| Volume 127 Number 7 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Do you want to learn more about your legal rights? More than 50,000 people have attended the free classes of the People’s Law School. The next session will be held at the University off Houston Law Center on Saturday, October 1st. For more information or to register, click here. Click here for more.
The FDA Cracks Down on Online E-Cigarette Sales to Minors
At least 24 websites and 28 online e-cigarette retailers received warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration about marketing and selling to minors. In a press release, the FDA stated that “We’re helping protect the health of America’s youth by enforcing restrictions that make it illegal to sell tobacco products to minors – including e-cigarettes, e-liquids and cigars.” Research from FDA and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention shows that e-cigarette use among high school students increased by more than 900% between 2011 and 2015 while conventional cigarette smoking among teens is on the decline. Any marketing or selling to minors in violation of the FDA rules will result in a $275 fine per incident. Click here for more.
Your Money
As a result of the recent Wells Fargo settlement, the bank has claimed that it issued refunds to all customer accounts that had unauthorized charges. However, if you are a Wells Fargo customer, you might be worried about any unauthorized accounts that were opened in your name. Always monitor your accounts by obtaining a free copy every year from each of the three national credit-reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — at annualcreditreport.com. Check for unfamiliar accounts, especially any that are delinquent or in collections. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Debt Collector establishes bona fide error defense. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama granted summary judgment in favor of a mortgage loan servicer and the trustee of a mortgage backed securities trust in a putative class action alleging violations of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), ruling that the “bona fide error” defense applied to the servicer and that the trustee was not a “debt collector” under the FDCPA. Arnold v Bayview. Click here for more.