Companies agree to Idaho Attorney General's Office directives on business practices

Two telemarketers, including a Garden City company, have pledged to change their business practices in legal agreements with the state. Meanwhile, a California charity agreed to stop telephone fundraising in Idaho.

QUALITY AIRE SYSTEMS

This Garden City business sells vacuum cleaners and air-purifying systems. Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said consumers complained that Quality Aire Systems claimed it was conducting a health survey when its actual purpose was to generate sales leads. Consumers also said the company kept calling them despite requests to stop and that it called consumers whose telephone numbers were registered on the National Do Not Call Registry.

The company did not admit any wrongdoing.

Quality Aire Systems was required to reimburse the Attorney General's Office $1,773 for fees and costs and faces a $5,000 penalty if the company violates the settlement agreement.

COPS

Idaho consumers complained that they received bills for $20 each from the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, a charity located in Santa Ana, Calif., even though the consumers never agreed to contribute money, Wasden said. One consumer complained that COPS continued calling her 93-year-old mother despite her requests to stop calling and sent the elderly woman a $20 invoice.

COPS said the invoices were part of a mass mailing the company initiated but that another business, Elite Sponsors LLC (see below), was responsible for COPS' charitable telephone solicitation activities.

As part of the resolution of a lawsuit filed by the state, COPS agreed that it will no longer conduct charitable solicitations in Idaho. COPS faces a penalty of up to $10,000 if it violates the agreement.

ELITE SPONSORS

Elite Sponsors maintains a mail drop box in Boise but is located in Vancouver, Wash. A settlement agreement says that when calling Idahoans, Elite Sponsors must disclose all terms and conditions of the solicitation, and, if it is calling on behalf of a law enforcement organization, it must disclose that it is not affiliated with any Idaho law enforcement agency.

The company must register to telemarket, comply with the National Do Not Call Registry, discontinue its invoice solicitations and disclose its physical address in all of its written charitable solicitations.

Elite Sponsors paid $1,500 to reimburse the Attorney General's Office for fees and costs. The business faces a $10,000 penalty if it violates the agreement.