July 23, 2026 | Blog
California's New Agency Will Crack Down on Harmful and Corrupt Practices
Californians and families across the country are feeling squeezed by higher prices, fees, and other costs. To add insult to injury, federal regulators and law enforcement are turning a blind eye to illegal upcharges that we all pay the price for.
By Secretary Rohit Chopra
That's one of the reasons why Governor Newsom announced the launch of the Business & Consumer Services Agency. A key priority for the agency is to crack down on harmful and corrupt practices that wrongfully raise costs for families and honest businesses.
Our goal is to ensure that companies are upfront and honest about prices and product features. We also want people to have meaningful choices about who they do business with, rather than getting tricked or trapped into paying inflated fees and charges for a product or service they do not want.
Many departments within the Business & Consumer Services Agency have the authority to bring enforcement actions against companies that illegally overcharge consumers and endanger their public. In some circumstances, our departments can bring actions against entities that violate federal law, not just state law. Under many existing laws, serious violations can lead to significant consequences, including losing a license to operate in the State of California.
The new agency will be especially attuned to corrupt practices, including undisclosed kickbacks and manipulative schemes, to exploit the public. We will also pay close attention to individuals and companies who have been able to evade accountability under federal law through political connections and favoritism.
While many federal agencies are shuttering their law enforcement activities to protect consumers and competition, California's Business & Consumer Services Agency will be working closely with other states to step up scrutiny of potentially unlawful practices.
To aid our enforcement efforts, we will be focusing audit and inspection resources on the entities that pose the greatest risks, rather than smaller firms that present little or no risk to consumers. In addition, the agency will be working on a number of initiatives to improve the ways that consumers, businesses, and whistleblowers can file complaints and provide law enforcement tips to our departments.
And you can help us
If you have ideas about areas the new Business & Consumer Services Agency should focus on, we want to hear from you. Share more with us using the form below.
If you are looking for help with a specific product or service, submit a complaint.