RELEASE: ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG CAUTIONS COLLEGE STUDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS TO BEWARE OF JOB-RECRUITMENT SCAMS
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 28, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG CAUTIONS COLLEGE STUDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS TO BEWARE OF JOB-RECRUITMENT SCAMS
(Hartford, CT) -- As college students return to campus, Attorney General William Tong is urging students to beware of job recruitment scams targeting young job seekers. The Office of the Attorney General has received numerous complaints regarding emails and unsolicited texts promising part-time, remote employment “opportunities,” often for well-known companies (e.g. Tesla, Indeed.com). These messages may promise highly flexible schedules and high earnings for very few hours of work. Some messages may even appear to be from trusted contacts.
“If you receive an unsolicited text or email dangling an ‘employment opportunity’ or interview that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you haven’t applied for the job, don’t recognize the company, or the hours and pay seem unrealistic, do not respond and report the scam,” said Attorney General Tong.
Hallmarks of scam job texts and emails include:
• Messages sent from phone numbers or email addresses that are not associated with the company named in the message. For example:
Note that other email addresses may look legitimate at first glance, but closer inspection reveals a misspelling of the company name, an incorrect top-level domain (e.g. .us instead of .com) or that the email address is fake (hovering your mouse over the sender’s name can reveal the true sending account).
• Text messages that come from foreign country codes even though they advertise U.S.-based jobs and texts that arrive outside normal U.S. business hours.
• Salaries that sound too good to be true, as well as the designation of salaries being paid in U.S. dollars.
• Requests that you respond via a messaging service, such as WhatsApp.
• Scammers may also try to instill a sense of urgency with the hope that you’ll respond without thinking it through or vetting the communication with someone you trust (e.g. “We have only three openings left”).
The Scammer’s Objective
The scammer’s objective could be getting you to disclose sensitive personal information, such as a Social Security number, in a so-called job application or having you pay an application fee. Some scammers will send a check to deposit at your bank and ask you to send a portion of the check’s value to another account or to purchase job supplies from a link supplied by the scammers. The fake check will bounce, and your bank will ask you to repay the money you withdrew and charge you a fee for the bounced check.
What if the communication seems legitimate?
Scammers can be very sophisticated, and some may use social media and other online information to craft messages that sound real and are tailored to you. If you believe that an unsolicited job recruitment communication could be legitimate, take the following steps to protect yourself:
1. If the job opportunity purports to be from a well-known company or person in your community, reach out directly using official contact information, not the information provided in the message.
2. Check with your school’s career services office, which will have legitimate job listings and may also have direct lines of communication to the company’s human resources department.
3. Look up the name of the company or person plus the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint” to see what others say about them. You can also Google “scam job text” and the company’s name.
4. If you “get” a job after responding to an unsolicited text, you should receive an offer letter on company letterhead setting forth the terms and conditions of employment. If you do not receive one, the job offer was a scam.
Reporting Unsolicited Texts and Calls
The Office of the Attorney General is part of the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, a coalition of 50 bipartisan attorneys general cracking down on providers who allow illegal communications to be routed through their networks. To report a scam call or text, please file a complaint at www.ct.gov/agcomplaints. Our complaint portal is enabled to gather robocall and robo-text specific complaint data.
Sample Scam Texts
Below are examples of scam job texts that were forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General:
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Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 29, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STOPS $184 MILLION CUT TO AMERICORPS SERVICE PROGRAMS
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced the Trump Administration will fully release all withheld AmeriCorps funds, following a lawsuit brought by Connecticut, 23 other states and the District of Columbia. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) agreed to release over $184 million in funding for service programs across the country. OMB’s attempted cuts threatened the survival of those programs and the well-being of those who depend on them.
“In the face of what would have been a blistering legal defeat, the Trump Administration chose not to defend the indefensible and will now finally release all $184 million in AmeriCorps funding. This is a good day for programs across Connecticut that have helped stock our food pantries, tutored our kids, assisted homebound seniors, supported our veterans, and helped combat the opioid epidemic. These cuts were irrational, cruel and lawless, and deeply hurtful to people and communities across Connecticut,” said Attorney General Tong.
