The law takes on Miss Cleo.

AP Wednesday July 25 8:02 AM ET

TV Psychic Accused of Consumer Fraud
By PAUL SLOCA, Associated Press Writer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's attorney general has filed lawsuits against a television psychic hot line for allegedly violating the state's no-call law and consumer fraud.

``Miss Cleo should have seen this coming,'' Attorney General Jay Nixon said. ``It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize that ripping off consumers isn't without consequences.''

Nixon filed two suits Tuesday against Access Resources Services Inc., a Florida company best-known for promoting Miss Cleo's tarot psychic reading.

Speaking with a Caribbean accent, Miss Cleo appears in national television commercials promising insights into love, money and other personal matters.

The lawsuits filed in St. Louis Circuit Court allege 94 violations of the state's no-call list. The company faces fines of up to $5,000 per violation if found liable for calling people who requested privacy.

Sean Moynihan, a New York City-based attorney representing Access, said the state has no basis for suing the company.

``We strongly disagree with the contentions that are raised in the lawsuits,'' Moynihan said. ``We are very anxious to work with the attorney general to demonstrate that the business practices of Access are proper and do adhere to the law.''

Nixon said Missourians were billed for free services and that the company misrepresented reduced rates and waiver fees. For example, customers spent three minutes on the phone providing information including a name, address and phone number then were charged for time spent on hold waiting to speak with a psychic.

Missouri residents who never requested the service, including deceased people, have received bills for Miss Cleo's services, Nixon said. Moynihan said telephone companies are responsible for billing, not the company.

The company also charged consumers for calls made by minors who did not receive parental consent, Nixon said. Moynihan said the company has safeguards to prevent minors from calling, and only those who lie about their age can get through to the psychic.

Mark Pryor, Arkansas' attorney general, sued Access last year for alleged fraud, saying the company had ``used just about every trick in the book to mislead and overbill consumers.''

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PRICELESS.

No way should "Miss Cleo" and her "gang" be singled out. There have been many agencies doing this for some time now, for years. Are they going to go after those companies as well? Or, has Miss Cleo made too, too much money?

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif

She still hasn't called me. Thank God for Privacy Director. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Wow. I was angry at getting porno e-mail. I was looking through the classifieds and there was an opening for people to answer the psychic line. I was like so now you have to be psychic too, to get a job.

hey gang!

I was watching the news on Fox and I didn't hear all of it, but the Cleo network is being sued by the FCC or something like that because of false advertising and they did mention this phone thing you guys are talking about. I hope it comes back on so I can see the whole story, but man I can't believe she is calling you guys like that! lol!

QTE

I heard from a Soror at my Chapter's Retreat today that Miss Cleo is filing for Bankruptcy...

hmmmmmmmmm.

Filing for Bankruptcy?!

She's "psychic" can't she hook herself up with some lotto numbers?

Well I guess that's why she's having a "clearance" sale of sorts... She is only charging 0.99/min now. Have you all seen this commercial?

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"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."
Henry David Thoreau

Nubian, you are caaarazy!

Man, I am so glad I didn't go to work today. The GCers are in rare form today.

ROTFLMPAO!!!

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Smooches

She's everywhere
 

Miss Cleo has infected the Jim Rome Internet streaming audio with radio commercials. Poof! Be gone!
:mad:

Re: She's everywhere
 

Girl, you listen to Jim Rome, too ?!

Re: Re: She's everywhere
 

Yes, girl, I'm a clone. Been listening to Jim since 1994, but have never called or e-mailed.

Jim was rolling today, jumping on that little sissified Arizona Cardinals kicker, calling out C-Town football rioters, the whole nine. He also does wicked Mike Tyson imitations.
:D

Re: Re: Re: She's everywhere
 

Now see in Atlanta, we only get his last two hours. He said he spent a lot of the first hour on Bill Gramatica. I'm mad I missed it. How embarassing.

But I switch between the Dan Patrick Show and Jim Rome. I don't care too much for the callers on Jim's show but Jim is hilarious. I listen to sports radio all day at work. I can't stand the music stations.

Re: Re: Re: She's everywhere
 

Whoever this dude is, he better back up offa Cleveland! LOL :)

Re: Re: Re: Re: She's everywhere
 

Some of Jim's callers are a bit much. But others are funny, like Jeff in Richmond, Silk-braah, Kerwin in Riverside. And the faxers are funny, including Dark Gable, who says he's a member of Omega Psi Phi.