American Handicapped & Disadvantaged Workers, Inc.

Agency: Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Washington
Description:

On May 19, 2016 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a Complaint for Permanent Injunction and Other Equitable Relief against Adli Dasuqi and his companies American Handicapped & Disadvantaged Workers, Inc. and American Handicapped, Inc. for allegations that they tricked consumers into buying household products on the false pretext that the proceeds would go to help disabled people.

The FTC complaint alleges the company telemarketer’s cold-called consumers to sell light bulbs, trash bags and cleaning products and to seek charitable donations in return for a free gift. The telemarketers claimed that they represented a charitable organization that employed disabled persons or that the callers themselves were disabled.

The companies allegedly shipped merchandise without consumers’ consent and then falsely told consumers that they owed money for the unordered merchandise. Consumers were charged inflated prices for the merchandise. Despite receiving consumer complaints the company failed to stop the scheme.

On June 8, 2016, a Stipulated Final Order was filed. The Order bans Adli and his companies from selling anything for the purported benefit of disabled persons, prohibits them from mischaracterizing their employees and their charity involvement, prohibits untrue claims that anyone has ordered and agreed to pay for products, and bars misrepresentations of material facts about any good or service. They are also prohibited from violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the Unordered Merchandise Statute, and from profiting from customers’ personal information and failing to dispose of it properly. In addition, a $4,005,544 judgment was imposed but will be suspended due to the defendants’ inability to pay. The full judgment will become due immediately if they are found to have misrepresented their financial condition.

Details of the actions filed against the company can be found here.