Consumer alert!

MousePrint.org notes that a lot of ice cream makers are shrinking their cartons due to higher energy and milk costs.
Check out the details here.

In the last couple of days, bogus e-mails invoking the names of various financial institutions have been circulating in an effort to extract personal financial information from customers.
The messages aren’t necessarily specifically targeted at customers of the financial organizations, but are meant to saturate the Web with bogus messages in hopes that some legitimate customers will respond with their personal data.
In all cases, the financial firms do not gather such personal data through e-mail.
If you receive messages from the following financial institutions with the following subject headings, just delete them:
Comerica — “Your account need attention.”
Bank of America — “Restore your account has been blocked.”
RBS — “Reactivate your Digital Banking.”
PayPal — “Security Notice — We have limited access to your PayPal account.”

The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers to be wary of bogus fundraising efforts in the wake of the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar.
Such appeals for money often pop up following major disasters and some already have surfaced appealing for funds to help cyclone victims.
The federal agency’s alert and tips for screening such charitable appeals may be found here.

The Securities and Exchange Commission won a court order freezing the assets of a Swartz Creek, Mich. company that it says duped investors worldwide out of more than $72 million.
Less than half the money was invested and lost substantial value. The rest was parceled out to family members.
The company marketed itself on the Internet globally and had investors in all 50 states.
Details can be found here.

Just a reminder that today is the last day to buy first-class postage stamps at 41 cents. The price goes up to 42 cents on Monday.
Buying “Forever Stamps” marked with the Liberty Bell, will forgo future postage increases “forever.”

An e-mail being sent to companies masquerading as a customer complaint to the Better Business Bureau can compromise the security of your computer and allow authorized remote access to the machine.
The data security firm F-Secure has details of what it looks like and how it works. Check it out here.

The FBI is warning of still another e-mail scam that tries to extract personal info from the recipients by claiming they need to fill out forms to assure they get that government economic stimulus tax check.
Check it out here.

Express Consolidation, a Florida-based debt management firm that solicited consumers by phone nationwide, has agreed to pay fines and settle federal charges that it misled consumers and that its telemarketing arm violated terms of the federal Do Not Call list.
Details may be found here.

Some “Munchkin” baby bottle/food warmers are being recalled because they can overheat and start a fire.
Consumers can get a free replacement.
Details are here.

Atrazine, a common herbicide used widely on crops in the Midwest, has been found to disrupt hormonal activity in human cells.
Previously, it was shown to cause abnormalities in frogs and fish.
The University of California findings can be found here.

A California firm that offered “free trials” of its herbal products, including smoking cessation patches, now will get a free trial compliments of federal prosecutors.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, NextClick Media operated several Web sites that offered “free” 10- day trials for products, including herbal stop-smoking patches called “Nicocure,” “Stop Smoking 180,” and “Zero Nicotine.” They advertised that consumers would pay only for shipping and handling. Consumers who wanted to try the “free trial” provided a credit or debit card to pay for the shipping charge. But, the FTC alleges, the trials weren’t free. Consumers weren’t sent a 10-day trial size package. They were sent a 30-day supply and had to pay for all 30 days of product if they chose to keep it. Consumers who chose to return the unused product paid postage and were assessed a $7.95 restocking fee, neither of which were disclosed adequately by the sites.

The agency also alleged that the operators failed to disclose adequately that consumers who signed up for the free trial were agreeing to be enrolled in a program that would automatically bill them monthly charges of up to $99.95 until they cancelled.

More details may be found here.

Chrysler Corp. is recalling certain 2006 models of the Jeep Commander because it has engine software that might cause the vehicle to stall without warning.
Details are here.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has obtained a court order to stop a $27 million Ponzi scheme involving investors in the United States, Canada, and other countries.

The SEC charged Las Vegas-based Gold-Quest International and its three principals for the alleged misuse of investor funds in a scheme that promised incentives to investors who recruited “friends and family” into the system. The SEC alleges that Gold-Quest and its owners promised that investor funds would be pooled and invested in foreign currency exchange trading and would generate annual profits of 87.5 percent. No investor money was actually invested in foreign currency exchange trading, the SEC said.

More information may be found by clicking here.

With growing concern about the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), U.S. Reps. John D. Dingell and Bart Stupak have asked baby formula manufacturers to stop using the chemical in their infant formula packaging.
“Concerns about the health effects of Bisphenol A have mounted in recent weeks,” Rep. Dingell said. “Given the dangers posed by this chemical and the public’s growing unease, infant formula manufacturers should play it safe and reassure parents and families by discontinuing use of this chemical.”
“While FDA continues its safety assessment and some retailers pull products containing BPA from their shelves, we cannot ignore the potential risk of infant formula packaging containing BPA that remains on the market,” Rep. Stupak said. “We are asking infant formula makers to voluntarily remove BPA from their packaging in order to protect developing children from the chemical’s devastating effects.”
Letters were sent to Mead Johnson & Company; Nestle USA, Inc.; PBM Products; and Ross Products Division of Abbott Labs. Those four companies produce liquid infant formula for consumption in the United States. Cans of formula typically are lined with a sealant containing BPA.
The Committee notes that Abbott Labs has already commenced efforts to evaluate and identify alternative packaging options. “We applaud those efforts and encourage them and others to proceed expeditiously,” said Dingell.
In April, the National Toxicology Program, an office within the National Institutes of Health, suggested that the chemical may cause neural and behavioral problems as well as effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females. Canada recently announced plans to ban the compound. Nalgene Outdoor Products, a manufacturer of water bottles popular with athletes, has announced plans to remove BPA from their plastic bottles and replace them with BPA-free alternatives. Wal-Mart has said it will pull products with BPA from its shelves and replace them with BPA-free alternatives.

Hydrox Labs has issued a recall of its alcohol-free mouthwash branded with the Cardinal Health label because some of the product has been found to be contaminated with bacteria that can result in respiratory infections in some patients.
The mouthwash is used widely in health care facilities, such as hospitals, medical clinics and nursing homes and also included in some hospital admission kits.
Details on the recall may be found here.