Penalty Amount
$21,000,000
Consumers Affected
7,000,000
AMCA suffered an eight-month data breach from August 2018 to March 2019, exposing personal information including Social Security numbers, payment card data, and medical test details of over 7 million individuals nationwide, including 246,000 New Jersey residents. The multistate settlement requires AMCA to implement enhanced data security measures and pay $21 million, though payment is suspended due to the company's financial situation.
AMCA must create and implement an information security program with an incident response plan, employ a qualified Chief Information Security Officer, hire a third-party certified auditor for security assessments, and cooperate with state attorneys general in related investigations, along with paying a suspended $21 million penalty.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor agreements with healthcare service providers, data processing agreements, and business associate agreements (BAAs) under HIPAA. Specifically scrutinize clauses governing data security standards, breach notification timelines and procedures, audit rights, data encryption requirements, and indemnification provisions for data breaches. Given the settlement's focus on inadequate security leading to exposure of SSNs, payment cards, and medical information, contracts may need amendments to mandate specific technical safeguards (e.g., encryption, access controls), require regular security audits by the vendor, clarify breach reporting obligations (including to state attorneys general), and strengthen liability and remediation terms.
Entity
Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau d/b/a American Medical Collection Agency
Also known as: American Medical Collection Agency
Industry
HealthcareOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/ag-grewal-announces-multistate-settlement-with-american-medical-collection-agency-over-2019-data-breach/
NJ AMCA Complaint
https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases21/NJ-AMCA-Complaint.pdf
NJAMC Consent Judgment
https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases21/NJAMC-Consent-Judgment.pdf
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau d/b/a American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA)"
"Although ACMA also agreed to pay $21 million"
"an unauthorized user gained access to the company’s internal system, collecting a broad array of personal information. The information included Social Security numbers, payment card information and, in some instances, the names of medical tests and diagnostic codes."
$100K
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced a Consent Order with King Distribution LLC and 17 related retail smoke shops, resolving allegations that the companies illegally sold flavored vapor products in violation of New Jersey’s consumer protection laws. The Consent Order imposes a $100,000 civil penalty, requires reimbursement of $22,279 in investigation costs, and prohibits the companies from selling or distributing flavored vapor products in New Jersey. The enforcement action is part of New Jersey’s ongoing efforts to protect youth from flavored vape products, which have been permanently banned in the state since January 2020.
The New Jersey Bureau of Securities issued a Cease and Desist Order on April 30, 2026, against Titan Macro Finance for operating an investment fraud scheme via WhatsApp and Instagram that defrauded at least one New Jersey investor of $64,000. The scheme involved unregistered broker-dealer activity, fake trading profits, and undisclosed fees to access investor funds. The action was coordinated with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which issued a similar order against the entity for violating California’s Commodity Code.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Bureau of Securities issued a public warning to state residents about fraudulent investment schemes proliferating on Meta-owned platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The alert details common scam tactics such as pump-and-dump schemes, confidence scams, and fraudulent cryptocurrency offerings, and provides tips for residents to avoid victimization. No enforcement action against any entity was announced in this release.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport led a bipartisan coalition of 27 state attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging federal rulemaking to regulate hidden and deceptive rental housing fees. The AG also issued guidance clarifying New Jersey’s new $50 rental application fee cap, effective May 1, 2026, warning that deceptive fee practices may violate the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. No specific enforcement action against a named individual entity was announced, with enforcement of the fee cap set to begin May 1, 2026.
$2.0M
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced a multistate settlement with NCL Bahamas, Ltd. (Norwegian Cruise Line) resolving allegations of deceptive sales practices and unfair cancellation, refund, and future cruise credit policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The settlement requires NCL to pay $2 million to participating states, implement employee training and management approval processes for sales communications during disasters, and prohibits deceptive sales statements and prioritizing sales over consumer health and safety. NCL has already issued over $3 billion in refunds and future cruise credits to consumers nationwide related to the underlying allegations.
Ibelis Gonzalez, a 46-year-old Jersey City resident, was indicted on charges including second-degree theft by deception, second-degree impersonation/theft of identity, and third-degree false government documents. She is alleged to have used fake identification to obtain debit cards in six victims' names, stealing approximately $86,840 from their bank accounts between May and June 2024. The case is being prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, with potential maximum fines of $150,000 for second-degree charges and $15,000 for third-degree charges.