Minnesota AG Sues Magazine Sales Company Over Alleged Deception

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is suing a local magazine company and its owner.

The company is called Your Magazine Service, and it's accused of targeting seniors for magazine packages that cost almost $1,000.

The company is also accused of falsely telling people they're calling to provide a billing credit on an existing account.

"When they call you up, they already have your name, your age, your address and your banking information," Swanson says.

Your Magazine Service targeted people who had already been sold magazine packages by another company. Swanson says that company sold the financial information of those targeted.

The number of complaints forced Swanson to file a lawsuit against Your Magazine Service, Inc. and its owner, Wayne Dahl, Jr.

Swanson says an email from Dahl tells it all.

"He says 'at least 60 percent of them are at least 68 years or older,' and he says 'if one of them ever contacts an attorney general, lords knows that they are definitely gonna want blood,'" Swanson said.

She hopes the lawsuit holds the company accountable and gets money back from those who lost thousands.

Swanson says the best way to protect yourself against scam callers is to just hang up on telemarketers.

Swanson says if you are a caregiver, you should be checking the accounts of your loved ones to make sure there are no strange reoccurring charges.

The attorney general says the owner of Your Magazine Service moved to Florida from Eden Prairie six months ago, after she served the company with a civil investigative demand.