Attorney General Jim Petro today sued a Columbus man for deceiving and bullying area consumers into paying him thousands of dollars for ?credit counseling? services he didn?t perform and isn?t authorized to sell in Ohio, violating several sections of Ohio?s consumer protection law.
Petro filed the lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court against Robert E. Haines, 8177 Lake Bluff Court, Columbus, who also does business under the name Debt Freedom Foundation, alleging numerous violations of the state?s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Credit Services Organization Act. Haines rebuffed attempts by the Attorney General?s Office to mediate complaints the office received about his company, Petro said.
?This man dishonestly held himself out as a credit counseling services organization that helps people get out of debt,? Petro said. ?In fact, it was a ruse to convince unsuspecting homeowners to refinance their homes and give him a portion of the borrowed money. Mr. Haines preyed on good people?s trusting nature, and our action in court will bring him to account for that.?
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