DA Kicks Off National Consumer Protection Week with Renewed Commitment to Fighting Fraud

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan kicked off National Consumer Protection Week today by highlighting ongoing efforts to protect our community from fraud, scams, and deceptive business practices. This annual event, observed March 2 to 8, serves as a reminder of the importance of consumer education and enforcement actions to safeguard the community.

The DA’s Economic Crimes Division investigates and prosecutes fraud and unlawful business practices in the marketplace. The Consumer Protection Unit, a section in the Economic Crimes Division, is a team of experienced attorneys, investigators, and other professional staff who investigate and evaluate reports of fraudulent and unfair business practices and determines appropriate action.

Last year, the Consumer Protection Unit filed several civil actions related to unfair or deceptive business practices that netted a total of $14,652,500 in statewide civil judgments. The cases involved illegal automatic renewals, improper pricing policies and pricing inaccuracies. Companies that reached settlements with the DA’s Office include Thrive Market Technologies; Albertsons, Vons, and Safeway grocery stores; Travelers Insurance and Lamps Plus.

“The civil actions we file protect the consumer and hold corporations accountable when they fail to follow the laws in place to ensure the public is getting accurate and fair pricing information on products they purchase and companies aren’t using fine print to trigger costly automatic renewals that take advantage of unsuspecting consumers,” said DA Stephan. “By joining forces with other District Attorney Offices in the state, our combined efforts are protecting Californians up and down the state.”

As part of the week’s events, the DA’s Office will be participating in a National Consumer Protection Fair on March 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the County Operations Center, located at 5520 Overland Avenue. The fair is being hosted by the County’s Agriculture, Weights and Measures Department and will include a number of representatives from the county’s Consumer Protection Task Force. The annual fair will be the first one held since it was stopped during the Covid pandemic.

Consumer protection cases are developed in several ways, including information from law enforcement and regulatory agency investigations, referrals from consumer protection prosecutors in other areas of California, and complaints from the citizens of San Diego through our Consumer Complaint Form process. The DA’s office is committed to supporting the San Diego community and providing a means of reporting individuals and businesses engaged in unlawful business practices.

Residents are encouraged to follow the DA’s Office on social media for information and updates on consumer protection efforts. For more information on consumer protection resources and how to report fraud, visit the DA’s website.