Current AGO News
Below are current news releases and consumer alerts issued by the Attorney General's Office. The RSS feed may be obtained here.
Phishing scam targeting Missourians with bogus ’Card Services’ calls, Koster warns
January 29, 2009 - ttorney General Chris Koster is warning Missourians of a phishing scam disguised as an offer to lower their credit card interest rate. Consumers have contacted Koster’s office saying a caller claims to be from a company called Card Services, asking them to enter their credit card number to see if they qualify for a better rate. This is simply an attempt by thieves to steal credit card numbers.
Koster warns southeast Missourians to watch for fraud, price gouging after ice storm
January 29, 2009 - Bursting pipes, downed trees, wrecked cars and high prices may be among the results of this weekend’s ice storm, and Attorney General Chris Koster is reminding consumers in southeast Missouri to look out for law breakers and con artists.
Attorney General Koster names new Chief Counsel for Eastern Region
January 29, 2009 - Attorney General Chris Koster today announced Dana Walker Tucker has been appointed Chief Counsel for the Eastern Region. In that role, she will manage the attorneys, investigators and support staff in the Attorney General’s St. Louis office.
Attorney General’s Office provides $1.4 million check to Department of Social Services from Medicaid fraud case
December 29, 2008 - The Attorney General’s office today presented the Missouri Department of Social Services with a check for $1,432,043, the result of a nationwide settlement with Pennsylvania pharmaceutical company Cephalon. Overall, the office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit recovered more than $3.8 million for taxpayers in the agreement with Cephalon, which marketed three of its drugs for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and rewarded some doctors who frequently prescribed the drugs. As a result of the scheme, the three drugs made by Cephalon Inc. were prescribed more often than they normally would have been, and Medicaid programs in Missouri and the other states paid too much in reimbursement for the drugs.
Scam artists targeting bank customers in Cass County with phone scam, Attorney General’s Office warns
December 10, 2008 - The Missouri Attorney General’s Office says Cass County residents are receiving phone calls that appear to be from the Community Bank of Raymore, but actually are from identity thieves. An official—sounding phone call says the customer’s debit card account has been compromised, then asks for personal bank account information.
Attorney General Koster hails stem cell decision by FDA
January 23, 2009 - Attorney General Chris Koster today released the following statement on the federal Food and Drug Administration’s decision to allow testing using human embryonic stem cells.
Attorney General Koster names veteran litigators to key administration posts
January 22, 2009 - Attorney General Chris Koster has made appointments to lead two divisions in his office:
Koster announces Eli Lilly will pay Missouri $18 million for illegal marketing of Zyprexa
January 15, 2009 - The Missouri Medicaid program will recover nearly $18 million from drug giant Eli Lilly and Company in a settlement announced today by Attorney General Chris Koster. The agreement with Missouri, several other states and the federal government settles allegations that Lilly ran a marketing campaign that improperly promoted the anti—psychotic drug Zyprexa. Lilly will pay the states and the federal government a total of $800 million in damages and penalties to compensate Medicaid and various federal healthcare programs for harm suffered as a result of this conduct.
Koster announces settlement with Dell computer; refunds available to Missouri consumers
January 14, 2009 - Missouri and 33 other states have reached an agreement with computer giant Dell Inc. to address consumer complaints against the company’s promotional and customer service practices. Attorney General Chris Koster today said restitution is available to Missouri consumers who experienced problems with the company’s financing promotions, rebate offers, technical support and repair policies.
Attorney General Koster names Jefferson City lawyer to key administration post
January 14, 2009 - Attorney General Chris Koster has named a Jefferson City attorney to lead the Governmental Affairs Division of his office. Patricia Churchill has been with the firm of Gibbs, Pool and Turner P.C. since 2006, practicing in the areas of business formation and governance and insurance defense.
Koster sworn in as 41st Attorney General of Missouri
January 12, 2009 - Attorney General Chris Koster took the oath of office on the steps of the State Capitol today, becoming Missouri’s 41st Attorney General. Joined by friends, family and co—workers, Koster was sworn in at 11:15 a.m. by Appeals Court Judge Joseph Dandurand, who has been appointed to serve as Deputy Attorney General, Koster’s second in command. Koster took the oath of office with his hand on a bible held by his niece, nine—year—old Claire Koster.
Credit problems, phishing scams, car issues top list of consumer complaints to Attorney General’s Office
December 31, 2008 - The Attorney General’s Office has released its Top 10 list of consumer complaints for 2008, and it has a familiar look. Complaints about financing, credit and debt collection were the number one category of complaints filed, as they were in 2007. The Consumer Protection Division this year received more than 120,000 calls, letters, e—mails and online complaints in 2008. The second—highest category of complaints was scams and fraud, phishing attacks and foreign lotteries. Category number three involved car issues – new and used car buying, title problems and car repairs.
Attorney General’s Office recovers record $9.5 million in consumer restitution in 2008 through mediation
December 30, 2008 - Consumers who filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office in 2008 got back a record $9,501,221 in restitution through informal mediation. The Consumer Protection Division’s recovery for 2008 breaks the record of $9.3 million set in 2007. Since 1993, the Attorney General’s Office has returned more than $51 million to consumers through informal mediation efforts.
Preliminary injunction prevents homebuilder accused of fraud from doing business while AG lawsuit is pending
December 17, 2008 - The Franklin County Circuit Court has entered an order against homebuilder Jason Woods that prevents him from doing any home repair or construction in Missouri while a lawsuit brought by the Attorney General’s Office is pending. The consent preliminary injunction was entered by Circuit Judge Cindy Eckelkamp on Dec. 15.
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Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).
All media inquiries should be directed to the Press Secretary.
E-mail Phone: 573-751-8844 Fax: 573-751-5818