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'I’d like to see them indicted.' Frustration grows as Michigan company stays open amid AG probe, lawsuits

Posted at 6:19 PM, Jul 18, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-19 10:43:52-04

(WXYZ) — Car owners say they’ve had it with a local company that sells Vehicle Service Contracts. The 7 Investigators first showed you in May how Infinite Auto Protection was facing several lawsuits and an Attorney General probe.

RELATED: Stalling out on promises: Michigan company accused of not honoring Vehicle Service Contracts

It’s been nearly two months since the Attorney General told Infinite Auto Protection to cease and desist what the AG called “unlawful business practices.” But now it appears IAP’s website is still active and accepting requests for quotes?

Vehicle Service Contracts are what we often think of as warranties to help you pay for car repairs.

Several people who purchased Vehicle Service Contracts from Infinite Auto Protection in Romulus say they’re owed a lot of money.

The 7 Investigators first showed you in May how Infinite Auto Protection was facing lawsuits from families in Colorado, Florida, and another one has been filed by Michigander Scott Speer, who now lives in Maryland.

“They didn’t respond. They have not responded to me, they have not responded to the attorney,” said Speer.

Speer says he spent $3930 on two Vehicle Service Contracts for his 2013 Audi and his 2017 Ram Truck. When he tried to transfer one of the contracts to a new car after he traded in the Audi, Speer says he could not get any response from Infinite Auto Protection, which is also known as Opulent Marketing.

“So I decided to cancel my contract with them because, clearly, something was wrong,” said Speer. According to the complaint filed in the 34th District Court in Romulus, Speer said he was owed $3680 back from Infinite Auto Protection, pursuant to the terms of the contract.

But Speer says he was never sent his refund, and he’s not alone.

According to a Notice of Intended Action, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has received more than 125 similar complaints since 2019 from consumers trying to get their money back.

The notice that was sent on May 19th directs Infinite Auto Protection to “immediately cease and desist from engaging in… unlawful business practices…”

Also back in May, before the Notice was filed by the Attorney General, the 7 Investigators tried to talk to the owners of Infinite Auto Protection at their Romulus office, but no one answered the door or the phone.

Shortly after our visit though, Google showed the company as permanently closed and their website was temporarily down. Now their website is active once again. On Monday, the 7 Investigators were even able to fill out an online request for a Vehicle Service Contract quote.

“There’s other people affected by this and there could be more people affected because they’re still in business,” said Speer.

“At this point, there’s really not that much more that I can do other than go to the authorities and warn people,” said Alan Pfeffer.

Pfeffer says he filed a complaint with Nessel’s office after he says Infinite Auto Protection refused to cover more than $11,000 in repairs on his Audi. He says he’s also concerned the company appears to still be in business.

“I’d like to see them indicted. I’d like to see the principals indicted. I’d like to see them out of business, and I’d like it to be as public as possible,” said Pfeffer. “And then I’d like to see a warning by the Attorney General’s office that if you’re considering a warranty like this, look here or look there before you buy.”

A spokesperson for the Attorney General told the 7 Investigators, they are still “engaging” with the company. We have asked them to clarify what that means and what the next steps are since they’ve been receiving consumer complaints on this for at least two years. The Notice of Intended Action the AG filed allows them to either start an investigation or pursue a lawsuit.

If you have a story for Heather, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com