FLA Investigation Target W3i Says Hasn't Heard from AG

While AzoogleAds has agreed to cough up $1 million to the Florida Attorney General’s office following a civil investigation of its online ad practices, there are several other firms under investigation by the state’s new CyberFraud Task Force.

One, according to the Office’s Web site, is W3i. After contacting all companies mentioned in our story published yesterday (Think Partnership, Intermark Media, Media Breakaway, Verisign-owned m-Qube, Traffix and W3i), I’ve only heard back from W3i. The company is under civil investigation by the AG’s office for alleged use of deceptive co-registration paths to enroll consumers in monthly subscription plans. Co-reg is a common technique employed in lead generation campaigns.

I spoke this morning to Hayden Creque, W3i’s VP and general counsel. He said the firm is aware of the information contained on the Florida Attorney General’s Office site, but W3i has not been contacted by the AG’s office.

“It’ll be our policy to cooperate with the Attorney General’s office if they contact us,” he told me, adding, “I’ve made no efforts to contact them.”

Stay tuned….