AG wants stop to Internet scheme.

Attorney General Drew Edmondson wants a court to stop a Midwest City man from operating a pyramid scheme through the Internet.<br><br>Edmondson has filed a lawsuit to stop an Internet scheme that promises

Saturday, May 17th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Attorney General Drew Edmondson wants a court to stop a Midwest City man from operating a pyramid scheme through the Internet.

Edmondson has filed a lawsuit to stop an Internet scheme that promises financial rewards to consumers, but doesn't deliver. Lantz J. Hafner has been accused in an Oklahoma County District Court of operating a scheme that was promoted as part of a chain letter.

Hafner was sending bulk e-mail messages to consumers nationwide, asking them to send a $5 bill to four or five people whose names
and addresses appeared on a list in the e-mail.

When the participants received the money they would send the consumer a report on how to send bulk e-mail and advertise over the Internet.

Hafner continued sending letters, even after warnings from the Federal Trade Commission that the letters were illegal.

Edmondson has asked a court to issue a permanent injunction to stop the scheme.

The attorney general says Hafner was unfair and deceptive because he falsely represented to consumers that they were likely to receive substantial income for their participation in the program.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, follows an announcement from the FTC and other federal and state agencies of the filing of more than 40 criminal and civil law enforcement actions involving Internet scams.