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| For
Immediate Release: |
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For
Further Information Contact: |
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| February
8, 2006
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| Office
of The Attorney General
-
Zulima V. Farber, Attorney General
Division
of Consumer Affairs
Kimberly Ricketts, Director
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State
Sues TruGreen ChemLawn
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NEWARK
– The Attorney General’s Office
and Division of Consumer Affairs have
filed suit against TruGreen Limited Partnership
("TruGreen"), alleging that
the company violated the state’s
Consumer Fraud Act by performing unauthorized
lawn treatments in addition to other infractions,
Attorney General Zulima V. Farber and
Consumer Affairs Director Kimberly Ricketts
announced.
The State’s complaint, filed in
State Superior Court in Middlesex County,
alleges that TruGreen engaged in unconscionable
commercial practices, made false promises
and misrepresentations, and knowingly
omitted material facts. The State is seeking
restitution for customers and civil penalties.
Between 2000 and 2005, Consumer Affairs
received 68 complaints from TruGreen customers.
"We
allege that this lawn care company misled
customers about its prices and charged
customers for lawn treatments they did
not request or authorize," said Attorney
General Farber. "We are prepared
to take legal action whenever necessary
to ensure that New Jersey consumers get
a fair and honest deal."
TruGreen, which does business as TruGreen
ChemLawn, is alleged to have:
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Provided lawn treatment applications
not authorized by consumers;
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Renewed
agreements for applications without
the consumer’s knowledge or consent;
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Billed
consumers for unauthorized applications;
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Charged
consumers for applications that were
advertised or represented as being free;
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Quoted
a price above the company’s regular
price and then offered a "discount
price" that in fact was equal to
the company’s regular price;
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Sent
to collection agencies the accounts
of consumers who received unauthorized
treatment applications or unauthorized
service renewals;
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Failed
to suspend collection efforts after
being informed by a consumer that a
bill was unjustified;
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Failed to honor consumers’ requests
to cancel treatment applications;
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Failed
to respond to consumer complaints and
inquiries;
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Misrepresented
the actual price of treatment applications;
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Failed
to notify customers of scheduled application
dates as promised; and
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Failed to honor consumers’ requests
for credits or refunds for unauthorized
applications as promised.
"We
allege that TruGreen simply did what it
wanted to do regardless of what consumers
wanted. We expect companies to be responsive
when a consumer contacts them and instructs
that service be discontinued, billing
disputes be resolved or problems be addressed.
It is unconscionable that consumers who
allegedly never authorized lawn treatments
were hounded by collection agencies for
payment," Director Ricketts said.
Deputy Attorney General Nicholas B. Armstrong
is representing the State in this matter.
#
# #
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