Washington AG Nick Brown sued Albertsons Companies, Albertson's LLC, and Safeway for operating deceptive "buy one, get one free" promotions in violation of state consumer protection and price-misrepresentation laws. The DC AG filed suit against Mid-America Apartment Communities for charging illegal junk fees and obscuring rental costs under the DC Consumer Protection Procedures Act and Rental Housing Act. Texas AG Ken Paxton announced an investigation into major music streaming platforms over suspected payment schemes designed to artificially promote songs and artists. The FTC settled with LifeWave executives for making deceptive earnings claims in multilevel marketing. North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson obtained judgments against MV Realty for unfair trade practices and telemarketing violations tied to predatory 40-year homeowner agreements. Louisiana AG Liz Murrill separately secured a $45 million settlement with CVS Health over deceptive practices, including a misleading mass text campaign against pharmacy legislation and anticompetitive drug pricing manipulation through vertical integration. Additionally, 23 Republican AGs challenged credit rating agencies Fitch, Moody's, and S&P Global, alleging their ESG policies violate federal securities, consumer protection, and antitrust laws.
The scope and coordination of these actions—spanning multiple state jurisdictions, the FTC, and federal regulators—signal intensified enforcement priorities around consumer deception and anticompetitive conduct. Attorneys representing retailers, housing providers, financial services firms, and technology platforms should expect heightened scrutiny of pricing transparency, fee disclosure, earnings representations, and market allocation practices.