Injunction Obtained Against Print Mate

The Consumer and Environmental Protection Division of the Ventura County district attorney’s office has obtained a permanent injunction against a Westlake business for allegedly shipping and billing supplies that were never ordered.

The company and its owners, William Hirsh and Kathryn Hirsh of Westlake Village, have also been fined $15,000 in civil penalties, investigative costs and restitution.

The complaint, filed against Print Mate Inc., alleged that the defendants operated a telemarketing “boiler room” operation from an office complex at 2975 Hillcrest Drive, Unit 408, in Thousand Oaks.

The complaint also alleges that the Hirshes and their associates used misleading statements during sales pitches and engaged in unfair business practices.

The investigation began after numerous businesses complained that Print Mate was shipping them supplies they never ordered and later billing them.

Officials said the alleged scam worked like this: Print Mate’s telemarketers would pass themselves off as shipping clerks. Rather than asserting that they were salespeople, they would tell targeted company employees that goods were “in stock” and ready to be “dropped off.”

Print Mate then shipped the products. Invoices were sent out separately, a few days after the product.

The complaint also alleges that if a business paid the bill, the telemarketers would call back and say the balance of the order was ready to be shipped, and the process would be repeated.