Best Consumer Protector

Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division

Since Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took office in December 2002, his Office of Consumer Protection has been kickin' ass and takin' names. Indeed, under Abbott, the office's consumer watchdogs have chased some big names and scored some major victories: In June, they cinched a $10 million judgement against former UT student-turned-super-spammer Ryan Pitylak; last fall, the office filed a first-ever lawsuit against recording giant Sony BMG for stashing gnarly spyware on the CD releases of a host of popular artists; and in May the office filed suit, seeking to exterminate Irving-based BioPerformance, pyramid-style scheme purveyors of a "top secret gas pill" that is supposed to enhance vehicle fuel economy but, in fact, is nothing more than an environmentally harzardous mothball-type pill of nothingness. In a get-rich-quick and lose-weight-while-sitting-on-yer-ass-eatin'-chocolate-cake world, it's nice to know someone's got your back.

Office of the Attorney General
512/463-2100
www.oag.state.tx.us