Penalty Amount
$150,000
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced a settlement with Apple Inc. over allegations of widespread merchandise pricing violations at 11 Apple stores statewide, including failure to display required pricing information and refund policies. Apple agreed to pay a $150,000 civil penalty, the largest-ever under New Jersey's Merchandise Pricing Act, and implement revised business practices to ensure clear pricing and refund policy disclosures. The settlement resolves violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and the 2017 consent order previously entered into by Apple.
Apple must pay a $150,000 civil penalty. It is also required to change its business practices to: (1) ensure all merchandise has a plainly marked total selling price via a stamp, tag, label, sign affixed to the merchandise, on the device screen upon limited interaction, or in close proximity to the merchandise; (2) not require consumers to interact with electronic devices to determine prices unless the price is clearly displayed with limited interaction; (3) conspicuously post refund policies for all merchandise via tags on merchandise, point-of-sale signage, cash register areas, or store entrances. These requirements are set forth in a consent order resolving the allegations.
In-house legal teams at retailers with physical store locations should review vendor and merchandise supply agreements to ensure terms require all products to have plainly marked prices via stamps, tags, labels, or signage in close proximity to merchandise, compliant with applicable state merchandise pricing acts. Store operations contracts and lease agreements should be audited for clauses governing in-store signage, point-of-sale displays, and refund policy posting requirements to ensure conspicuous disclosure as mandated by consumer fraud laws. Teams should also review existing consent orders or settlement agreements to confirm ongoing compliance, update compliance program clauses to include specific price display and refund policy requirements, and add employee training provisions to ensure staff adhere to pricing and disclosure obligations.
Entity
Apple Inc.
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.njoag.gov/ag-platkin-apple-inc-agrees-to-pay-150000-and-change-its-business-practices-to-resolve-allegations-of-widespread-pricing-violations-in-stores-throughout-new-jersey/
2026 0115 Apple Inc Consent Order
http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-0115_Apple-Inc-Consent-Order.pdf
New Jersey Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-consumer-affairs/
"Apple Inc. (“Apple”)"
"agreed to pay a $150,000 civil penalty"
"New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (“CFA”), specifically the Merchandise Pricing Act"
"For Immediate Release: January 15, 2026"
"allegations of widespread merchandise pricing violations in Apple stores throughout the state"
"pay a $150,000 civil penalty and change its business practices"
Connecticut, along with the U.S. Department of Justice and 15 other states, has filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc. for monopolizing smartphone markets in violation of the Sherman Act. The complaint alleges Apple engages in anticompetitive conduct such as blocking innovative apps, suppressing cloud streaming services, and limiting interoperability to maintain its monopoly and impose high costs on consumers and developers. The plaintiffs seek equitable relief to restore competition.
$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.