Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is highlighting recent actions the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team





Share or view as webpage [ [link removed] ] | Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ]






Michigan Department of Attorney General Press Release banner [ [link removed] ]




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
September 4, 2025




*Media Contact:*
Danny Wimmer <[email protected]>






Attorney General Nessel Highlights Consumer Protection Actions Against Out-of-State Actors Exploiting Michiganders

*LANSING* – Today, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is highlighting recent actions the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team has taken against out-of-state businesses and individuals accused of taking advantage of Michigan residents. The Department has recently filed lawsuits and secured judgments involving deceptive trade practices, fraudulent companies, and unfair treatment of Michigan consumers. 

“Our Consumer Protection Team delivers real results for Michigan residents by pursuing scammers and fraudsters who think they can take advantage of people in our state,” Nessel said. “These cases are just a few examples of why this work matters, because without it, bad actors would continue to prey on hardworking people with no one to hold them accountable. My office will continue to fight for Michiganders and ensure those who try to exploit them are stopped.” 

*Attorney General Nessel Files Lawsuit Against Ohio Man Operating Tree Service * 

The Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against an Ohio resident who allegedly deceptively operated under the business name Everest and marketed property maintenance and tree services to Battle Creek residents. The lawsuit alleges:  


* The defendant misrepresented Everest as a legitimate company, when no such company exists;
* Consumers were misled about the company’s location and falsely told it was based in Kalamazoo; and
* The defendant engaged in unfair business practices, including coercively inflating prices after oral agreements and charging grossly excessive amounts for the work provided. 

The lawsuit seeks money damages for impacted Michigan residents, civil fines for violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, and an injunction preventing the defendant from engaging in tree services and all other trade and commerce with Michigan consumers.  

*Attorney General Secures Judgment Against Mississippi Man and Drop-Shipping LLC* 

Attorney General Nessel secured a judgment (PDF) [ [link removed] ] from the Ingham County Circuit Court for damages, costs and fees of more than $100,000 against Mississippi resident Benjamin Moody and his company, ACF Wholesale, which sold furniture as a drop-shipping model business. The Attorney General filed a lawsuit last year against Moody and his company for their deceptive practices [ [link removed] ]. A recent court ruling has affirmed Michigan’s enforcement efforts despite an attempt to invalidate the judgment in Mississippi. 

A drop-shipper acts only as an intermediary between a customer and a manufacturer, typically another retailer or wholesaler, who ships the product directly to the buyer. The typical drop-shipper is positioned between the customer and supplier, does not maintain a stock of merchandise, places orders with suppliers after items are ordered from their storefront, charges in excess of the price they pay for the merchandise as profit, and never sees or handles the products they sell. 

While drop-shipping itself is not illegal, ACF Wholesale took orders and payments for furniture and failed to deliver it, fabricated excuses for delay and non-delivery and, in many instances, failed to provide refunds despite promises to do so.  

*Attorney General Nessel Secures Relief Against Vehicle Service C**ontracts Company * 

The Attorney General has also secured a default judgment (PDF) [ [link removed] ] against Opulent Marketing, Inc., Infiniteautoprotection.com, Adam Hakim, Albert Hakim, and U.S. Auto Management LLC totaling more than $500,000 in fines and other relief after filing a lawsuit earlier this year for deceptive business practices [ [link removed] ]. Attorney General Nessel also secured a settlement with one of Opulent Marketing’s owners for $22,000. These funds have been used to begin the process of making restitution to affected Michigan consumers.  

Opulent Marketing marketed and sold vehicle service contracts (extended auto warranties) under the name Infinite Auto Protection (IAP), soliciting sales on the internet through a website bearing IAP’s name. The website misrepresented the benefits of the vehicle service agreements, marketing them as “100% Risk Free” and offering a “30 days money back guarantee” on all vehicle service contracts. The website further promised a “Fast 24/7 Claims Process” and a “simple claims process.”   

However, Opulent Marketing failed to deliver on these promises, routinely denying and ignoring valid claims and eventually ceasing to pay claims altogether. Customers who attempted to cancel their contracts were denied refunds. Opulent Marketing also misled customers into believing their vehicle service contracts were being sold from a business operating in the State of Michigan. Opulent Marketing rented office space in a building in Romulus, Michigan and put that address on its website despite not having any employees, records, or equipment at the location.  

Michigan consumers who suspect consumer protection violations from Everest or other companies are encouraged to contact the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at:   

Consumer Protection Team [ [link removed] ]
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form [ [link removed] ] 

 

###






AG logo [ [link removed] ]





*Media Inquiries* <[email protected]>




*Latest Releases* [ [link removed] ]




*File a Complaint* [ [link removed] ]








Connect with us:

facebook icon [ [link removed] ] x icon [ [link removed] ] youtube icon [ [link removed] ] instagram icon [ [link removed] ] linkedin icon [ [link removed] ] govdelivery icon <[email protected]> threads icon [ [link removed] ]

If you wish to no longer receive emails from us, 
please update your preferences here:
Manage Preferences [ [link removed] ]  |  Delete Profile [ [link removed] ]

Need further assistance?
Contact Us  |  Help [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Michigan Attorney General · G. Mennen Williams Building, 7th Floor · 525 W. Ottawa St., P.O. Box 30212 · Lansing, MI 48909 · 517-373-1100
body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;} table.govd_hr {min-width: 100%;} p, li, h1, h2, h3 { overflow-wrap: normal; word-wrap: normal; word-break: keep-all; -moz-hyphens: none; -ms-hyphens: none; -webkit-hyphens: none; hyphens: none; mso-hyphenate: none; }