State AG News: Hidden Fees, Consumer Protection (April 9-15, 2026)

Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. See our State Attorneys General page for more insights. Below are the updates from April 9-15, 2026:

Multistate

• A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys generalurged the Federal Trade Commission to address alleged “junk fee” practices under the FTC Act. The coalition raised concerns regarding hidden fees and surcharges by major businesses that purportedly mislead and overcharge consumers.
• A coalition of state attorneys general announced a $110,000 settlement with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The settlement addresses allegations of misleading marketing practices and unfair cancellation policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 et seq., and Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 45, that purportedly resulted in financial harm to consumers who were denied refunds.

District of Columbia

• Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued a statement following a jury verdict in favor of a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general in their antitrust case against Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster. The jury found that Live Nation violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act (15 U.S.C. § 2) by unlawfully maintaining monopoly power in the live entertainment and concert ticketing industry. The antitrust action focused on business practices that the states argued harmed consumers and the broader market by driving up fees, limiting choices for fans, artists, and venues, and reducing competition. Attorney General Schwalb also emphasized that the state attorneys general continued litigating the case on their own after the U.S. Department of Justice settled its claims in the middle of trial, ultimately securing the verdict independently.

Iowa

• Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. for alleged violations of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act and Child Online Safety laws. The lawsuit seeks damages and alleges that Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms use addictive algorithms and features targeting minors, purportedly resulting in mental health harms.

Maryland

• Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, in partnership with the Maryland Department of the Environment, secured a $2.2 million settlement from Tower Management Associates and affiliated owners. The settlement addresses alleged lead-paint violations of Maryland environmental laws and the federal Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act at a Baltimore high-rise apartment complex that purportedly exposed residents and workers to toxic lead dust.

Massachusetts

• Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office secured a $275,000 settlement from Acadia Healthcare Company, the operator of a Worcester Suboxone treatment clinic. The action, brought under the Massachusetts False Claims Act, resolves allegations that the clinic purportedly overbilled MassHealth by misrepresenting patient eligibility and services for opioid addiction treatment.

New York

• Attorney General Letitia James secured $350,000 from Your Discount Furniture Inc., a Brooklyn retailer, regarding its purported failure to refund customers and customers’ receipt of late and damaged furniture. The action was brought under New York Executive Law § 63(12) and New York General Business Law §§ 349 and 350, which prohibit repeated and persistent fraudulent practices, false advertising, and deceptive acts in the conduct of business. The settlement resolves allegations that the company purportedly engaged in deceptive sales practices, failed to deliver purchased items, and refused to process refunds for consumers.

South Carolina

• Attorney General Alan Wilson announced state grand jury indictments against multiple individuals for allegedly orchestrating nearly $1.4 million in purported auto loan schemes. The indictments, with charges under the South Carolina Omnibus Crime Reduction and Sentencing Reform Act and state fraud statutes, allege the use of stolen identities and falsified documents to secure automobile loans from financial institutions.

Washington

• Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Renton Collections will provide over $1.5 million in medical debt relief to more than 1,000 Washingtonians. The settlement, under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Washington’s Consumer Protection Act, addresses the company’s alleged use of improper debt collection practices against state residents.

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