The Federal Trade Commission filed a civil complaint in federal court Tuesday accusing Salt Lake-based promoters of home business ventures of deceptive practices.
According to the FTC, the home business promoters resorted to "false and misleading" infomercials, seminars, advertising and telemarketing nationwide to sell get-rich-quick home business ventures and training courses.Named in the complaint were well-know Salt Lake promoter Mark O. Haroldsen; Freecom Communications Inc.; Financial Freedom Report Inc.; Silent Sales Force Inc.; Eleva Inc.; American Home Business Association Inc.; FFR Marketing; Robert Brazell; Don S. Gull; Kelly Haroldsen; Annette Brazell and Dana Gull.
The FTC identifies Mark O. Haroldsen as the director and majority stockholder of Freecom Communications, Silent Sales Force and Eleva, all of which are located at 4505 S. Wasatch Blvd.
The complaint said the defendants have maintained a "substantial course of trade" in the offering for sale of home-based business ventures through advertising that uses "testimonials" of people who have purportedly made a lot of money fast.
"In truth and in fact, few, if any, purchasers of defendants' home-based business ventures earn substantial income from these ventures," the FTC said.
The FTC asked the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City to order financial redress to all of the injured consumers and bar the defendants from further misleading sales practices.