OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

?Binge?In-A-Can? Equivalent to Five Beers in One Serving

AUGUSTA ? Maine Attorney General William J. Schneider, along with 16 other attorneys general, today called on Pabst Brewing Company to stop selling or alter its new malt beverage, ?Blast? by Colt 45, because of its high alcohol content and marketing tactics. Known as ?binge-in-a-can?, the drink contains the equivalent of five beers in one serving and is marketed in a way that targets underage youth.

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

AUGUSTA ? Due to several recent large data breaches, Attorney General William J. Schneider cautions Mainers to be alert to the possibility of scam emails asking them to confirm their private financial information.

AUGUSTA ? Maine Attorney General William J. Schneider cautions Mainers to be extremely careful about donating to any relief efforts for survivors of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

?Events like this unfortunately can create an opportunity for good-hearted people to be victimized by scammers,? Attorney General Schneider said. ?Please be certain that the charity you are contributing to is a legitimate charity and NEVER give any caller your credit card, debit card or bank account information over the phone or over the internet.?

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL SCHNEIDER AND 37 ATTORNEYS GENERAL REACH A LANDMARK $68.5 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

AUGUSTA ? Maine Attorney General William Schneider announces that the latest settlement in a global price-fixing case is helping to fill the shelves of the Good Shepherd Food Bank, the state?s largest distributor of emergency food to those in need. A portion of the settlement will also improve the ability of the State?s Emergency Food Assistance Program (administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture) to store and distribute frozen and refrigerated donated food for needy Mainers.

Attorney General William J. Schneider warns about an increasingly common scam: the call from a grandchild needing emergency money. The Consumer Protection Division recently took a call from a Maine grandfather who said he had been contacted by someone claiming to be his grandson. He said he was in jail in Canada and had been in an accident. When the grandfather said ?you don?t sound like Buddy?, the person said he had broken his nose in the accident. The grandfather decided to wire $2800 by Western Union.

AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William J. Schneider reaffirmed the jurisdiction of 21 domestic violence investigators yesterday from six district attorneys offices, seven sheriffs offices, and two police departments by swearing them in as statewide investigators. This marks the fifth year of a program started by the Attorney General?s Office that provides statewide law enforcement powers to domestic violence investigators so that their work does not have to stop at town or county lines.

AUGUSTA ? Attorney General William Schneider announced today that the York County Superior Court has ordered Michael Ryan, age 31, of Biddeford, to have no contact with two middle school students and to comply with the Maine Civil Rights Act.

Data Privacy Day brings together businesses, individuals, government agencies, nonprofit groups and academics to spotlight how personal data is collected, used and stored.

AUGUSTA ? Despite warnings, many computer users unknowingly leave themselves vulnerable to financial fraud or privacy invasions. In recognition of Data Privacy Day, Attorney General William Schneider today reminded Maine residents to protect their personal information by checking the privacy settings on social Web sites and using secured networks.