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AG wins settlement in tech scam case Sean P. Murphy
A married couple that ran a tech support business from their Melrose home will pay $145,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Maura Healey that accused them of preying on seniors by charging them to fix nonexistent computer problems.
Under the settlement, Shalu and Vishal Chawla, who operated Vtech Software Solutions Inc., also agreed to be barred from ever again operating any technical support companies.
The couple targeted senior citizens in Massachusetts and across the country by sending deceptive pop-up ads to their computers warning seniors of viruses or other problems, and then charging them for repairs that were unnecessary, according to the lawsuit filed in 2019.
Peterson Oil of Worcester to pay $450K fine in fraudulent heating oil switch
The company had fuel-supply contracts with the state.
In some cases, the noncompliant fuel created mechanical problems with heating systems at agencies serviced by Peterson Oil, according to the office of Attorney General Maura Healey.
Peterson Oil did not meet conditions of state contracts, a violation of the Massachusetts False Claims Act.
The attorney general s office announced Wednesday that it had resolved its claim against Peterson Oil, filed in Suffolk Superior Court.
“Cities and towns relied on Peterson Oil to deliver heating fuel in accordance with its contract so they could stay warm, but they instead received noncompliant fuel that caused problems for many heating systems,” Healey said in a statement Wednesday.