Valley Companies Ordered to Pay $902,000 for Deceptive Practices
A group of Valley companies have been ordered to pay a hefty sum of $902,000 in civil penalties and legal fees for engaging in deceptive practices that involved leaving “phony” delivery slips on the doorsteps of Arizona homeowners. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office announced this judgment against Matthew Willes and his multiple Valley companies after years of litigation in court.
The judgment revealed that the defendants had distributed over 330,000 door tags to new homeowners in Arizona since 2017. These door tags had a “Sorry We Missed You” caption and a phone number for the homeowner to call. However, when the resident called the number and clicked on a link in a text message, they unknowingly consented to receive telephone solicitations. The personal information obtained from the residents was then sold to third-party companies.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes stated, “Mr. Willes and his companies went to great lengths to manipulate unsuspecting consumers into providing personal information and agreeing to receive telemarketing solicitations.” The defendants even maintained websites to create the appearance that they were a legitimate delivery service.
Court records revealed that over 60,000 consumers called the defendants in response to the deceptive door tags. Under the administration of former Attorney General Mark Brnovich, a consumer fraud lawsuit was filed against the companies in March 2020, ultimately leading to a judgment against the defendants earlier this summer.
The judgment prohibits the companies from continuing to engage in these deceptive business practices, ensuring the protection of Arizona homeowners against such fraudulent schemes.
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