Consumer alerts

April 10, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Michaels Stores Recalls Seasonal Writing Pens Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Name of Product: Flower Writers; Christmas Writers; Easter Writers; and Spooky Writers Seasonal Writing Pens

Units: About 310,000

Distributor: Michaels Stores Inc., of Irving, Texas

Hazard: The seasonal writing pens' surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.    » read more »

April 10, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

FUNTASTIC Recalls Fake Teeth Due To Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Name of Product: Hillbilly Teeth

Units: About 26,000

Importer: FUNTASTIC, of Houston, Texas

Hazard: The gray surface paint on the teeth contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

April 9, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

OKK Trading Recalls Toy Robots Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Name of Product: Interchange Robot Toys

Units: About 2,000

Importer/Retailer: OKK Trading Inc., of Commerce, Calif.

Hazard: Surface paints on the toys contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

Ingested Magnets Pose Aspiration and Intestinal Hazards

April 8, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Magnetic Dart Boards Recalled By Henry Gordy Int’l

Name of Product: Fun ‘N Games Magnetic Dart Boards

Units: About 870,000

Importer: Henry Gordy International Inc., of Plainfield, N.J.    » read more »

April 7, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Cuddly Cousins Plush Insect Toys

Plush Insect Toys Recalled by Dollar Tree Stores

Units: About 300,000

Retailer: Dollar Tree Stores Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.

Importer: Greenbrier International Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.

Hazard: The recalled plush insect toys contain small parts, posing a choking hazard to small children.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

Scams are evolving to look more “official,” often appearing to be government documents

April 3, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory warning Floridians about evolving email and internet scams, particularly those which solicit assistance in moving large sums of money through wire transfers or bank deposits.

The Attorney General cautioned that as technology develops, con artists are becoming more adept at using the internet to prey on their victims, hiding behind the internet’s anonymity while offering business opportunities that cannot be passed up or stories begging for a recipient’s compassion.    » read more »

April 3, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Children’s ‘Main Street Drag’ Sunglasses Recalled by StyleMark Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Name of Product: Children’s Sunglasses

Units: About 144,000

Importer/Distributor: StyleMark Inc., of Ormond Beach, Fla.

Hazard: Surface paint in the orange lettering on the temples of the sunglasses contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

April 1, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Lock and Leash™ Locks

Master Lock recalls Lock and Leash™ locks due to violation of lead paint standardUnits: About 27,000

Importer: Master Lock, of Oak Creek, Wis.

Manufacturer: Fullyear-Brother Enterprise Co. Ltd, of Taiwan

Hazard: Red surface paint on the locks contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

Distributor recalls dietary supplement products after reports of adverse reactions

March 27, 2008 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or consume Total Body Formula in the flavors of Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar, or Total Body Mega Formula in the Orange/Tangerine flavor. The liquid dietary supplement products may cause severe adverse reactions, including significant hair loss, muscle cramps, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue.    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- The Maine Bureau of Insurance is advising consumers to beware of three specific scams circulating via fax machines and through telemarketers.

“In this time of economic hardship, consumers must be especially vigilant for people whose goal is to take advantage of them financially,” stated Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman. “We have become aware of fax machine solicitations to sell health insurance. These solicitations involve the unauthorized marketing of a licensed insurance company’s products,” stated Kofman.    » read more »

Illinois AG Madigan Urges Parents To Call Attorney General’s Recall Hotline

March 27 , 2008 -- Chicago - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today urged parents to call her office’s product recall hotline at 1-888-414-7678 following the recent recall of an additional 2.4 million magnetic toys. With more than 22 million magnetic toys having been recalled since 2006, Madigan said parents need help identifying dangerous children’s products that may still be in their homes.    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- When it comes to something as important as health and wellness, Texans seeking more information should always consult their doctor or licensed healthcare professional. According to a recent Pew Internet and American Life Project study, every day an estimated eight million Americans search the Internet for health care information. But Texans should never solely rely on a Web site to diagnose or treat a serious illness. Equally important, Internet users should always pay close attention to their information source.    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- BOSTON - On Monday, March 17, 2008, Hannaford Bros. Co. (Hannaford Brothers Supermarkets) announced that it had determined that a breach of its computer system potentially exposed customers’ credit and debit card numbers. annaford states that the unauthorized breach occurred during the time period of December 7, 2007 to March 10, 2008 and involved 4.2 million credit and debit card transactions.

While credit and debit card information may have been compromised, Hannaford states it has no evidence that names or addresses were obtained. There are currently approximately 2,000 cases of reported fraud associated with the data intrusion.    » read more »

March 18, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Galison/Mudpuppy Wire Bound Journals and Calendars Recalled Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

Name of Product: Wire-O Bound Journals and Calendars

Units: About 90,000

Manufacturer: Galison/Mudpuppy, of New York, N.Y.    » read more »

Overseas telemarketers use credit card offers to steal your personal information

March 18, 2008 -- Raleigh: Scammers are using robo calls that promise better rates on credit cards to try to steal your identity and run up charges in your name, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper warned today.

“These scammers are out to steal your information and your money, not help you get a better credit card,” Cooper said. “If you get one of these calls, hang up and call my office instead."    » read more »