Issue Position: Protecting Seniors and Consumers

Issue Position

Almost all businesses are run by hard-working, conscientious people who play by the rules. However a few unprincipled companies are all-too-ready to break the rules and engage in deception or fraud. In doing so, these bad actors hurt the consumers they rip off, as well as their business competitors that do things the right way.

It is the duty of the Attorney General to protect both citizens and businesses from unscrupulous corporations that are breaking the law. As Attorney General, Josh Stein will vigorously enforce the law to ensure transparency and fair competition.

Between 2001 and 2008, that is precisely what he did as North Carolina's Senior Deputy Attorney General for Consumer Protection:

*Along with his colleagues, Josh brought and successfully resolved major cases against predatory lenders;
*Helped run payday lenders charging exorbitant interest rates out of North Carolina;
*Took on big utilities to keep electricity and water rates low;
*Shut down telemarketing scammers that targeted seniors;
*Drafted and helped enact legislation to combat identity theft and abusive telemarketing;
*And worked to improve safety features on social media platforms to protect kids from sexual predators.

In private practice, Josh is working to protect homeowners by representing the Monitor of the National Mortgage Settlement -- the $25 billion settlement among 49 states, the federal government, and the country's largest mortgage servicers. The Monitor oversees the big banks to ensure that they are living up to the terms of the settlement by providing the required financial relief to consumers and by treating their customers fairly when servicing their mortgages.

*Stein was the author of the Homeowner Protection Act to stamp out unfair real estate transactions that stripped homeowners of the wealth they had built up in their home equity. The NC Justice Center honored him with its "Defender of Justice" award for his efforts to protect homeowners.
*For his work in the Senate to protect seniors against identity theft, the AARP presented Josh its "Legislator of the Year" award.

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