Tour bus operator to pay $30K in settlement over trip deposits
Barry Somes, a former tour bus operator, has agreed to pay $30,782 in restitution to 38 consumers that Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said were deceived into booking vacation trips in the Northeast United States and Canada that never happened.
In February, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division filed an Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act complaint against Somes of Cumberland Center. The complaint alleged that Somes operated under numerous business names including TourBUSters, Club Impac and a nonprofit known as Lids for Kids Project Inc. but failed to deliver on promised vacation tours after taking advanced payments. Mills’ office also said Somes failed to make promised donations to the nonprofit and failed to provide refunds to affected consumers.
“Mr. Somes took money from many elderly people who were looking forward to what might be their only vacation of the year,” said Mills in a statement. “He pulled the rug out from under them by not only canceling their plans, but also failing to provide timely refunds so they could make alternate arrangements. This is not how a reputable business operates.”
The 38 consumers will share the $30,782 in restitutions for deposits. As part of the settlement, Somes did not admit to the allegations but is prohibited from operating a similar business in the future. In addition, Somes is required to pay restitution to any future verified claims related to past tour bus operations.
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