A skincare store at a Southern California mall is facing allegations of aggressive sales tactics, including a claim that a developmentally disabled man was pressured into spending more than $40,000 during a single visit and giving employees more than $10,000 in tips.
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man → face → tips
Victor Chisolm, 30, lives in a group home within walking distance of Westfield Topanga Mall, where he regularly goes to walk around and visit employees he has gotten to know over the years.
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he → live → years
A few years ago, Chisolm received a sizable settlement after he was hit by a car.
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he → receive → car
But in December, he told family friend and attorney Fred Voigtmann that the money was gone.
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money → tell → Voigtmann
"Victor reached out to me and asked for help paying for his cell phone bill, and that was like a red flag," Voigtmann said.
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Voigtmann → reach → flag
Chisolm told Voigtmann he'd visited a skincare store called "Bee & Co.," and was convinced by a salesperson to spend his savings on products and services.
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he → tell → products
Receipts show Chisolm paid $41,747 in several transactions.
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Chisolm → show → transactions
The purchases included skincare products and a red-light device, according to Voigtmann.
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purchases → include → Voigtmann
Chisolm also said he received a facial and was pressured into sending two female employees $10,120 in "tips" through Cash App.
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he → say → App
"From my understanding, he was taken into a back room in the store, closed off from the rest of the main shopping area and coerced, berated into buying products," Voigtmann said.
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Voigtmann → take → products
When asked whether he wanted to spend that much money at the store, Chisolm responded, "No, I did not."
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I → ask → store
Voigtmann said Chisolm tried to obtain a refund but was denied.
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Chisolm → say → refund
His receipt was stamped "NO REFUNDS."
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receipt → stamp → ?
In a letter to Bee & Co., Voigtmann argued that when fraud or coercion is involved and a consumer lacks capacity, such policies can be void and unenforceable under California law.
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policies → argue → law
"He ultimately gave up his debit card to just, you know, be able to get out of the store," Voigtmann said.
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Voigtmann → give → store
"He wasn't even aware of the amounts he was being charged, what he was being charged for.
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he → charge → what
It was just simply to get out of there."
Chisolm is not the only customer who has complained about Bee & Co.'s sales tactics.
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who → get → tactics
The company uses a sales approach familiar to many mall shoppers.
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company → use → shoppers
Employees stand near store entrances, offer samples and encourage shoppers to come inside.
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Employees → stand → shoppers
Consumers have posted complaints on social media platforms and submitted them directly to the BBB alleging that once inside, they faced high-pressure sales pitches and were encouraged to purchase expensive skincare packages.
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they → post → packages
One complaint posted to the Better Business Bureau website alleged that a customer was offered a $20,000 package and, after repeatedly declining, was offered a lower price.
"I felt like I was in a car dealership," the customer wrote.
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customer → post → dealership
Another complaint warned shoppers to stay away from the store and alleged that an 80-year-old woman was "scammed out of nearly $3,000."
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woman → warn → 3,000
During consumer investigator Kristine Lazar's undercover visit, a Bee & Co. salesperson initially quoted her more than $1,200 for an eye cream.
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salesperson → quote → cream
After the price was questioned, the salesperson consulted another employee and returned with a lower offer.
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salesperson → question → offer
The salesperson also made claims about the product's effects and longevity, saying that it was like "Botox in a bottle" and that the results would last five years.
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results → make → years
CBS California Investigates spent weeks observing Bee & Co. employees at Westfield Topanga and Westfield Sherman Oaks, as well as at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance.
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Investigates → spend → Torrance
Salespeople were observed repeatedly approaching shoppers outside the stores.
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Salespeople → observe → stores
The address printed on the samples distributed by Bee & Co. led to a Chatsworth building that is home to Innovation Brands and Mazal Group LLC.
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that → print → Brands
Mazal Group describes itself as a "distributor," which solely stores and distributes products to retailers nationwide, but does not sell to consumers and does not hire, train, pay or supervise retail staff.
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which → describe → staff
The company's website lists a broad range of services that go well beyond traditional distribution, including new lease and lease renewal services, architectural and design services, accounting services, research and product development, and marketing and advertising services.
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that → list → services
Steve McFarland, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, said Mazal Group has a long history with the organization.
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Group → say → organization
Never have been," McFarland said.
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McFarland → say → ?
"In fact, they told us that they were not going to respond to consumer complaints."
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they → tell → complaints
The BBB gives the company an F rating.
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BBB → give → rating
Public records also link Mazal Group to other skincare brands, including OroGold, Vine Vera, Lionesse, Tua Pelle and Truffoire.
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records → link → OroGold
Stores selling those brands have also faced allegations of aggressive or coercive sales practices in social media complaints and, in some cases, court proceedings.
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Stores → sell → proceedings
Mazal Group is now the target of a class-action lawsuit in Hawaii alleging that the company engaged in "unfair and deceptive acts and practices to profit at the expense of consumers."
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company → allege → consumers
Mazal has denied the allegations.
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Mazal → deny → allegations
Evidence submitted by the plaintiffs in the case included a research report that alleges that "the Mazal Group and its officers are involved in every step of the process."
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Group → submit → process
McFarland urged consumers to be cautious when approached by mall skincare salespeople.
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McFarland → urge → salespeople
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
