Attorney General's News Release

April 20, 1995

Nixon gets court order to stop misleading auto sales promotion

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a court order to stop a Raytown man from marketing a misleading sales promotion to automobile dealers to send to potential customers. Nixon alleged that the sales promotion by Stephen P. Revell and his company, Marketing Dynamics Inc., violates Missouri merchandising practices laws.

The promotion, faxed to dealers March 31, states that the letter to consumers “gives the impression that vehicles are being liquidated by the DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES in your state.” The letter has a return address of Department of Motor Vehicles in Kansas City.

“This promotion is an attempt to make consumers believe that a state agency is involved in the commercial liquidation of vehicles through automobile dealers,” Nixon said. “The Division of Motor Vehicles, a division of the Missouri Department of Revenue, has nothing to do with this promotion. We took this to court to prevent Mr. Revell from using this misleading promotion.”

The Attorney General's Office began its investigation after an automobile dealer in southwest Missouri who had been solicited by Revell contacted the Motor Vehicle Commission. Nixon said he was not aware that any of the automobile dealers solicited actually participated in the promotion.

The temporary restraining order issued by the Jackson County Circuit Court stops Revell from continuing the sales promotion and orders him to rescind any contracts he had with automobile dealers related to the promotion. Nixon also asked the court to order Revell to pay any penalties, restitution and court costs that the court believed to be appropriate.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818