CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION ISSUES CEASE AND DESIST ORDER AGAINST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS IN HAGERSTOWN

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a cease and desist order against a wedding photography business that it alleges took payments from consumers for wedding photography services but failed to provide the wedding photographs.

The Division has charged Gary L. Knode, Jr. with taking money from consumers for photography goods and services, but failing to actually provide consumers with the goods and services or a refund. Mr. Knode operates Firefly Fotografic at 625 Potomac Avenue, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. His business formerly was known as Picket Fence Fine Portraiture. Mr. Knode met with consumers in their homes and collected thousands of dollars from them for wedding photography services, but failed to provide them with their wedding photographs and portraits.

The Division’s order immediately bars Knode, individually and doing business as Firefly Fotografic and Picket Fence Fine Portraiture, from acting or offering to act as a photography business and from collecting advance payments from consumers. The order further requires Knode to pay restitution to all consumers who paid him for photography goods and services but did not receive their wedding photographs and other goods. "The failure of this company to provide wedding photographs robbed consumers of something that is irreplaceable," said Curran. "Companies that offer wedding photography services and collect advance payments must provide the photographs for which the consumers paid."

A hearing has been scheduled for September 20, 2005 at the Office of Administrative Hearings. Consumers who have had problems with Knode or one of his businesses, Firefly Fotografic or Picket Fence Fine Portraiture, should call the Consumer Protection Division at (410) 576-6569.

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