Telemarketer ordered to stop pitching car warranties

Raleigh, N.C. — A Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday against a telemarketer who has been pitching car warranties to seniors, officials said.

Under the order, Automotive Protection of New Jersey and its manager, Christopher Doyle, must stop illegally telemarketing to North Carolinians and quit taking their money, Attorney General Roy Cooper said.

“Calling people on the 'Do Not Call list' and trying to trick them is no way to do business,” Cooper said in a statement. “We’re taking action to stop the calls and try to win money back for consumers.”

Cooper contends Automotive Protection targeted consumers age 65 or older, called people who had signed up for the Do Not Call Registry to stop telemarketing calls and misrepresented the terms of its auto warranties. Twenty-four consumers complained about the company's tactics, he said.

Cooper wants a permanent injunction against the company’s illegal telemarketing calls and deceptive sales practices and an order requiring the company to pay consumer refunds and civil penalties.

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Latest Comments

Watch what you do. If your on the Do not call list, and you sign up for so called "Free offers" or things like "Chance to Win a Prize" the fine print will sometimes tell you your omitting yourself form do not call so they can contact you. I have NO clue why telemarketing is still even a business. I have never purchased anything from someone that called me, nor do I know anyone that has ever done this in my entire life.

dhamma
February 6, 2009 3:24 p.m.

Now if he would only take on "Heather from Account Services" and her offer to lower our credit card rates before it's too late....

Snakebite Survivor
February 6, 2009 1:23 p.m.

If they are targeting people on the Do Not Call list, they should be made into an example.

It's entirely excusable from my point of view to receive one call by accident even though I'm on the Do Not Call list. However, if I found out that I had been targeted because I'm on the Do Not Call list, I wouldn't care if it was a legitimate business or not....it's inexcusable.

DougWare.NET
February 6, 2009 1:23 p.m.

I am in the car business and I have had my customers calling me to check on their warranty even on NEW cars. Never buy warranties over the phone. Your dealer will have the best options for you and your car.

pennytward
February 6, 2009 1:17 p.m.

Yea, they called me on a 2004 Chevrolet I sold a year ago...I led them down a hopeful road, then told them to get lost.