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NEW ORLEANS – Attorney General Jeff Landry is warning Louisiana residents not to fall for online ads promising money from a tobacco settlement.

The ads promising thousands of dollars per month to residents through the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement are not what they seem, according to Landry.

“While these ads emphasize claiming and receiving funds, the truth is consumers are actually prompted to purchase a subscription in order to learn more about how to receive the money,” Landry said. “The order form asks consumers for their personal information and a credit card number; and as we often warn – once consumers provide credit card numbers, it may be difficult to cancel and obtain a refund.”

The money that Louisiana does receive from the Master Settlement Agreement is sent directly to the Millennium Trust, which supports the TOPS program.

Individuals are not eligible for those funds, Landry said.

“It is important for consumers to understand that if an advertisement sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” he said. “Louisiana consumers should be on guard that if a promotion is promising free money, it may not be legitimate.”

For more information on the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, contact Landry’s Tobacco Enforcement Unit at 800-241-9311 or by email at TobaccoDOJ@ag.louisiana.gov.

Consumers who have received these advertisements and wish to file a complaint may do so by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-351-4889 or by visiting www.agjefflandry.com.