Dishonest companies will do just about anything to make a buck. Take the FTC’s case against Adam J. Harmon and two companies he controls, Axis LED Group, LLC and ALG-Health LLC. According to the FTC’s complaint, the defendants told people that products they marketed and sold during the pandemic were made in the United States. In truth, their personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, gowns, and gloves, and materials to make them were almost entirely imported.

Under the FTC’s Made in USA Labeling Rule, marketers making unqualified Made in USA claims on labels should be able to prove that their products are “all or virtually all” made in the United States. The rule also requires all “Made in USA” labels appearing in mail order catalogues and online to be truthful.

The agency’s proposed order will stop Harmon and his companies from making further deceptive Made in USA claims, and impose a civil penalty for their past deceptive claims.

Here’s some advice to help you decide if you want to do business with a seller.

• If you’re shopping for a product, but aren’t familiar with the company that sells it, check it out before you buy. Search online for the product or company name, plus “complaint” or “scam” to see what other people are saying.
• Consider customer reviews found on a wide variety of review and retailer sites, search engines, app stores, and social media platforms. If you use online reviews to help you make decisions, it pays to take some time and think critically about the source of the information.

If someone tries to cheat you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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