New: a trial court in 1 of every 10 U.S. counties. Read the post
Court Rules
All enforcement actions
GuidanceLow Risk

CT AG Warns of Deceptive Home Warranty Ads Impersonating Lenders

home warranty companiesJune 3, 2022Connecticut Attorney General

Summary

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a public warning about deceptive home warranty advertisements that impersonate mortgage lenders. The ads use high-pressure tactics and false urgency to sell unnecessary warranties. Consumers are advised to research, read contracts carefully, and avoid sharing personal information with unknown companies.

Contract Impact

In-house legal teams should review all customer-facing agreements, particularly service contracts and warranty terms, for clauses related to marketing, advertising, and sales representations. Specifically, examine any provisions authorizing third-party marketing, use of customer data (like mortgage lender information), and language creating false urgency or impersonation. Required changes include adding explicit prohibitions against misrepresenting affiliation with lenders, mandating clear and conspicuous disclosure of all fees, deductibles, and coverage limitations, and implementing a mandatory cooling-off period for cancellation. Ensure all marketing materials and contract terms comply with state consumer protection laws against deceptive practices.

Contract Search Terms

third-party marketing authorizationimpersonation prohibition clausefalse urgency languageaffiliate disclosure requirementcooling-off periodmaterial misrepresentation warrantyaffirmative consent for data usecontract clarity and conspicuousnessdeductible and fee disclosurecoverage limitations and exclusions

Violation Types

Entity Details

Entity

home warranty companies

Also known as: Home Warranty Companies

Industry

Other

Official Sources

Related Enforcement Actions

CT

Frontier Communications Parent Inc.

$625K

Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.

CT

Boston Children’s Health Physicians and XTIUM

$2.6M

Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.

CT

Character Technologies, Inc.

Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.

CT

Connecticut public utilities

Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.

CT

RZ Smoke, Inc.

$2.0M

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.

CT

Takeda Pharmaceuticals, U.S.A., Inc.

$13.7M

Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.