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RSS FeedAttorney General McGraw Files Complaint Against Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home in Wyoming County
December 4, 2009
Attorney General Darrell V. McGraw, Jr., filed a Complaint today against Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home, Donna Toler, Daniel Toler, and Rebekah Cline in the Circuit Court of Wyoming County. The Complaint alleges the funeral home misappropriated consumers’ preneed funeral contract funds and has refused to comply with...
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Attorney General's Office Receives Gun Locks Through Partnership with Project ChildSafe to Promote Gun Safety During Hunting Season
December 1, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s office has received additional gun locks for distribution through its partnership with Project ChildSafe. Project ChildSafe is the nation’s largest firearm safety education program. The Attorney General’s office is the statewide law enforcement partner in West Virginia for this program.
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Scamsters Attempt to Hook the West Virginia Attorney General's Office with Phishing Scam
November 24, 2009
Phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business organization that you may deal with – for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message will ask you to "update," "validate," or "confirm" your...
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Attorney General McGraw Announces Settlement with Vonage to Resolve Consumer Complaints
November 16, 2009
Attorney General McGraw announced today that his office has reached a settlement with Vonage, the nation’s second largest provider of Internet-based telephone service. The agreement, which resulted from a joint effort by consumer protection officials in 31 states, requires significant changes in the company’s business practices and offers...
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Attorney General McGraw Sues 17 Internet Payday Lenders, Collection Agencies, and their Principals
November 16, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s Consumer Protection Division today filed two new suits as part of his continuing effort to halt the victimization of West Virginia consumers by Internet payday lenders and their collection agencies.
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Attorney General McGraw and New York Attorney General Deliver $655,000 in Restitution to WV and Nationwide; Agreement Reached with Seven NY Companies
October 15, 2009
Agreements Will Deliver $665,000 in Restitution to Consumers in
West Virginia and Nationwide who were Scammed By Fraudulent Companies
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today announced settlement agreements between the New York Attorney General and seven online electronics stores located in New York for...
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Hurricane Chevrolet Dealership Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
August 27, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Hurricane Chevrolet, a car dealership located in Hurricane, West Virginia. As often happens in these kinds of cases, the local dealership was approached by an out-of-state marketing company with the idea of a...
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Logan / Charleston Dealer Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
August 6, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Consolidated Motor Holdings, LLC, which has dealerships in Logan and Charleston, West Virginia. Consolidated Motor Holdings does business under the names of Logan Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Logan Suzuki and Charleston Pre-Owned Supercenter. Consolidated...
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Attorney General McGraw Sues Ohio Collection Agency, National Enterprise Systems; Asks Court to Stop Firm from Making Unlawful Threats
July 21, 2009
A Braxton County woman authorized an Ohio collection agency to charge $5,000.00 to her credit card because the company was threatening to have her daughter arrested at work. The same collection agency told the father of a Kanawha County woman that his daughter would be "arrested for fraud...
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Attorney General McGraw Settles With DishNetwork; Company to Modify Business Practices, Provide Refunds
July 16, 2009
Attorney General Darrell V.McGraw announced today that his office has reached a settlement with DISH Network, one of the nation’s largest home satellite TV providers. The agreement, which resulted from a joint effort by consumer protection officials in 46 states, requires substantial robust changes in the company’s business...
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Attorney General McGraw Settles Unfair Marketing Charges Against Merck & Co., Inc., and Others Regarding Vytorin®
July 15, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today announced a settlement with Merck & Co., Inc., Schering-Plough Corporation and the companies’ joint venture. The settlement requires the companies to obtain preapproval from the Federal Food and Drug Administration before advertising directly to consumers. The companies will also pay West Virginia and...
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Cole Chevrolet-Cadillac, Bluefield Car Dealer, Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
July 13, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Cole Chevrolet-Cadillac, a car dealership located in Bluefield, West Virginia. In 2008, Cole Chevrolet-Cadillac was approached by an out-of-state marketing company with a "free gas" sales promotion. Under the terms of the promotion,...
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Toothman Ford Sales, A Grafton Car Dealer, Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
July 10, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Toothman Ford Sales, Inc., a car dealership located in Grafton, West Virginia. During the summer of 2008, Toothman Ford was approached by an out-of-state marketing company with the idea of a "free gas"...
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General Motors Bankruptcy Approved Under Pressure from Attorney General McGraw and Others to Comply With State Law
July 8, 2009
Under pressure from Attorney General Darrell McGraw and the Attorneys General from 42 other states, the new General Motors Company agreed to abide by state law governing car dealership franchise agreements, among other relief.
