Attorney General's News Release

April 20, 2007

Butler vehicle customizing business will stop defrauding its customers under injunction obtained by Nixon

Butler, Mo. — A southwest Missouri vehicle customizing business that allegedly took thousands of dollars of payment from consumers without finishing the jobs will cease the fraudulent practice under a consent preliminary injunction obtained by Attorney General Jay Nixon. The court order against Pro-Line Truck and Trailer of Butler, filed Thursday (April 19) in Bates County Circuit Court, also requires the business to establish an escrow account to accurately document all down payments received from consumers for close future scrutiny by the Attorney General’s Office.

Pro-Line Truck and Trailer engaged in the advertisement and sale of customizing services for trucks, trailers and recreational vehicles. According to Nixon, two consumers alleged that they paid Pro-Line a total of nearly $70,000 to have a trailer built or to have extensive repairs done to a mobile home, only to have the Pro-Line fail to complete the jobs:

• A man from Alabama contracted with Pro-Line and its owner, Bart Allen, to purchase a 47-foot enclosed trailer, which was to be built to the consumer’s specifications, in December 2005. The consumer paid defendant Allen $17,000 for the job, which was to be completed in March 2006. Over the course of the next 16 months, Allen made requests for additional payments he said he needed to finish the job. By this month, the job was still not completed and the consumer had paid Allen a total of $33,500, with no refunds.
• A couple from San Diego paid Pro-Line a $21,000 deposit to remove and install a new body in their motor home in March 2006. Work on the vehicle was supposed to be completed in August 2006. Over the course of the next six months, Allen made requests for additional payments he said he needed for upgrades. In September 2006, one of the consumers traveled from California to Butler to see what was going on and found the vehicle completely disassembled with no rebuilding having taken place. The consumer repossessed the vehicle and component parts after having paid Pro-Line a total of $35,500.

“It’s outrageous that consumers paid thousands of dollars, or went to the considerable inconvenience of transporting a mobile home all the way to Missouri for repairs, only to be met with frustration,” Nixon said. “I am pleased that with today’s injunction, my office will now be able to closely scrutinize Pro-Line’s financial books to make sure they do not scam other consumers,” he said.

Nixon added that his office is still actively investigating additional consumer complaints regarding Pro-Line’s business practices.

Under the court order, Pro-Line must stop violating Missouri consumer protection laws and provide a complete accounting of its finances through the establishment of an escrow account within five days. The escrow account will document all money paid by consumers to the business for service, the name of the consumer, the service to be provided and the date the service is expected to be completed. The information is to be submitted to the Attorney General’s Office on a weekly basis.

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