Arizona AG settles with vacuum seller over fraud, ‘do not call’ allegations

PHOENIX — The Arizona Attorney General’s Office has reached a $600,000 settlement with a Sun City vacuum seller over fraud allegations and thousands of “do not call” violations.

The state’s 2018 civil complaint said that Island Don, Inc., which does business as Bright & Shiny Cleaning Company, made about 28,000 calls between September 2017 and July 2018 to potential customers that were on the National Do Not Call Registry.

The company also allegedly solicited customers over the phone and made in-home appointments by promising free carpet and furniture cleanings without mentioning the cleanings were part of a sales pitch, according to the consent judgement.

Bright & Shiny would tell customers the cleanings would last an hour, but some sales representatives would stay in homes for up to five hours, according to the consent judgement.

“I have zero tolerance for illegal telemarketing calls, which are incredibly annoying and frustrating,” Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a press release. “Businesses should see this settlement as proof that if you violate Arizona’s telemarketing and consumer protection laws, the Attorney General’s Office will vigorously pursue you.”

The company will pay $500,000 in restitution and $100,000 in civil penalties as part of the consent judgement.

The Attorney General’s Office has discretion on how to distribute restitution funds and customers who have bought a vacuum since Jan. 1, 2014 are eligible for the funds.

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