Share this @internewscast.com

DENVER — A magazine company based in Broomfield must pay $250,000 after misleading customers, according to a new settlement, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced Tuesday.

Weiser said Mountain View Publishers sent millions of mailers across the nation that appeared to indicate the recipient had won a large sum of money. The advertisements used “misleading and deceptive language” to persuade people they could claim the money if they signed the mailer and returned a small fee, however the fine print read that the consumer was actually just subscribing to a quarterly “Jackpot Journal” magazine, according to the AG’s Office. Once the company had payment information, it signed the person up for an automatic subscription renewal every three months for about $33.

Since 2016, the company had gathered 50,000 subscribers averaging $40 in charges per customer — “evidence that many consumers did not understand the nature of MVP’s offer and cancelled quickly when they realized MVP was charging their credit cards or bank accounts,” according to a complaint. In total, the company had brought in more than $2 million in revenue, Weiser said. Based on a Department of Law Consumer Protection Division investigation, the average age of Colorado subscribers was about 80 years old.

“Mountain View Publishers operates on a national level and has preyed on our country’s most vulnerable residents,” Weiser said. “The company used underhanded tactics to convince recipients that they were going to receive a large sum of money if they sent a small sum back, when in reality they only received a magazine subscription they did not ask for. This practice was both unfair and unconscionable, and such actions cannot be tolerated.”

Mountain View Publishers is based in Broomfield. It operates under company President Robert Miller, according to the settlement.

According to the complaint, Mountain View Publishers, in response to the investigation, “produced documents which showed that it received numerous consumer complaints that would have alerted the company to the misleading nature of their advertisements. Consumers commonly complained about account charges and that they never authorized the deduction.”

In addition to paying $250,000 to the state, the company must also stop the deceptive practices, Weiser said. In Tuesday’s settlement, the company agreed to both.

The AG’s Office said the mailers must clearly state they are solicitations for a magazine subscription, the price, and the automatic renewals. The mailers must also stop using “pressure tactics,” like stating the offer is time sensitive.

Weiser encourages anybody who notices potential scams or fraud to contact Stop Fraud Colorado at 800-222-4444 or www.StopFraudColorado.gov.

Source: This post first appeared on

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Husband Receives Sentence on Unrelated Charge Following Wife’s Tragic Fall

Background: News footage of Adam Beckerink in court in June (WLS). Inset:…

FBI Intensifies Search for Missing 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard in California; Mother’s Lack of Cooperation Raises Concerns

The FBI has stepped in to assist in the ongoing search for…

Road Rage Tragedy: Indiana Woman Fatally Shoots Driver Over Traffic Light Dispute

An Indiana woman faces murder charges following an alleged act of road…

Potential Shift in Legal Team: James Comey’s Lead Attorney Faces Removal from High-Profile Case

Left: Lindsey Halligan speaks as President Donald Trump signs executive orders in…

Experts Suggest Some Stolen Louvre Artifacts May Remain Lost Forever

The Louvre Museum in Paris has announced it will keep its doors…

New Details Emerge: 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard Spotted with Mother in California

The latest developments in the search for missing California girl Melody Buzzard…

Shocking Discovery: Parents Arrested After Special-Needs Son Found Buried in Backyard

Inset, left to right: December M. Mitchell and Jonathan J. Mitchell (Johnson…

Unveiling the Drama: Inside DOJ’s High-Stakes Alina Habba Legal Showdown

Left: Alina Habba walks off stage after speaking before Republican presidential nominee…

Ohio Tragedy: Man Faces Murder Charges in Girlfriend’s Infant Daughter’s Death

An Ohio man has been formally accused of murder following the tragic…

Shocking Court Ruling: Man’s Attempt to Conceal Disturbing Charges of Bestiality and Child Abuse Denied

A man facing serious charges including rape, bestiality, and child abuse has…

Duo Caught in Foiled Robbery Attempt

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Early this morning, authorities apprehended Leeandra Morris,…

Tragic Discovery: Woman with MS Found Deceased in Deplorable Conditions

Authorities in Pennsylvania have launched an investigation into the tragic death of…