Press Release from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office
BOISE, Idaho — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced today a judgment and injunction against Arenal Outdoor Center and owner Keith Craig Fletcher in a consumer protection lawsuit. But Fletcher’s dubious history extends beyond consumer protection violations. Fletcher has a long history of customer and employee complaints alleging unrefunded vacation packages, bounced checks, not carrying required insurance, and not paying payroll taxes.
Over the years, multiple state and local agencies received complaints against Fletcher, but few penalties or consequences resulted. Fletcher would close one business, open another under a new name, and continue the fraudulent practices. This Attorney General’s judgment imposes a permanent ban on Fletcher offering travel related goods and services within Idaho.
“This permanent injunction represents the hard work of my Consumer Protection Division pursuing flagrant violations of the Idaho Consumer Protection Act,” said Attorney General Labrador. “Idaho has amazing opportunities for outdoor recreation and it’s shameful that an unscrupulous and greedy operator would ruin that great experience for so many people.”
The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips for people looking to book vacations and guide services for recreation:
- First, do your homework – read independent reviews and talk to former clients.
- Check business registries and confirm with appropriate licensing authorities.
- Flashy websites and slick marketing are no guarantee of a legitimate business.
This judgment underscores the Attorney General’s ongoing commitment to enforcing the Idaho Consumer Protection Act against businesses that attempt to operate outside the law. The office will continue to prioritize enforcement actions that safeguard the public and ensure a fair, honest marketplace for all Idahoans.
If you have been the victim of a scam, fraud, or deceptive marketing from a business, consumer complaint forms and resources can be found at ReportScamsIdaho.com.