On April 29, Attorney General Tong and the coalition challenged the administration’s plans to eliminate nearly 90 percent of AmeriCorps’ workforce, abruptly cancel its contracts, and close $400 million worth of AmeriCorps-supported programs. In June, the Court granted a preliminary injunction that reinstated hundreds of AmeriCorps programs that were unlawfully cancelled and barred AmeriCorps from making similar cuts without formal rulemaking. Despite the order, OMB continued to withhold over $184 million intended for outstanding service programs, including AmeriCorps Seniors programs, and many programs funded with highly competitive federal grants. The coalition filed an amended complaint in July to add OMB as a defendant. On August 8, the coalition then filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order to stop OMB from withholding the funds.
On Thursday, August 28, when OMB’s response for these actions was due in Court, the Trump Administration instead agreed to fully release the previously withheld funds as quickly as possible.
This relief means that service programs across the country will be protected from the administration’s devastating attempted cuts. AmeriCorps supports national and state community service programs by funding and placing volunteers in local and national organizations that address critical community needs. Organizations rely on support from AmeriCorps to recruit, place, and supervise AmeriCorps members nationwide.
As of the 2024 program year, AmeriCorps engaged 2,255 members and volunteers across 253 service locations throughout Connecticut, contributing to a total investment of $12.4 million in the state. Locally, AmeriCorps programs secured over $2.9 million in external funding from businesses, foundations, public agencies, and other sources across Connecticut. This local investment amplified community impact and enhanced the value of taxpayer contributions.
AmeriCorps programs in Connecticut address critical community needs through various initiatives:
• Education: Members support early childhood education, literacy programs, and college readiness initiatives.
• Public Health: Volunteers engage in health education, nutrition assistance, and mental health support services.
• Economic Opportunity: Programs focus on workforce development, financial literacy, and housing assistance.
• Disaster Services: Members assist in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
• Environmental Stewardship: Initiatives include conservation projects and environmental education.
• Veterans and Military Families: AmeriCorps Seniors organizes and manages Veterans Coffeehouses across the state. These gatherings offer veterans and their families a welcoming environment to connect, share experiences, and access essential resources.
Attorney General Tong was joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‛i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in filing the lawsuit.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 29, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG NOTIFIES COURT OF UNLAWFUL REVOLUTION WIND STOP WORK ORDER
Submits evidence of harm to Connecticut ratepayers, grid reliability and jobs ahead of 9/4 hearing on challenge to Trump executive order halting wind development
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong on Thursday night formally notified the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts of the stop work order halting the Revolution Wind project and the severe harm to Connecticut ratepayers, grid reliability and jobs caused by stopping this fully-permitted and nearly complete project. The notice was filed in the ongoing challenge to the Trump Administration’s unlawful wind executive order. On September 4, the court will hear a motion for summary judgment where Attorney General Tong and 18 other attorneys general have sought to block Trump’s unlawful effort to freeze development of wind energy.
“We’ve got billions of dollars in investment and a project on the finish line to deliver affordable, American-made, renewable energy right off the coast of Connecticut. There are more than 1,000 jobs on the line. We’re notifying the court now that Trump’s irrational stop to Revolution Wind will jack up energy bills, hurt workers, and weaken our grid,” said Attorney General Tong.
“At a time when we’re working to lower utility costs in our state and strengthen our economy, this decision by the federal government will increase electricity costs and risk countless jobs. Connecticut has made critical investments in renewable energy in an effort to diversify our energy supply and lower prices for families and businesses. Even more frustrating, this project was 80% compete and set to be finished next year. We will do everything we can to save this project because it represents exactly the kind of investment that reduces energy costs, strengthens regional production, and builds a more secure energy future,” said Governor Ned Lamont.
