Consumer Protection

If you need immigration legal assistance, be careful who you hire 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today again released guidance to help California's immigrant communities find legitimate immigration help and avoid immigration scams by those seeking to take advantage of fear and uncertainty resulting from President Trump’s cruel mass detention and deportation campaign. The alert released today provides tools for people looking to hire free or low-cost legal help. 

“Before writing a big check and hiring someone offering to help with immigration matters, I urge people to familiarize themselves with existing resources that are often available at little or no cost,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In California, we know that immigrants are the backbone of our communities, a driving force behind our economy, and an essential part of our history as a state. Amid the President’s destructive immigration agenda, there are people who legitimately want to help our immigrant communities. Californians can find legal help at low or no cost with a legal aid organization at www.lawhelpca.org. If folks are outside of California, they can find help at www.immigrationlawhelp.org.” 

Access Free and Low-Cost Legal Assistance 

Visit Law Help CA or Immigration Law Help to find immigration assistance near you.

Find free immigration help through the U.S. Department of Justice’s list of no cost legal service providers and list of accredited representatives.

Protect Yourself from Immigration Scams

If you need help applying for immigration relief, be careful who you hire. Watch out for immigration scams that can cost you thousands of dollars and/or harm your immigration status. Here are some tips and resources to help:  

• Confirm that anyone helping you with your case is licensed or accredited. Only lawyers, accredited representatives, and recognized organizations can give you legal advice or represent you in immigration court. Some immigration consultants may fraudulently call themselves immigration lawyers. If someone claims they are licensed in California or another state and can practice immigration law, confirm they are licensed and in good standing in that particular state by visiting americanbar.org/groups/legal_services/flh-home/flh-lawyer-licensing. If someone claims to be an accredited representative or recognized organization, visit justice.gov/eoir/recognition-accreditation-roster-reports to confirm that information.
• Go to a legitimate legal aid organization for free legal help. Many nonprofit organizations provide free immigration help to low-income individuals. To find a legal aid organization near you, go to lawhelpca.org. 
• Keep your original documents in a safe place. Don’t give your original documents to anyone unless you see proof that the government requires the original document. Make sure you have a trusted emergency contact who can access these documents. Keep copies of all immigration-related documents, including copies of documents filed with the government and communications with the government, in a safe place.
• Do not give money or personal information to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you claiming that there is a problem with your immigration matter. No federal or state agency, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will ever ask for your personal information or payment over the phone, by email, or text. Be skeptical of social media or other ads promising new or quick immigration help. 

If You are the Victim of an Immigration Scam

Report it to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report. You can also contact your local District Attorney or county department of consumer affairs.

You can get help from a legitimate legal aid organization at lawhelpca.org.

For more do’s and don’ts, see the full “Protecting Yourself from Immigration Scams” consumer alert here. The alert is available in Spanish here. 

What is Notario Fraud?

Only lawyers, accredited representatives, and recognized organizations can give you legal advice or represent you in immigration court. Immigration consultants — who may call themselves immigration experts, notarios, notaries public, or paralegals — cannot do so. 

In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. In the United States, however, notary publics are people authorized by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and are not necessarily authorized to provide legal services. A notario público is not authorized to provide people with any legal services related to immigration. 

How to Locate Detained Loved Ones

Try to find your loved one’s Alien Registration number (A-Number), which is on their immigration documents. If someone has not previously had contact with immigration authorities or has not applied for an immigration benefit, they will not have an A number but will be assigned one if detained. To find someone in detention, search locator.ice.gov by their A-Number or by their full name and country of birth. Once you identify the detention center, go to ice.gov/detention-facilities for location, visiting, and other information. Using the A-Number, you can look up immigration court hearing information at acis.eoir.justice.gov. For more information, please visit nilc.org/resources. 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement regarding the California Second District Court of Appeal’s ruling yesterday granting the California Department of Justice (DOJ) a complete victory, finding that Adir International LLC dba Curacao, and its owner Ron Azarkman (collectively, "Curacao"), unlawfully profited from the chain's largely Latino immigrant customer base. The court found that Curacao, a retail store chain with 10 locations in Southern California, illegally sold credit insurance to its customers. It also reversed the trial court’s finding that Curacao’s account/credit protection fees were lawful and held that such fees are unlawful under California consumer protection law.    

