ST. CHARLES, MO (KTVI) – Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster filed suit Wednesday against a St. Charles-area rental placement assistance agency for misleading customers on services and refusing to grant refund requests.
According to the lawsuit, filed in St. Charles County Circuit Court, Elite Placement LLC required up-front deposits of as much as $500 for residential housing leads. The company and its operator, Patricia Follin, promised clients the deposit would be refunded if they failed to find housing or if they wished to cancel.
Consumers told the attorney general’s office that Elite Placement provided them with junk leads and then refused to honor its refund policy. One customer said they paid $1,000 for two different sets of leads and has yet to receive a refund.
At least 20 customers claim to have lost approximately $7,500.
The attorney general’s lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against Elite Placement and Follin from operating in Missouri, as well as restitution for consumers, and civil penalties and court costs.
Follin has numerous last name aliases, including: Andrews, Davis, Draine, Folin, Greene, Jenkins, Jinkins, and Silver. A December 2002 judgment actually prohibits her from operating rental placement services. She faces up to $5,000 in penalties for every transaction since then.