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Attorney General McGraw, AARP Foundation Warns Consumers About Latest "Grandparents" Scam
June 25, 2009
CHARLESTON - Attorney General Darrell McGraw and officials from the AARP Foundation are warning grandparents across West Virginia to beware of a new scam targeting them. In this scam, con-artists pose as grandchildren and ask their "grandparents" to wire money via wire services or to send money via...
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Attorney General McGraw Files Objection to General Motors' Proposed Sale of Assets and Termination of Dealers
June 23, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed an objection with the United States Bankruptcy Court in New York on Friday against General Motors’ proposed sale of nearly all its assets and termination of GM dealers in West Virginia. General Motors asked the bankruptcy court earlier this month for permission to...
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Kanawha County Car Dealer Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
June 11, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Bert Wolfe Ford Porsche Audi & Toyota, a car dealership located in Charleston, West Virginia. As often happens in these kinds of cases, the local dealership was approached by an out-of-state marketing company...
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Attorney General McGraw Sues Unlicensed Parkersburg Contractors dba Flawless Fences and Corrals
June 9, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today sued Parkersburg unlicensed contractors John and Amy Wright, who call themselves Flawless Fences and Corrals, in the Circuit Court of Wood County. The complaint alleges that the Wrights charged consumers large sums of money up front for home improvement projects and never started...
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Bedford Family Preowned Auto Superstore Agrees to Honor Free Gas Offer
May 28, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office has entered into an agreement with Beford South Point Ford, Inc., a car dealership that does business in West Virginia under the name Beford Family Preowned Auto Superstore, in St. Albans.
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Attorney General McGraw Files an Objection in Bankruptcy Court to Chrysler's Proposed Termination of 17 Dealerships in WV
May 27, 2009
On May 26, 2009, Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed an objection with the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York against Chrysler’s proposed termination of 17 Chrysler dealerships in West Virginia. Earlier this month, Chrysler asked the bankruptcy court to terminate 789 of its...
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Attorney General McGraw Joins Consumer Federation of America and others to "Tear Up" Fake Check Scams
May 27, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw's Consumer Protection Division has been a member of the Consumer Federation of America's Fake Check Task Force since its inception one year ago. Today, the Task Force is launching a national campaign to combat fake check scams. Millions of consumers are lured into cashing...
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Attorney General McGraw Announces Law Enforcement Sweep to Combat Charity Fraud; Operation False Charity.
May 20, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw has joined the Federal Trade Commission and law enforcement officials from 48 states and the District of Columbia in a nationwide, federal-state crackdown on fraudulent charities. In "Operation False Charity," state and federal officials announced a series of enforcement actions against fund-raising operations that...
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Texas-based Debt Settlement Company, Able Debt Settlement, is Enjoined from Doing Business In West Virginia
May 15, 2009
Able Debt Settlement, Inc., of Irving, Texas, was stopped from doing any business in West Virginia by the Circuit Court of Kanawha County as of May 14, 2009.
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Attorney General McGraw Sues James R. Armstrong, Jr. and His Web of Florida Shell Companies Over Fraudulent Credit Counseling Scheme
May 8, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw filed a suit today alleging that James R. Armstrong, Jr. of Coral Springs, Florida, masterminded a web of for-profit companies to enrich himself under the guise of providing debt management services with Family Credit Counseling Corporation, a company also controlled by Armstrong to financially-strapped...
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Attorney General McGraw Shuts Down Advanced Fee Loan Website For False Advertising A Charleston, WV Location
May 7, 2009
Last week, the West Virginia State Credit Union was inundated with phone calls from consumers who had been victimized by this scam. Apparently, the crooks were advertising advanced fee loans online. If a consumer applied for a loan, he would receive an email that identified the company as...
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Attorney General McGraw Warns Consumers about Businesses that Promise to Prevent Foreclosure
April 16, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today issued a warning to West Virginians facing foreclosure. "Businesses are contacting West Virginians who are struggling to keep their homes and promising to stop foreclosures or obtain a loan modification if the consumer makes an advance payment," said Attorney General Darrell McGraw. "You...
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Attorney General McGraw Sues Texas Debt Settlement Company
April 14, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today sued Able Debt Settlement, Inc. of Irving, Texas, seeking injunctive relief and restitution for consumers who paid for debt settlement but only received ruined credit and debt collection calls. Able Debt Settlement, formerly of Dallas, Texas, claims to settle consumers’ debts. Many consumers...
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Illinois Attorney Enjoined From Continuing Debt Settlement Business Until He Complies With Attorney General's Investigation
April 1, 2009
Illinois attorney, Robert K. Lock, Jr., and his company, Credit Collections Defense Network, have been temporarily enjoined from settling consumers’ debts until they comply with an investigation under way by Attorney General Darrell McGraw as the result of an order signed by the Circuit Court of Kanawha County...
