The legal community in Minnesota is keeping an eye on the Federal Trade Commission's warnings about unfair AI. The Commission says that health systems and businesses are potentially using discriminatory AI that may violate consumer protection laws. The FTC is tracking...
Be wary of calls telling you you’ve overpaid your utility bill
Have you received an automated call telling you that you’ve paid too much on your utility bill? The caller probably told you that you were eligible for a refund or a discount on your future payments. If all of this sounds a bit fishy, that’s because it probably is....
IRS Warns of Top Scams in 2020
The extended tax filing deadline in 2020 has come to pass. Unfortunately, this also means an uptick in criminals trying to take advantage of consumers who filed their taxes. It is important to remember that the IRS never contacts taxpayers online, nor by calls, texts,...
When can sales promotions be perceived as deceptive?
You were likely tempted by numerous sales this winter holiday season that just wrapped up. While you may be good at deciding between wants versus needs, there are plenty of other individuals that haven't yet mastered making such decisions. Many advertisers invest...
Minnesota’s attorney general sues Juul for deceptive advertising
Minnesota's attorney general (AG) filed a lawsuit against the maker of the e-cigarette Juul in Hennepin County District Court on Dec. 4. The head attorney for the state argued that the company engaged in negligence, deceptive advertising and consumer fraud in...
A Burnsville man is sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for fraud
A 42-year-old Burnsville man was sentenced to 4.5 years in federal prison by a federal judge in Wisconsin earlier this week. The Minnesota resident had been convicted of running a Ponzi scheme leading up to his sentencing. The U.S. Attorney's Office argued that the...
What is considered as false advertising?
'Tis the season for false advertising? That's right! Black Friday is right around the corner. Year-end car sales will start being advertised on television, the radio, online and in the newspaper soon as well. The holiday season is just one time during the year during...
What laws exist to protect consumers in Minnesota?
There are various consumer laws in place here in Minnesota that aim to protect state residents from companies that look to create monopolies. There is also legislation on the books that protect Minnesotans from falling victim to deceptive business owners. Other laws...
The Federal Trade Commission sues Match.com for fraud
The dating app company Match.com was sued for fraud earlier this week by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The company, which owns several other popular relationships apps such as Tindr, PlentyofFish, Hinge and OkCupid is accused of having defrauded its users into...
Mortgage ads can be very deceptive
When a company gives you a mortgage, you may feel happy and grateful. You feel like they have done you a favor. You needed the loan to buy your dream home, and they agreed to help you out. It's fine to feel excited about getting the house, but that's not really how a...