Koster sues three firms over telemarketing violations

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced today his office filed suit against three firms for allegedly violating the state’s telemarketing and no-call laws.

The suits are against Missouri-based Lawn Pro Turf Maintenance, Delaware-based e-Degree Advisors and Nevada-based Courtesy Call, according to a news release.

In the lawsuits, Koster alleges:
    •    Lawn Pro made tens of thousands of calls attempting to sell lawn-care services to repeatedly to Missourians who asked not to be contacted again;
    •    E-Degree called residents on the no-call list to solicit higher education enrollment; and
    •    Courtesy Call requested charitable donations from consumers who requested not to be contacted.

Koster is asking for a court order that would penalize the firms to the tune of $5,000 in penalties for each violation of Missouri’s no-call law, according to the release.

“Missouri’s no-call law is very clear in its aim to protect those on the list from unwanted calls,” Koster said in the release. “There is no excuse for a business to barrage consumers with these unwanted phone calls, and we will aggressively target those who continue to do so.”