D&S Marketing Solutions LLC

Also known as: US Corporate Compliance Office, Office of Compliance and Safety Standards, Occupational Safety and Compliance Administration.

The FTC alleged that D&S Marketing Solutions called new small businesses posing as OSHA, threatened shutdown or fines, and sold regulatory posters that agencies provide free. The operators were banned from selling such posters.

Resolved. Refunded, settled, ceased operating, or the claim did not hold up. Kept for the record.

Names chosen to sound like the government

Sean K. Juhl and D&S Marketing Solutions LLC called owners of newly opened small businesses while presenting themselves as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or a similar agency. They used trading names built to sound official: “Occupational Safety and Compliance Administration,” “US Corporate Compliance Office” and “Office of Compliance and Safety Standards.”

Callers told owners they were not complying with federal law and that an inspection would shut down or fine the business unless they immediately bought regulatory posters, priced at $179.99 to $189.99.

Those posters are provided free by the agencies that require them. Buyers discovered afterwards that they had been dealing with a company, and those who called for a refund typically reached voicemail that was never returned.

The take and the order

The FTC alleged the operation bilked at least $1.3 million from newly opened small businesses. A federal court in Florida entered a temporary restraining order in June 2016.

The July 2017 settlement bans the defendants from selling such posters at all, and bars them from claiming affiliation with OSHA or any other agency, from claiming consumers are required by law to buy goods or services, and from misrepresenting any material fact. It imposes a judgment of more than $3.8 million, partially suspended on surrender of the defendants’ assets, which becomes due in full if they misrepresented their finances.

A second company, Grand Marketing Solutions LLC, is named in the settlement under two further trading names.

What is not established

The settlement resolves the allegations without any admission or finding of wrongdoing.

Sources

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Identity