Fraud Tip of the Day - January 2

Consumer Goods Recalled do to Safety Issues

Before you purchase items off of Craigslist or eBay check with the manufacturer and find out if the item was recalled due to a defect. Some people will stoop to selling recalled items once they've received a replacement.

This practice is worse than you might think because selling defective merchandise can put you and your family at risk.

Manufacturers recall items as a last resort because replacement is expensive and the negative publicity can harm their image in the eyes of consumers. So when an item is recalled you can be very sure that there's a good reason for it. You do not want these items in your home.

So do a quick check on the manufacturers website for even inexpensive items. It may seem like a hassle but if you're already seated at a computer browsing through Craigslist or eBay it should take no more than a minute to determine whether the item you are considering for purchase is safe or not.

Consumer Produce Recall Websites

Recalls.gov
http://www.recalls.gov/

To provide better service in alerting the American people to unsafe, hazardous or defective products, six federal agencies with vastly different jurisdictions have joined together to create www.recalls.gov -- a "one stop shop" for U.S. Government recalls.

US Consumer Product Safety Commission
http://www.cpsc.gov/

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools,cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

More Recall.gov Information