Attorney General Greg Zoeller is tackling some of Indiana's top consumer complaints with his legislative proposals for the 2015 session, including going after home improvement scammers and enhancing protections for Hoosier veterans.
The Attorney General's office received nearly 1,000 complaints about home repair or construction scams last year, the third highest consumer complaint category.
Attorney General Greg Zoeller says he is proposing legislation that would establish a voluntary registration system for what he calls the "good actors" – contractors who put up a bond with the AG's office.
The public could then see the list of those contractors.
"We're not trying to make it harder for legitimate businesses; we're trying to make it easier for consumers to identify the legitimate businesses," he says.
The Attorney General's office received nearly 800 complaints about debt collectors last year, which is why Zoeller says he also wants to build on the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Under federal law, debt collectors must provide details of the debt in a written notice within five days of contacting the consumer, but only if the consumer asks for the information.
Zoeller says his proposal would require debt collectors to provide the info up front.
"If they don't have the information to identify themselves as a debt collector and to identify the source of the debt, they won't be allowed to call to collect a debt," Zoeller says.
Zoeller's proposals would also expand the Senior Consumer Protection Act, which enhances penalties for scammers who intentionally prey on seniors.
The law would include greater fines for those who target veterans, spouses of deceased veterans and Hoosiers with disabilities.