CONSUMER ALERT

It happened to me. Has it ever happened to you? I’m talking about making a dumb mistake. I’m sure we all have at some point, right?

Many Metro Detroit residents are receiving calls from people pretending to work for DTE Energy, threatening to shut off services.

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar are recalling more than one million hot glue guns after receiving reports of the products malfunctioning and posing fire and burn hazards.

Two chocolate products under the brand Kinder are being recalled due to a salmonella contamination concern.

If you’re sharing your Netflix password with people who don’t live with you, you may soon be asked to pay more money for your subscription.

This National Poison Prevention Week, we’re diving into the potential toxic hazards in your home -- particularly those that children can get their hands on.

Here are a few tips to avoid purchasing fake N95 of KN95 face masks.

Flint students will remain out of the classroom even longer due to a surge of new COVID-19 cases.

Baby product company Mushie & Co is recalling more than 300,000 silicone pacifiers due to a potential choking hazard.

The holiday season is often busy with shopping, parties and traveling -- all things that can keep you distracted, making you an easier target for scammers.

Help Me Hank has warned you about so-called romantic rip-offs in the past. Unfortunately, scammers are still working to break hearts and steal money from unsuspecting victims.

About two million dehumidifiers sold at big box stores nationwide are being recalled for a fire risk, with more than 107 incidents already reported causing about $17 million in property damage.

During power outages, people turn to portable generators to keep their lights and appliances working -- but experts warn that if those generators aren’t used properly, they can cause serious consequences.

If you’re concerned that a call from a local health department may be a scam, write down the name and number of the person who called you, then reach out to your local health department to confirm the legitimacy of the call.

If you’ve tried to get a quote recently to have work done to your home, chances are you have discovered that contractors are busy and in high demand.

Phishing scams in your email might be easy to spot, but there is another way that crooks are trying to get you to click that sketchy link.

Three products sold at Target and Walmart stores have been recalled due to a potential choking hazard for infants.

Families are spending more time at home and that has experts worried that more kids can get hurt from furniture and TVs. A new report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said tip-over incidents have killed 451 children since 2000. Carlson shared video of her daughter for the CPSC’s latest “Anchor It” public service announcement warning about the dangers of tipping furniture and TVs. Parents, grandparents and caregivers should do the following to protect children:Anchor TVs, furniture like dressers and bookcases to the wallPut you TV on a sturdy low base and back as far as possible if you cannot anchor it. The guilt and shame that you feel as a parent for not protecting your child by doing something as easy as anchoring a piece of furniture.

Target is recalling 181,000 infant-toddler swimsuits because they pose a choking threat to children, officials said. The company is offering a refund on the Cat & Jack infant-toddler one-piece rashguard swimsuits because snaps can break or detach from the suits, posing choking and laceration hazards to children. The swimsuits were sold for around $15 at Target stores nationwide and online between December 2019 and October 2020. Customers should return the recalled swimsuits to a Target store for a full refund. If the swimsuit was purchased online, customers can contact Target to receive a prepaid return label to return the swimsuit.

Michigan officials are warning residents of an email scam that is attempting to retrieve personal information from individuals collecting unemployment benefits. According to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, an email is being sent to claimants seeking personal information. Michigan residents are being warned of an email scam targeting individuals who collect unemployment benefits. (Michigan Department of Attorney General)Officials say the UIA would never ask a claimant to reply to an email with personal information. “Bad actors are increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to deceive people into giving away personal information,” Nessel said.

DETROIT – The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about an online shopping scam involving “going out of business” advertisements. Melanie Duquesnel, president of the Better Business Bureau serving Eastern Michigan, said the difficulty they’re finding is that clients are not getting the product but yet they’re getting charged for it. READ: Scammers use multiple methods to target victims -- Here’s what to watch out for“Just because an advertisement is on Facebook doesn’t mean that it’s a 100% trustworthy business,” Duquesnel said. With more people buying cars, RVs and boats online, the BBB says vehicle shipper and escrow scams are going up. How do you know that you’re going to get your money back?” Duquesnel said.