Former Waltham Driving School Sued For Allegedly Scamming Customers

Attorney General Martha Coakley has filed a lawsuit against a  it “duped” customers out of money.

The suit, filed in Suffolk Superior Court today, claims Cam’s Auto School had made the decision to close by October of 2010, but continued enrolling new customers until March of this year, according to a press release from Coakley’s office.

The school closed in March.

“We allege that this driving school misled its prospective students and the [Registry of Motor Vehicles] in order to turn a profit despite the fact they allegedly knew they were in dire financial straits and planned to close,” Coakley said in a statement. “As a result, hundreds of young students lost money, and were forced to pay even more to complete their driver’s education.”

Cam’s offered driving instruction services to school districts in Waltham, Lexington, Natick, Needham, Wayland and Wellesley since 1993, according to the AG’s office.

Reached by phone today. Cam’s former owner, Frederick Lovely, of Needham, declined to comment on the lawsuit since it is still pending.

Coakley’s office is seeking restitution for impacted customers and to ban Lovely, and Cam’s from teaching driver’s education in Massachusetts.

The suit alleges that 537 students paid the driving school a total of $175,000 but did not receive any driving education, according to the press release.

The driving school also allegedly failed to give fees it collected from students at schools back to the school district, according to the press release.

Cam’s held two enrollment sessions at Natick High School where it enrolled 40 students. 

In the weeks prior to closing, the school offered discounts of $175 off of the $575 tuition fee if it was paid by cash or check, according to the press release.