Foreclosure Solutions, an Ohio-based firm, has been charged with federal violations for running an alleged foreclosure rescue company that didn’t really rescue anyone from foreclosure.
For details, click here.
Archive for April, 2008
Ohio-based “foreclosure rescuer” charged
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Feds give envelope-stuffing promoter a licking
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008A guy who touted one of those make-money-at-home-stuffing-envelopes schemes through newspaper ads nationwide has been stuffed by the Federal Trade Commission.
Details are here.
Some DEWALT table saws being recalled
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Some DEWALT jobsite table saws have a defective pivot bracket, which might cause users to be cut.
Details on the recall of the 13,000 saws may be found here.
Beach chairs may land you on your bum
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Rio Beach High-Boy folding beach chairs made of tubular aluminum have a weak rear leg that can collapse.
The chairs, sold at stores since January, are being recalled.
Nintendo lapel pins are tainted
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Colorful lapel pins depicting 12 different video game characters are being recalled by Nintendo because of excessive lead content.
Details are here.
Feds advise against fetal `keepsakes’
Monday, April 28th, 2008The Food and Drug Administration advises against parents springing for those fetus videos, heartbeat recordings and other fetal keepsakes because it represents an unapproved use of ultrasound and other services that require a prescription.
Extended use of such devices — sometimes it takes an hour to get a fetal video — might have unknown consequences for the mother and baby.
For an FDA article explores the issue, click here.
Dinnerware may have lead/cadmium content
Monday, April 28th, 2008Lifetime Brands is recalling some of its Pfaltzgraff dinnerware in the Nautica J or Villa della Luna patterns because they found some of the stoneware might have levels of lead or cadmium that exceed federal standards.
Details are here.
Gas-saver or slick marketing?
Monday, April 28th, 2008With the average cost of a gallon of gasoline now around $3.60, you might be hearing more about the Ethos Fuel Refomulator.
This is a product that purports to reduce emissions and give you better gas mileage. Plus, you can make money selling the stuff as part of a multi-level marketing program.
Sounds like a good deal: Get better gas mileage and make money on the side. Just what we need in times of a poor economy and high gasoline prices.
Despite the company claims, however, those who have tested the product rigorously, find that it comes up short in the mileage improvement department. At best, results are inconsistent.
When it does seem to improve mileage and the cost of the fuel additive is factored in (about $42 for a 32-ounce bottle), any savings in fuel economy are nullified by the cost of the additive.
Don’t be surprised, though, if you get an e-mailed solicitation about the product’s gas-saving abilities.
Check out what seems to be a thorough examination of the product claims here.
Comerica customers are phishing prey
Monday, April 28th, 2008A new e-mailed phishing attempt is being made in the name of Comerica Bank.
Unlike a lot of phishing efforts — ruses designed to capture personal financial data — this one uses a trojan virus that the recipient unwittingly installs after being convinced they need to download a security certificate to continue online access to their account.
It’s a highly sophisticated fraud that uses two authentic-looking layered Web pages. Details can be found here on the F-Secure Web site.
If you’re a Comerica customer and get a request to download a security certificate, just call the bank to verify the authenticity of the request.
Free booster seats for motorists
Friday, April 25th, 2008Starting July 1, Michigan motorists will have to have booster seats for kids 8 and younger. State Rep. Kathy Angerer, D-Dundee, has partnered with safety groups and police agencies to distribute a limited amount of free seats to area residents at four events in May.
For details and a schedule, click here.
Lawn-cutting robots unstoppable
Friday, April 25th, 2008LawnBott, a lawn-mowing robot, can attack its handlers.
Details are here.
Simmer pots are potential shock hazard
Thursday, April 24th, 2008About 830,000 electric simmer pots marketed by Waxcessories and made in China pose an electric shock hazard.
They’re being recalled and the company is offering a replacement product. The pots, sold through gift and general merchandise stores nationwide over the last six years, have defective wiring.
For a photo and more information, click here.
Bogus business biller shut down
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The Federal Trade Commission has shut down a Canadian operation that billed businesses for ads in an assortment of bogus business-related directories, travel services, office supplies and consulting work.
Operators of Ontario Inc., and its “publication” subsidiaries, bilked businesses by sending them phony invoices for listings and ads that never were authorized or published.
Details are here.
Shopping spree telemarketers fined
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The people behind a telemarketing scam that promised shopping sprees at Wal-Mart, Macy’s and other retailers have been ordered to pay more than $28 million to make up for their ill-gotten gains and banned from further telemarketing.
The Federal Trade Commission contended that the defendants cold-called consumers with the goal of tricking them into disclosing their bank account information, falsely promising them valuable incentives such as gift cards and “shopping sprees” to retailers such as Wal-Mart and Macy’s, movie passes, and gas vouchers. All of these items were supposedly free with the payment of a nominal shipping-and-handling fee. In many instances, the defendants misrepresented that they were affiliated with well-known retailers, government entities, or the consumers’ financial institutions.
The defendants also harassed consumers by making repeated telemarketing calls to them, ignoring consumers’ requests not to call again, and using profane and abusive language during the telemarketing calls, and then made unauthorized debits from consumers’ bank accounts after tricking them into disclosing their account information, the FTC said.
More details about the case may be found by clicking here.
Non-allergenic latex glove okayed
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new medical and surgical non-allergenic latex glove derived from a desert bush.
It has the potential to make latex allergic reactions a thing of the past for doctors, nurses and patients.
Details are here.