Minnesota authorities warn of Utah company targeting women in 20s with 'gift cards' for baby products
A Willmar, Minnesota resident received these gift cards and coupons, along with a handwritten note from someone named "Jen" from the Utah-based company Mother's Lounge. (Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office / FOX 9)
WILLMAR, Minn. (FOX 9) - Authorities in western Minnesota are warning people about a Utah company targeting women in their 20s by sending them cards with gift cards and coupons for baby products that require them to enter their credit information to redeem.
A resident in Willmar alerted the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office to the company, called Mother’s Lounge, after they received a card from them with what appeared to be a handwritten note signed by someone named “Jenny B.” The card included gift cards and coupons for baby products.
The resident who received the card was not pregnant nor was anyone in their family expecting. Believing the card to be a possible scam, they looked the company up online and found numerous complaints had been filed with the Better Business Bureau against Mother’s Lounge.
Mother’s Lounge, which is based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, has an “F” rating from the BBB. The BBB website shows 25 complaints filed against the company in the last three years, including eight in 2019.
According to the BBB, Mother’s Lounge is sending “gift cards” from their different online businesses in envelopes without return labels and with a card signed by “Jen” or, in the Willmar resident’s case, “Jenny B.” The BBB called these marketing tactics “questionable.”
The Better Business Bureau says Mother's Lounge sends women envelope's with no mailing address as a marketing tactic. (Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office / FOX 9)
The BBB said the company is charging customers who use the gift card or discount codes a shipping fee, despite the fact that if customers do not use a gift card, economy shipping through their website is free.
“If the price is increased, there is no discount, therefore the shipping is not ‘free’ nor is the ‘gift card’,” the BBB said on their website.
The BBB contacted Mother’s Lounge in March requesting the company modify or discontinue those practices. The company has not yet responded to the bureau's request.
In the meantime, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to use caution with unexpected gifts that need credit card information, as they can often be a scam.