FTC Says Psychic Hot Line Is Fraud

The Federal Trade Commission says the psychic Miss Cleo's crystal ball is shady.

In a court suit filed yesterday, the FTC said the psychic hot line promoted by Miss Cleo is "permeated with fraud."

The hot line charges for services that are advertised as free, bills customers for services that were never purchased, threatens to report consumers who challenge their bills to credit-reporting bureaus, and harasses consumers by repeatedly calling their homes, the complaint said.

The FTC is seeking a temporary restraining order, asking that the two companies that run the psychic operations be placed in receivership to make sure the deceptive and fraudulent business practices are immediately stopped and the assets are frozen for possible future consumer redress.

"I'm not a psychic but the only crystal ball I have says the FTC will continue to stop unfair and deceptive practices," said J. Howard Beales III, the director of the agency's bureau of consumer protection. "It's a mystery to us why Miss Cleo and her employees haven't seen this coming."
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thanks to Unknown News