“This court ruling not only found that Curacao broke the law but also affirms what we have known all along — that Curacao took advantage of the very customers it claimed to serve, specifically our Latino immigrant communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This victory sends a clear message: The California Department of Justice will not back down. We will not tolerate illegal conduct by businesses and will ensure they are met with full accountability.”   

In 2017, the Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against Curacao alleging that the company was engaging in numerous and pervasive unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices. The lawsuit alleged that Curacao lured in customers by advertising low prices and easy credit, then informed those customers that they could only buy at the advertised price after purchasing ancillary accessories, warranties, or installation services. In other cases, Curacao was alleged to have added items to payment contracts without their customer’s knowledge.

Curacao and Mr. Azarkman previously agreed to provide more than $10 million in relief, and to be subject to a permanent injunction, in a partial settlement of the Attorney General’s claims. Yesterday’s ruling affirms the allegations brought by the DOJ, concluding that the company and its owner violated the Insurance Code. The ruling also reverses the trial court’s findings on the Attorney General’s Unruh Retail Installment Act claims, holding that account/credit protection fees are prohibited under California law. The account/credit protection fees at issue in the case were a significant source of revenue and returned a 97% profit for the company and Mr. Azarkman. 

DOJ was assisted by the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, which helped investigate the case.  

A copy of the ruling can be found here.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement in response to a Ninth Circuit ruling that allows most of SB 976 (Skinner) to become effective while litigation in this case proceeds. SB 976 limits the ability of social media companies and other website operators to use harmful, addictive algorithmic feeds, notifications, and other addictive design features to keep children and teens glued to the companies' platforms for hours. In response to SB 976, a trade association for technology companies — the same companies that commit tremendous resources to design platforms to keep kids glued to the screen — challenged California’s efforts to make the internet less addictive for children. The Ninth Circuit held that the trade association’s challenge is likely to fail. While some parts of SB 976 remain enjoined, the ruling allows the other requirements of this law to come into effect.

“We are pleased the court has allowed the majority of SB 976’s requirements to come into effect. Our children cannot wait. Companies have blatantly shown us that they are willing to use addictive design features, including algorithmic feeds and notifications at all hours of the day and night, to target children and teens, solely to increase their profits,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Through the passage of SB 976, California’s elected representatives sent a strong message: It’s time to put families in control. We remain confident in the underlying case and are committed to enforcing this law and continuing to vigorously defend it in court.”

BACKGROUND 

Excessive time spent online is associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, susceptibility to addiction, and interference with daily life — including learning. Every additional hour young people spend online is associated with an increased severity in symptoms of depression. 

California’s own investigations and lawsuits against Meta and TikTok have helped paint a full picture of the scope and intentionality of this public health crisis. California’s lawsuits against Meta and TikTok both claim that the social media giants intentionally designed their platforms to addict young people so they would spend longer on the platforms, to the detriment of their mental and physical health. For example, TikTok knew the harm that could come from young people using its platforms and designed the platform to include features that they knew were uniquely psychologically and physically harmful to young users to keep young people compulsively returning and staying longer.

Coordinated state effort signals nationwide, robust enforcement of important privacy right 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alongside the California Privacy Protection Agency and the attorneys general of Colorado and Connecticut, today announced an investigative sweep involving potential noncompliance with the Global Privacy Control, or GPC, an easy-to-use browser setting or extension that automatically signals to businesses a consumer’s request to stop selling or sharing their personal information to third parties. As part of the sweep announced today, the coalition sent letters to businesses that do not appear to be processing consumer requests to opt out of the sale of their personal information submitted via the GPC as required by law and requested that those businesses come into immediate compliance. This sweep reinforces the three states’ 2025 Data Privacy Day educational efforts on the GPC and California’s prior $1.2 million settlement  with Sephora regarding GPC compliance.

“Californians have the important right to opt-out and take back control of their personal data — and businesses have an obligation to honor this request,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, along with our law enforcement partners throughout the country, we have identified businesses refusing to honor consumers’ requests to stop selling their personal data and have asked them to immediately come into compliance with the law. California and our sister states are committed to continued collaboration to actively enforce consumers’ important privacy rights and are paying close attention to business compliance with the Global Privacy Control.”

“In Connecticut, you have the right to access, correct, and delete personal data stored and collected by businesses, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal data and targeted advertising. And you can install a simple browser extension that indicates your choice to opt-out of this type of commercial tracking. While many businesses have been diligent in understanding these new protections and complying with the law, we are putting violators on notice today that respecting consumer privacy is non-negotiable,” said Attorney General William Tong. 

