PITTSBURGH – The state attorney general’s office has settled with a Maryland-based publisher of financial material and subscriptions for $150,000, for alleged violations of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection of Pittsburgh filed an assurance of voluntary compliance in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on June 17 versus Money Map Press, LLC, of Baltimore, Md.
Money Map Press is engaged in the business of advertising, offering for sale and selling financial publications and subscriptions to consumers – with some of them connected to government programs, including but not limited to “Big Tobacco MUST Pay. The Complete Handbook for Collecting Thousands of Dollars a Month, Tax-Free, from Master Settlement Payments.”
In a subsequent investigation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania alleges Money Map Press engaged in certain acts and practices in violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, including but not limited to:
“Engaging in misleading and deceptive advertising practices, relating to pricing ‘free’ offers and consumer testimonials; Failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose negative option terms and conditions; Failing to obtain a consumer’s express informed consent before charging a consumer’s account for products or services offered through a negative option feature and failing to provide consumers with simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges incurred through a negative option feature,” the assurance of voluntary compliance states.
The petition states these actions violate two clauses of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, specifically: 1) Making false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons for, existence of or amounts of price reductions and 2) Engaging in any other fraudulent or deceptive conduct which creates a likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding.
According to the terms of the settlement, the respondent agrees to comply with the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, not misrepresent investment opportunities available to customers, clearly and conspicuously disclose all material limitations, conditions and restrictions relating to any offer in close proximity to any terms or conditions to which they relate, not publish or report consumer testimonials that are false, not charge consumers for any product or service without obtaining their “express informed consent”, clearly and conspicuously disclose all material negative option features to consumers and provide mechanisms to stop recurring charges, in addition to other stipulations.
Per mutual agreement, the publisher is to pay the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania $150,000 to atone for the violations – comprised of $50,000 in civil penalties, $25,000 in public protection and education purposes, and $75,000 in restitution.
$100,000 was due at the execution of the agreement, with the remaining $50,000 due within 90 days of the date of filing the agreement with the court, June 17.
The assurance of voluntary compliance was signed by Senior Deputy Attorney General Amy L. Schulman of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Money Map Press’ Executive Publisher Robert Keppel and his counsel, Ian D. Volner of Venable, LLP in Washington, D.C.
The petitioner was represented by Amy L. Schulman of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in Pittsburgh.
The respondent did not have legal counsel listed.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-006892
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com