Attorney General Settles with Auto Sales Marketer

BALTIMORE, MD (August 15, 2007) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with Team Velocity, Inc., a Virginia-based company that sent “prize notices” to Maryland consumers enticing them to come to events held at Maryland auto dealers.

The Division alleged that Team Velocity violated Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act and the Federal Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act by sending out notices that misled consumers about the number of prizes that would be available and restrictions on prize usage. Consumers were required to come to auto showrooms to claim their prize. Team Velocity denied that it violated the law.

As a result of the settlement, Team Velocity has changed its notices to comply with Maryland and federal law and agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty to the Consumer Protection Division.