“Collaboration with our partners in other states is essential to the CPPA’s work. We are proud to join this effort to ensure that consumers’ opt-out rights are honored, and we will continue working across jurisdictions to protect Californians’ privacy,” said Tom Kemp, the CPPA’s Executive Director.  

Data comes from nearly everywhere online, even when people think they’re not revealing anything. It has been estimated that the average person produces 1.7 MB of data per second or 6,120 MB of data per hour. Websites can track and amass personal information and behavioral data like pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and detailed purchase information to create and share profiles and inferences about consumers. Apps and other software can collect and transmit personal information as well, including sensitive personal information like a user’s precise geolocation. Preventing third parties from receiving this information is a key step to protecting private information and stopping the proliferation of consumer data in the online ecosystem.

YOUR RIGHT TO OPT-OUT IN CALIFORNIA

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) vests California consumers with control over the personal information that businesses collect about them, including the right to request that businesses stop selling or sharing their personal information. With some exceptions, businesses cannot sell or share your personal information after they receive your opt-out request unless you later provide authorization allowing them to do so again. Businesses must wait at least 12 months before asking you to opt back in to the sale or sharing of your personal information.  

Consumers interacting with a business online have two options to opt out of the sale of their data:

OPTION 1: Enabling Global Privacy Control 

The GPC is a signal that allows users to automatically indicate to the websites they visit that they would like to opt-out of the “sale” and “sharing” of their personal information. The GPC signal is an easy way to opt-out because a consumer does not have to make individualized requests to opt-out on each website they visit. GPC can be downloaded via a browser extension; some browsers offer a GPC setting. Installing GPC is simple and ensures your personal is protected. 

Click here for a video to show you how to install GPC.

OPTION 2: Opt-Out One Business at a Time 

Businesses that sell personal information must provide a clear and conspicuous “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link on their website that allows you to submit an opt-out request. Businesses cannot require you to create an account to process your opt-out, but may ask consumers for information necessary to complete the request, such as information necessary to identify the consumer whose information shall cease to be sold or shared by the business.

If you can’t find a business’s “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link, review its privacy policy to see if it sells or shares personal information. If the business does, it must also include that link in its privacy policy. If a business’s "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link is not working or difficult to find, you may report the business to our office by visiting oag.ca.gov/report. 

For more information on the CCPA and opting out, please see here. For a tutorial on installing GPC, please see here.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings this week met with and sent a letter to OpenAI expressing their deep concern over increased reports of how OpenAI’s products interact with children. Because OpenAI operates in California, Attorney General Bonta is currently investigating the company’s proposed financial and governance restructuring. This week's meeting comes a week after Attorney General Bonta and 44 attorneys general sent a letter to 12 of the top AI companies, following reports of sexually inappropriate interactions between AI chatbots and children. 

“I am absolutely horrified by the news of children who have been harmed by their interactions with AI — including one young Californian who died by suicide after interacting with a chatbot. This is extremely worrying for parents, policy makers, and regulatory leaders everywhere — and I certainly expect alarms to be blaring inside the walls of AI companies around the world,” said Attorney General Bonta. “As the fourth largest economy in the world, California knows that protecting our kids and pursuing innovation can and must go hand in hand; they are not opposites. My office, working alongside Delaware Attorney General Jennings, has been reviewing the proposed restructuring of OpenAI. Together, we are particularly concerned with ensuring that the stated safety mission of OpenAI as a non-profit remains front and center. OpenAI purports to build AI to benefit all of humanity. Humanity includes children. And before we can even get to benefiting, we need to get to not harming. This week, I expressed my extreme dismay at OpenAI's current approach to AI safety and made clear that California is paying very close attention to how the company is crafting their policies surrounding AI safety, especially when it comes to interacting with children. Companies developing and deploying AI technologies must exercise sound judgment and must not hurt children. One child harmed is one too many.”

The letter by Attorney General Bonta and Attorney General Jennings to the OpenAI board is attached here.

Law makes it simpler to manage, cancel subscriptions 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert to remind consumers and businesses that California’s Automatic Renewal Law (Schiavo, 2024) gives consumers important rights when it comes to the renewal of subscription-based services. The law was recently amended, effective July 1, 2025, to make it stronger. 

