A developmentally disabled man living in a group home near Westfield Topanga says he was pressured into spending $41,747 on skincare products and a red-light therapy device at a mall storefront called Bee & Co., then handed over another $10,120 in Cash App tips to the employees who sold them to him. When he tried to return the items, he says he was given a receipt stamped NO REFUNDS.
The customer, 30-year-old Victor Chisolm, used money from a car accident settlement to cover the purchases, according to CBS News, which spent weeks observing employee sales behavior at Bee & Co. locations across Southern California shopping centers, including Westfield Topanga in Canoga Park, Westfield Sherman Oaks, and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance. Chisolm resides within walking distance of the Topanga store, the outlet reported.
A Corporate Parent With an F Rating
Bee & Co. is operated by Chatsworth-based Mazal Group LLC, which holds an F rating with the Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. BBB CEO Steve McFarland told the station that Mazal has never held accreditation with the bureau and explicitly informed the BBB it would not respond to consumer complaints.
Public records reviewed by the station connect Mazal Group to several other mall skincare brands, including OroGold, Vine Vera, Lionesse, Tua Pelle, and Truffoire, all of which share corporate registration addresses in Chatsworth and have faced similar complaints over aggressive sales tactics. Mazal Group is also named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit in Hawaii state court alleging unfair and deceptive business practices; the company has denied those claims, per the same account.
Other Shoppers Describe Similar Pressure Tactics
Additional complaints filed against Bee & Co. with the Better Business Bureau describe aggressive sales pitches, including one customer who said employees offered a $20,000 package before repeatedly dropping the price after the customer refused. The station's report notes that employees routinely stand near store entrances offering free samples to lure shoppers inside.
Westfield, which operates both the Topanga and Sherman Oaks locations named in the complaints, said it is actively reviewing the allegations surrounding Bee & Co. at its centers but declined to provide further details while the review remains pending.
What the Law Says About Vulnerable Consumers
California Civil Code § 1723 allows retailers to enforce no-refund policies if they are clearly posted at the point of sale. But attorney Fred Voigtmann argued to the station that such policies become legally void when a transaction involves fraud, coercion, or a consumer who lacks the legal capacity to consent — the exact circumstances Chisolm's family says applied at Bee & Co.
Beyond that civil question, California law includes specific protections for people like Chisolm. Under Welfare and Institutions Code § 15610.30, financial abuse of a dependent adult occurs when property is wrongfully taken, appropriated, or retained through undue influence, opening the door to civil liability and enhanced damages, according to Justia Law. The statute covers adults ages 18 to 64 with mental or physical limitations that restrict their normal activities.
Separately, California Penal Code § 368 imposes criminal penalties for financial crimes committed against elder or dependent adults when the offender knows or reasonably should know of the victim's protected status, according to the Institute on Aging. It remains unclear whether Los Angeles County law enforcement or consumer protection agencies will open a formal investigation into Bee & Co. or Mazal Group, and whether Westfield will take further action on its lease agreements as its review continues.
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