Consumers

The Attorney General works to protect Californians and legitimate businesses in the state through the enforcement of consumer protection and fair competition laws. Millions of dollars are recovered each year on behalf of California consumers. The Attorney General also issues consumer alerts and other materials to inform and educate consumers.

If you have a consumer inquiry or complaint, the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit is available to assist you. On our Consumer Info/Complaints page, we offer useful information on consumer issues and guidance for filing a complaint.

Various sections of the Attorney General's legal divisions are involved in protecting consumers, including the Consumer Law Section. Through enforcement actions brought by the Consumer Law Section, there have been industry changes to stop misleading national sweepstakes mailers, improvements in the privacy protections applied by businesses to consumer data, and penalties against sellers of travel for undelivered vacation promises. Legal action also has been brought to shut down California-based SPAM operations that have been sending illegal email ads across the country pitching mortgage services, car warranties, prescription drugs, college degrees and travel deals.

To learn about the consumer protection activities of other sections in the Attorney General's Office, see Antitrust/Business Competition, Charities and Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse.