Consumer alert!

The FBI has compiled its latest list of cyberscams and spams.

If you have an e-mail account, you’ve probably already received one or more of the ruses described here.

The federal minimum wage goes up to $5.85 an hour on Tuesday.

If you work in Michigan, you’re already being paid $7.15 an hour, so the change shouldn’t make any difference to you.

In states where the federal and state minimum wages are different, the higher rate prevails.

The list of Castleberry’s foods being recalled due to botulism concerns is expanding.

Check out the latest product list here.

The expanded list includes two Castleberry’s beef stew products. Cans of Castleberry’s Beef Stew were among the commodities handed out to people at the Mabel Kehres senior apartment complex late last week. Those who received cans of the stew should check the bar codes against those on the new recall list. But if they want to be extra cautious, they might want to toss the can anyway.

The USDA has added another brand to a lengthening list of toothpaste containing poisonous chemicals.

For information about the DentFresh recall, click here.

For a summary of all brands that could be dangerous,click here.

About a million Easy-Bake toy ovens made by Hasbro are being recalled because they can severely cut users.

At least one partial finger amputation has been recorded.

You can get a voucher for other Hasbro merchandise if you turn in the oven.

Here are details.

A fascinating article describes how scientists have blended the sticking properties of the gecko with the mussel.

Sounds like it might find its way to store shelves in the not-too-distant future. Don’t be surprised if Warren Buffet, the billionaire behind GEICO insurance, is behind its marketing.

Hot Dog Chili Sauce sold at Meijer and Kroger stores and made by Castleberry are among the hot dog sauce products affected by a botulism contamination scare.

To learn more about products included in the recall, click here.

Playskool Sippy Cups sold at CVS pharmacies can pose a choking hazard to toddlers using them.

Learn the details.

Signature Gourmet and Kitchen Gourmet 12-cup coffeemakers sold at Walgreen’s have an overheating problem.

More than 300,000 are in circulation. For information about getting a refund, click here.

Black & Decker electric weedwhips and edgers have spools and strings that can come loose and cut the users. They also can overheat.

About 202,000 of them are being recalled after 56 reports of injuries. Read more about it here.

Did you know that if the gasoline or diesel fuel you buy is warmer than 60 degrees, you’ll get less mileage from it?

That’s the issue some consumers are pressing at the national level. They have a fascinating Web site that tells all about it.

Customers who might have been victimized by Ameriquest predatory lending conduct should be getting claim forms in the mail if they haven’t gotten them already, Michigan officials say.

OFIS Commissioner Linda A. Watters said today that 27,858 Michigan consumers are eligible for $13.8 million in restitution from Ameriquest Mortgage Company and its related companies as part of a $325 million national settlement of a predatory lending lawsuit against the company.

She said letters and claim forms were sent to eligible consumers this week. To participate in the settlement and receive restitution, consumers must mail completed and signed forms to the settlement administrator by September 10, 2007.

The forms mailed to each consumer will indicate the minimum payment the consumer can expect to receive. However, the exact amount could be larger, depending on how many eligible consumers decide to participate in the settlement.

Watters encouraged consumers to study the claim forms and information and reply as soon as possible.

Consumers who opt to receive the restitution payments relinquish their right to file lawsuits against Ameriquest related to the loans covered by the settlement. Therefore, consumers are encouraged to consult with a private attorney or, if they qualify, a legal services attorney before deciding whether to participate in the settlement. However, consumers who participate in the settlement do not give up any claim they may otherwise raise if their home goes into foreclosure.

Under the settlement, over 481,000 borrowers who were customers of Ameriquest Mortgage Company, Town and Country Credit Corporation, and AMC Mortgage Services, Inc. (formerly known as Bedford Home Loans) between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2005 are eligible to receive the restitution payments.

Newspaper ads running recently tout the Platinum GasSaver as being able to increase gas mileage by as much as 22 percent. An ad in The Evening News mentions a five-year study by “Federal Consumer Protection” concluding that “independent testing shows greater fuel savings with the Platinum Gas Saver than the 22 percent claimed by the developer.”

We’ve never heard of the “Federal Consumer Protection” agency. We have heard of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and know that its Ann Arbor-based testing center has tested dozens of fuel-saving additives and add-ons.

Among the devices tested was the Platinum Gas Saver, an add-on device that can sell for anywhere from $130 to $170. The EPA’s conclusion: “The Platinum Gas Saver did not significantly change vehicle emissions or fuel economy … the device clearly did not produce the large — greater than 20 percent — fuel economy benefits claimed by the manufacturer. Therefore, users of the device would not be expected to realize either an emission or fuel economy benefit. Vehicle operation and performance were unchanged by the device.”

Here’s the EPA’s full report.

A new LASIK procedure that will help older people improve their close-up vision has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Here are details.

Borrowers who had a mortgage with Ameriquest or some of its related companies between 1999 and 2006 might be eligible for part of a $295 million settlement stemming from predatory loan practices. Nearly 28,000 Michigan residents are believed affected.
For settlement details, click here.