Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard 2006 Annual Report

Public Advocacy Division
Susan Segal
Division Chief Counsel
Mission:
To use the discretionary
power of the Office of the
The Public Advocacy Division is
made up of the Consumer
Protection and Advocacy Section
and the Environmental Enforcement
disabled and could not even use
the vacuum. Consumers felt
threatened and purchased the
vacuums to get the distributors to
The dealer
pocketed the
money and failed to send the
premium payments to the
Attorney General to
pursue those who prey
upon the public and
threaten the economic
and environmental wellbeing
of Arizonans.
Section.
Consumer Protection and
Advocacy Highlights
California Alternative High
School. Students were promised
that they would receive all of the
benefits of a traditional four-year
degree if they completed the 10-
week high school program. In
fact, the students were left without
a legitimate degree. The consent
judgment required the defendants
to pay $80,000 in penalties,
restitution and fees.
leave. The judgments called for
$64,600 in restitution, penalties
and fees.
Notario Cases. The Attorney
General settled cases with two
document preparers who used the
word “notario” in advertisements.
This word can only be used by a
non-attorney if the advertisement
contains an anti-fraud disclaimer
that the notary is not an attorney.
The word “notario” means attorney
to native Spanish speakers. Each
document preparer was required
to pay $5,000 in costs and fees.
insurance company. Consumers
were left without coverage. The
dealer will pay $120,000 in
restitution and $50,000 for costs
and fees.
Liberty League International.
The defendants marketed
“personal development” products
through a multi-level distribution
model. Consumers were promised
sizeable commissions for
purchasing the products and
selling the products to individuals
they recruited into the program.
The majority of consumers spent
Kirby Vacuum. Lawsuits against
two local distributors of Kirby
Vacuum were settled. The
distributors went to the homes of
elderly consumers and would not
leave until a vacuum was purchased.
Some of the consumers were
Automotive Extended
Warranties. A dealer for an
insurance administrator sold
extended automotive warranties
over the telephone and Internet.
sizeable amounts of money but
never earned any income. The
case was settled with a consent
judgment that precludes
defendants from violating the
Consumer Fraud Act and the
Pyramid Promotional Scheme
Statute. The defendants will pay
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