Attorney General James Secures $1.5 Million from Digital Marketing Company for Misleading New Yorkers Seeking Mental Health Care
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Company Tricked New Yorkers Trying to Reach Mental Health Care and Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced this week that she and her team secured a settlement of $1.5 million from the digital marketing company, 4K Apps, Inc., for operating a network of deceptive websites that misled tens of thousands of New Yorkers trying to access mental health services, substance abuse treatment, and senior living facilities. 4K Apps is a digital marketing company hired by other companies to drive customers to their website to buy their products or services.
AG James also found that 4K Apps ran at least six mental health sites since August 2020, more than 20 substance abuse sites, and at least 20 assisted living sites since 2019. Each website provided a directory of facilities and included the facility’s name, address, a brief description of the services offered, and the facility’s phone number. The directory-style design of the websites conveyed the false impression to patients that the phone numbers were associated with the listed entities, when all phone numbers would connect callers to a call center operated by a 4K Apps client. The misleading information shared by 4K Apps impeded New Yorkers’ search for mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment.
To learn more, read AG James’ full press release here. MSSNY will continue to track this issue and share updates as they become available.
