Stenehjem
BISMARCK, N.D. (Legal Newsline) - North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued a cease and desist order on Wednesday against All American Pages Inc. and its purported owner for alleged violations of state consumer fraud law.
All American Pages Inc. and German Lebedev, an individual associated with the company, allegedly sent a $479 invoice requesting payment for telephone directory services to a North Dakota business. The business never requested the services.
Fraudulent invoice solicitations are a violation of North Dakota consumer fraud law.
"Employees of North Dakota businesses often unwittingly approve these invoices and process payment because the invoices look legitimate and they assume the telephone directory services were previously approved by another staff member," Stenehjem said.
The Better Business Bureau received nine complaints in total against All American Pages.
Stenehjem sent an order to produce information to the company but it failed to respond.
"I am very concerned when an entity refuses to respond to an official law enforcement inquiry," Stenehjem said. "The failure to cooperate was an additional factor that prompted the issuance of a cease and desist order."
In 2010, Stenehjem's Consumer Protection Division received six complaints against a Baltimore business with the same name and services.
According to Better Business Bureau records, All American Pages is also affiliated with American Yellow Directories at the same Chicago mail drop box address. All American Pages and American Yellow Directories are allegedly engaged in a fake invoice factory under multiple business names.