“That mysterious $7.99 appearing on your credit card bill every month just got easier to identify — and cancel. Under California’s Automatic Renewal Law, businesses must get explicit consent before charging consumers and must give consumers a clear and straightforward method for cancelling unwanted subscriptions,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With the increasing number of online businesses offering subscriptions, it is important to ensure that businesses are acting transparently and that consumers have the power to manage and cancel these subscriptions more easily.”

California’s Automatic Renewal Law applies to consumer services, subscriptions, and plans that continue until the consumer cancels them or that automatically renew. It also applies to arrangements where a consumer receives a free service or product for a “free trial” or limited period and then is charged unless the consumer cancels before the trial period ends.  

Under the law:

• A business must get a consumer’s express affirmative consent to auto-renewal or continuous-service terms. 
• If a subscription, plan, or other service has an initial term of one year or longer that automatically renews, the business must give the consumer notice of the automatic renewal at least 15 days but no more than 45 days before renewal. The notice must include the length and any additional terms of the renewal period, the amount or range of charges, the frequency of charges, and how to cancel.
• For free or discounted trial periods lasting more than 31 days as part of an auto-renewal or continuous-service offer, the business must give the consumer notice of the automatic renewal at least three days but no more than 21 days before the free or discounted period expires. The notice must include the length and any additional terms of the renewal period, the amount or range of charges, the frequency of charges, and how to cancel.
• If a consumer accepts a change in the fee for an existing auto-renewal or continuous-service offer, the business must give the consumer notice at least seven days but no more than 30 days before the fee change takes effect. The notice must include instructions on how to cancel.
• A business must give consumers an annual reminder about their auto-renewal or continuous-service plan. The annual reminder must be sent using the same method of communication as used to enroll in the plan or the method that the consumer generally interacts with the business. The annual reminder must identify the product or service, the frequency and amount of charges, and how a consumer can cancel.
• A business offering an auto-renewal or continuous-service plan must give consumers information on how to cancel. Consumers must be able to cancel using the same method of communication as used to enroll in the plan or the method that the consumer generally interacts with the business. A business must offer a toll-free phone number, email address, or other easy-to-use cancellation method.
• If a consumer enrolled in an auto-renewal or continuous-service plan online, they must be able to cancel it online at will, and the business cannot engage in any steps that obstruct or delay consumer’s ability to cancel immediately.

When and how these requirements may be fulfilled vary. For more information, including details and other requirements, please see the Automatic Renewal Law here. The Automatic Renewal Law is enforced by the Attorney General’s Office, and by District and City attorneys across the state, and it is in addition to the protections offered by other California laws that protect consumers against unlawful, unfair, and deceptive practices, including those that take the form of dark patterns or otherwise interfere with consumer choice.  

Consumers who believe their rights have been violated are encouraged to file a complaint at oag.ca.gov/report.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today alerted consumers of ongoing text-based scam activity targeting California taxpayers. Tax fraud scams are a part of a larger universe of government imposter scams, which occur when a person claims to be a government employee in order to obtain a victim’s personal information or for financial gain. These fraudulent texts claim to come from the State of California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and ask consumers to provide personal information in order to receive their so-called tax refund. In today’s alert, Attorney General Bonta provides Californians with tips to avoid falling victim to tax fraud scams like this one and other government imposter scams. Taxpayers should be especially cautious with their tax, bank account, credit card, and other personal information. 

“Californians: Be on alert for texts from seemingly official government agencies that seem fishy — they might indeed be phishing scams designed to trick you out of your hard-earned money,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Bad actors are getting more sophisticated and show little signs of slowing. I urge Californians to not click on links in texts asking consumers for personal information, visit only official websites, and talk to friends and family who may be unaware of these dangers."

“Sadly, FTB and other California agencies constantly battle bad actors attempting to steal your money. These scammers may impersonate tax agency representatives to steal your personal information," said State Controller and FTB Chair Malia M. Cohen. "If you ever have doubts about the authenticity of a text, email, or phone call claiming to be from FTB, IRS, or any other government agency, contact the agency directly to verify whether there’s an issue that requires your attention.” 

FTB advises Californians not to reply to suspicious text messages, download attachments, or click on links in texts or emails if they are unsure of their authenticity. Verify any suspicious messages by contacting the agency identified directly and visiting official pages only. View FTB’s text messaging page to verify when FTB texts and what information they send. For more information, please see here.

