National Consumer Protection Week  is Feb. 28-March 6, and it’s an opportunity for government agencies, consumer protection groups, and people like you to work together to help others understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about money. But for Attorney General Mark Brnovich and his consumer protection team, every week is consumer protection week.

Scammers are always looking for new and innovative ways to line their pockets with your hard-earned money. Fortunately, the dedicated team at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office is also finding new ways to protect the public from consumer fraud, whether through advocacy, public education, or (when necessary) litigation.

Every year, the AGO processes more than 15,000 consumer complaints. Since 2015, Mr. Brnovich and his team have taken significant steps in advancing consumer protection for Arizonans, including returning a record amount of restitution and refunds to defrauded Arizonans – more than $200 million!

This year, Mr. Brnovich collaborated with lawmakers to introduce legislation that was signed into law and will provide customers with more convenient options when they want to cancel their gym memberships. No longer will you be forced to cancel your gym membership solely in person. This was particularly problematic for many consumers who couldn’t access their gyms during the pandemic.

The AGO also recently launched partnerships with more than 1,000 grocery, convenience, and CVS stores statewide to spread awareness about gift card scammers who prey on Arizona consumers. Remember: Gift cards can never be used to pay a government agency or debt.

The AGO also hosts monthly shred-a-thons and prescription drug take-back events where Arizonans can safely discard their sensitive documents and unwanted pills. You can find more up-to-date details about shred-a-thons and prescription drug take back events near you here.

If you’re the victim of consumer fraud, don’t just get mad. Get justice. We can’t fight for you unless you let us know you’ve been defrauded or scammed. File a consumer fraud complaint with our office by calling 602-542-5763 or by filling out an online complaint.