Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper, on behalf of the director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, filed three settlements and two lawsuits this week involving companies allegedly using misleading advertisements promoting themselves as a “notario publico” in the state.

Attorney General Cooper said, “The Spanish translation of ‘notary public’ is ‘notario publico,’ or in the plural ‘notarios publicos.’ In many Spanish-speaking countries, a notario publico is a civil-law notary, or an attorney who has been specially appointed to grant public faith to certain common, everyday transactions. As a result, consumers often believe these individuals and the related transactions involve a higher level of trust and accuracy.

“My office is concerned about any businesses misleading consumers. We will continue to enforce the Notaries Public law to ensure that all consumers understand what they are purchasing.” The state’s lawsuits allege violations of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act for advertising as a “notario publico” without the required disclaimer.