Other LanguagesThe Washington Attorney General’s All Consuming blog has become a hotspot for gripes about so-called free gas vouchers. Since posting a Nov. 3 warning about the difficulty of redeeming the vouchers, we’ve received 168 comments from consumers throughout the nation who say they haven’t received their promised gas.
The bulk of the complaints are related to a Florida company called Tidewater Marketing Global Consultants, Inc., which operated Web sites including freegasredemption.com and freebeegas.com. The latter site is no longer operating and the company is now the subject of a consumer protection lawsuit by the Florida Attorney General’s Office. It's also been taken over by the state.
According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, the Pinellas County Department of Justice and Consumer Services has opened a criminal investigation into the company and company president Crystal Clark faces drug trafficking charges for selling the addictive painkiller Oxycontin.
Where to complain: We’re regularly updating our original post and have included information there on where to complain. But, unfortunately, it appears the company is broke.
BBZ Resource Management of Mesa, Ariz., is another company that sells "free gas" and "free grocery" certificates on a bunch of Web sites including freefuelcenter.com, claimyourgas.com and petroleumpromotions.com. The Better Business Bureau has had three complaints, all resolved, in recent months but its owner, Troy Warren, reportedly has had other legal troubles, according to this St. Petersburg Times story. {UPDATE}: BBZ has reportedly filed for bankruptcy, according to this July 1, 2009, news story.