Op-Ed: Consumers deserve truth and justice
Recently, our office secured a major victory on behalf of Californians who were misled by Vivint Solar’s sales and contracting practices. As part of a...
Summer Stephan
Stephan: How to avoid charity scams while helping those in need
Acts of generosity are a hallmark of our community. During the holidays, after natural disasters, and throughout the year, San Diegans step up to support...
Commentary: Protecting our seniors from scams
Scammers are targeting our senior citizens at an alarming rate, and the financial and emotional toll is devastating. That’s why my office launched a large-scale...
Stephan: Beware of pet scams
Welcoming a new pet into your home can be one of life’s greatest joys. Sadly, scammers know this too and they’re exploiting animal lovers through...
Stephan: Beware rental scams
As summertime approaches and you start surfing the internet for a new rental home or vacation rental, do you know how to tell whether you...
Stephan: Unpaid tolls? It’s a scam
If you’ve received a text message saying to pay your FasTrak lane tolls by a certain date to avoid a fine and keep your license,...
Stephan: Beware charity scams
During the holiday season, we often reflect on what we are thankful for and how we can help others in need. Many of us get...
Stephan: Save lives this holiday season — don’t drink and drive
My office has the tough duty of seeing the specifics of every fatal DUI that happens across the county and as you can imagine, the...
Stephan: Simple forgery can lead to massive real estate fraud
Every year in San Diego County dozens of real estate fraud cases are referred to our office for potential prosecution. Since buying a home is...
Stephan: We all have a role in preventing domestic violence
Unlike violence and harm that comes at the hands of a stranger, domestic violence has the additional trauma of the abuser being someone the victim...
Stephan: Don’t fall prey to investment scams
Californians fall prey to more online investment scams and lose more money than residents of any other state in the country, according to the FBI’s...
Stephan: Beware gold scams
Now that buying gold bars has come back into popularity with retailers such as Costco making the purchase easy, those of us in law enforcement...
Stephan: Are you overpaying for a bag of apples?
With prices of everyday essentials going up, getting the weight and price right is more important than ever to consumers....
Stephan: Deception behind the computer screen
Bad actors often use sophisticated methods to mimic legitimate businesses that consumers deal with regularly....
Commentary: Price often tells you that goods are stolen
Everyone loves a bargain, but if it seems too good to be true, be suspicious. ...