Alameda County District Attorney's Office - Consumer Protection - Greg Boller
 
Greg Boller, Assistant District Attorney for Alameda County, specializes in consumer protection cases.  Additionally, Greg has advocated for disadvantaged children and families in truancy prevention, domestic violence, and special victim cases.  He has 20 years of criminal justice experience and knowledge of mental health, substance abuse, and child welfare issues. A native of the City of Alameda, Greg earned his B.A. at UC Davis, J.D. at Georgetown University, and M.P.A. at Harvard Kennedy School.  He came from a family that was involved in small business. After school, he worked for a large law firm in San Francisco, but eventually moved into DA work to serve people. He has seen businesses from both the inside and the outside.
 
In his presentation, Greg described a number of the DA’s successful settlements that resulted in businesses ceasing improper actions and brought money to the county and relief to the consumers. The hope is to level the playing field between customers and businesses. The recovered funds are invested in a trust fund that supports future investigations to protect the people in Alameda County.
 
Greg also provided a great deal of information to help customers avoid fraud. Elder financial fraud affects 5 million people annually and costs $36.5 billion. Fraud can affect anyone of any age and education. Those involved in fraud hope to use fear and a sense of urgency against the consumer.  Greg warned everyone to avoid those reactions. For example, the FBI, PG&E, and the Social Security Administration never call or email to ask for personal information. He strongly advised against clicking on an unknown link or responding to unknown emails.   He encouraged people to check the email address - if the email address looks funny, it probably is.
 
Watch Greg's full presentation here.