The Public Protection Unit of the Attorney General's Office protects consumers through enforcement of a wide variety of laws including Maine's Unfair Trade Practices Act. The office also provides a consumer mediation service which uses volunteer mediators to resolve disputes between businesses and consumers.
The Office of Consumer Credit Regulation was established in 1974 to protect state residents from unjust and misleading consumer credit practices, particularly in relation to the federal Truth-in-Lending Act. The agency also administers state laws regulating collection agencies, credit reporting agencies, mortgage companies, loan brokers, rent-to-own companies, pawn brokers, money order issuers, check cashers, and money transmitters.