Bad Choice of Shills - The Texas AG
Here is a really bad idea for a biz op scammer: pretend that the local Attorney General is giving testimonials supporting your scheme. The local Attorney General of Texas. Today, Sun Travel Country found out just how really bad this idea was when it and its owner Jerry Macdonald were fined $64 million in a jury trial. According to the press release,
"Sun Country, also known as Vavro, McDonald, Kennedy and Associates, L.L.C., and Travel Partners, L.L.C., had offices in Arlington, Carrollton and Houston. It was sued by the Attorney General in February 2003 after investigators became aware of the company's claims to consumers that the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau endorsed its business practices as a travel agency.Sun Countrys principals David G. Vavro, Jerry L. McDonald Sr. and Jerry L. McDonald Jr., were also named in the suit and found liable.
The company's telemarketing pitches falsely offered "completely free" vacation packages to lure consumers to a 90-minute presentation describing the company's "discount" travel services. The telemarketers, however, omitted information about a variety of fees, deposits, airline and hotel taxes and other costs linked to these "free" vacations, plus the company placed tight restrictions on when these trips could be taken.
The "free" vacation offers were only valid for one year, and reservation requests had to be submitted by consumers at least 90 days in advance of the departure dates. The company disclosed neither of these restrictions until after the presentations and consumers had signed up".
The actual findings of the jury can be read here.
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