Help Me Hank: Fourth of July deals, vegetable recall, spoofing calls

DETROIT – Happy Fourth of July!

What are you plans? We are staying in town. We’ll probably go to a Tigers game and do some cooking out. Let’s hope for nice, Pure Michigan weather!

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I am a bit worried about the fireworks. Let’s just say my dog is not a fan. Any tips for helping to calm pets during the booms and bangs would be appreciated! I also hope they don’t wake my daughter up -- never wake a sleeping baby, right?

Here’s a picture of my daughter celebrating last year:

If you don’t have plans yet, there are still plenty of deals available. The Pure Michigan website has great tips and info if you want to hang around the state and check out some cool places.

This week, I got a call from a concerned tenant in a Wayne apartment building. I was stunned when we walked inside. They were without air conditioning, rats were running around and the structure was in desperate need of repair.

I was outraged people were forced to live like this. We got in touch with the owner and repairs are now underway. You can see our report to get an idea of how bad it was inside, but please remember: tenants have rights and no one should be forced to live in unlivable conditions.

Check out our Facebook page this weekend. We’ll be showing you the items to buy in July. It’s a great time to get some good deals on items you might not think of. We’re going to post all that info on the Consumer Page at ClickOnDetroit.com, too.

Just because it’s a holiday weekend doesn’t mean we're off the clock. We will bring you the latest scam, deal and recall of the week this weekend on Local 4 News in the morning.

I hope you enjoy the holiday weekend, and God bless the USA!

Be well.

-Hank

Email: helpmehank@wdiv.com
@HelpMeHank

Recall of the week

This recall of Green Giant vegetables was pretty big nationwide, but it’s not as bad here in Michigan.

If you shop at Trader Joe’s, this applies to you. Growers Express is recalling bags of vegetables that might be contaminated with listeria.

The recall involves zucchini and butternut squash spirals at Trader Joe’s with best-by dates of June 28, 2019.

Throw those away!

Listeria causes food poisoning symptoms but can be deadly to children and elderly people. It can also cause pregnant women to miscarry.

So even though we hear about food recalls all the time, this is nothing to ignore.

Scam of the week

Officials with the Federal Trade Commission said government spoofing calls are on the rise. Imposters claim to be with the Social Security Administration, asking for personal and financial information.

Remember, if someone threatens you, they aren't legitimate! The government is not going to threaten to put you in jail or harm you in any way.

Just hang up.

Deal of the week

The Fourth of July holiday is a good time to buy kitchen and laundry appliances.

Best Buy has deals up to 40% off. We’re talking washers, dryers, televisions, speakers and many more.

Act fast -- the deal ends Saturday!

Stories of the week

I know I’ve talked about this before, but I am constantly worried about my daughter and the pool in my backyard.

Last year, we tested pool products from pool stores around town and none out of the three worked. Zero!

I was enraged. How is it that pool stores can get away with selling outdated products that should keep children safe? This year, I decided to test pool safety products with good reviews online.

I was much happier with our results. Here’s a little behind-the-scenes shot with the founder of the Coral Manta 1000, one of the products we tested.

We did a lot of research on those two pool products because you can’t always rely on good reviews. I know, that sounds crazy, but it’s true. Check out how you can fish through all reviews to know which ones are honest and which ones are planted.


About the Author

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

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