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Important information

• Government Actions:

  Wyoming Attorney General Case 2019-12
  

  BBB reports on known government actions involving business’ marketplace conduct.

  
  

  The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency. If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.

  
  

  On May 27, 2020, the Office of the Wyoming Attorney General entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Zero Origin, LLC, Chimera Management, Inc and its sole member, Matthew Walters.

  
  

  The Attorney General alleges that the respondents violated the Wyoming Consumer Protection Act, specifically in regards to misrepresentations when advertising and selling merchandise on its website, including:

  1.  Misrepresenting the use, benefits, or attributes of their merchandise;
  2.  Misrepresenting the price of their merchandise or the reason for, existence of, or amounts of any price reduction; and
  3.  Misrepresenting the availability of their merchandise

  The respondents deny having violated the Wyoming Consumer Protection Act or making any misrepresentations about their merchandise. The respondents did agree to resolve these allegations through the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance.

  
  

  In the Assurance, respondents agreed to dissolve the corporate existence of Zero Origin, LLC and Chimera Management, Inc and to cease engaging in online retail sales for a period of 10 years.

  
  

  The respondents further agreed to pay civil penalties in the amount of $250,000.

  
  

  For more information, contact the Office of the Wyoming Attorney General at 307-777-7841.

  Click here for details
• Advertising Review:

  On October 15, 2018 and October 30, 2018, BBB requested that the business remove price savings claims and apparently deceptive features from their website that create the appearance of limited product availability.
  
  Alternatively, BBB welcomed the business to provide substantiation and disclosures for the price savings claims as well as substantiation for the marketing features that create the appearance of limited product availability.
  
  BBB based these requests on Sections 2-7 of the BBB Code of Advertising which address Comparative Price, Value and Savings Claims.
  
  The Code of Advertising explains that advertisers may compare their prices to their own former selling price, the current selling price of identical products or services sold by others in the trade area, or the current selling price of a comparable product or service sold by the advertiser or by others in the trade area. In other words, there must be a valid basis for comparison in order to make savings claims.

  In addition, BBB noted that the business's website claims that they have been featured on prominent news outlets such as, "Forbes," "CBN," and "Fox News." BBB requested that the business provide valid substantiation to demonstrate that they have been featured, have an affiliation with these businesses, and have the express permission to use the logos on their website.

  Finally, BBB requested that the business substantiate the authenticity of several claims regarding gold and silver products offered on their website, especially in light of the severely discounted rate at which they are advertised.

  BBB has not received any response from the business regarding these advertising concerns.