Iowa Attorney General Files Consumer Fraud Lawsuit
Against Marketer of See Clearly Method
DES MOINES, Iowa, April 2006 — A consumer fraud lawsuit filed
by Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller against Vision
Improvement Technologies, Inc., based in Fairfield, Iowa, is
scheduled for trial in September 2006.
Miller has accused the company marketing the See Clearly
Method of making unsubstantiated claims for vision
improvement. In February 2006, an Iowa state judge issued a
temporary injunction that restricts certain aspects of the
company's marketing activities such as misrepresenting
customer satisfaction with the product in attempts to make
other sales.
"We allege that the company made dramatic claims for its
product that it could not substantiate, including representations
that consumers who used the method could quickly and easily
free themselves of having to wear glasses or contact lenses,"
said Miller in a press release.
A Vision Improvements Technologies Inc. representative told
AllAboutVision.com in early 2006 that the company was targeted
after it became high profile, and that consumers have a right to
know about natural alternatives for vision correction.
But Miller alleges in the lawsuit that the company "uses a
combination of misleading and unfair marketing tactics to sell
their kits," including "exaggerated claims of effectiveness, false
implications of scientific validity, and misleading consumer
testimonials in advertising." The lawsuit also charges that the
30-day trial period is deceptively presented and results in
people paying hundreds of dollars each, even though the
program didn't improve their vision.
"Our suit asks the court to halt the unfair and deceptive
practices, assess civil penalties, and provide appropriate
reimbursement for consumers," said Miller. — L.S. and M.H.
