LANSING (WWJ) -- Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel has opened an investigation into a Grand Rapids toy business.
Planetary Toys -- which sells toys and collectible figurines -- along with its website, Treasure Trove, had almost 90 complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau, Nessel said in a Thursday release.
The attorney general’s office issued a Notice of Intended Action (NIA) against the company, saying the company allegedly violated Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act.
The NIA said the complaints filed against the company showed that they often charged people for products but then never sent them out or sent out a less valuable product -- such as an ordinary toy, rather than a special-edition toy.
Very few customers were successful in receiving refunds, the NIA states.
Planetary Toys also listed an invalid address and a phone number on their website that is disconnected.
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"These Grinch-like business practices are especially concerning during the holiday season, when many consumers are buying toys for children and loved ones," wrote Assistant Attorney General Katherine Bennett in the NIA. "The three words that best describe them are as follows, and I quote, “stink, stank, stunk!”
The Attorney General's Office also found probable cause to believe the business is engaging in unfair trade practices, such as causing confusion as to the source or certification of goods or services and representing items as a particular standard or quality when they're not.
“My office will not stand for consumers getting scammed out of their hard-earned money, especially around the holidays,” Nessel said. “It is our hope Planetary Toys will recognize the seriousness of this NIA and adjust expectations set by the Treasure Trove Toys website accordingly. We will take additional action to protect consumers if necessary.”
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To educate consumers on ways to protect themselves from scams this time of year, AG Nessel launched her holiday scams webpage.
The release states that if a consumer is having trouble finding that desired last-minute gift they may turn to unknown websites hoping for some "holiday magic" that the re-seller may not be able to deliver.
"Since such re-sellers can be anywhere in the world, no agency can hold them all accountable, and consumers need to do their homework before spending hard-earned dollars," states the release.
BEFORE YOU BUY
• Research the product and the seller. Do an online image search of the product and any other images the seller has posted to see where the product is coming from, how much it really costs and who else is selling it. Watch this video to learn how to do that.
• A library of resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics.
Consumer complaints can be filed online at the Attorney General's website, or if you have questions, call 877-765-8388.