On June 1, the Connecticut legislature passed a bill that would require businesses exposed to a data breach to notify victims within 90 days of the breach. The bill would also require businesses to provide victims with one year of identity-theft protection if their Social Security number is compromised. Senate Bill 949, An Act
FTD and Classmates.com Agree to Pay $11 Million to Settle Multistate AG Unfair Trade Practices Investigation
Attorneys general from twenty-two states today announced that Classmates, Inc. which runs the website classmates.com, and Florists Transworld Delivery, Inc. and FTD.com, Inc. (collectively, “FTD”) have agreed to settle allegations that the companies were involved in misleading, unfair, and deceptive trade practices. Although FTD and Classmates did not admit to wrongdoing, they agreed to pay
Ohio Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Debt Collectors
On May 19, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced the filing of a lawsuit against the alleged operators of a fictitious debt collection enterprise that threatened and harassed consumers, many of whom were not actual debtors.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit, filed in Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court, names Mohan Bagga of Duluth, Georgia; Marcus Brown of
Three National Consumer Reporting Agencies and Thirty-One State Attorneys General Strike Deal
On May 20, the three national consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) – Equifax Information Services LLC, Experian Information Solutions Inc., and TransUnion LLC – inked a deal with thirty-one state attorneys general to end an investigation initiated in 2012 by the Ohio Attorney General’s office.
Under the multistate settlement, which is in the form of
FTC and State Attorneys General Charge Cancer Charities With Bilking Over $187 Million from Consumers
On May 19, the Federal Trade Commission and all fifty state attorneys general and the District of Columbia charged four cancer charities and their operators with bilking more than $187 million from consumers. The alleged fraud, detailed in a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, is said to
Virginia Governor Signs Directive Requiring Enhanced Card Payment Security
On May 5, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed an executive directive which sets enhanced security requirements for the purchase card program used by state agencies, including the implementation of “chip and pin” technology by December. The directive further instructed Virginia’s treasurer, comptroller, and secretaries of finance and technology to implement enhanced payment technologies that “meet
House Supports Cybersecurity Legislation That Could Create Liability Shield for Information Sharing
In a pair of recent votes, the House of Representatives supported legislation that would create liability protections for companies that share with the federal government information about cyberthreats. The bills, H.R. 1560 and H.R. 1731, allow private companies to take defensive cybersecurity measures to protect their rights and property. They also allow for sharing of
DOJ Releases Cybersecurity Guidance for Response and Reporting of Cyber Incidents
The U.S. Department of Justice has released guidance to assist organizations in preparing for a cyber incident. Released alongside a speech given by Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell on April 29, the 15-page memo, “Best Practices for Victim Response and Reporting of Cyber Incidents,” provides a framework for organizations to prepare an incident response
CFPB and Maryland AG’s Office Target Mortgage Kickback Scheme
On April 29, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office jointly filed a Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland accusing a title service company and several mortgage loan officers of participating in an illegal kickback scheme whereby the company would funnel money and marketing services to
FTC and New York Attorney General Erich Schneiderman Announce June Meeting with Debt Collection Industry
On April 23, the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the New York Attorney General announced they will host a “dialogue” to discuss consumer protection issues with the debt collection industry, including recent enforcement actions, consumer complaints about debt collection practices, and compliance issues.
The first “Debt Collection Dialogue” in Buffalo, New York will