Text-Based Scams 

If you receive a suspicious or unsolicited text message claiming to be from FTB, do not respond or click on any links, as the text may be a phishing scam. Text messaging is particularly dangerous because consumers might hurriedly click on a link and begin entering a password, not realizing that the link is phony and their password is being recorded. These texts may ask for:

• Usernames
• Passwords
• Payment
• Credit and debit card numbers
• Banking information
• PINs
• Social security number  

Other Tax Fraud Scams

Tax-related scams take on various forms and show up every year, especially around tax season. The most common tax-related scams include: 

• Fake phone calls demanding money: Scammers will call you claiming that they are from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the FTB and say that you owe them money. The scammer will harass you and use high-pressure tactics claiming that you will be arrested, deported, or will lose your driver’s license if you don’t pay right now. Sometimes the scammer will even know your Social Security number or fake the caller ID so that it looks like they are calling from the IRS or FTB. Scammers may offer to provide “documentation” or “evidence,” or use the name of a real government official. If a government agency calls you and asks for financial or personal information, hang up and go to the agency’s official website (which should be a .gov website) and call them directly. Government officials will not threaten you with arrest or legal action in exchange for immediate payment. They will not promise to increase your benefits or resolve an issue in exchange for a fee or transfer of funds to a protected account.
• Fake emails: Scammers will send out "phishing" emails that look like they are from the IRS or FTB and claim that you either owe money or are due a refund. They will include links to official-looking websites and ask for either money outright or personal information that will allow them to steal your identity.
• Stolen refunds: Identity thieves will use stolen personal information to file false tax returns in your name and steal your refunds. Scammers will usually file early in the tax season, before you get to it. You won’t learn about the theft until you try to file your taxes.  

Protect Yourself from Tax Fraud Scams

• Protect your personal information: Never provide personal information, such as your Social Security number or bank account information, to someone you do not know.
• Be wary of unsolicited communication: As a rule of thumb, real government officials will never ask for payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfers, Internet currency, or by mailing cash.
• Hang up the phone! While in some cases the IRS or FTB may call a person who owes taxes, the agencies only do so after they have tried to contact you by mail. If you suspect a scam call, immediately hang up or do not respond. The longer you stay on the line, the more likely you are to fall victim to a scam.
• Use a strong password: When preparing your tax return for electronic filing, be sure to use a unique strong password for your online filing accounts. A strong password is eight or more characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols. Use a unique password for each of your tax filing accounts.
• Never sign a blank return: Do not use a tax preparer who asks you to sign a blank tax form.
• Talk to friends and family: Always seek a second opinion from your friends and family.

If you suspect you have been a victim of a tax-related scam, report the scam and any losses to the Internal Revenue Service and/or the California Franchise Tax Board. For more information and resources on tax fraud and other government imposter scams, visit our website at oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/taxes.

Letters seek to open line of communication with companies, understand how they are protecting the public

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined 47 attorneys general in sending letters to search platform and payment platform operators that indirectly facilitate the creation and distribution of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. Deepfakes are videos, pictures, or audio clips made with artificial intelligence (AI) to look real. The letters seek to open lines of communication with these companies, understand what actions they are taking to limit the creation and sharing of this content, and urge the companies to commit to take further action to limit the spread of this harmful content.

“Tools that allow people to generate intimate images and videos of real people without their consent can cause significant harm to the public — particularly to women and girls. These images have been used to bully, harass, and exploit people all over the world,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today, I joined a coalition of attorneys general in sending letters to companies that are indirectly part of the ecosystem that enables the distribution of this material, asking them to be part of the solution in preventing the dissemination of deepfakes. As technology rapidly evolves, I am committed to engaging in conversations with industries to ensure we’re all working together to guide AI to the positive potential that will benefit us — not hurt us.”

Nonconsensual deepfake pornography is a growing problem that poses significant harms to the public. It has been used to embarrass, intimidate, and exploit people around the world. As this technology becomes more powerful and creates more potential for harm, businesses that help people search for, create, and distribute this content need to be aware of their role in propagating this content and work to prevent its spread. For example, internet search providers may take steps to filter their search results to avoid sharing links to tools promoting the creation and distribution of deepfake pornography, and payment providers may take steps to ensure they do not facilitate payments to parties selling access to deepfake pornography creation tools. In the letters today, the attorneys general respectfully request more information from companies about their efforts to restrict or block nonconsensual deepfake pornography content and ask for the companies’ commitment to take further action to avoid being complicit in the creation and spread of this material. 