On January 20, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum that, among other things, indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Pursuant to this directive, federal agencies stopped all permitting and approval activities, and issued a Stop Work Order to the fully permitted Empire Wind project that was already under construction in New York. That project has since resumed.
Attorney General Tong and the attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington sued on May 5. The complaint asked the court to declare the President’s wind directive illegal and to prevent the administration from taking any action pursuant to it to delay or prevent wind energy development.
The complaint alleges that the President’s directive and federal agencies’ subsequent implementation of it violate the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws because they, among other things, provide no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy development—a sudden change that reverses longstanding federal policy.
On August 22, on the same day a briefing period closed in that pending litigation, the Trump Administration issued a new indefinite stop work order for Revolution Wind, which is fully permitted and 80 percent constructed, citing undefined environmental and national security concerns.
The project has received all its required federal and state permits, including receiving final approval of its Construction and Operations Plan from the federal Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management on November 20, 2023. In total, Revolution Wind went through nine years of reviews across multiple federal administrations. The project began offshore construction in 2024 and has been on track to reach commercial operation and begin delivering power and renewable energy certificates to Connecticut, Rhode Island, and the New England regional grid in the second half of 2026.
Connecticut’s declaration from Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes, states that Revolution Wind contracts are estimated to save Connecticut ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars over 20 years due to fixed contract prices lower than the average projected cost of energy and renewable energy certificates. The declaration further underscores the importance of offshore wind for regional grid reliability, particularly during winter months when the New England grid is facing its greatest challenges.
Revolution Wind supports approximately 1,200 jobs in Connecticut and Rhode Island alone, including more than 100 jobs at the State Pier in New London. The project is further supporting hundreds more jobs in other parts of the country, the declaration states. A recent study by the Connecticut Wind Collaborative found that at least 50 Connecticut companies are working on offshore wind and associated port development.
Click here to view the full declaration.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 29, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT REGARDING APPEALS COURT WIN DECLARING TRUMP TARIFFS ILLEGAL
Connecticut Now 2-0 Against Trump Over Lawless Tariffs
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement after the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sided with Connecticut and 11 other attorneys general suing to block Trump’s unlawful tariffs.
Attorney General Tong and the coalition had sued the Trump administration in the United States Court of International Trade for unlawfully imposing tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) through executive orders, social media posts, and agency orders. The Court of International Trade sided with the states, finding that the tariffs were invalid and could not be implemented. The Trump Administration appealed, and the decision was stayed pending the appeal. Tonight, the appellate court upheld the trade court decision, agreeing with Connecticut and the coalition states that Trump lacked authority to impose the tariffs that have caused economic pain to families and businesses across the country. The appellate court decision stayed its decision to allow the Trump Administration to now appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Trump’s lawless tariffs are a needless tax on families and businesses who cannot afford to bankroll stupidity. Trump lost in the Court of International trade. Now, he’s lost in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. And we know he’s going to waste more time and money pressing his luck before the Supreme Court. This is a big victory for common sense and American wallets, but we know we are going to have to keep fighting put a stop this damaging economic war for good,” said Attorney General Tong.
While the appellate court upheld the decision to invalidate the tariffs, it concluded that the trade court must revisit the scope of its injunction based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling regarding universal injunctions.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES REDUCED PENSION FOR EAST HAVEN EDUCATOR CONVICTED OF STEALING TUITION PAYMENTS
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong announced today that a Hartford Superior Court judge has ordered a partial reduction in municipal pension payments for Catherine Finkle, who was convicted in federal court in 2021 of stealing over $38,000 in tuition payments she received as the director of the Town of East Haven’s before and after-school childcare program.
For approximately eight years, from January 2011 until November 2018, as director of the Little Jackets childcare program, Finkle diverted more than $30,000 in tuition and cash payments intended for the program to her own bank account for her personal use. She was terminated after her failure to account for the missing tuition payments. She subsequently filed a grievance contesting her termination and was unsuccessful. She later filed for unemployment benefits even though she was fired for cause, requiring the Board of Education to contest her claim. In addition to the money she stole, her actions caused the town to incur more than $52,000 in legal expenses.
