Attorney General's News Release

Augist 23, 2000

Court orders businesses that sent out look-alike phone bills to pay $11,400 in restitution and $7,000 to the state

Kansas City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a court order requiring two businesses, one located in Kansas City and the other in New York, to repay more than $11,400 in restitution to consumers in several states, including Missouri. The consumers had paid invoices from the businesses that looked like legitimate bills from Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., down to using a similar type face and size and a blue stripe on the left side of the invoice.

The Jackson County Circuit Court also ordered Invesco Telecommunications Inc., of New York, and Billing Management Services Inc., of Kansas City, to pay $5,000 to the state to cover the costs of investigating and prosecuting the case and another $2,000 to be paid to the Missouri Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund.

Thousands of the look-alike bills, labeled as coming from "Southwest Region Bill" and ranging in amounts from $16 to $27, were sent to consumers in several states, including Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The invoices billed for telephone services such as "Extensor Systems - Call Manager" and "Invesco Telemail."

Nixon said the defendants had no connection with Southwestern Bell and that the services billed for were not authorized or received by the consumers who filed complaints with the Attorney General's Office. Billing Management Services provided billing services for Invesco at 8800 Blue Ridge Boulevard, Suite 300, in Kansas City.

The defendants will be required to pay restitution within 30 days directly to consumers who paid the invoices. The order also prohibits them from future violations of Missouri consumer laws, including the sending out of any solicitation for payment that creates the impression that the solicitation is from Southwestern Bell Telephone or any other telecommunications company and billing for any services they knew or should have known were either unauthorized or not received by the consumer.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818