Bronson Files Lawsuit Against Company For Unfair And Deceptive Trade Practice
For Information, Contact:
Tony McDowell
(850) 410-3771
September 18, 2008
TALLAHASSEE – Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced that he has taken legal action against an Arkansas company for violating Florida’s “Seller of Travel Act” law.
A lawsuit filed in Osceola County Circuit Court alleges that NB Management, LLC, which does business in Central Florida as Coastal Vacations, Coastal Club Vacations and Cross Country Vacations, failed to obtain a license to sell travel and post a surety bond.
In addition, investigators with Bronson’s Division of Consumer Services and Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement served an immediate final order on NB Management, LLC, and its owner Al Romine at a hotel resort in Kissimmee where the company was engaged in a seminar to sell prospective investors travel business plans and related services. This action ordered the company to cease and desist its activities involving the sale of travel or services related to the sale of travel.
The Department has received 67 consumer complaints against the company. In addition, the company is accused of failing, after notice, to provide information to the Department regarding the company’s activities within Florida. The company sells packages that allow individuals to start their own seller-of-travel business which includes travel packages. The company has failed to get licensed despite numerous attempts by the Department.
“This company has repeatedly ignored our efforts to get them to comply with the seller of travel law and has continued to sell travel services to Florida consumers,” Bronson said. “The message is that this activity will not be tolerated.”
The legal action seeks an injunction prohibiting NB Management, LLC, along with its other companies, from violating the unfair and deceptive trade practices statute and fines up to $10,000 for each of the violations involving unlicensed activities regarding the selling of travel.
Consumers who wish to file a complaint against the company can call the Department’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-HELPFLA (1-800-435-7352) or visit the Division of Consumer Services website at www.800helpfla.com.
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