HARRISBURG State bans man from owning business

The ads offered positions that turned out to be door-to-door sales jobs.
HARRISBURG -- An Erie County man is permanently barred from doing business in Pennsylvania for running help-wanted ads in Mercer and other counties for jobs that either didn't exist or were grossly misrepresented.
Mike Fisher, Pennsylvania Attorney General, said Wednesday that his Bureau of Consumer Protection reached an "assurance of voluntary compliance" agreement with John Tobias of Cambridge Springs, Erie County.
The agreement resolves allegations of violations of Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
The ads
Tobias ran a company known as American Air and investigators said he ran "help wanted" ads in newspapers in western Pennsylvania, including Mercer County, from October 2002 through March 2003 offering clerical, delivery, shipping and receiving, customer service and light manufacturing jobs with "American Air Line."
The ads said American Air Line had relocated its national manufacturing plant to Erie and offered jobs starting at $14.75 per hour.
Those who called the telephone numbers listed in the ads were told to report an area hotel to fill out an application and attend training.
Hundreds of people responded to the ads, Fisher said, noting the applicants became angry when the company was really in the business of selling sweepers and air cleaners door-to-door.
Dozens contacted the Bureau of Consumer Protection about the ads, he said.
Shut down seminars
Fisher said Tobias voluntarily shut down the seminars, and one scheduled for Mercer County was canceled.
"The alleged deceptive tactics used by Mr. Tobias were illegal and shameless, especially in an area that recently suffered several economic setbacks," Fisher said.
Under terms of the agreement, Tobias will pay $5,000 in civil penalties and investigation costs, permanently forfeit his right to own or operate a business in Pennsylvania and return all documents received from people seeking employment through the ads.
The agreement was filed in Erie County Common Pleas Court, Fisher said.