“Catherine Finkle stole thousands of dollars intended for the education and care of East Haven kids. When she was caught, her inability to accept her termination and resulting loss of benefits cost the town tens of thousands of dollars more in legal fees. She was convicted on federal criminal charges and forced to repay the town all that she stole. This decision ensures that taxpayers will be made whole for the full cost of Finkle’s misdeeds,” said Attorney General Tong. “State law requires that my office take action to revoke or reduce the pension of state or municipal officials convicted of corruption-related charges. Those who abuse their positions for personal gain must be held accountable.”
Under state statute enacted in 2008, the Attorney General is required to initiate a civil action seeking reduction or revocation of the pension of any state or municipal official or employee who, in state or federal court, is convicted of or pleads guilty to a crime related to their state or municipal office. Attorney General Tong filed a civil action to reduce Finkle’s pension in December 2021. The case was tried in Hartford Superior Court before Judge Amir Shaikh on May 5, 2025.
In a decision issued on August 28, Judge Shaikh reduced Finkle’s pension by $500 per month for eight years and nine months, after which she will receive her full pension. The amount of the reduction equals the amount of the town’s unreimbursed legal fees.
In addition to the pension revocation, Finkle has paid the town $38,544.50 in restitution as part of her criminal plea. She was further ordered to pay a $20,000 fine, required to perform 50 hours of community service, and sentenced to three years of probation, the first six months of which Finkle spent in home confinement.
Any state or municipal official convicted on corruption-related charges – defined specifically in the law as embezzling public funds; committing felony theft from the state; bribery in connection with one's service as a state or municipal employee; or committing a felony with intent to defraud in order to obtain a profit, gain or advantage for themselves or someone else – could face court action to reduce or revoke their pension.
In determining whether to revoke or reduce a pension, the court is required to consider the following factors: (1) the severity of the crime; (2) the amount of monetary loss; (3) the degree of public trust reposed in the defendant; (4) if the crime was part of a fraudulent scheme, the role of the defendant in the scheme; and (5) any such other factors as, in the judgment of the court, justice may require.
Assistant Attorney General Richard Porter, Paralegal Orlean Woodham, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Gregory O’Connell, Chief of the Government Fraud Section assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
STATEMENT FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG REGARDING COURT FIXES TO END GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE MONOPOLY AND RESTORE COMPETITION
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding today’s court ruling on the remedies in the Google search antitrust case to restore competition in the market and for the benefit of consumers:
“Today’s decision is an important step towards restoring a fair, free and competitive digital advertising marketplace. Google abused its monopoly to quash innovation and competition, and their illegal conduct harmed us all. We will be watching them like a hawk and will not hesitate to return to the courts to safeguard free and fair competition,” said Attorney General Tong.
For years, the Google browser has been the dominant gateway for users to search the internet. Attorney General Tong joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general in December 2020 in filing the states’ lawsuit against Google for illegally maintaining its monopoly over search engines and related search advertising through a series of anticompetitive contracts and conduct. The multistate lawsuit was a companion to an earlier federal antitrust lawsuit the Justice Department filed in October 2020.
In August 2024, a D.C. federal district court judge ruled in a landmark decision that Google has abused its monopoly power and harmed consumers in online search and search text ads. Earlier this year, the 38-state coalition of attorneys general and the Justice Department proposed a comprehensive and legally sound package of remedies to restore competition and spur renewed innovation in the search marketplace and to benefit consumers.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 4, 2025
CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND TO SUE TO OVERTURN BASELESS REVOLUTION WIND STOP WORK ORDER
Fully Permitted, Nearly Complete Revolution Wind Expected to Power 350,000 New England Homes, Save Ratepayers Hundreds of Millions of Dollars, Support 2,500 Jobs
(Hartford, CT) – Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that Connecticut and Rhode Island will sue the Trump administration in Rhode Island federal court today to overturn the baseless stop work order abruptly issued on August 22 halting construction of Revolution Wind.
