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States Act Against Royal Prestige

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

October 22, 2005

Royal Prestige News • Hy Cite Settles California Consumer Charges ... Again • Complaints Resolved, Company Claims • Hy Cite Settles Calif. Suit • Texas Settles with Royal Prestige In-Depth Report: A Royal Rip-Off? • Promises, Promises (Español) • Complaints Resolved? • States Take Action • Tips From the Chef Consumer Complaints • General Complaints Company Response • A Message from Hy Cite Corp. The Pitch • Bridal Fairs • Cookware "Party" • "Free Prizes" • "Free Trip" • Longtime Owners The Deal • Cancellation Provisions • Contract Language • Returns Policy • Repair Service • Unauthorized Charges

Four states -- California, Arizona, Texas and Pennsylvania -- have sued the Hy-Cite Corp. or its distributors in recent years for tactics similar to the ones ConsumerAffairs.com uncovered.

Consider:

• Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office accused Royal Prestige distributors of deceptive and illegal business practices, including making claims that aluminum cookware causes Alzheimer’s disease;

• California The California Attorney General’s Office sued the Hy Cite Corp. and two of its distributors, alleging they targeted the Hispanic community with high pressure door-to-door sales and scare tactics. One Royal Prestige salesperson allegedly posed as a health department worker -- and questioned consumers about their family's health -- to sell the products;

• Texas The Texas Attorney General’s Office took action against a Royal Prestige distributor, claiming he charged consumers unauthorized fees to redeem their prizes, failed to disclose that airfare and hotels are not included in trips offered as “prizes,” and misleading consumer about their financing.

• Arizona The Arizona Attorney General’s Office sued two Royal Prestige distributors, citing 19 deceptive acts including: claims their salespeople were city water inspectors; claims that consumers had won a raffle or other prize; misrepresenting the amount of consumers’ down payments; misrepresenting the terms of the agreements to consumers who spoke little English; claims that a consumer would ruin their credit if they cancelled their orders; charging exorbitant prices; and requiring consumers to sign blank sales orders.

Hy Cite’s President, Erik Johnson, said his company terminated all the distributors named in these actions.

Next: Tips from a Chef

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