Tips for handling door-to-door sales:
• Understand your cancellation rights. In Ohio, you generally have three days to cancel a contract that results from a door-to-door sale. The seller must notify you about your right to cancel.
• Research a company’s reputation before signing a contract or providing any payment information. Check for complaints on file with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and conduct a basic Internet search with the company’s name and words like “reviews” and “complaints.”
• Talk to your neighbors. If a salesperson claims to have sold products to someone in your neighborhood, ask your neighbors whether the claims are true and find out about their experiences with the seller.
• Get information in writing. Before signing an agreement, ask for detailed written information about your cancellation rights, the refund policy, and the payment schedule.
• Trust your instincts. If an offer seems too good to be true, or if you feel uncomfortable, don’t sign the agreement.
Source: Ohio Attorney Michael Dewine
A Fairfield-based meat producing company is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Ohio attorney general’s office alleging it misrepresented its products and failed to notify consumers of their right to cancel.
The action was filed last week in Butler County Common Pleas Court against US Beef Cincinnati LLC, with a principal place of business at 2310 Profit Drive in Fairfield, according to the attorney general’s office.
“We found that this company aggressively solicited consumers at their homes and misrepresented the quality of the meat it offered for sale,” Attorney General Mike DeWine said. “Some consumers spent hundreds of dollars on meat they later found to be inedible. We’re seeking refunds for affected consumers and an end to any violations of Ohio’s consumer laws.”
The attorney general’s office currently is aware of 22 unresolved complaints against US Beef, and reported losses totalling about $5,300. Many of the affected consumers are elderly.
According to the lawsuit, US Beef misrepresented the amount or weight of the meat products it sold to consumers, failed to honor its guarantees about the products’ freshness and taste, ignored consumers’ complaints, and failed to give consumers notice of their right to cancel a door-to-door sale.
According to the lawsuit, the company states on its website that “We guarantee our products for taste, tenderness, flavor and freshness for up to one year in the freezer. If you are not satisfied, we will replace or exchange your product.” However, the company did not honor the guarantee, and when customers complained about the quality of the products, they were ignored and the products were not replaced or exchanged.
The lawsuit accuses US Beef Cincinnati LLC and owner Joey Lightcap Traum, who lives in Cincinnati, of violating Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act and Home Solicitation Sales Act.
The suit requests an injunction be issued to prohibit US beef from engaging in business as a supplier in any consumer transactions in Ohio until it has satisfied all monetary obligations, if so ordered by the court, and for the company to pay $25,000 for each alleged violation.
The case has been assigned to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Noah Powers and summons were issued on Friday.
The business and owners are also part of a pending federal, state and local food stamp fraud case that was filed in August and resulted a raid at US Beef and another business.
US Beef officials could not be reached for comment.
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