Mush Plushies

Key Points

• Subject: Mush Plushies, an online retailer claiming to sell stuffed animals, primarily marketed as weighted or “breathing” plush toys for anxiety relief.

• Serious Allegations: Widespread customer complaints of fraudulent practices, including unauthorized credit card charges, forced subscriptions, non-delivery of items, and poor product quality.

• Trustpilot Rating: Average rating of 1.2/5 from 258 reviews, with 90% one-star ratings, indicating significant customer dissatisfaction.

• BBB Complaints: 74 complaints filed, with an “F” rating, citing issues like non-delivery, defective products, and unauthorized charges.

• Suspected Scam: Multiple sources, including Scam Detector and Scamadviser, flag Mush Plushies as a high-risk, untrustworthy website with a low trust score (5.7/100).

• Operational Concerns: Misleading advertising, lack of transparency about company location, and unresponsive customer service reported across platforms.

Overview

Mush Plushies operates as an online retailer through websites like mushplushies.co and mushplushies.eu, claiming to sell stuffed animals such as “Relief Otters” and “Mushpuppies” marketed as weighted or breathing plush toys to alleviate stress and anxiety. The company advertises heavily on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, often using AI-generated narrators to promote products. Despite claiming to be based in the USA, evidence suggests products are shipped from China, and the company’s legal location is unclear, with some sources indicating possible operations in Germany or elsewhere. The website is hosted on Shopify, and transactions often appear under unrelated names like “HERCULEANHAVEN,” “PowerPro Fitness,” or “Cutiessqueezing.com,” raising concerns about transparency.

Allegations and Concerns

• Fraudulent Charges: Customers report unauthorized recurring charges (e.g., $30–$70 monthly) for a “VIP Rewards/Club Subscription” that is automatically enrolled during purchase without clear consent.

• Non-Delivery or Delayed Shipping: Numerous complaints about orders taking weeks or months to arrive, with some items never delivered despite tracking updates.

• Misleading Advertising: Products are advertised as weighted or with features like “breathing” mechanisms, but customers receive low-quality, non-weighted, or non-functional items.

• Unresponsive Customer Service: Multiple reports of ignored emails and no response to refund or cancellation requests, even after weeks of attempts.

• Violation of Consumer Laws: In the UK, customers note that Mush Plushies’ no-refunded policy violates legal rights to return products within 30 days.

• Potential Data Theft: Credit card fraud alerts and charges from unrelated companies post-purchase suggest possible data security issues.

Customer Feedback

• Negative Reviews:

  • “I finally received it after 3 weeks leaving me to believe it came from China when they claim to be based in the USA. I was over charged on shipping and charged an extra $39.95. They won’t respond to my emails. Worst company I’ve ever worked with.”

  • “Scam. I would give 0 stars if I could. After the initial purchase, this company continues to take payments from your account.”

  • “The mushplushie is not weighted at all! All it is, is a stuffed animal. I also reported this company to my bank for an unauthorized charge on my bank account. They do not reply to any messages you send either.”

  • “I ordered a mushpuppy took over a month and all I got was a stuffed animal! no breathing as described SCAM SCAM.”

  • “They lie about their products and then violate UK trading laws stating that they will not issue a refund as the onus is on the customer to research the product.”

• Positive Reviews:

  • One review gave two stars, noting, “Plushies were delivered and they are good compared to price. But somewhere arrive ‘Mushplushies Club’ which shows as Free in order confirmation but caused 40USD monthly fees before got noticed. Customer service replied quite fast and I got payments back via credit card company.”

  • Positive feedback is rare, with most reviews focusing on low cost as the only redeeming factor, overshadowed by deceptive practices.

Risk Considerations

• Financial Risk: Customers face significant financial risk due to unauthorized charges, forced subscriptions, and non-refunded policies. Many have had to cancel credit cards to stop recurring payments.

• Reputational Risk: Mush Plushies’ overwhelmingly negative reviews and scam allegations severely damage its credibility, making it a high-risk entity for partnerships or purchases.

• Legal Risk: The company’s practices, such as violating UK consumer laws and failing to honor refunds, expose it to potential lawsuits or regulatory action. Reports to the BBB and police (e.g., in Sweden) indicate escalating scrutiny.

• Operational Risk: Inconsistent shipping, poor product quality, and lack of customer support suggest operational deficiencies, potentially indicating a drop-shipping or scam model.

