Taking Action

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN DIRECTOR STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2022 OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES HISTORIC $391.5 MILLION MULTISTATE SETTLEMENT WITH GOOGLE OVER LOCATION TRACKING PRACTICES Honolulu – The State of ...
Read More NEWS RELEASE: Office of Consumer Protection Announces Historic 1.5 Million Multistate Settlement with Google Over Location Tracking Practices

Stephen Levins, the Executive Director of the Office of Consumer Protection joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to update and strengthen its guidance on manipulative and deceptive tactics known as “dark patterns” in websites and apps. The dark patterns tend to steer consumers toward making selections, and expensive financial ...
Read More NEWS RELEASE: Dark Patterns in Websites and Apps

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN DIRECTOR STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2022 Office of Consumer Protection Joins Multistate Agreement Recovering $34.2 Million for U.S. Servicemembers Defrauded by Harris Jewelry Harris Jewelry Required to ...
Read More NEWS RELEASE: Office of Consumer Protection Joins Multistate Agreement Recovering .2 Million for U.S. Servicemembers Defrauded by Harris Jewelry

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN DIRECTOR STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 22, 2021 State Awarded Over $1.5M Judgment in Mortgage Rescue Fraud Case HONOLULU – The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Office ...
Read More NEWS RELEASE: State Awarded Over .5M Judgment in Mortgage Rescue Fraud Case

Smishing

Posted on Aug 4, 2021 in Alerts, Taking Action

The word “smishing” comes from combining “SMS” — for short message service (texting) — with “phishing,” the practice of stealing personal or financial information through deceptive communications, primarily emails. Basically, it’s phishing by text messages on mobile devices. What is Smishing? Like phishing emails, smishing texts are scams that aim to manipulate people into turning ...
Read More Smishing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN DIRECTOR STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2021 Legitimacy of Economic Impact Payment Debit Cards Arriving By Mail HONOLULU – The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office ...
Read More NEWS RELEASE: Legitimacy of Economic Impact Payment Debit Cards Arriving By Mail

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CATHERINE P. AWAKUNI COLÓN DIRECTOR STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2020 OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES $550M SETTLEMENT WITH NATION’S LARGEST SUBPRIME AUTO FINANCING COMPANY HONOLULU – The State of Hawaii through ...
Read More RELEASE: OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ANNOUNCES 0M SETTLEMENT WITH NATION’S LARGEST SUBPRIME AUTO FINANCING COMPANY

COVID-19 Scams

Posted on Mar 31, 2020 in Alerts, Taking Action

DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CLARE E. CONNORS ATTORNEY GENERAL STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION For Immediate Release                                                               March 31, 2020 Consumer Alert: Avoid COVID-19 Scams HONOLULU – Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors and Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) Executive Director Stephen Levins are alerting Hawaii residents to ...
Read More COVID-19 Scams

DAVID Y. IGE GOVERNOR CLARE E. CONNORS ATTORNEY GENERAL STEPHEN H. LEVINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CONSUMER PROTECTION For Immediate Release March 16, 2020 SCAM ALERT: SCAMMERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CORONAVIRUS FEARS HONOLULU – Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors and Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection Executive Director Stephen Levins are urging the Hawaii ...
Read More SCAM ALERT: SCAMMERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CORONAVIRUS FEARS