Do scammers use Hubs to promote their scams?

  1. profile image0
    Missouri Foxposted 5 years ago

    Today I came upon this Hub, touting the legitimacy of a silver dealer, Northwest Territorial Mint:

    <link snipped>

    I quickly researched it and found this on the web site of the Washington State Attorney General:

    Attorney General settles case with Northwest Territorial Mint

    SEATTLE � The Washington Attorney General�s Office announced a settlement today with an Auburn business that sold precious metals online but allegedly failed to deliver the items by the promised date.

    �Silence may be golden but not when consumers are waiting to hear when their precious metals will be delivered,� Attorney General Rob McKenna said. �Today�s settlement requires that Northwest Territorial Mint honor its promises to deliver on time or offer a fair refund.�

    Under the terms of the settlement filed today in King County Superior Court, Northwest Territorial Mint will pay $20,000 in civil penalties and nearly $38,000 in state attorneys� fees and costs.

    Northwest Territorial Mint sells gold and silver bullion, coins, medallions, knives, lapel pins and other items online at www.nwtmint.com and at a storefront in Auburn. The company also mints some of its own products.

    The Attorney General�s lawsuit, filed in February, accused the company and its president, Ross Hansen, of violating the state�s Consumer Protection Act by misrepresenting delivery dates, enforcing an unfair refund policy and failing to respond to consumer complaints.

    According to the state�s complaint, Northwest Territorial Mint and Hansen repeatedly failed to ship items within the company�s represented time frame. Consumers who complained to the Attorney General�s Office waited months before their bullion was delivered.

    Northwest Territorial Mint did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement, but agreed to fully disclose its delivery and refund policies, deliver products on time and offer refunds for delayed shipments. Consumers who request refunds for bullion orders that have not arrived by a promised date will be compensated at the market price or purchase price, whichever is higher.

    The company will also advise consumers of the risk associated with buying precious metals and make timely responses to consumer inquiries. Consumers who have questions about the settlement can contact the Attorney General�s Office Consumer Resource Center at 1-800-551-4636 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays.
    _________________________________

    So, what does this tell us?  The company admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, but they paid a hefty civil penalty and attorneys' costs.  Lots of people had complained that it took months for their orders to arrive, and the implication was that the company was making a small fortune in interest on the money from their orders while the customers awaited shipment.  But this Hub tells us what swell guys they are to deal with.  Something fishy here?

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    1. Cardisa profile image92
      Cardisaposted 5 years ago in reply to this

      HP specifically ask that we do not use the hubs to promote products, affiliate marketing or anything like that. You can write a review on a product.

      http://hubpages.com/faq/#dubious

      http://hubpages.com/faq/#what_is_allowed

      If the hub is in violation it needs to be flagged.

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      1. profile image0
        Missouri Foxposted 5 years ago in reply to this

        It would seem, then, that this hub is a promotional argument in favor of a company that was found to be in violation of acceptable business practices -- sort of a post-settlement legal argument that's pure hearsay.

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