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Attorney General Darrell McGraw Sues to Enforce Subpoenas and Enjoin Predatory Practices of 12 Internet Payday Lenders and Collection Agencies
March 24, 2009
Today Attorney General Darrell McGraw continued his effort to curb illegal activities of payday lenders by filing two lawsuits against 12 Internet payday lenders and their collection agencies. Both suits ask the court to order compliance with McGraw’s investigative subpoenas and to enjoin the companies from the continued...
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Attorney General McGraw Reaches Settles with Brady and Caruso; Consumers Receive $290,000 in Cancelled Debt.
March 12, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today announced that his office has entered into a settlement agreement with Brady and Caruso which will provide $9287.87 in refunds and $282,953.84 in debt cancellation for approximately 174 West Virginia consumers. Brady and Caruso, LLC, doing business as Brady, Caruso, and Associates, LLC,...
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Court Orders Johnson & Johnson to Pay Millions for Misleading WV Doctors; Attorney General McGraw States False Advertising
March 2, 2009
Brooke County Circuit Judge Martin Gaughan has ordered Johnson & Johnson and its Janssen Pharmaceutica subsidiary to pay civil penalties totaling $4,475,000 for making false or misleading statements to West Virginia physicians about two of its products, Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug, and Duragesic, a narcotic pain patch.
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Editorial: WV Gazette - Billions; Boons for West Virginia
February 28, 2009
"This state's share of the federal stimulus package first was estimated at $1.38 billion. Now, analysts say it could rise as high as $1.8 billion over several coming years.
Great. Either figure will be a blessing. West Virginia needs all the new construction jobs, education upgrading, "green"...
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Attorney General McGraw Joins Broad Coalition to Sponsor 11th Annual National Consumer Protection Week
February 26, 2009
West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office has joined a group of federal, state, and local government agencies and national consumer organizations launching the 11th annual National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 1-7, 2009 – highlighting consumer education efforts across the nation. Information can...
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Attorney General Darrell McGraw Obtains $35,345.00 in refunds for 38 West Virginia Consumers Misled by a Texas Debt Relief Company
February 18, 2009
In November 2007, Regina Bays of South Charleston answered her telephone and heard a recorded message from a company guaranteeing to reduce her credit card debt by at least $2,500.00. At the end of the recording she was connected with a salesperson for PDM International, Inc. ("PDM"), who...
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Attorney General McGraw and Marion County Car Dealer Reach Agreement on Misleading Free Gasoline Offer
February 17, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today that his office had entered into an agreement with Exit 132 Pontiac-Buick-GMC, a car dealership located in White Hall, West Virginia. In August, 2008 Exit 132 Pontiac-Buick-GMC mailed consumers a flyer that stated the consumers had won a car, cash prizes or...
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Attorney General Darrell McGraw Settles with Countrywide for Selling Loans Consumers Could Not Afford
February 3, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw today settled his suit against Countrywide Financial Corporation, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., Countrywide Home Loans Servicing, LP, and Full Spectrum Lending, Inc.
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Concerned Consumers Calling Attorney General's Hotline Alarmed About Correspondence From ICR
January 20, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s Consumer Hotline has received calls from numerous West Virginians concerned about correspondence they received in the mail asking them to participate in a telephone survey. Enclosed with the letter are two one dollar bills. A few Charleston residents forwarded copies of the letters to...
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Attorney General McGraw Settles with Arizona Telemarketer; Returns $10,000 to 99 WV Consumers.
January 14, 2009
Beverly Burdette was suspicious when her father, Fred Burdette, then 82, purchased overpriced household items that he did not need, such as trash bags and light bulbs, as well as items he did not like, from a telemarketer. The telemarketer told Fred that the money would go to...
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Attorney General Darrell McGraw settles with Texas-Based Dell, and its Subsidiary, Dell Financial Services, LLC
January 12, 2009
Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced today Dell will pay $3.35 million under an agreement with attorneys general from 27 states.
The investigation into Dell’s sales practices occurred after customers complained that the terms of Dell’s 0% financing promotional offers were not clearly disclosed, that they had...
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42 State Coalition Settles With Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. For Breaching Historic Tobacco Agreement
January 7, 2009
Settlement Ends Illegal Distribution of Natural American Spirits Cigarettes Branded Merchandise. A coalition of 42 states today announced a settlement with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company after the company violated the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement by distributing decorative tin signs to consumers that featured its "Natural American Spirit"...
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