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting Californians by responding to emerging and rapidly evolving technology. 

This week, Attorney General Bonta sent a letter to 12 of the top AI companies, after reports of sexually inappropriate interactions between AI chatbots and children, making it clear that companies who make choices that lead their technology to harm children will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Bonta issued two legal advisories, reminding consumers of their rights, and advising businesses and healthcare entities who develop, sell, or use AI about their obligations under California law. Although AI technology is developing rapidly, entities must comply with existing California laws. The legal advisories can be found here, and here. In the last few months, Attorney General Bonta sent multiple letters (here and here) to Congressional leaders strongly opposing a 10-year ban on states from enforcing any state law or regulation addressing AI and automated decision-making systems, arguing the rapidly evolving nature of AI technology demands the flexibility and responsiveness that states can provide and urging lawmakers to remove the provision. The ban was rejected in July. 

In 2024, Attorney General Bonta sent a comment letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) related to the potential impact of emerging AI technology on efforts to protect consumers from illegal robocalls or robotexts. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition of 54 states and territories in sending a letter to Congressional leaders calling for the creation of an expert commission to study how AI can and is being used to exploit children through child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

In sending today's letters, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Vermont, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Copies of the letters can be found here and here. 

Continues fighting on all fronts for businesses and consumers 

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed an amicus brief in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, a lawsuit challenging the tariffs President Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In April, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of power to levy tariffs via over a dozen executive orders under IEEPA. In the brief filed today in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom argue that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was correct in holding that the Trump Administration’s interpretation of its authority under IEEPA is incorrect, that IEEPA’s language does not provide the authority to impose tariffs, and that President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are unlawful (and that, much like California’s own case, the plaintiffs’ case was properly filed in district court, not the Court of International Trade). The brief urges the Court of Appeals to affirm the District Court’s decision.

“As the country braces for continuous chaos from President Trump’s illegal tariffs, standing united to fight for American consumers and businesses is more important than ever,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today, I urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to affirm the District Court’s decision that President Trump’s chaotic tariffs are unlawful — not one word in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trump Administration’s vehicle for these tariffs, authorizes tariffs. These illegal tariffs will affect everything from the cost of essential household items like food and toilet paper to the cost of housing. The tariff chaos is a man-made crisis, and California families and industries will pay the price.”

The case in question involves two family-owned educational-toy companies challenging the Trump Administration’s tariffs under IEEPA. In May, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied the Trump Administration’s motion to transfer the case to the Court of International Trade and instead retained jurisdiction, held that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs and that the Trump Administration’s IEEPA tariffs were unlawful, and granted the plaintiffs’ motion for an injunction. In the brief, Attorney General Bonta agrees and argues that the Court of Appeals should affirm the District Court’s well-reasoned decision. 

Attorney General Bonta is committed to challenging the illegal tariffs that threaten California jobs, businesses, and consumers and has held roundtables in San Francisco and Los Angeles to learn about the impact of tariffs on California industry.

On April 16, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of IEEPA to impose tariffs without the consent of Congress. In May, California filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to stop the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs while litigation in its case proceeds and filed an amicus brief in the Court of International Trade in Oregon v. Trump, another case also challenging President Trump’s illegal imposition of tariffs. In June, a judge granted California's request for dismissal to allow the state to appeal its case challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs after the Administration asked that the case be transferred to the Court of International Trade — a motion that California opposed. The dismissal kept the case in California and allowed California to appeal to the Ninth Circuit. California’s case remains ongoing.

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

Does an offer seem too good to be true? Take a tactical pause to evaluate  

OAKLAND — In recognition of Military Consumer Month, Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert to help protect California service members, veterans, and their family members from targeted common scams and fraud. The military community and their families are often targets for predatory scammers: According to the Federal Trade Commission, military consumers nationwide reported over 99,400 fraud complaints last year — an increase from 2023’s approximately 93,000 complaints — including 44,587 imposter scams that reportedly cost them and their families over $199 million.  

“More and more often, service members, veterans, and their families are targets for predatory scammers promising everything from home loans to jobs, and continuing education. This is absolutely unacceptable. As part of our commitment to protect those who protect us, my office will continue to bring the full force of the law against those who seek to exploit California’s military community,” said Attorney General Bonta. “If you have fallen victim to a scam or suspect fraudulent activity, get help and share your story so that we can help your fellow service members. You can report fraud to your local military or civilian law enforcement agency, or to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.”