• Data Security Risk: Fraudulent charges from unrelated companies post-purchase raise concerns about data breaches or mishandling of customer information.

Business Relations and Associations

• Platform: Hosted on Shopify, a legitimate e-commerce platform, but this does not guarantee trustworthiness.

• Related Entities: Transactions appear under names like “HERCULEANHAVEN,” “PowerPro Fitness,” “Cutiessqueezing.com,” and “snuggle bears,” suggesting possible sister companies or payment processors. One customer linked Mush Plushies to “Peach’d,” a company with similar subscription tactics.

• Social Media Presence: The MushPlushiesco Facebook page, created February 20, 2022, lists managers in the US, Philippines, Nepal, Argentina, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam, but uses a fake phone number ((213) 555-9282).

• No Key Individuals Named: No specific owners or executives are identified, and the company’s legal location is undisclosed, per Scamadviser.

Legal and Financial Concerns

• BBB Complaints: 74 complaints filed, with issues including non-delivery, unauthorized charges, and defective products. The BBB notes that Mush Plushies often fails to respond or resolve disputes adequately, earning an “F” rating.

• No Lawsuits Identified: No specific lawsuits are mentioned, but reports to authorities (e.g., Swedish police) and disputes filed with banks suggest potential for future legal action.

• No Bankruptcy Records: No evidence of bankruptcy or unpaid debts, but the company’s opaque financial practices and low trust score raise concerns about solvency.

• Regulatory Violations: UK customers report violations of consumer protection laws, such as the right to return goods within 30 days, which Mush Plushies denies with a “no refund” policy.

• Fraud Reports: Customers have reported the company to the BBB and local authorities, with some initiating chargebacks through banks to recover funds.

Risk Assessment Table

Notes: High severity across all categories reflects consistent patterns of fraud, poor service, and legal non-compliance. The lack of transparency about the company’s operations exacerbates risks.

Expert Opinion

Analytical Summary

Mush Plushies presents itself as a retailer of anxiety-relief plush toys but operates with practices that strongly suggest a scam. Overwhelmingly negative reviews (1.2/5 on Trustpilot, “F” on BBB) highlight unauthorized charges, non-delivery, defective products, and a deceptive “VIP” subscription model that enrolls customers without clear consent. The company’s lack of transparency—using multiple domain names, unrelated payment names, and an undisclosed legal location—further erodes trust. Products are often shipped from China despite US-based claims, and their quality consistently fails to meet advertised standards (e.g., non-weighted, non-functional). The rare positive reviews praise low prices but are overshadowed by widespread reports of fraud and poor customer service. The company’s practices may violate consumer protection laws, particularly in the UK, and its data security issues pose risks to customer financial information.

Pros

• Low product prices attract budget-conscious buyers.

• Some customers receive products, though often delayed or defective.

• Hosted on Shopify, a reputable platform, though this does not ensure legitimacy.

Cons

• Widespread unauthorized charges and forced subscriptions.

• Poor product quality and misleading advertising (e.g., non-weighted plushies).

• Unresponsive customer service and non-refunded policies.

• Potential violation of consumer laws and data security risks.

• Low trust scores from Scam Detector (5.7/100) and Scamadviser.

Cautionary Advice

Avoid purchasing from Mush Plushies due to the high risk of financial loss, fraud, and receiving substandard products. If you must buy, use a credit card with strong fraud protection and immediately monitor for unauthorized charges. Cancel your card if suspicious transactions appear, as many customers have done. Check reviews on Trustpilot or BBB before ordering, and consider reputable alternatives like Fisher-Price for similar products (e.g., Soothe and Snuggle Otter). Report any fraudulent activity to your bank and authorities like the BBB or local police. Businesses or individuals considering partnerships with Mush Plushies should conduct thorough due diligence, as the company’s practices suggest significant operational and ethical issues.

Key Citations

• Trustpilot: “mushplushies.co Reviews,” with 258 reviews averaging 1.2/5.

• Better Business Bureau: “Mush Plushies” profile, with 74 complaints and an “F” rating.

• Scam Detector: “mushplushies.co Reviews,” assigning a 5.7/100 trust score.

• Scamadviser: “mushplushies.co Reviews” and “mushplushies.eu Reviews,” flagging the company as suspicious.

• JordanLiles.com: “Revealing the MushPlushies Reviews Scam for Relief Otter,” highlighting deceptive advertising.

• Reddit: Posts warning against Mush Plushies, citing fraudulent charges and scam tactics.