Guide
As Black Friday approaches, kicking off the time for Holiday shopping, Attorney General Pam Bondi is releasing the 2017 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide This helpful guide provides product safety information and tips to help consumers enjoy a safer and more satisfying holiday shopping experience.
“As Floridians prepare their holiday shopping lists, they should also take steps to protect their financial information and guard against scams,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The 2017 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide is full of tips to help shoppers avoid identity theft and scams. It also includes safety information about children’s gifts, so parents can do their research before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
In the guide, consumers can find online purchasing tips and advice for avoiding charity scams. Additionally, the guide includes a list of items recalled by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission in the past year, specifically focusing on children’s toys and items that pose a particular risk to kids and teens.
The holidays are a time to be especially mindful of ways purchases can cost more than expected. As online shopping is now many consumers’ preferred way to shop, here are some tips from the guide for protecting financial information when purchasing online:
- Pay with a credit card rather than a debit card;
- Ensure the browser is using a secure connection;
- Contact debit and credit card account providers to see if the providers offer one-time card numbers to be used for online transactions; and
- Keep receipts and be sure to understand retailers’ return policies and periods so consumers can return any unwanted items in a timely manner and get a full refund.
If a consumer has any questions on product recalls or any other issues discussed in this guide, contact Attorney General Bondi’s Citizens Services hotline at 866-9-NO-SCAM or visit MyFloridaLegal.com.
To read Attorney General Bondi’s 2017 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide, click here.
Deadline Approaches to File Claims in Avis, Budget and Payless Settlement
Attorney General Pam Bondi is reminding consumers who rented a car from Avis, Budget or Payless between Jan. 1, 2010 to July 10, 2017 and were charged for e-Toll services to file a claim before the January deadline. The deadline to submit a claim is Jan. 7, 2018. Refund checks will be mailed in March 2018 to eligible claimants wrongfully charged for e-Toll services.
For more information about the claims process and to access the claim form, click here. In July this year, Attorney General Bondi’s Office reached a settlement with Avis Budget Car Rental System, LLC, which owns Avis, Budget and Payless. The settlement resolves allegations related to the rental car companies’ practices involving add-on fees for cashless tolls in Florida and other related add-on charges. As part of the settlement, the three companies are required to provide refunds to any consumers charged for e-Toll without sufficient disclosures, who have not already been reimbursed and who file a claim for a refund. For more information about the settlement, click here.
Western Union Settlement Fund Deadline for Eligible Consumer Claims is Feb. 12, 2018
Attorney General Pam Bondi today announced that Floridians deceived into sending payments to scammers using Western Union’s wire transfer service may now apply for compensation from a $586 million national settlement fund. This fund is related to a multistate settlement reached by Attorney General Pam Bondi, 49 other states and the District of Columbia with Western Union in January this year.
Consumers who fell victim to a fraud-induced transfer using Western Union between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 19, 2017, may be eligible to receive compensation. More than 500,000 potential victims nationwide have been identified.
Eligible Floridians who reported falling victim to a scam that involved a money transfer through Western Union will receive a claim form in the mail from the settlement administrator in the next two weeks. The form will contain instructions explaining how consumers may file claims to receive compensation. The Department of Justice’s Victim Asset Recovery Program is administering the fund through a third-party claims administrator.
If a consumer does not receive a claim form in the mail, but believes they are eligible for a claim, the consumer should visit WesternUnionRemission.com or call 1-844-319-2124 for more information. All completed claims forms must be mailed back to the settlement administrator by Feb. 12, 2018.
To view the assurance of voluntary compliance, click here. For more information about the multistate settlement, click here.
Attorney General Bondi’s Veterans Day Statement
Attorney General Pam Bondi today released the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day:
“This weekend we honor some of the bravest of Americans, those who served in our Armed Forces, who risk their lives for our safety and freedom. In our busy day-to-day lives, it may be easy to forget just how blessed we are for the men and women who are willing to serve and fight so that we can live in a republic. Veterans Day is a reminder that we must never lose sight of these courageous heroes and their sacrifices. Thank you to all our veterans, active service members and the families who support them for everything that you have done and are still doing to protect us and our beautiful homeland.”
Record Breaking Drug Take Back Day
Attorney General Pam Bondi is highlighting last month’s record breaking National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. On Oct. 28, 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration collected 912,305 pounds of expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs across the country. As part of the Drug Take Back Day Program, Americans are encouraged to empty their medicine cabinets of expired or unnecessary drugs and turn this medicine into participating collection sites nationwide for proper disposal.
“Being in the midst of the deadly opioid epidemic, I am encouraged and proud that so many Americans are stepping up to prevent drug abuse,” said Attorney General Bondi. “I want to thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the hard-working men and women at the DEA and everyone who answered the call to action to enable this record amount of prescription drugs to be disposed of properly—and not used to exacerbate the national opioid epidemic.”
In Florida alone, individuals turned in more than 26,000 pounds of prescription drugs to 155 collection sites.
According to the DEA, since starting Prescription Drug Take Back Days in 2010, the agency has collected more than 9 million unused drugs through the nationwide program.
The next Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held on April 28, 2018.
Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Passage of Final Report by President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and Opioid Crisis
Attorney General Pam Bondi, a member of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, today issued the following statement on the unanimous passage of the Commission’s final report:
“This report outlines a comprehensive approach to the nation’s most lethal public health epidemic in our country’s history—175 deaths a day. Addiction is a disease, and the report acknowledges this reality. We must dramatically expand drug treatment, change pain management practices to include non-opioid pain management treatments, do a better job of interdicting the supply of heroin and fentanyl into our country and implement a comprehensive national prevention campaign, among other things. This report lays the groundwork for such a comprehensive response by our nation to the opioid and drug abuse epidemic.”
To view the final report click here.
Plan Safe Trick or Treating Routes this Halloween
Attorney General Pam Bondi is asking parents to plan a safe route for children to trick or treat this Halloween. Parents and guardians can visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators website at FLSexOffender.net to see a list of all registered sex offenders and predators living within a five-mile radius.
Attorney General Bondi also encourages Floridians to alert authorities of any known sex offenders or predators giving out candy to children today. Florida law prohibits sex offenders from distributing candy or other items to children on Halloween.
In addition to knowing where sex offenders are before sending children out to trick or treat, there are other steps parents can take to protect children tonight. Here are some simple ways to ensure a safer Halloween:
- Make sure children are not trick or treating alone. They should go with a group or with a trusted adult;
- Remind trick or treaters about road safety—look both ways before crossing the street and use the side walk and crosswalks when possible;
- Equip children with a light source such as a flashlight or glow stick; and
- Tell children to never go into the home of a stranger and do not approach a house without any lights on.
Attorney General Bondi wishes everyone a happy and safe Halloween tonight.
Attorney General Bondi Encourages Floridians to Participate in Drug Take Back Day Tomorrow
Attorney General Pam Bondi is urging Floridians to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Drug Take-Backs allow the public to take expired or no longer needed prescription drugs to local drop-off points for proper disposal.
“Responsibly disposing of unnecessary prescriptions is an easy way to help us combat the national opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Keeping expired drugs around the house can pose a danger to children and may tempt a friend or relative struggling with addiction. Prevention is the best way to stop drug abuse, and by participating in Drug Take Back Day, Floridians can do their part to help fight this crisis and save lives.”
Prescription drugs should be disposed of responsibly and never flushed down the toilet—as some medications cannot be completely removed by treatment systems and may end up in drinking water, lakes and streams.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducts Drug Take-Backs in conjunction with state and local law enforcement. Floridians can find nearby participating locations by clicking here.
