Georgia AG’s AVC with Rent-A-Center is a Lesson in State Authority

In late January, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr reached a settlement with Rent-A-Center regarding a variety of alleged deceptive practices in its rent-to-own business, including in its debt collection and general disclosure practices. Maybe you’re thinking, ​“I’m not in the rent-to-own business, so why is this case important to me?” AG Carr’s settlement, which took the form of an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC), includes many important takeaways that you should think about no matter what industry you may be in, especially if you operate in multiple states. And with State AG consumer protection enforcement expected to increase in 2022 – knowing how AGs might approach an investigation is more important than ever.

So what can we glean from this Georgia settlement? A lot.