Consumer Fraud

Hank J. Brightman

For Frank and Stephanie Terkenson, the trek from their home in suburban New Jersey to the megamall about twenty miles to the southeast was anything but enjoyable. Faced with weekenders heading to the Jersey Shore, tourists shuttling to Atlantic City on fleets of air-conditioned motor coaches, and the construction-related lane merges that are commonplace in the Garden State, the Terkensons were motivated by only one thing: an advertisement in their local newspaper offering a 50-inch television for only $299. One can only imagine their thoughts, when upon arriving at the video and electronics store harried and disheveled, they were informed by the sales clerk that the item was temporarily out of stock. “Fortunately,” the salesperson continued, “we have a similar television for only $75 more than the one in the ad.” Exhausted, Frank and Stephanie agreed to purchase the higher priced product, the friendly sales clerk placed the television in ...

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