In light of National Consumer Protection Week, California's Attorney General Rob Bonta encouraged individuals to report any improper behavior or violations against consumer protection statutes directly to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) through their website. By doing so, data can be collected to help identify whether to probe further into a business or individual. Special emphasis is given to areas such as debt collection, data privacy, telemarketing, and consumer lending.

“The State of California has some of the strongest consumer protections laws in the nation—and we’re busy urging the legislature to make them even stronger,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Unfortunately, unscrupulous businesses continue to prey on consumers and take advantage of opportunities to profit from harm. During National Consumer Protection Week, and all year long, I urge Californians who have been taken advantage of by predatory businesses, individuals, or practices, or have knowledge of any potential legal violations to file a complaint with my office. The leads we get from the public help us identify where companies are trying to skirt the law — and help us to hold those seeking to harm California consumers accountable.”

The Attorney General Bonta requests consumers to swiftly reply if a debt collector comes knocking - whether or not the debt is theirs. He also mentions that ignoring could lead to relentless pursuit, damaged credit, or even a lawsuit. Debt collectors are not allowed to pester consumers incessantly, deceive them, or invade their personal space at odd times or locations. More information on debt collection can be found at oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/debt-collectors.

As found on the State of California Department of Justice website https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/recognition-national-consumer-protection-week-attorney-general-bonta-0?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides consumers with groundbreaking rights over their personal information, including:

• Right to Know – Consumers may request that a business tell them what specific personal information they have collected, shared or sold about them, and why it was collected, shared, or sold.
• Right to Delete — Consumers may request that a business delete personal information that the business collected from the consumer, subject to some exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out — If a business sells their personal information, consumers may request that it stop doing so.
• Rights for Minors — A business cannot sell the personal information of minors under the age of 16 without their permission and, for children under 13, without parental consent.
• Right to Non-Discrimination — A business may not discriminate against consumers who exercise their rights under the CCPA.

In regards to consumer lending, Attorney General Bonta secured a court decision against Curacao for attempting to profit off the Latino immigrant community through illegal insurance sales. In August 2022, Bonta also sealed a $15.5 million settlement against the rent-to-own Rent-A-Center, for their deceptive marketing and unlawful leasing practices.