Attorney General's News Release

February 1, 2002

Judge orders travel business to stop illegal practices, pay almost $158,000 in restitution, penalties and costs

Jefferson City, Mo. — A Branson travel business and several of its owners and employees will pay almost $107,000 in restitution to consumers who bought travel club memberships in Vacation Travel Club, under a court order obtained by Attorney General Jay Nixon.

The order from the Taney County Circuit Court also requires the business — called Vacation Travel Outlet — to stop violating Missouri consumer protection laws and to pay more than $50,000 in penalties and costs to the state.

Nixon sued Vacation Travel Outlet and the individual defendants last year, alleging among other things that they:

• Subjected consumers to high pressure sales tactics in their sales presentations, including requiring immediate decisions and accompanying the consumers to nearby banks or ATMs to obtain cash advances on their credit cards;
• Made false statements to consumers that Vacation Travel Outlet would re-purchase the memberships after a certain length of time or assist them in reselling the memberships;
• Misrepresented the savings available to members of Vacation Travel Club and how easy it was to use a Vacation Travel Club membership; and
• Refused to provide refunds to consumers in some cases.

"Consumers who paid up to $5,000 for a travel club membership found out that the promised savings weren't there, and Vacation Travel Outlet made it difficult — if not impossible — for them to obtain refunds or any sort of relief," Nixon said. "Requiring them to pay $107,000 in restitution and $50,000 in penalties and costs sends the message that we'll continue to go after unscrupulous travel businesses."

Among other things, the order prohibits Vacation Travel Outlet and its agents and employees from misrepresenting any discounted rates or making false statements about rates and availabilities; and from accompanying any consumer to take a cash advance to pay them.

The individual defendants sued by Nixon were Brenda Large Lancos, Edward "Chipper" Lancos, David Darrell Large, Denver Darrell Large, Janet Lynn Large, Barry Gale Mabe, Diana L. Simmons, Denver Arnold Wood and Thomas Aloysius Wood.

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