Why is the Military Community Targeted? 

Military service members, veterans, and their families are frequently targeted by scammers who want access to their pay and benefits, and who know that military members will often pay even fraudulent or over-stated debts to avoid security clearance issues or other disruptions to their military careers. In addition, the camaraderie that unites the military community is often exploited by impostors who claim to be veterans in attempts to perpetrate scams or access personal information for fraudulent purposes.   

Common Scams Targeting the Military Community:

Scammers use a variety of tactics to gain trust. Protect yourself by staying up to date on common military- and veteran-targeted scams. Beware of the following: 

• Charity Scams: Just because a charity includes the word “veteran” in its name doesn’t mean that veterans are members of the group, or that veterans or their families will benefit from a donation. Scammers will use names that sound legitimate or those that mimic the names of well-known charities to create confusion. Take the time to make an informed decision and be wary of aggressive solicitations. Go to oag.ca.gov/charities, under the Resources & Tools section, and click on Registry Verification Search. If a charity is not listed, it should not be soliciting funds in California. If it is listed, you can view its financial reports, including the IRS Form 990 that the charity is required to file with DOJ's Registry of Charitable Trusts.
• Predatory Schools: The GI Bill and other military education programs offer you the chance to attend school and plan for your future, but for-profit schools sometimes target service members and veterans with false promises. Slow down and take the time you need to make the right decision. Predatory schools often use high-pressure sales tactics to try to get you to sign up. It’s important to ask for information about the programs, such as graduation rates, job placement, and graduate salary information. Offers that seem too good to be true generally are. Further, don't forget that educational opportunities at the California Community Colleges, California State University, and University of California may be available to you. 
• Home Loan Scams: Be aware of scammers that — through phone calls or fraudulent mailers — claim to be affiliated with the government, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or your home loan servicer. These fraudsters may attempt to convince you to agree to loan modifications, refinance your home, or make payments on your loans. Be cautious of any individual or lender that contacts you and asks you to pay fees upfront before receiving any services; tells you to cancel your mortgage payment and resend the funds elsewhere; tells you to make payments to someone other than your current loan servicer; or pressures you to sign papers you haven’t had a chance to read thoroughly or that you don’t understand — including asking you to sign over the title to your property. 
• Identity Theft and Fraud: Some scammers will pretend to be from the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, or other official organizations in order to get your personal information so that they can commit identity theft or fraud. Before you provide any information, always make sure a request is coming from an official organization by doing a quick search on the internet or consulting a trusted source to get the organization’s real contact information. Never trust the contact information given by the person that is asking for your personal information, as scammers often give out fake contact information. Be wary of letters and emails that have misspellings, look unprofessional, or send you to a non-government website for information or action, as these are almost always fake. Lastly, never give out your Social Security number to receive military or veteran discounts. Scammers often promise military or veteran discounts in order to obtain personal information. 
• Job Scams: Service members looking for new career opportunities after leaving service are a target for scammers posting fictitious job listings with the goal of stealing their personal information and finances. Avoid becoming a victim of job scams by conducting thorough research on the company. Additionally, stick to well-known job search platforms and government career websites when looking for job opportunities. Remember, legitimate employers will never require you to pay fees for applications, interviews, or background checks. You should also look out for fake check scams, which occur when a scammer posing as an employer sends you a counterfeit check to deposit into your account. The scammer will then ask you to send a portion of the funds back to them or a third party, while letting you keep some as payment. Eventually, the bank reverses the fake check, leaving you stuck paying the money back to the bank. If something feels off or suspicious during the job search, trust your instincts and end communication immediately.
• Pension Scams: Veterans ages 65 and over are targeted by scam financial advisers who try to persuade senior veterans to buy costly annuities or transfer their assets into trusts, or pay unnecessary and illegal fees for help with a veterans pension application. These "advisers" claim to help veterans qualify for Aid and Attendance or other veterans benefits, but may cause you to lose eligibility or access to pension, disability, or healthcare benefits. If you are interested in Aid and Attendance or other veterans benefits, you can get free help from your County Veterans Service Office here.
• Affinity Fraud: Affinity scams target members of identifiable groups, including the military. The perpetrators are — or pretend to be — members of the targeted group, and use sales pitches that rely on group trust and loyalty. In the military community, this includes exploiting the trust that service members have for their fellow service members, and for veterans who previously served. Don't make a significant purchase, or an investment decision, based on the salesperson's supposed military service, or the claim that a business is military-friendly or endorsed by the Armed Forces. Take a tactical pause, and shop around for the best deal.
• Debt Collection and Illegal Threats: Debt collectors may try to trick or scare service members into making payments on debts. It is illegal for debt collectors to do any of the following: revoke your security clearance; contact your command in order to collect a debt (unless they have your consent, given after the debt came due, to do so); discipline or demote you; or garnish your pay. If a debt collector is trying to collect a debt that you do not owe or have already paid, dispute the debt in writing. Tell the debt collector why you do not owe the debt, include copies of any evidence you have, and mail this dispute to the debt collector using registered mail so that you have proof that the collector received it — and make sure to keep copies of everything for yourself. If you dispute the debt within 30 days after the collector first contacted you, the collector must stop collection until it shows you written proof of the debt.
• Rental Housing Scams: These scams target military personnel looking for housing near a base, especially prevalent during the Permanent Change of Station season. Scammers pretend to be real estate agents and post fake ads for rental properties on websites, sometimes promising military discounts and other incentives in order to get service members to send them money for fees and deposits upfront. If someone insists on receiving money or other payments before a property has been seen, it is likely a rental scam. Avoid wiring money to reserve apartments, and use your installation housing office or established property management companies to locate potential housing. 
• Predatory Auto Sales and Financing: Car dealers located near military bases may try to lure service members with promises of special deals for military personnel. Often, these so-called deals conceal the terms of purchase for the vehicle and result in the service member drastically overpaying for both the vehicle and the cost of financing. For example, dealers may insist that military personnel will not qualify for financing unless they purchase overpriced and unnecessary add-ons. Other times, the dealer may tell a service member who just purchased a car that the initial financing fell through and insist on renegotiating for worse terms. You should not rely on oral promises, nor feel pressured to enter into any purchase, without first reading and understanding the contract. If you are looking to purchase a car, you should explore all of your options for financing — including by contacting your bank or credit union — before making a purchase.  

