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State AGs Demand Payment Networks Block Unauthorized E-Cigarette Sales

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, leading a coalition of 13 state AGs, sent a letter on April 14, 2026 to Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover requesting immediate action to deny services to merchants selling unauthorized e-cigarette products. The AGs claim illicit e-cigarettes account for over 80% of the U.S. market, generating more than $11 billion in annual retail sales, and allege that companies providing payment services to unlawful e-cigarette sellers may face exposure under the FDCA, PACT Act, FTC Act, and federal anti-money laundering statutes. Financial services providers—including card networks, sponsor banks, acquirers, ISOs, and PSPs—are identified as the next regulatory target following prior AG efforts against e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

Attorney General Brenna Bird Warns Iowans of Tax Day Scams

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued a consumer advisory on April 14, 2026, warning Iowans about common tax scams as tax season concludes. The advisory identifies four prevalent scam types—tax preparer fraud, phone/imposter scams, email/phishing scams, and identity theft—and provides six protective tips for consumers. The AG's office encourages Iowans to report suspected scams to the Iowa AG's office, the IRS, or the Federal Trade Commission.

Iowa AG Leads 13-State Coalition Urging Credit Card Firms to Block Illegal Vape Payments

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading a coalition of 13 state attorneys general in a letter to major credit card networks urging them to stop processing payments for illegal vape products. The letter cites that illegal vapes, predominantly manufactured in China, now account for over 80% of the U.S. vape market with more than $11 billion in annual retail sales. The coalition is asking Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover to identify and remove merchants selling illicit vaping products from their payment networks.

Iowa AG Sues Meta for Misleading Children About Instagram Safety

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. and its subsidiaries Instagram and Facebook in Polk County District Court on April 8, 2026, alleging violations of Iowa's consumer protection laws. The state alleges Instagram misrepresented its platform as safe for children ages 12+ to 17+ while containing rampant sexual content, nudity, drug references, alcohol and tobacco content, and mature themes including accessible hardcore pornography, and that Meta designed the platform to be addictive to Iowa youth. The lawsuit seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring Instagram to cease its deceptive representations about content frequency and severity, correct inaccurate App Store age ratings, and stop deceptive public assurances about platform safety.

Iowa AG v. Change Healthcare - Data Breach

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a lawsuit against Change Healthcare for violations of Iowa's Consumer Fraud Act and Personal Information Security Security Breach Protection Act. The February 2024 data breach exposed personal information of approximately 2.2 million Iowans, including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, health insurance information, and medical records. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief for stronger data security measures, restoration of ill-gotten gains, and payment of penalties and damages.

Attorney General Bird Amends TikTok Lawsuit Asserting Consumer Fraud and Data Privacy Violations

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has amended her lawsuit against TikTok to add new violations of Iowa's consumer protection laws, specifically alleging the platform uses addictive features designed to exploit children's psychological vulnerabilities and deceives users about the Chinese government's ability to access their personal data. The amended petition targets TikTok's alleged manipulation of young users through compulsive-use mechanisms and its misleading public claims about data security. The state seeks a permanent injunction under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act and civil penalties to compel TikTok to cease its deceptive conduct.

Iowa AG Amends TikTok Lawsuit Over Consumer Protection Violations

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird amended her existing lawsuit against TikTok, adding claims that the social media platform uses addictive features to hook children and teens while deceiving users about the Chinese government's ability to access their personal data. The state asserts TikTok knowingly designed its app to exploit young people's psychological vulnerabilities and makes misleading claims about data safety. Iowa seeks a permanent injunction under the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act and civil penalties.

Iowa AG Leads 24 States Against Massachusetts Pork Ban at Supreme Court

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, leading a coalition of 24 states, has filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging Massachusetts's "Question 3" pork ban. The ban restricts the sale of pork in Massachusetts if producers do not meet the state's specific hog-housing requirements, impacting producers nationwide.

Iowa AG wins Live Nation antitrust suit, $3M settlement

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced a $3 million settlement with Live Nation and Ticketmaster in an antitrust lawsuit. The settlement, joined by 39 other attorneys general and the DOJ, addresses monopoly concerns in the live entertainment industry and aims to promote fairer market practices.

Iowa AG Warns of Imposter Scams and FTC Impersonation

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued a warning regarding a rise in imposter scams, particularly those impersonating the FTC and targeting older Iowans. The notice provides guidance on how to identify and avoid these scams, including fake job offers and threats of arrest.

Iowa AG Lists Top 10 Scams and Complaints of 2025

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has released the top ten reported consumer scams and complaints from 2025. The office handled over 4,000 complaints, marking a second consecutive year of increases. The notice warns Iowans to be vigilant against common scams.