Madigan
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against a California-based telecommunications maintenance company that allegedly tried to defraud Illinois schools, businesses and government agencies.
The lawsuit, filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court, alleges that UST Development Inc., doing business as US Telecom, issued fraudulent invoices to supposed customers throughout the state for telecommunications maintenance services. The invoices allegedly tried to defraud customers for as much as $400 per invoice for services that were never requested or authorized.
"This company made up charges out of thin air," Madigan said. "We didn't have to go very far to find the evidence of this scam since fake invoices were also sent to my office."
The invoices allegedly falsely led some consumers to think that they contracted with UST for telephone maintenance services. None of the entities receiving an invoice actually agreed or gave authorization to receive the services from UST and none of them heard of the company prior to receiving the invoice.