Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Mark Reynolds
Journal staff writer

JOHNSTON -- A local telemarketing firm, Focus Marketing, has been shut down because it was operating without proper licenses, authorities said this morning.

Meanwhile, a two-month investigation of the company's operations, which involved solicition of donations on behalf of charitable organizations, has led to the seizure of records and equipment from an office at 1481 Atwood Ave., said Johnston police Major Ralph Bubar III.

Focus Marketing, also known as Sportsbanks, is owned by Ronald Webster of Johnston, Bubar said. The company opened in June, but it never obtained the necessary business license it needed from the town and it did not register with the state Department of Business Regulation as required, Bubar said.

Under Rhode Island law, said Bubar, telemarketers cannot solicit on behalf of charitable organizations without proper authorization.

Bubar said that anyone with information about the company's telemarketing activities can contact state business department investigators at 462-9527.

 Tags  Johnston

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