Missouri Sues TV Psychic

By
Paul Sloca
January 7, 2006, 10:21 AM ET
2 min read

J E F F E R S O N   C I T Y, Mo., July 25, 2001 -- 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 JayNixon said. "It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize thatripping off consumers isn't without consequences."

Nixon filed two suits Tuesday against Access Resources ServicesInc., a Florida company best-known for promoting Miss Cleo's tarotpsychic reading.

Speaking with a Caribbean accent, Miss Cleo appears in nationaltelevision commercials promising insights into love, money andother personal matters.

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

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

"We strongly disagree with the contentions that are raised inthe lawsuits," Moynihan said. "We are very anxious to work withthe attorney general to demonstrate that the business practices ofAccess are proper and do adhere to the law."

Déjà Vu for Psychic

Nixon said Missourians were billed for free services and thatthe company misrepresented reduced rates and waiver fees. Forexample, customers spent three minutes on the phone providinginformation including a name, address and phone number then werecharged for time spent on hold waiting to speak with a psychic.

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

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

Mark Pryor, Arkansas' attorney general, sued Access last yearfor alleged fraud, saying the company had "used just about everytrick in the book to mislead and overbill consumers."