FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 410-576-7009
Tiffin Athletic Mats Sold Equipment to Individual Consumers, Schools, and
Nonprofits, But Never Provided Them
BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today
that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a Final Order against Gerald Stringer, who
owned and operated Elkton-based Tiffin Athletic Mats, for violating the Consumer Protection
Act by selling athletic equipment to consumers, nonprofits, and schools in Maryland and outside
of Maryland without providing the promised equipment or refunds.
The Consumer Protection Division’s Final Order prohibits Stringer from taking payments from a
consumer, including schools and nonprofits, before providing services unless he first posts a
surety bond in the amount of $300,000 with the Consumer Protection Division; it also requires
Stringer to pay a $174,000 penalty and return all of the monies the company collected from
consumers for purchased athletic equipment that was not provided. The Division had entered into
two prior settlements with Daniel and Bradely Tiffin, the company’s prior owners, in which they
too agreed to pay restitution to harmed consumers. The Tiffins sold their company to Stringer in
2017.
“This case underscores our commitment to protecting Maryland consumers, including the
schools and nonprofits that trusted this company with their hard-earned fundraising dollars,” said
Attorney General Brown. “Tiffin Athletic Mats’ deceptive practices not only violated
consumer protection laws but also betrayed the trust of young athletes and the communities that
supported them.”
Stringer sold athletic equipment under various names including Tiffin Mats, Inc. and Tiffin
Athletic Mats, Inc. (Tiffin Mats). Tiffin Mats collected thousands of dollars in advance payments
from consumers but failed to provide the equipment. Tiffin Mats frequently misled consumers
about its ability to provide the mats and the timing of any deliveries. When consumers requested
refunds, Tiffin Mats often misled consumers about the status of their orders and then failed to
refund consumers’ payments. Often the monies Stringer collected were from funds raised by
school wrestling teams and cheer squads, and his failure to provide purchased mats forced these
teams to use older mats or to borrow replacements.
The Office of Administrative Hearings took testimony and evidence from 30 consumers, schools,
and nonprofit organizations victimized by Tiffin Mats. Based on this evidence, the Division
found that Stringer owed these consumers at least $139,431.20 for payments they made to Tiffin
Mats for equipment that was not provided.
Consumers with questions may call the Consumer Protection’s Division’s hotline at (410) 528-
8662.
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