Consumer alerts

February 1, 2008 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging parents with Evenflo Discovery child safety seat Models 390, 391, 534 and 552 manufactured between April 2005 and January 29, 2008, to immediately check their seats. Evenflo is recalling approximately one million Discovery child safety seats that could fail to adequately protect children in a high impact side collision. The model numbers and date of manufacture are located on a white label at the bottom of the car seat.    » read more »

January 29, 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: Crafters Square Hot Melt Mini Glue Guns

Units: About 253,000

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

Importer: Greenbrier International Inc., of Chesapeake, Va.    » read more »

Jan 25, 2008 -- LITTLE ROCK— Most Arkansans are familiar with "phishing" schemes, in which con-artists typically solicit personal, financial information via email. In these phishing schemes, the consumer is directed to a fake Web site where they are asked to input their bank account number, Social Security number or other information the con-artist can use to commit fraud.    » read more »

January 24, 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: Big Wooden Blocks and Jumbo Wooden Train Sets

Units: About 15,000

Retailer: Christmas Tree Shops, of South Yarmouth, Mass.

Manufacturer: First Learning Company Ltd., of Hong Kong    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today issued a consumer advisory warning Florida’s senior citizens about a mortgage-related scam that may target them directly. As he unveiled legislation this week to combat mortgage “foreclosure rescue” scams, the Attorney General also cautioned senior citizens about scams associated with reverse mortgages, a type of home equity loan frequently abused by con artists and scammers.    » read more »

January 23, 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: Battat Magnabild Magnetic Building Systems

Units: About 125,000

Distributor: Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, N.Y.    » read more »

January 23, 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: Toy Racing Cars

Units: About 2,000

Manufacturer: OKK Trading Inc., of Commerce, Calif.

Hazard: Surface paint on the toy cars contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

January 17, 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: Cranium Cadoo Board Games

Units: About 38,000

Importer: Cranium Inc., of Seattle, Wash.

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

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

Activists at 100 Congressional Offices Nationwide to Demand Congress Protect Consumers

January 15, 2008 -- Thousands of activists from the United Steelworkers (USW) and other AFL-CIO unions will join community, environmental and health groups as part of a National Day of Action Wednesday to demand Congress takes immediate steps to stop the importation of dangerous lead-laced toys and other unsafe products into the U.S.    » read more »

January 15, 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: Toy Wrestler Figures

Units: 5,400

Manufacturer: A.A. of America Inc., of East Brunswick, N.J.

Hazard: The surface paint contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte today warned New Hampshire consumers that the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has recently received a report that consumers in New Hampshire and elsewhere are receiving scam emails which purport to be from the New Hampshire Lottery Commission. The emails instruct the recipients that to receive their winning prize, they must provide their passport and social security numbers.    » read more »

January 15, 2008 -- Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon says southwest Missourians are receiving text messages on their wireless phones that appear to be from Empire Bank, but actually are from identity thieves. Last month, Nixon warned that consumers in southwest Missouri were getting similar messages coming as automated calls on their home phones.    » read more »

Scammers Say New Social Security Cards or Free Medical Cards are being issued

January 15, 2008 -- INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter is alerting Hoosiers about a telephone scam that attempts to obtain residents’ bank account or social security numbers and other personal identifying information. The callers indicate new Social Security Cards or free medical cards are being sent and they need to verify some personal information.    » read more »

Phoenix, Ariz. – Jan. 15, 2008 -- Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard today warned consumers of a phone solicitation scam targeting Arizona’s seniors.

The Attorney General’s Office has learned that Arizonans have received calls from scam artists claiming to be their Medicare representative. They are told that Medicare has come out with a new card that would allow them to pay a one-time fee of $389 rather than their monthly Part B premium.

The caller then asks for the person’s bank account number and Social Security number.    » read more »

January 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.

Name of Product: Tinker Bell Lamps

Units: 60,000

Manufacturer: Kash N’ Gold Ltd., of Deer Park, N.Y.

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

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »