Missouri Sues Miss Cleo
If you have watched much television at all, you’ve probably seen the ubiquitous ads for psychic and tarot card readings featuring the annoying Miss Cleo. Missouri’s attorney general recently announced the filing of two lawsuits against the company behind those adds, Access Resource Services Inc., for false advertising, fraud, and other unlawful business practices.
The ads promise that the first three minutes of the reading are free, but Access Resources Services uses a classic bait and switch. They keep they keep the caller occupied on hold or taking down information for the first three minutes. The caller assumes his or her free three minutes start when the actual discussion with the alleged psychic begins, but in fact the three minutes starts counting down as soon as the service answers the phone.
Attorney General Jay Nixon told CNN that Miss Cleo shouldn’t be surprised at the lawsuit.
They should’ve seen it coming, whether they were psychic or not. The fact that they didn’t see it coming shows they aren’t psychic.
The company also allegedly billed people for calls never made and even went so far as apparently billing for calls that were supposedly made by people who had died prior to the date of the supposed call.
Source:
Missouri sues TV psychic Miss Cleo’s hotline. CNN, July 26, 2001.
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