An enforcement action from the Wisconsin Department of Justice accuses a Kenosha man of false advertising and misleading Wisconsin and Illinois business owners through his company, Fun Treasure Maps.

The department alleges owner Edward M. Zapencki has violated Wisconsin’s consumer protection laws and a special order issued against him in 2007.

Zapencki’s company creates custom-drawn maps and solicits small business owners to advertise on them, according to the civil complaint. Businesses pay from $150 to hundreds of dollars for the advertisements.

According to the complaint, Zapencki often fails to deliver the maps when promised, if at all. For example, as of October 2010, he still hadn’t delivered maps promised for 2008 and 2009, the complaint said. The complaint lists several business owners from Wisconsin and northern Illinois who have been waiting as long as 41 months for their maps.

In 2007, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection issued a special order requiring Zapencki to notify each customer that maps would be delivered within 15 months or the customer would be eligible for a full refund. He did not provide the notification to any of the hundreds of businesses that have purchased advertising from him since then and often promised the maps would be available in less than 15 months, the complaint said.

If convicted, Zapencki faces fines of $100 to $10,000 for each violation of the special order and $50 to $200 for each violation of Wisconsin’s false advertising law.

Zapencki could not be reached for comment.

Here is a link to the consumer complaint form.

http://datcp.wi.gov/Consumer/Consumer_Complaints/Download_a_Complaint_Form/index.aspx