State Attorney General Jerry Brown said last week that California is investigating several companies that may have ripped off as many as 30 Southern California churches by forcing them to to pay up to $45,000 for computer kiosks that were presented to them as cost-free.
One of those companies, Television Brand Online, got congregations in Moreno Valley, Riverside, Perris, San Bernardino and Murrieta to sign leases for what was advertised as the company's "signature" equipment, which turned out to be an outdated desktop computer in a box. Checks that TBO promised to cover expenses never materialized, and leasing companies came after the churches demanding as much as $50,000.
Brown is also investigating Balboa Capital Corp., United Leasing Associates of America Ltd. and Banc of America Leasing and Capital LLC. in connection with the scams.
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