July 26, 2008
Attorney General Bill McCollum News Release
May 13, 2008
  en Español

Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150

Attorney General McCollum Announces Agreement with Tampa Publishing Company

~ Company will offer a refund program that will include refunds of up to $1.2 million ~


TALLAHASSEE, FL - Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has reached an agreement with a Tampa business that markets and sells books and other publications to government agencies, law firms and businesses nationwide. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division launched an investigation into Thompson Publishing Group, Inc. after the Attorney General’s law librarian received a publication she did not order and was subsequently billed for that publication. Under the agreement, the company must now provide refunds to customers who were billed for materials they did not request.

In 2006, Thompson began enrolling many of its customers who purchased books and other publications in an “Automatic Update Program.” Under the program, Thompson periodically sent publications to customers without receiving a prior order. The company will now offer a refund program that will include refunds of up to $1.2 million.

To provide the refunds, Thompson will send notices to all customers nationwide who paid for publications shipped in the Automatic Update Program or as “free” merchandise. The notice will include a form consumers may use to claim a refund for the products purchased. Additionally, the agreement requires that in the event that Thompson decides to offer an automatic shipment plan in the future, the company must clearly and conspicuously disclose all of the terms and conditions of the plan before enrolling customers.

In addition to the consumer refunds, Thompson will reimburse the state $450,000 for the cost of its investigation. Thompson, which also has offices in Washington D.C., and Austin, Texas, has cooperated with the investigation.

A copy of the agreement is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/KGRG-7ELQ6F/$file/ThompsonAVC.pdf.