Attorney General Sues Arizona Company For Deceptive Ads, Illegal Telemarketing In Ohio

Attorney General Jim Petro has filed suit against an Arizona company for using deceptive advertising tactics which misled consumers into believing the company was associated with the consumer’s auto dealership or the manufacturer of the car. The lawsuit also alleges that Car Care Warranty, LLC (doing business as Vehicle Owner Warranty Notification Center) telemarketed in Ohio without being registered with the Attorney General as a telephone solicitor.

“Our investigation turned up unfair and deceptive advertising and telemarketing practices by this company,” Petro said. “Ohioans have suffered due to these bad business practices and I intend to fight for their rights under Ohio law.”

An Attorney General investigation uncovered violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA) and Telephone Solicitation Sales Act (TSSA) in Car Care’s use of direct mail and telemarketing to sell extended service contracts for automobiles. The Attorney General’s investigation revealed that the company is not associated with any auto dealer or manufacturer and that the advertising and sales pitch misled consumers.

Car Care also violated the TSSA by not registering as a telephone solicitor with the Attorney General’s Office, failing to maintain a $50,000 surety bond, and not getting written permission from consumers before they billed them for the extended service contracts.

Consumers’ complaints state that the extended service contracts would cost approximately $2,000, with a $400 down payment usually required. Some complaints allege that consumers did not receive the contracts in a timely manner or that requests for refunds were not honored by Car Care.