An Ohio company that markets products ranging from portable electric heaters to uncut sheets of U.S. dollar bills is under scrutiny for what the Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona calls “significant and ongoing concerns” over advertisements which BBB believes have the capacity to mislead consumers.

The company, Arthur Middleton Capital Holdings of Canton, Ohio, is best known for its full-page ads in newspapers and magazines that appear similar to news stories and which run in publications in Arizona, and nationwide.

Arthur Middleton’s owner and chairman is Rodney Napier.

Kim States, BBB President, said BBBs in several markets  have questioned Middleton’s continued use of misleading and, at times, erroneous information in company ads.

“In our judgment, these problems have become so chronic and so flagrant that we felt an obligation to alert the public,” States said. “Time after time, BBB has expressed its concerns about the ads to the company. Time after time, the company has promised to make changes, only to come up with new products and new ads that are just as troubling.”

Most of the BBB’s concerns involve ads for World Reserve Monetary Exchange and Heat Surge – both businesses are part of the Arthur Middleton holding company.

BBB has logged 207 consumer complaints involving World Reserve Monetary Exchange, and 258 involving Heat Surge. Many of the complainants, some of which are from southern Arizona, say the ads are misleading.

World Reserve Monetary Exchange sells coins, paper currency, safes and related items and describes itself as “the largest provider of coin and currency aside from the U.S. Federal Reserve.”  Heat Surge is best known as the seller of Roll-N-Glow (is this the same as the Heat Surge fireplace?) electric fireplaces, with Amish-built mantles. Among recent ads targeted by the BBB are:

• World Reserve Monetary Exchange ads for uncut sheets of $1, $2 and $5 bills. The $1 and $5 bill (more…)