NPR’s investigation finds that stores selling skin care products purchased from Mazal Group routinely pressured shoppers, including seniors and people with disabilities, to buy expensive skin care products and services they didn’t want, couldn’t afford or were trying to refuse.
Collage by Jackie Lay/NPR
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Collage by Jackie Lay/NPR
It’s a familiar experience for anyone who has walked through an American mall: a friendly salesperson approaches with a free sample of skincare cream, offering the promise of younger-looking skin. But behind this familiar mall ritual, NPR has uncovered something far more costly: Customers are left with thousands of dollars in fees they never authorized and products they don’t want and can’t return.
This episode was reported by Monika Evstatieva and Caley Fox Shannon.
It was produced by Mia Venkat and Monika Evstatieva, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley.
It was edited by Barrie Hardymon and Robert Little.
Our executive producer is Courtney Dorning.
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