ATTORNEY GENERAL PRAISES CONSUMER MEDIATORS; CALLS FOR MORE VOLUNTEERS

February 19, 2003

FEBRUARY 4, 2003

CONTACT:
LINDA CONTI, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
CHIEF, CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION
207-626-8800

Attorney General Steven Rowe announced that the Attorney General Volunteer Consumer Mediators last year mediated 1,597 cases and returned over $578,000 to Maine consumers. "The first week in February is National Consumer Protection Week, and it's a perfect occasion to recognize the efforts of our Volunteer Consumer Mediators," said Attorney General Rowe. "They represent the best of Maine. They are Maine people helping Maine people get what they paid for."

Each year the Consumer Protection Division receives well over 8,000 consumer queries. Most of these contacts are handled by providing consumer protection information. But the more serious disputes are often assigned to Attorney General Volunteer Mediators. This past year 31 Consumer Mediators contributed over 6,000 volunteer hours.

Attorney General Rowe urged businesses and consumer alike to work hard to resolve their disputes before resorting to legal remedies. "Our Consumer Mediation Service is a good option when a consumer and a business are at loggerheads," said Attorney General Rowe. "Mediation helps both sides understand the other's point of view and the consumer laws that may be relevant."

Attorney General Mediators volunteer five hours a week and receive extensive consumer law training. Since the Volunteer Consumer Mediation Program began in 1981, over 464 Volunteers have worked in the Attorney General's Office. Anyone interested in becoming an Attorney General Volunteer Mediator can visit the Attorney General's website at www.maine.gov/ag or contact Assistant Attorney General James McKenna at 207-626-8800 or jim.mckenna@maine.gov.

If you have a consumer complaint or would like more information about Maine consumer law, you can reach us by calling 207-626-8849 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Friday, or you can put your complaint or inquiry in writing and mail it to:

Maine Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
Consumer Information and Mediation Service
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0006
E-mail: consumer.mediation@maine.gov

We'll answer your question as quickly as possible.