VENTURA : 3 Pay $21,000 Over Marketing Scheme

Three Ventura residents Wednesday agreed to pay more than $21,000 to settle a civil suit with the Ventura County district attorney’s office, which accused them of running an illegal telemarketing boiler room.

The suit alleged that the three ran the scheme from their office on Nicolle Street in Ventura under the names Reader’s Choice and Federal Resource Registry.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mitchell Disney said the three placed advertisements in newspapers across the country claiming that “Reading Books Earns $1,000 a Week.”

Those responding to the advertisement with $39.95 plus $5 for shipping were sent a pamphlet with instructions on how to be a “free-lance proofreader” for various publishers.

Several victims complained that the pamphlet was full of typographical and grammatical errors and that the publishers’ addresses listed were incorrect and that, once contacted, they said they did not hire free-lance editors.

Disney estimated that about 4,000 customers bought the pamphlet.

The three also were accused of placing advertisements stating “Land $1 Acre.” Those responding to that advertisement were sent a manual that contained reprints of various government publications that were available for free.

Stan Snyder, Victoria Snyder and William Webster agreed to pay $21,667.94 in investigative costs, penalties and restitution. They are no longer in business, Disney said.