{"id":43300,"date":"2023-12-06T14:03:38","date_gmt":"2023-12-06T19:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/d56fg8tfg.fitnews.club\/finance\/ftc-order-requires-old-southern-brass-to-pay-for-false-claims-of-made-in-the-usa-and-veteran-affiliations\/"},"modified":"2023-12-06T14:03:38","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T19:03:38","slug":"ftc-order-requires-old-southern-brass-to-pay-for-false-claims-of-made-in-the-usa-and-veteran-affiliations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d56fg8tfg.fitnews.club\/finance\/ftc-order-requires-old-southern-brass-to-pay-for-false-claims-of-made-in-the-usa-and-veteran-affiliations\/","title":{"rendered":"FTC Order Requires Old Southern Brass to Pay for False Claims of \u201cMade in the USA\u201d and Veteran Affiliations"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Federal Trade Commission is taking action<\/a> against Florida-based EXOTOUSA LLC. (d\/b\/a Old Southern Brass) for falsely claiming that certain company products were manufactured in the U.S, and that the company was veteran-operated and donated 10 percent of its sales to military service charities.<\/p>\n

The FTC\u2019s proposed order<\/a> <\/b>would stop the company and its owner, Austin Oliver, from making these deceptive claims and require them to pay a monetary judgment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis company and its owner\u2019s brazen deception cheated consumers who wanted to support U.S. manufacturing, veteran-operated businesses, and veteran charities,\u201d said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC\u2019s Bureau of Consumer Protection. \u201cWe will continue to hold accountable those who profit from false Made in USA and military association claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the FTC\u2019s complaint, Old Southern Brass made many claims on its website and advertising that the products it sold were made in the United States, including one post featuring \u201c \u2018Merica Gifts for the \u2018Merica Man In Your Life\u201d that said \u201c\u2026 all of our products are 100% American made, and nothing says \u2018Merica like making products right here at home for \u2018Merica man or woman alike.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n <\/article>\n

The complaint charges that, in spite of such claims, many of the company\u2019s products were wholly imported from China or contained significant imported content.<\/p>\n

In addition, the complaint points to numerous instances when Old Southern Brass claimed affiliation with the U.S. military, including that the company was veteran-operated, donated 10 percent of sales to military service charities, and that it sold products that included bullets or casings used by the U.S. military.<\/p>\n

One post on the company\u2019s website said \u201c\u2026 as a veteran-operated business in the United States, our mission is to give back to fellow American patriots who have served and protected our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n <\/article>\n

A product listing on the company\u2019s website advertised an engraved 50 caliber casing bottle opener as being \u201cHandcrafted from an authentic 50 cal casing that was previously used by the\u00a0U.S. military.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n <\/article>\n

Despite the company\u2019s claims, the company was not operated by a veteran, and the products it sold as being used by the U.S. military were not actually used by the U.S. military. The complaint also charged that the company did not donate 10 percent of sales to veterans\u2019 charities as it claimed. In fact, the company claimed charitable deductions that amounted to less than one-half of 1 percent of sales.<\/p>\n

The FTC\u2019s proposed order against the company and Oliver, which they have agreed to, prohibits them from making any false or misleading claims, including any about affiliation with or support of the U.S. military or veterans. It also requires that $150,000 must be turned over to the FTC.<\/p>\n

The order also includes a number of requirements about the claims they make about the origin of their products:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n