After the Trump Administration destroys and dismantles consumer protections for working families, San Diego County Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer is proposing the creation of a Consumer Fairness and Public Protection unit to crack down on illegal practices like junk fees, scams against veterans and seniors, denied health insurance claims, and predatory financial practices.

“Its mission is straightforward. The new consumer unit will enforce consumer protection laws, stop illegal practices that raise costs, and help residents recover money when they have been harmed,’’ said Lawson-Remer. 

The San Diego Board of Supervisors will vote on the proposal on Tuesday, March 24. 

At a news conference today outside the San Diego County Building, Lawson-Remer was flanked by consumers who have been scammed, including a veteran, a renter, a young man with health issues because of the Tijuana River pollution, and a University of San Diego law professor who deals with consumer fraud.  

Law Professor

“The gutting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the one federal agency dedicated to fighting against big corporate fraud, is a travesty against us, normal people. Without CFPB enforcement, banks, credit card companies, and payday lenders steal money from the pockets of hard-working families through fraud, junk fees, and usurious rates,” said USD Professor Alysson Snow, who is also the mayor of Lemon Grove.

“Predatory for-profit colleges and debilitating student loan debt jeopardize the future of our next generation.  Saddled with student loan debt, they cannot even start families, buy a home, or save for retirement.  Finally, without a consumer protection defender unit, our seniors' twilight years are dimmed by unfair business practices, like gatekeeping of health by insurance providers and identity theft and fraud scams. We need help. The County's consumer protection program is the help we need.” 

Veteran:

“We are not meant to fight this alone. When victims, consumer protection agencies, and prosecutors work together, we become a stronger force against fraud and scams,” said Veteran Tonya Savice.

Renter:

“As renters, we need to organize collectively for stronger protections against the unlawful and harmful practices of the greedy, predatory, landlord class,”  said Daniel Fuentes, a 29-year-old renter with black mold.

Background:  

• In California, cities with populations over 750,000 can have a consumer protection unit because of a  “cause of action” law passed by the state legislature in 2021. Los Angeles and Santa Clara Counties already have the units. San Diego is the only county of this size without one. 
• The law grants county counsels and city attorneys with the same pre-litigation investigative tools as district attorneys, allowing them to subpoena records and other non-public information before filing a lawsuit under California’s Unfair Competition Law. This law aims to enhance enforcement of consumer protection laws.
• It is proposed as a 20-person unit that would operate within the County Counsel’s office.

The unit would be funded using settlement money.