Attorney General's News Release

March 29, 2007

Florida telemarketer will quit violating No Call law, pay $10,000 to state in agreement with Nixon

Jefferson City, Mo.— A Florida-based company that routinely violated Missouri’s No Call law will stop violating the law, develop policies and procedures that ensure future compliance with the law, and pay $10,000 to the state in an agreement with Attorney General Jay Nixon.

The assurance of voluntary compliance between Nixon and Challenge Financial Investors Corporation of St. Petersburg, Fla. was filed today in St. Louis City Circuit Court. Nixon is alleging that during August and September of 2006, the defendant violated the state law 46 times through telemarketing phone calls to Missourians on the No Call list to market and sell home mortgage products.

Under the agreement, the defendant must implement new policies and procedures that ensure the company will be in compliance with Missouri’s No Call law in the future, and provide a detailed report of such policies to the Attorney General’s office. Challenge Financial Investors must also subscribe to and remain current with the state No Call list, and provide training for their employees engaged in telemarketing in compliance with Missouri telecommunications merchandising practices.

The defendant must also make a payment of $10,000 to state upon exhibition of the agreement, and also will be liable to pay a civil penalty of $5,000 for any future violations of Missouri’s No Call law.

“It is nearly six years since our No Call law went into effect here in Missouri, and regrettably, there are some telemarketers who still haven’t gotten the message,” Nixon said. “Let me reassure all Missourians that my office remains committed to aggressive enforcement of the law.”

Missourians can sign up for the state’s No Call list by going to ago.mo.gov or by calling toll-free 1-866 NO CALL 1 (1-866-662-2551). Complaints about No Call violations can be reported to the same Web site and telephone number.

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 the Press Secretary.

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