The Federal Trade Commission has sued online retailer SuperGoodDeals.com — claiming that it falsely promised consumers next-day shipping of facemasks and other personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
SuperGoodDeals’ website starting in March said PPE was “in stock,” and touted “Pay Today, Ships Tomorrow” — but it often took weeks for PPE merchandise to ship, according to the FTC’s federal suit filed against the company and owner Kevin J. Lipsitz in Eastern District of New York.
“Unscrupulous merchants are taking advantage of consumers in their hour of need by not delivering goods — including masks and other personal protective equipment — as promised, and failing to provide required refunds,” said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
“The FTC will not tolerate this, and we are working closely with criminal authorities to put a stop to it,” Smith said in a July 8 news release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has also brought a criminal case against Lipsitz, claiming that he engaged in price gouging and mail and wire fraud.
The FTC says online shopping problems are the largest source of coronavirus-related complaints that it’s received from consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic.