David Richard stood in line for nearly an hour Tuesday at Howard Johnson in East Lackawannock Township in hopes of landing a manufacturing job. After learning the jobs were door-to-door sales, he said he was trying to sort through his emotions.

"I feel I was misled,'' the Mercer man said.

Mobs of people crammed the motel throughout the day in response to advertisements in area newspapers that a company was relocating its national manufacturing plant to the area. The state Attorney General's Office shut down the operation after receiving dozens of complaints.

"I guess I just chalk this up as an experience,'' Richard said.

Because the ad said American Air Line was relocating its plant, Charles Hoffman of Sharon said he believed the company was associated with air carrier American Airlines. The Attorney General's Office said the company is not affiliated with the air carrier.

Hoffman arriving at the motel for his 5 p.m. appointment and was told the operation had been shut down.

"I was glad it was shut down before I got there, but was still wishing for a job on my way out,'' Hoffman said, adding he suspected a hoax.

The motel was one of three in northwestern Pennsylvania the company used for interviews.

A company going under various names such as Ameri-Technologies, Dottle & Associates and Star Enterprise has been holding job interviews at Howard Johnson since October, said Shawna Day, motel manager. The company names were different than those used in local newspaper help-wanted ads, she said.

Motel managment previously asked company representatives not to come back, but a different representative booked a conference room for this week, Ms. Day said.

After the ads began appearing, the motel was inundated by phone callers seeking information, she said. "We didn't realize who this company was until we got the phone calls,'' she said.

After being contacted by the Attorney General's Office on Tuesday, motel management told company representatives not to return.

"We don't want our name affiliated with what's going on,'' Ms. Day said.

Mercer County District Attorney James P. Epstein said he contacted the Attorney General's Office Tuesday morning after being told of the situation by The Herald and that he faxed ads taken out by the company to that office.

"I'm glad the Attorney General's Office acted as swiftly in stopping this,'' Epstein said.