Located fifteen nautical miles off the coast of Rhode Island, Revolution Wind is a wind energy facility expected to deliver enough electricity to the New England grid to power 350,000 homes, or 2.5 percent of the region’s electricity supply beginning in 2026. Revolution Wind is projected to save Connecticut and Rhode Island ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars over 20 years. The Revolution Wind project supports over 2,500 jobs nationwide in the construction, operations, shipbuilding and manufacturing sectors, including over 1,000 union construction jobs. The project has been vetted and approved through every layer of the federal and state regulatory process and is supported by binding contracts and legal mandates. Construction is nearly complete.
The August 22 stop work order issued by the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) did not identify any violation of law or imminent threat to safety. The order abstractly cites BOEM’s authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), ordering the stop so that the agency may address unidentified “concerns.” No explanation was provided.
The complaint, to be filed against the Department of the Interior, BOEM and their appointed leaders alleges that such arbitrary and capricious government conduct violates both the Administrative Procedure Act and the government’s authority under OCSLA. Both laws “demand reasoned decision-making, fidelity to statutory limits, and respect for the settled expectations of sovereign States and regulated parties,” the complaint states. “The States of Connecticut and Rhode Island sue to vindicate those principles. They seek to restore the rule of law, protect their energy and economic interests, and ensure that the federal government honors its commitments.”
The complaint asks that the court declare the stop work order unlawful and block the Trump administration from halting Revolution Wind’s development.
“Revolution Wind is fully permitted, nearly complete and months from providing enough American-made, clean, affordable energy to power 350,000 homes. Now, with zero justification, Trump wants to mothball the project, send workers home, and saddle Connecticut families with millions of dollars in higher energy costs. This kind of erratic and reckless governing is blatantly illegal, and we’re suing to stop it,” said Attorney General Tong.
“With Revolution Wind, we have an opportunity to create good-paying jobs for Rhode Islanders, enhance energy reliability, and ensure energy cost savings while protecting our environment,” said Attorney General Neronha. “And yet, this stop work order is not even the latest development in this Administration’s all-out assault on wind energy. Just yesterday, we learned of reports that the Administration is pulling in staff from several different unrelated federal agencies, including Health and Human Services, to do its bidding. Does this sound like a federal government that is prioritizing the American people? This is bizarre, this is unlawful, this is potentially devastating, and we won’t stand by and watch it happen.”
“It’s been nearly two weeks, and the Trump Administration still has not explained or justified its decision to halt construction of Revolution Wind. While this is unacceptable, there is still a path forward if Washington is willing to be a partner. We hoped to work with the Administration to lower energy costs, strengthen grid reliability, create jobs, and drive economic growth, but only if they share those goals. But if they do not, we will act to preserve this vital project and protect the energy future of Connecticut and the entire New England region,” said Governor Ned Lamont.
“Shutting down Revolution Wind is insane, illogical, and illegal. Thousands of workers are without jobs, businesses may close, and energy prices will only climb higher because of this foolish decision. I applaud Attorney General Tong for his swift action against the Trump Administration,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.
“Trump’s corrupt stop-work order is a giveaway to the oil industry that will cost thousands of local jobs and force working families in New England to pay higher energy prices, just so his billionaire donors can make an extra buck. The Revolution Wind project has already made it through exhaustive reviews by multiple federal agencies, and I doubt Trump’s flimsy excuses for scuttling this project will stand up to legal scrutiny. I applaud Governor Lamont, Attorney General Tong, and their counterparts in Rhode Island for holding him accountable,” said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.
“The impact of the Trump Administration’s halt work order is going to cause immediate significant harm for a project that is 80% complete. Given the stakes in terms of jobs and energy costs, this lawsuit is well founded,” Congressman Joe Courtney said. “As I have pointed out since the order was announced, any and all national security concerns for the Revolution Wind project were vetted and mitigated by Ørsted, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. As such, there was no justification for such a drastic action by the Trump Administration."
Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Cheney, Deputy Associate Attorney General Matthew Levine, Chief of the Environment Section, Solicitor General Michael Skold and Deputy Solicitor General Evan O’Roark are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
CONNECTICUT, CALIFORNIA AND COLORADO ANNOUNCE JOINT INVESTIGATIVE PRIVACY SWEEP
States Investigating Businesses Refusing to Honor Consumers’ Right to Opt-Out of the Sale of Their Personal Information
Coordinated state effort signals nationwide, robust enforcement of important privacy right
(Hartford, CT) — Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the attorneys general of California and Colorado and the California Privacy Protection Agency today announced an investigative sweep involving potential noncompliance with Global Privacy Control, or GPC, an easy-to-use browser setting or extension that automatically signals to businesses a consumer’s request to stop selling or sharing their personal information to third parties. As part of the sweep announced today, the coalition sent letters to businesses that do not appear to be processing consumer requests to opt out of the sale of their personal information submitted via the GPC as required by law and requested that those businesses come into immediate compliance. This sweep reinforces the three states’ 2025 Data Privacy Day educational efforts on the GPC.
“In Connecticut, you have the right to access, correct, and delete personal data stored and collected by businesses, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal data and targeted advertising. And you can install a simple browser extension that indicates your choice to opt-out of this type of commercial tracking. While many businesses have been diligent in understanding these new protections and complying with the law, we are putting violators on notice today that respecting consumer privacy is non-negotiable,” said Attorney General Tong.
“Californians have the important right to opt-out and take back control of their personal data — and businesses have an obligation to honor this request,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, along with our law enforcement partners throughout the country, we have identified businesses refusing to honor consumers’ requests to stop selling their personal data and have asked them to immediately come into compliance with the law. California and our sister states are committed to continued collaboration to actively enforce consumers' important privacy rights and are paying close attention to business compliance with the Global Privacy Control.”
Data comes from nearly everywhere online, even when people think they’re not revealing anything. It has been estimated that the average person produces 1.7 MB of data per second or 6,120 MB of data per hour. Websites can track and amass personal information and behavioral data like pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and detailed purchase information to create and share profiles and inferences about consumers. Apps and other software can collect and transmit personal information as well, including sensitive personal information like a user’s precise geolocation. Preventing third parties from receiving this information is a key step to protecting private information and stopping the proliferation of consumer data in the online ecosystem.
YOUR RIGHT TO OPT-OUT IN CONNECTICUT
OPTION 1: Enabling Global Privacy Control
The GPC is a signal that allows users to automatically indicate to the websites they visit that they would like to opt-out of the “sale” of their personal information. The GPC signal is an easy way to opt-out because a consumer does not have to make individualized requests to opt-out on each website they visit. GPC can be downloaded via a browser extension; some browsers offer a GPC setting. Installing GPC is simple and ensures your personal is protected. For information on GPC, please see here.
Click here for a video produced by Wesleyan University’s Privacy-Tech-Lab to show you how to install GPC.
OPTION 2: Opt Out One Business at a Time
Businesses that sell personal information must provide a clear and conspicuous link on their website that allows you to submit an opt-out request. Businesses cannot require you to create an account to submit your request or ask for additional information to process your opt-out.
If you can’t find a business’s link, review its privacy policy to see if it sells or shares personal information for purposes of targeted advertising. If the business does, it must also include that link in its privacy policy. If an opt out link is not working or difficult to find, you may report the business to our office by filing a complaint online with the Office of the Attorney General.
The Connecticut Data Privacy Act
The CTDPA was enacted in July of 2023—one of the first comprehensive consumer privacy laws in the country. Several of the CTDPA’s key provisions have subsequent effective dates, including the critical requirement that controllers honor global opt out preference signals (“OOPS”) sent by consumers. The OOPS provisions allow consumers the ability to opt out of targeted advertising and the sale of their personal data across all activities online in one place.