Protect Yourself from Scams:  

• Bring a battle buddy when making big decisions, and take a tactical pause: Take your time with big decisions and get advice. A business that pressures you to make a quick decision or to not talk with your family, friends, a military financial counselor, or an officer or NCO that you trust may be out to scam you.
• Take advantage of free annual credit reports: You are entitled to one free credit report every year from each of the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Your credit history contains information from financial institutions, utilities, landlords, insurers, and others. By checking your credit reports at least once a year, you can identify signs of identity theft, as well errors in your report that could be raising the cost of your credit. Order your free annual credit reports by phone, toll-free, at 1-877-322-8228, or online at www.annualcreditreport.com.
• Place a Fraud Alert: If your identity is stolen, put a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting the three main credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Also, consider requesting a credit freeze, which will restrict access to your credit file, making it difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. Report identity theft right away and get a recovery plan at identitytheft.gov. Additionally, file a police report with your local sheriff or police department and keep a copy for your records.
• Report Suspicious Activity: Never give out personal information to a lender or servicer that contacts you out of the blue. If you are feeling unsure, hang up and call your loan servicer directly at the number that is listed on your mortgage statement. Report suspicious activity to the Office of the Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report and file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Protect your online information and accounts with strong passwords: Protect yourself by using different, unique passwords for each of your online accounts. Make sure that the passwords you use are at least eight characters, including a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Check your credit card bills and bank statements often: Look for unauthorized charges, withdrawals, or unexpected bills, and report irregular activity to your bank as soon as you see it. If you notice that a bill didn’t arrive on time, it may mean that someone has changed the contact information on your account in order to hide fraudulent charges. Don't share personal information: Be careful about what personal information you share, such as your address or financial information.
• Sign up for the Enhanced Homeowner Notification Program: If you reside in Los Angeles County, you may sign up to receive mailed copies of documents recorded against your home, allowing you to review recorded real estate documents so you are aware of actions taken against your property.

If you believe you have been the victim or target of a scam, immediately contact your local police department or reach out to your base legal office. For the legal office’s contact information, ask your command or visit to legalassistance.law.af.mil/. California National Guard personnel can also obtain legal help at calguard.ca.gov. You may also file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General at oag.ca.gov/report. For additional information on military-targeted scams, visit our website at oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/military.