Ag Rowe Announces "Consumer Matters"? Television Show

February 12, 2007

Attorney General Steven Rowe today announced that his office will launch a television program called "Consumer Matters" in an effort to better educate the people of Maine on how they can protect themselves in the marketplace. "The more information available to consumers, the better able they are to avoid getting hurt by unscrupulous practices, fraud and scams. "Consumer Matters" will act as another resource to help consumers protect themselves" Rowe stated.

The show will air twice a week, at 7:30 PM Thursdays and Fridays at 11:30 AM, on Time Warner local access stations. Each show will address one or two different topics that adversely affect Maine consumers. Experts on topics such as identity theft, foreign lottery scams, the State's Lemon Law, and home building contracts participate in a discussion with the show's host, Assistant Attorney General Jim McKenna. Public Service Announcements related to consumer topics will also air during each episode.

The first episode of "Consumer Matters" coincides with National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). NCPW is sponsored by the Maine Attorney General and consumer organizations across the country as a way to raise the awareness of fraud and scams and to teach people how to become more savvy consumers.

The first episode has two 15 minute segments, one which talks about Maine's Home Construction Contract Laws, the other deals with laws and rules surrounding home heating oil. "This episode is filled with information important to Maine consumers." Rowe commented. "We receive more complaints about home contracting than anything else, it is clearly a problem in this state."

Rowe went on to say, "With temperatures barely climbing out of the single digits this past week, it is important that people know their rights regarding the delivery of home heating fuel."

"Consumer Matters" was the idea of staff members in the Consumer Protection division of the Maine Attorney General's Office. It is produced locally and funded with money from the Consumer Fund, which is dedicated to carrying out the purposes of the Maine Unfair Trade Practice Act.

DAVID LOUGHRAN, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (207) 626-8577 OR david.loughran@maine.gov