Three California companies that allegedly engaged in so-called “toner pirate” schemes to deceive Iowa office employees into overpaying for copier toner that they never ordered are barred from marketing to Iowans, through a court-approved agreement with Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller. The consent judgment and permanent injunction, entered today by Polk County District Judge Jeffrey Farrell, resolves a lawsuit brought last month by Miller’s office. The lawsuit accused the defendants of making calls and sending invoices to Iowa offices as part of their schemes to collect money, in what Miller calls “classic toner pirate scams.” The defendants targeted libraries, care facilities, professional offices and other businesses across the state. The consent judgment also requires the defendants to honor refund requests from any Iowans who lost money from the schemes. “Fortunately, we think we acted before these operations were able collect money from any victims in Iowa,” Miller said in a release. “But if there were losses and any victims contact us, these defendants must provide full refunds.”