Help Me Hank: Ragu recall, tech support scams and summer clothing deals

Hey everyone,

I just got back from hot, humid Houston. Have you been? I was there for the Investigative Reporters Conference. It’s a great chance to catch up with TV friends from across the country and to learn about the stories making a difference in other communities.

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We spent time with teams from various Graham Media stations at one of our locations, KPRC in Houston. They were great hosts, and they fed us BBQ. Did I mention I love BBQ? It was delish.

I think my favorite thing about their station was the station dog! Take a look at the picture of Tex. He’s pretty cute, right!?

In consumer news here at home, we took a deep dive into a pool problem. You can watch the story below, but here’s the lesson for all of us: Make sure you read your entire contract and put in a completion date you and your contractor agree on together.

I have a pool, and I know this project should not have taken this long. What a mess. We will stay on this one.

Did you see the story about Mr. Williams? A utility pole in his backyard snapped. Wires were dangling. It became a danger. After months of getting nowhere with any of the companies he was told to contact, he reached out to us. I couldn’t believe the runaround he was getting. At one point, someone told him to figure out whose wires were attached and then they’d help. How is an 87-year-old supposed to figure that out? Come on! I made sure we got this problem fixed for him so he can enjoy the summer in his yard.

Do you have an issue you need me to look into? Drop me a line!

At home, my daughter has a new favorite activity: removing all her clothes (and her diaper) in the middle of the night. Yes, sometimes that can lead to a big mess in the crib. I’ve gotten some suggestions from friends -- most say put her pajamas on backwards. It’s working for now, but if you have a better idea, let me know.

Take care!

Hank
Email: helpmehank@wdiv.com
@HelpMeHank

Recall of the week

It’s time to check those refrigerators again. The spaghetti sauce brand Ragu is being recalled over concerns about pieces of plastic inside.

The jars affected have "best use by" dates ranging from June 4 to June 6.

The types include Chunky Tomato Garlic and Onion, Traditional, and Meat sauces.

As with most recalled foods, if you have one, just throw it away. Don’t chance it!

Scam of the week

The FTC keeps up with all the latest scams. It’s a great website to reference if you think you’ve gotten a scam call or email. Anytime someone asks me, "is this a scam?" I point them first to the FTC to see if there’s a scam that’s similar out there.

They want you to be aware of tech support scams. The scammers reach out to you, saying there’s something wrong with your computer. They’ll fix it if you wire them money or buy a gift card. Real tech support people don’t sit around scanning computers all over the world for bugs. They don’t just reach out to you.

Deal of the week

If we dress like summer, maybe the rain will stop and the sun will come out?

Target is doing buy-one-get-one deals on swimsuits for the whole family.

Kohl’s has summer tops for the whole family for $10, too.

Stories of the week

A Riverview woman reached out to us after a contractor kept putting her pool on the backburner. It has been almost a year since they started the project. I get that Michigan weather is unpredictable and that problems arise, but if you tell someone a job will be done in four to six weeks and she has paid you thousands of dollars, you have some explaining to do.

The Better Business Bureau is sending out the warning on fake timeshare exit companies. When it comes to protecting yourself, it’s all about research, research, research.

Did you know a baby can have his or her identity stolen? Considering they have no credit, I was shocked to learn that, too! There are ways to protect your child’s identity.


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.