Attorney General's News Release

July 24, 2001

Nixon sues TV ad psychic Miss Cleo for fraud and No Call law violations; says "she should have seen this coming"

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon filed two lawsuits against a TV psychic hot line best known for promoting Miss Cleo's psychic readings. The lawsuits allege violations of Missouri's new No Call law and other consumer fraud violations.

Nixon today filed suit in St. Louis Circuit Court against Florida-based Access Resource Services Inc. alleging 94 violations of the No Call law by making telemarketing calls to Missourians on the No Call list. The proprietors of the hot line face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation if found liable.

Nixon yesterday obtained a temporary restraining order against the company in Jackson County Circuit Court from further violating Missouri consumer protection laws by billing customers for advertised free services such as tarot and psychic readings and misrepresenting reduced rates and fee waivers for the first three minutes of each phone call. Customers spent the three minutes providing information such as name, address and phone number and then were charged for time spent on hold waiting to speak with its psychic.

"Miss Cleo should have seen this coming," Nixon said. "It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize that ripping off consumers isn't without consequences. I predict the courts will see that Miss Cleo pays for a serious lack of foresight."

Nixon said Missouri residents who have never requested services from the psychic hot line have received bills, including dead persons. The Florida business also charged consumers for calls made by minors without first obtaining parental consent even though the hotline advertises that its services are for persons older than 18. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and an injunction to prohibit the business from future violations of Missouri's consumer protection laws.

The No Call lawsuit is the second filed by Nixon since the law went into effect July 1. Four other telemarketers have paid a total of $20,000 in civil penalties and have agreed to obtain a copy of the No Call list and refrain from calling consumers on the list.

Missourians can still register their home phone numbers on the No Call list at no cost, either online or by calling toll-free 1-866 NO CALL 1 (1-866-662-2551). Nixon reminded Missourians who haven't registered to sign up by Aug. 1 in order to be covered by Oct. 1. More than 610,000 phone numbers are on the No Call list, representing about 1.5 million Missourians.

Those already on the No Call list may file complaints about telemarketing calls by downloading a complaint form or by calling the toll-free number.

Telemarketers can obtain information on how to get a copy of the database containing the telephone numbers on the No Call list. The cost of the database is $25 and is updated four times a year.

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