how to report amazon to the attorney general

by Prof. Sherman Smitham 7 min read

Why is the Attorney General suing Amazon?

Mar 10, 2022 · In a letter to the attorney general, Merrick Garland, lawmakers claim that Amazon had engaged in a “pattern and practice of misleading conduct that suggests” it …

Why did the DC AG Sue Amazon?

May 25, 2021 · Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced Tuesday he's suing Amazon on antitrust grounds, claiming the company's practices have unfairly raised prices for consumers and suppressed ...

What is the Attorney General’s consumer complaint mediation service?

Mar 25, 2020 · WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today joined with 33 fellow Attorneys General to urge Amazon, Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, and Walmart to crack down on online price gouging on their platforms. In their letters to these major online platforms, the Attorneys General pushed the companies “to do more at a time that requires national unity.”

Who is the Attorney General of Washington DC?

Mar 20, 2020 · Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Amazon are announcing a partnership aimed at monitoring and combating price gouging related to COVID-19. The Attorney General’s Office and representatives from Amazon will communicate regularly about consumer complaints and potential price gouging by third-party sellers on Amazon’s marketplace.

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What is the DC attorney general's lawsuit against Amazon?

DC attorney general sues Amazon on antitrust grounds, alleges it illegally raises prices 1 Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced Tuesday he’s suing Amazon on antitrust grounds, claiming the company’s practices have unfairly raised prices for consumers and suppressed innovation. 2 The lawsuit alleges Amazon illegally maintained monopoly power through pricing contracts with third-party sellers. 3 An Amazon spokesperson said Tuesday: “The DC Attorney General has it exactly backwards — sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store.”

Does Amazon's business solutions agreement harm third party sellers?

The AG claimed these agreements ultimately harm both consumer s and third-party sellers by reducing competition, innovation and choice. Amazon requires third-party sellers who want to do business on the online marketplace to abide by its business solutions agreement.

Can states work together on antitrust cases?

It’s common for states to work together or with federal enforcers on antitrust claims, especially on those involving well-resourced companies, due to the sheer amount of work involved in bringing such suits. But Racine said the MFN issue is “sufficiently discrete” that his office could take it on alone.

What companies are cracking down on price gouging?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today joined with 33 fellow Attorneys General to urge Amazon, Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, and Walmart to crack down on online price gouging on their platforms. In their letters to these major online platforms, the Attorneys General pushed the companies “to do more at a time that requires national unity.” Specifically, the bipartisan group recommends that these companies craft policies to restrict price gouging during emergencies, build tools to detect price spikes and anticipate conditions that lead to price gouging, and create pages that allow users to report suspected price gouging directly.

How to prevent price gouging?

The Attorneys General recommend several changes to protect consumers from price gouging: 1 Set policies and enforce restrictions on price gouging during emergencies: Online retail platforms should create and enforce strong policies that prevent sellers from deviating in any significant way from the product’s price before an emergency. Such policies should examine historical prices, and the price offered by other sellers of the same or similar products, to identify and eliminate price gouging. 2 Trigger price gouging protections prior to an emergency declaration: These companies should retool their platforms to detect and respond to price spikes, as well conditions that lead to price gouging, such as pending weather events or future public health crises. 3 Implement a complaint portal: The companies should build pages on their websites that allow consumers to report potential price gouging directly.

Who is the attorney general of Amazon?

Karl Racine, the attorney general of Washington, D.C., has filed a lawsuit against Amazon.com in federal court charging the retail and technology giant with exercising monopoly power by blocking third-parties selling on its marketplace from offering lower prices or better terms when selling the same items on other sites, including their own.

Did Amazon end its price parity policy?

The D.C. attorney general said that Amazon claim ed in 2019 that it had ended its “price parity policy” but that, in reality, it had simply replaced what went before with an “effectively-identical substitute” known as its “Fair Pricing Policy.”.

What do you do when you are sued?

File lawsuits on your behalf or on behalf of individual consumers. Bring criminal charges for deceptive practices. Provide legal counsel or interpretations of the law to individuals. Routinely resolve individual complaints.

Is a complaint filed with the Consumer Protection Division open?

Complaints filed with the Consumer Protection Division are potentially an open record. This means any member of the public may file an open records request and view your complaint.

Does filing a complaint mean we represent you?

Please note: Filing a complaint does not mean that our office represents you in. any legal proceeding. You will receive a confirmation email once your complaint is successfully submitted. However, this does not mean that a case or investigation is open with the Consumer Protection Division.

Where to contact the FBI about disaster fraud?

National Center for Disaster Fraud. Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4909. General Fraud and Other Criminal Matters. Contact the FBI at (202) 324-3000, or online at www.fbi.gov or tips.fbi.gov. Health Care Fraud, Medicare/Medicaid Fraud, and Related Matters. Contact the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General ...

How to contact the Securities and Exchange Commission?

Contact the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330, or online at www.sec.gov or www.sec.gov/complaint/select.shtml. State and Local Fraud. Contact your local Police Department or State Attorney General's Office. Updated November 16, 2020.

How to contact the FTC?

Contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP, 1-877-ID-THEFT , or online at www.ftc.gov. Disaster-Related Fraud. Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud at ( 866) 720 - 5721, by fax at (225) 334-4707 or submit a complaint through the NCDF Web Complaint Form. Correspondence may be sent to:

What is the Fraud Section?

The Fraud Section conducts criminal prosecutions and cannot provide legal advice to citizens. If you would like to report fraud, please contact the appropriate investigative agency as follows: Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft.

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