Paul M. Herdsman was among the individual defendants in a federal consumer-protection case brought by the Federal Trade Commission and the State of Florida involving several technology-support businesses. The case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, concerned the marketing and sale of computer and technical-support products and services.
The plaintiffs alleged that Inbound Call Experts, LLC, which also operated as Advanced Tech Support, along with related companies and individual defendants including Herdsman, participated in deceptive acts or practices. The allegations included misleading consumers about problems identified on their computers and practices associated with the marketing and sale of technology-support services.
In December 2016, Paul Herdsman and the other settling defendants entered into a stipulated order resolving the allegations. Importantly, the defendants neither admitted nor denied the allegations in the amended complaint, except that they admitted facts necessary to establish the court’s jurisdiction for purposes of the case.
Under the settlement, a $10 million judgment was entered jointly and severally against the defendants. The order required payments totaling at least $8 million through two specified payments of $5.75 million and $2.25 million, along with the transfer of certain funds held under the court-ordered asset freeze. Funds collected could be used for consumer redress and related equitable relief.
The settlement also imposed substantial restrictions on future business practices. Herdsman and the other defendants were permanently prohibited from making material misrepresentations about products or services, using false or misleading statements to obtain payments, and violating federal telemarketing requirements or Florida’s consumer-protection laws. The defendants were additionally required to review lead generators, maintain compliance records, cooperate with regulators and operate under an independent compliance monitor for two years.
About Paul Herdsman
Paul Herdsman is a Florida-based entrepreneur and business executive with experience in outsourcing, customer service, technology and business development. His earlier career included business-development positions with JM Family Enterprises and iS3, Inc.
Herdsman later co-founded ATS Digital and has served as co-founder and COO of NICE Global Business Services since 2014. NICE Global operates in Jamaica and the Philippines and provides outsourced business services including customer care, technical and help-desk support, inbound sales, customer retention, collections, data management and other customer-support functions.
Paul Herdsman attended Florida Atlantic University, studying Management Information Systems and business. In his executive work, he has focused on day-to-day operations, strategic partnerships, organizational development and long-term business growth.
Source: https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/inbound_call_experts_218_final_order.pdf