Oregon penalizes LV company

Monday, May 1, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

The Oregon Attorney General's office said Consumer Credit Services Inc. of Las Vegas agreed to change its marketing practices and provide refunds to more than 600 Oregon-based customers.

The agreement, which admits no violation of the law, calls for the company to make a full refund offer to Oregon clients as well as pay a $10,000 fine to the Department of Justice consumer protection and education fund.

The state alleged that in 1998 and 1999 CCS mailed offers to thousands of Oregon customers willing to pay between $150 and $170 for credit cards that could only be used to buy goods out of the company's catalog. Consumers were also led to believe they could receive up to $5,500 in cash advances at an 11.99 percent interest rate.

The state alleges that consumers were only eligible to receive between $20 and $150 cash advances through a complicated check cashing arrangement.

A spokeswoman for the Consumer Affairs Division of the Nevada Attorney General's office said there were no current Nevada complaints against CCS.

However, spokeswoman Jane Femiano said that in June 1998 the company was fined $5,000 for misleading ads in Nevada. In agreeing to pay that fine, CCS admitted no guilt.