FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 12, 1990

           FTC CHARGES MAIL ORDER FIRM WITH VIOLATING
         MAIL ORDER RULE; FIRM WILL PAY CIVIL PENALTIES

     The Federal Trade Commission has charged Direct Marketing of
Virginia, Inc., a Roanoke, Va., mail-order firm sometimes trading
as USA Buyers Network, with violating the FTC's Mail Order Rule. 
Under the terms of a proposed consent decree, the company, and
its owner, Ajit Khubani, will pay a civil penalty of $30,000, and
is prohibited from violating the Mail Order Rule in the future.

     Direct Marketing of Virginia sells inexpensive items, such
as portable electric shavers and sunglasses, at prices of five to
ten dollars through advertisements in Sunday newspaper
supplements.

     According to the FTC's complaint, Direct Marketing violated
the mail order rule by failing to ship ordered merchandise to
buyers within the time clearly stated in their advertisements or,
when no time was clearly stated, within thirty days of receipt of
an order form.
 
     The complaint also charges that the company failed to offer
customers the option either of consenting to a delay in shipping
or cancelling the order and receiving a prompt refund.

     The complaint and proposed consent decree name as
defendants: Azad International, Inc., d/b/a The Direct
Connection, The Health Connection, The Photo Connection, American
Constitutional Mint, TDC; Direct Marketing of Virginia, Inc.,
d/b/a Direct Marketing of Virginia, USA Buyers Network, SLM, DMV;
Smart Shoppers Club, Inc.; and Ajit Khubani as an officer of all
the named corporations.

     At the request of the FTC, the Department of Justice filed
the complaint and proposed consent decree in the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of New York.  The consent decree
is subject to court approval.

     This matter was handled by the FTC's New York Regional
Office.

     A consent decree is for settlement purposes only and does
not constitute admission of a law violation.  Consent decrees
have the force of law.

     Copies of the complaint and proposed consent decree will be
available soon from the FTC's Public Reference Branch, Rm. 130,
6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-
326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #

MEDIA CONTACT:      Howard Shapiro, Office of Public Affairs,
                    202-326-2176

STAFF CONTACT:      Michael J. Bloom, New York Regional Office,
                    212-264-1207

(FTC File No.  872 3103)

(Civil Action No. 90 CIV 2412-(PNL))

(DRCTCON)