An Iowa residential water systems salesman has been temporarily banned from doing business in Kansas, Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today.
In a lawsuit filed in Shawnee County District Court, Schmidt accused Terrance Allen Kopet, Jr., a/k/a T.J. Kopet, of violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act while operating in Kansas. Kopet operates under the business names of Custom Water Consultants, LLC, Custom Water and Professional Water Solutions. The lawsuit accuses the defendant of deceptive solicitation and sale of residential water systems to Kansas consumers, including falsely representing himself as being a RainSoft dealer. On multiple occasions, Kopet also installed equipment for Kansas consumers claiming it was authentic RainSoft equipment when it was not. Many of the consumers were elderly.
The investigation also found that Kopet had claimed to operate from several business addresses in Lawrence that did not exist. The complaints alleged that the defendant had listed a local phone number on invoices and water systems to call for repair services. Additionally, consumers who previously purchased water softening systems from SMADA Enterprises or Esterline Rainsoft Inc, companies that are no longer RainSoft dealers in Kansas, may have been solicited by Kopet or may have called him regarding their legitimate RainSoft systems.
District Judge Franklin R. Theis has entered a temporary restraining order prohibiting the defendant from operating in Kansas pending the outcome of the case. The attorney general is seeking civil penalties, investigative fees and restitution for all affected Kansas consumers.
Any Kansas consumers who may have done business with the defendant are asked to contact the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at (800) 432-2310 or online at www.InYourCornerKansas.org .
