Consumer Protection

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced a landmark multistate settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta). It is the largest state consumer protection settlement in history outside of the Big Tobacco settlements of the 1990s. The District will receive at least $90,395,940 and up to $129,356,762 to resolve the lawsuit the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed alleging that Meta has caused long-lasting psychological damage to children through its exploitative, addictive social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook, while at the same time deceiving the public about the risks associated with using those platforms. In addition, Meta must implement a sweeping set of safety features designed to protect children.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that “rent to own” company Acima Digital, LLC and Acima Holdings, LLC (collectively, Acima) will provide $4 million in monetary relief and penalties and reform its business practices to resolve an investigation into the company’s high-cost lease agreements.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today updated the below consumer alert and business advisory to inform landlords and tenants about the need for transparent and complete disclosures regarding utility billing in apartment buildings, especially as consumer costs continue to increase. This alert was initially issued on May 16, 2025.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today updated the below Consumer Alert informing District residents about legal protections against excessive fees throughout the rental process, including caps on application fees and protections against “junk fees” after they sign a lease.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, will pay $9.9 million to resolve allegations that it misled customers about ticket prices, charged deceptive fees, and used illegal pressure tactics to get fans to buy tickets for a decade.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb released the following statement regarding the ongoing antitrust case against Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, for illegally monopolizing the live entertainment industry and concert ticketing services:

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that Pro-Football LLC, the corporation that owns the Washington Commanders, will pay $1,000,000 to resolve allegations that under the team’s former ownership, including Dan Snyder, it violated DC consumer protection law by misleading District residents about the team’s investigation into a toxic and abusive workplace culture, including allegations of sexual assault, in order to protect the Commanders’ brand and to keep fans paying for tickets and merchandise.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today released the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) 2025 Impact Report, highlighting OAG’s efforts to protect the District and its residents over the last year, including securing $906.8 million in savings and benefits for DC – a 477% return on investment.

Bipartisan Coalition of 35 Attorneys General Call for X to Take Further Action to Address the Production of Nonconsensual AI-Generated Sexual Images and Child Sexual Abuse Material Through X’s AI Chatbot

Attorney General Schwalb today joined a coalition of 50 attorneys general announcing a $149,673,750 settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA and Mercedes-Benz Group AG (Mercedes) for deceptively marketing, selling, and leasing more than 200,000 diesel vehicles in the United States, including approximately 380 vehicles registered in the District of Columbia, that violated DC and federal emissions standards and resulted in thousands of tons of excess air pollution.

Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced today that the District of Columbia, along with 34 states, has reached a settlement with automobile manufacturers Hyundai and Kia for their sale of millions of vehicles nationwide that lacked industry-standard anti-theft technology.

Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced today that his office, along with a coalition of 21 other law enforcement agencies, is joining a lawsuit previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Uber Technologies, LLC and Uber USA, LLC (Uber), the operators of the rideshare and delivery company.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued the below Consumer Alert warning District residents to be on the lookout for gift card scams this holiday season. The alert provides details on common tactics that scammers use, tips on how to avoid falling victim to a gift card scam, and instructions on what residents should do if they believe they have been scammed.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that car sharing company Getaround, Inc., will pay $75,000, including refunds to more than 50 DC customers who were misled about car insurance coverage and charged large and unexpected damage fees, as part of a settlement with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today joined a coalition of 22 other attorneys general and three governors in filing a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Secretary Brooke Rollins for unlawfully suspending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps more than 40 million Americans buy food. USDA and Secretary Rollins have incorrectly claimed that they must completely suspend SNAP benefits for the month of November as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, despite having access to billions of dollars in contingency funds for these types of emergencies.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued a Consumer Alert to help inform District residents about predatory practices in the home solar system sales and loan industry.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that 7-Eleven will pay $1.2 million to resolve allegations that the company violated DC’s ban on the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes within a quarter mile of middle and high schools.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today sued Athena Bitcoin, Inc. (Athena), one of the country’s largest operators of Bitcoin Automated Teller Machines (BTMs), for charging undisclosed fees on deposits that it knows are often the result of scams, and for failing to implement adequate anti-fraud measures. When users discover they have been scammed and seek refunds, Athena imposes a strict “no refunds” policy on their entire transactions—even failing to return the significant undisclosed fees it collects from scam victims.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced successful outcomes in two separate appellate cases in which the District sought to hold landlords and developers accountable for harm they caused to DC residents.

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Gilead), a pharmaceutical company that sells medications covered by the District’s Medicaid program, will pay $316,413 to the District to resolve allegations that it engaged in an illegal kickback scheme where it paid doctors and other healthcare providers to promote and prescribe its suite of HIV medications over those marketed by its competitors.