For More Information Contact:
Bill Cosh
608/266-1221
MILWAUKEE – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that the Wisconsin Department of Justice has obtained a default judgment against Hugo I. Loyo and his company, Credenciales USA, LLC for violating state law in the course of marketing and selling fake international driver’s licenses and state identification cards in Milwaukee County. The defendants were ordered to pay $385,519.90 and are enjoined from conducting business in further violation of the law.
According to the State’s complaint, Loyo and Credenciales USA marketed and sold purported international driver’s licenses and Wisconsin identification cards to Wisconsin consumers. Loyo and Credenciales targeted non-native speakers through newspaper ads and radio and falsely claimed that the identification cards authorized consumers to drive legally in the United States and could be used as valid photo IDs, neither of which is true.
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice will prosecute individuals who engage in the unlawful marketing and sale of phony international driver’s licenses and identification cards,” Attorney General Van Hollen said. “In this case, the perpetrators preyed on vulnerable consumers. I join the Federal Trade Commission in warning consumers not to fall pretty to these scams. Only two organizations are authorized to legally issue international driver’s permits to U.S. residents – the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance.”
The case was referred to the Department of Justice by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Assistant Attorney General Nelle R. Rohlich handed the case on behalf of the State. The Judgment was entered by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Timothy G. Dugan on April 15th, 2011.