Connecticut consumers can now send their OOPS through a variety of platforms to “signal” to websites that they are opting out of targeted advertising and the sale of their personal data. Each consumer opt out “signal” will be sent automatically by using, for example, the Global Privacy Control through a privacy protective browser or browser extension. Over 40 million people already use the GPC.
All businesses covered by the CTDPA must respond to a consumer’s OOPS. This signal must be sent from a platform or mechanism that enables the business to accurately determine whether the consumer is a Connecticut resident. If a consumer’s OOPS conflicts with that consumer’s previously given privacy choice or their voluntary participation in that business’s loyalty rewards or discount program, the business must still comply with the OOPS. Though, the business may notify the consumer of the conflicting signals and ask the consumer to confirm their choice with the understanding that it would affect their previously given privacy choice or participation in their loyalty rewards or discount program.
As of January 1, 2025, businesses subject to the CTDPA must treat Connecticut residents’ privacy preferences submitted through browser signals as requests to opt-out of sales or targeted advertising. To implement the GPC, businesses can get started here. Click here for a video produced by Wesleyan University’s Privacy-Tech -Lab showing how businesses can implement global privacy control.
Consumers should note that not all Connecticut businesses are covered by the CTDPA. The law includes specific revenue thresholds and exempts certain industries regulated by other privacy frameworks—such as health care companies subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1966 (HIPAA).
For more information about the CTDPA, visit the Attorney General’s FAQ page here.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 10, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SECURES PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION PRESERVING ACCESS TO KEY SOCIAL SERVICES
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today secured a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to gut essential health, education, and social service programs for low-income families. In July, Attorney General Tong joined 20 other attorneys general in challenging the federal government’s reinterpretation of a decades-old law governing access to social services. Today, a federal court granted the coalition’s request for a preliminary injunction, blocking sweeping new rules that threatened to strip funding from programs like Head Start, Title X family planning clinics, food banks, domestic violence shelters, adult education, and community health centers.
“In a rush to punish immigrant children and families, the Trump Administration lawlessly imperiled access to healthcare, education and social service programs for thousands upon thousands of Connecticut families. Their actions were cruel, unjustified and unlawful. We sued to stop them, and today’s injunction shows that the law is strongly on our side,” said Attorney General Tong.
Earlier this summer, four federal agencies – the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (ED), Labor (DOL), and Justice (DOJ) – issued a coordinated set of directives abruptly redefining longstanding policy under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). For nearly 30 years, Republican and Democratic administrations alike interpreted PRWORA to allow states to offer vital public health, education, and anti-poverty programs regardless of immigration status. The Trump administration’s sudden reversal would have forced states to impose immigration status verification on countless services, threatening catastrophic funding losses and program closures.
The court’s decision halts implementation of those new directives in the plaintiff states while litigation proceeds, ensuring that millions of families can continue to access critical services without fear of denial or disruption. With this ruling, the judge is acknowledging that the administration likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution by issuing sweeping new mandates without lawful rulemaking, grossly misreading PRWORA, and failing to consider the devastating impacts on states and communities.
In Connecticut, tens of millions of dollars’ worth of funding had been at risk. Connecticut’s nine Community Action Agencies, which run Head Start, Meals on Wheels, food pantries, and a variety of other anti-poverty, employment, and training services, had received roughly $9 million each year in Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding. These agencies could have been forced to shut down, compromising the education of more than 5,000 children enrolled at Head Start programs in Connecticut and the more than 100,000 Connecticut families served by Community Action Agencies each year.
These programs serve broad populations, including U.S. citizens, lawful residents, and new immigrants, and are not designed to collect or verify immigration status. Providers warn that the new rules could deter people from seeking help, lead to service cutoffs, and destabilize systems already stretched thin. Many of these programs, which prevent the spread of communicable disease or promote economic development, exist for the benefit and protection of the broader community, which will be harmed by the effects of the new guidance.
