From The Office of the Attorney General (OAG):
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued the below Public Safety Advisory to help educate District residents about DC’s “Red Flag” law, which can be used to keep residents and communities safe by removing firearms from potentially dangerous persons. (more…)
photo by Diane Krauthamer
From The Office of the Attorney General (OAG):
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, in collaboration with the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) and Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), today issued the below consumer alert warning DC residents about home improvement scams and offering tips on what to look out for to avoid being scammed. (more…)
From the DC Office of the Attorney General:
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued a Supplemental Business Advisory on restaurants’ legal obligation to adequately disclose all fees – including service fees – to customers. Given the recent increase in consumer confusion over restaurants’ fees, the advisory builds on the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) previous consumer alerts by including examples of compliant and non-compliant service fee disclosures, as well as illustrative menu disclosures. As with previous guidance, the Advisory is designed to help restaurants comply with the District’s Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA) and help consumers understand their rights. (more…)
From the office of the DC Attorney General:
“Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued the below consumer alert warning DC renters about rental scams and offering tips on what to look out for to avoid being scammed:
Are you a new renter looking online for a place to live in DC? The District is a great place to live and work, but finding housing can be difficult. Recently, there has been an increase in rental scams targeting out-of-town renters, short-term renters, and students. If you are looking for a new place to live, or know someone who is, you need to be alert.
Here’s how these scams work: (more…)
photo by kristenstake
Thanks to M. for sending: “In my opinion, the guidance still permits a lot of complicated/confusing restaurant fee practices.”
From the office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia:
“You have dinner at a local DC restaurant with your family. You plan to pay the price listed on the menu, sales tax, and a tip. But when your bill comes at the end of the meal, there’s a vague 20% fee added on that you didn’t expect. How do you know if the fee is going to service workers? Are restaurants allowed to charge fees without telling you? (more…)
photo by Erin
From the Office of Attorney General Karl A. Racine:
“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced a new lawsuit against Pro Football Inc., which owns the Washington Commanders football team, for implementing an illegal scheme to cheat District ticket holders out of their deposits for season tickets and use the money for its own purposes.
This new lawsuit follows the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) separate lawsuit announced last week against the Commanders, team owner Dan Snyder, the NFL, and Commissioner Roger Goodell for colluding to deceive District residents about an investigation into toxic workplace culture and allegations of sexual assault. (more…)
photo by Erin
From the office of Attorney General Karl A. Racine:
“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced a new lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, team owner Dan Snyder, the National Football League (NFL), and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for colluding to deceive District residents–Commanders’ core fans–about an investigation into toxic workplace culture and allegations of sexual assault to maintain a strong fanbase and increase profits.
“The Commanders and Dan Snyder lied to DC residents about what they knew about a toxic culture of sexual harassment and then they entered into a secret agreement with the NFL and Commissioner Goodell that kept the truth from DC residents–all in an effort to protect their profits,” said AG Racine. “In DC, you can’t lie to consumers to enrich yourself and get away with it. That’s what this lawsuit is about: standing up for DC residents who were deceived and misled. No one–not even Mr. Snyder–is above the law.” (more…)
From the DC Office of the Attorney General:
“Attorney General Karl Racine today announced a settlement requiring three real estate firms–DARO Management Services, DARO Realty, and Infinity Real Estate–and several individual defendants to pay a landmark $10 million in penalties for illegally discriminating against renters in the District who use Section 8 housing vouchers and other forms of housing assistance. This is the largest civil penalty in a housing discrimination case in U.S. history. (more…)
photo by Phil
From the DC Office of the Attorney General:
“AG Racine today filed a lawsuit against Liberty Tax, the third largest tax preparation service in the U.S., for misleading and secretly increasing the cost of tax preparation for thousands of DC taxpayers.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) alleges that Liberty Tax aggressively markets its services to low-income residents by offering them $50 in cash “just for filing,” but then secretly increases the cost of tax preparation for individuals who accept the cash payment. (more…)
From the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia:
“AG Racine today announced the first enforcement action brought by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) against owners of long-term vacant or blighted homes who made false claims to avoid paying the higher property taxes that the District imposes on empty or blighted properties.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed a lawsuit against the owners of a crumbling and vacant Ward 6 home, alleging that they made false claims to the District to avoid paying the vacant property tax since at least 2015. This enforcement action represents a new front in OAG’s efforts to combat the District’s affordable housing crisis and to ensure property owners uphold their legal responsibilities. (more…)
