Attorney General's News Release

May 6, 2002

Nixon sues St. Peters auto transport service, saying Chipmunk Transportation didn't deliver after being paid

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today sued a St. Peters automobile transport service and its owner, saying they took money from consumers around the country but then failed to refund down payments — and in some cases, full payments — after the vehicles were not picked up or delivered.

Nixon filed the lawsuit in St. Charles County Circuit Court against Caren R. Vinson and two businesses she owns, Chipmunk Transportation Inc. and Chipmunk Auto Logistics Inc. The lawsuit charges that at least 22 consumers from around the country paid more than $5,400 total to Chipmunk Transportation to have their vehicles picked up and delivered to another location, sometimes thousands of miles away. The customers who filed complaints with the Attorney General's Office lost between $50 to $895 apiece.

When Chipmunk failed to pick up the vehicles, those customers were unable to obtain refunds. Nixon said Chipmunk employees, including Vinson and an associate named Alvin L. Baldwin, did not inform consumers that their payments or down payments were nonrefundable or misled them into believing that refunds would be forthcoming.

"It didn't take long for consumers to figure out that something squirrelly was going on when Chipmunk didn't pick up their vehicles, as promised and paid for, and then didn't provide refunds," Nixon said.

Nixon is asking the court to order Vinson and her businesses to pay restitution to any customers who lost money because of their practices, as well as penalties and court and investigative costs. The Attorney General also asked the court to prohibit the defendants from future violations of Missouri consumer protection laws.

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