Coloradans and people across the United States will soon receive money as part of a $1 million settlement made between two magazine publishers to the Colorado and Wyoming’s Attorneys General Offices, it was announced Thursday. 

The settlement comes after both states filed lawsuits against Atlantic Publishers Group, LLC and Publishers Partnership Services, LLC after they sent millions of deceptive mailers to consumers across the country. 

In one instance, a 94-year-old woman reported to the Colorado Attorney General Office that she sent more than $60 after receiving “what she thought was “a renewal notice for Time magazine.” The next month she received an additional renewal notice and officials told her she had not paid, according to a news release.

“Overcharging and misleading older consumers into thinking that the mailers were renewal notices is unconscionable,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser in a news release. “We are pleased that we were able to work with Wyoming to stop this practice that caused financial stress for many consumers and hurt the operations of legitimate magazine publishers.”

Because of Atlantic Publishers and Publishers Partnership Services being located in Colorado and Wyoming, the states filed lawsuits against the company in their individual state.

Both offices received hundreds of complaints from consumers across the United States as well as from the Better Business Bureau, according to the release. 

The organizers of the scam, Dennis Simpson and John Ackermann, will be required to pay $500,000 to each office. They are also banned from operating magazine subscription businesses in both states.

“This settlement highlights the value of interstate coordination,” said Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill in a news release. “Working together as equal partners, Colorado and Wyoming have halted and held accountable those whom we allege used our state’s as home base for misleading consumers nationwide.” 

Those who believe they have been a victim of fraud in this or other incidents are encouraged to report it at StopFraudColorado.gov or by calling 1-800-222-4444.