MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Attorney General is investigating a Muskegon business that allegedly taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and ripping customers off who buy face masks.
According to the Attorney General's office, customers were paying for face masks, including N-95 masks, but never getting them.
The AG's office said this is one of several reasons EM General violated the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
They also allege that EM General was price-gouging, misleading customers, and advertised their product without intent to give customers a refund.
According to the AG's office, they were selling "antiviral" N-95 masks for $25 while typically at 10-pack box of N-95 masks sell for $15.
The Attorney General says that the company blamed the delay on a high demand for masks and a "nationwide lockdown," though, as the AG's office points out, no such lockdown exists.
The office says that customers have not received confirmation to their order. Others say they got an email saying the masks were back in stock on March 13th, but got another email with different dates 16 days later.
Other companies say they got emails from the company saying the masks were on their way from Turkey.
The Attorney General's office said they, along with the Better Business Bureau, got 87 similar complaints about EM General.
The Attorney General's office issued subpoena's for sales records, financial information, customer correspondences, goods and advertising records and testimony from EM General employees.
They say they are receiving an influx of price-gouging complaints.