Joining Attorney General Tong in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of New York, Washington, Rhode Island, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 10, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASES IN APPROVED HEALTH INSURANCE RATES
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today released the following statement regarding double-digit increases approved today by the Connecticut Insurance Department for seven health insurers for plans available on the individual and small group market, both on and off the state-sponsored exchange.
Collectively, the plans cover approximately 224,000 people in Connecticut. Year after year, insurers have sought rate increases that far exceed other inflationary and general economic growth measures.
“These double-digit increases reflect a badly broken system that we cannot afford to ignore. The insurers, the hospitals, the pharmacy benefit managers have zero incentive right now to negotiate lower costs for Connecticut families. Too many families are drowning in these ballooning premiums, deductibles, coinsurances and copays. By the time these rate demands hit the Insurance Department for review, it’s too late. It’s an utterly unworkable system and it has to change,” said Attorney General Tong.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT REGARDING PURA DRAFT DECISION REDUCING UNITED ILLUMINATING $105 MILLION RATE HIKE
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding the draft decision issued today by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority reducing a $105 million rate hike demand from United Illuminating. The company filed for the rate hike last fall, a mere year after receiving a prior revenue increase. PURA preliminarily authorized an increase of approximately $29 million.
“United Illuminating does not need more money. It’s Connecticut families who need a break from these relentless revenue grabs and unaffordable energy bills. When utilities come before PURA for a rate hike, it’s their job to prove their case. And they need to do so with real evidence and hard numbers, not PR campaigns and lobbyists. We combed through every page and penny of their application, and it was padded with unsupported expenses and unjustified corporate profits. PURA was right to cut this demand,” said Attorney General Tong.
United Illuminating announced last September its intentions to seek $105 million in new revenues. If approved, such an increase would have increased bills by an average of 9.3 percent. The distribution rate would have risen by 34 percent. The rate hike application closely followed a $23 million rate increase granted by PURA. The company had sought $130.7 million.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 11, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SEEKS DOCUMENTS FROM WNBA REGARDING POTENTIAL SALE OF CONNECTICUT SUN
“Connecticut will fight hard for our players, coaches and fans, and we will take all steps necessary to keep the Team in Connecticut where it belongs.”
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today sent a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert seeking a series of documents related to League’s role in the potential sale of the Connecticut Sun to a buyer who would move the team out of Connecticut and away from its dedicated fanbase.
“Our state is the epicenter and heart of women’s basketball and a dominant force in the sport,” Attorney General Tong states in the letter. “There would be no WNBA—and no worldwide growth in the popularity of women’s basketball—without the players, coaches, and dedicated fanbase in and from Connecticut.”
“I am troubled by recent reports in the press that the WNBA may be wrongfully blocking a sale of the Connecticut Sun that would keep the Team in Connecticut in a manner that may be anticompetitive and may violate state and federal law,” Attorney General Tong states. “I am also concerned about press reports that, in lieu of a sale of the Team to a Connecticut-based buyer, the WNBA is demanding that the Team be sold to the League itself at a price tens of millions of dollars below market value, which could then be sold later to an owner approved to move the Team to a city that is part of the League’s plan of expansion.”
To better understand the position of the WNBA, the relative rights and responsibilities of the WNBA and the Connecticut Sun, Attorney General Tong is requesting that the league provide the following information:
- A copy of the WNBA operating agreement;
- WNBA’s membership agreement between the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA;
- WNBA’s operating manual;
- WNBA’s league rules and regulations; and
- Copies of all valuations of the Connecticut Sun, including any appraisal, offer, and/or expression of interest.
Following receipt and review of the requested documents, Attorney General Tong has requested a meeting with WNBA leadership.
“Our dedicated and enthusiastic fanbase in Connecticut has strongly supported the Connecticut Sun and the WNBA for over twenty-years; to lose this franchise would be devastating to our state’s economy, our community and our state. Please understand Connecticut will fight hard for our players, coaches and fans, and we will take all steps necessary to keep the Team in Connecticut where it belongs,” Attorney General Tong concludes in the letter.