San Diego

The state attorney general’s office filed a $4-million suit Thursday in San Diego Superior Court charging International Promotions Plus with false advertising and unfair business practices.

The suit alleges that the Los Angeles company and its president, Brian Nadell, violated the state’s travel promoter law by selling Mexican vacation certificates to businesses.

The certificates were supposed to entitle the holder to a round-trip airline trip for two to Mexico, plus accommodations for four days and three nights, the suit says. But hundreds of consumers complained that they were put off when they tried to schedule the trips.

“Travel scams have proliferated in recent months,” Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp said in a statement. The state receives “hundreds of complaints each week about companies that fail to deliver on offers of low-cost trips to popular spots,” he said.

Van de Kamp said consumers who seek refunds often are told the company has closed or disappeared.

The suit said International Promotions Plus imposed several strict restrictions on travel certificate holders but failed to maintain adequate bond or deposit security for payments received for air fare and other services, as required by state law.

The suit seeks at least $2 million in civil penalties from both the company and Nadell, restitution of money acquired unfairly or unlawfully, and a court order barring illegal activities defined in the action.