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Virginia's Attorney General is taking legal action in an attempt to shut to the Virginia Employment Services. NewsChannel 3 took action and began investigating the agency that promise to find people work for a fee, but as dozens of people told NewsChannel 3, they rarely delivered.
The Attorney General has heard similar stories. The company is now accused of violating the Virginia Consumer Protection Act by posting job opportunites in local newspapers and on the Internet. The AG's office says that VES charges consumers hundreds of dollars in membership fees in exchange for guaranteed jobs but then offered little or no assistance in finding work.
The companies refused to provide refunds, and made unauthorized charges to debit and credit cards, causing consumers to incur over-the-limit and overdraft fees. Two of the companies have shared office locations. James or Karla O'Leary served as principals for each of the companies. The Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office settled with another O'Leary company, Jobs Plus, Inc., in 2006 under its authority to enforce the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. Since then, it collected complaints about the other three companies, but turned these complaints over to the Attorney General's Office on March 27, 2009.
NewsChannel 3 began looking in to the practices of VES in early March, part of the investigation included asking the Commonwealth Attorney and the Attorney General why they have not taken action against the company.
The Attorney General's Office investigated the complaints, obtained extensive records from the targeted companies and met with representatives. When the companies refused to reimburse consumers or halt prohibited conduct, the Attorney General filed suit. "People are working so hard to get through these tough times," Attorney General Mims said. "And yet, Virginia Employment Services used this as an opening to solicit those who can afford it the least -- people who are desperately seeking jobs. These people should get their money back, and the prohibited conduct brought to a halt."
The Attorney General's lawsuit seeks full reimbursement to each consumer for "membership" fees (typically $365 or more), as well as reimbursement for over-the-limit fees and overdraft fees incurred by unauthorized charges. It also requests a permanent injunction from such conduct in the future, as well as civil penalties and attorneys' fees. Consumers should report such activities of Virginia Employment Services or any other company to the Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-552-9963 or www.vdacs.virginia.gov
The Attorney General has heard similar stories. The company is now accused of violating the Virginia Consumer Protection Act by posting job opportunites in local newspapers and on the Internet. The AG's office says that VES charges consumers hundreds of dollars in membership fees in exchange for guaranteed jobs but then offered little or no assistance in finding work.
The companies refused to provide refunds, and made unauthorized charges to debit and credit cards, causing consumers to incur over-the-limit and overdraft fees. Two of the companies have shared office locations. James or Karla O'Leary served as principals for each of the companies. The Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office settled with another O'Leary company, Jobs Plus, Inc., in 2006 under its authority to enforce the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. Since then, it collected complaints about the other three companies, but turned these complaints over to the Attorney General's Office on March 27, 2009.
NewsChannel 3 began looking in to the practices of VES in early March, part of the investigation included asking the Commonwealth Attorney and the Attorney General why they have not taken action against the company.
The Attorney General's Office investigated the complaints, obtained extensive records from the targeted companies and met with representatives. When the companies refused to reimburse consumers or halt prohibited conduct, the Attorney General filed suit. "People are working so hard to get through these tough times," Attorney General Mims said. "And yet, Virginia Employment Services used this as an opening to solicit those who can afford it the least -- people who are desperately seeking jobs. These people should get their money back, and the prohibited conduct brought to a halt."
The Attorney General's lawsuit seeks full reimbursement to each consumer for "membership" fees (typically $365 or more), as well as reimbursement for over-the-limit fees and overdraft fees incurred by unauthorized charges. It also requests a permanent injunction from such conduct in the future, as well as civil penalties and attorneys' fees. Consumers should report such activities of Virginia Employment Services or any other company to the Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-552-9963 or www.vdacs.virginia.gov
