Missouri Restrains Florida Telemarketer

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has hung up on a Florida telemarketing company, at least temporarily.

Koster went to court to obtain a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the firm from making solicitation calls to Missouri residents who had previously placed their names on the state's no-call list.  Koster filed suit and sought the TRO as a result of numerous complaints filed with the No-Call Division of the Attorney General's Office.

Koster sued Travellink Corp., Travel and Vacation Marketing Services, Inc., and Okie Miller, a/k/a Olen Miller, Inc., based in Tampa, Florida.  The lawsuit alleges violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act and the Telemarketing No-Call List Act.

 Koster said the defendants made repetitive and harassing calls to consumers telling them they had won a free vacation and soliciting vacation travel packages.

"When Missourians register with our No-Call list, they do so with the reasonable expectation that they will not receive these unsolicited, harassing calls," Koster said. "These businesses are aware of our No-Call laws, and they are realizing that this office will enforce those laws."

Koster said he is asking the court for a permanent injunction against the defendants to prohibit them from making calls to Missourians on the no-call list who have no established business relationship with the company.  In addition, he is seeking a civil penalty of $5,000 for each violation of Missouri law, costs of the investigation and prosecution, and all court costs.