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Consumer protection

Business
CT Frontier Customers Will Get $860K In Bill Credits Over Service Failures CT Frontier Customers Will Get $860K In Bill Credits Over Service Failures
CT Frontier Customers Will Get $860K In Bill Credits Over Service Failures Connecticut consumer protection authorities have reached an agreement with Frontier Communications to reimburse customers $860,000 for repeated failures to meet state customer service standards, officials said. The settlement between the Connecticut Office of Consumer Counsel and the Texas-based telecommunications firm follows the company’s failure to address out-of-service repairs promptly and to meet scheduled maintenance appointments from January 2015 to December 2023, according to a release. The money will be issued to customers as bill credits. However, it remains unclear how much each…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
Fire Pits Sold At Retailers Nationwide Recalled After Multiple Burn Injuries Reported Fire Pits Sold At Retailers Nationwide Recalled After Multiple Burn Injuries Reported
Fire Pits Sold At Retailers Nationwide Recalled After Multiple Burn Injuries Reported Nearly 90,000 popular fire pits sold at major retailers nationwide are subject to a federal recall due to concerns about flames escaping from their containers and causing critical injuries. Homeowners have been advised to stop using several Colsen-branded fire pits after receiving multiple reports of serious burn injuries suffered by users, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). "Alcohol flames can be invisible and lead to flame jetting when refilling the fire pit reservoir," a CPSC notice states.  "Flame jetting is a serious event that can occur while pouring …

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by Zak Failla
Business
Scammers Are Creating Fake Customer Service Numbers In Google Searches: What To Know Scammers Are Creating Fake Customer Service Numbers In Google Searches: What To Know
Scammers Are Creating Fake Customer Service Numbers In Google Searches: What To Know New reports reveal that scammers are trying to trick Google into showing their fake numbers pretending to offer reputable services, and many are getting away with it. Google sometimes highlights impostors during searches for airlines, banks, as well as local businesses, according to a brand-new report in The Washington Post. A victim who called what Google listed as Coinbase customer support was scammed out of $100,000 in 20 minutes by an impostor, Fortune reports. Google told The Washington Post that it uses several methods to determine whether business listings are legitimate, inclu…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Boar's Head Facing NY Lawsuit Over Deli Meat Recall Boar's Head Facing NY Lawsuit Over Deli Meat Recall
Boar's Head Facing NY Lawsuit Over Deli Meat Recall Boar’s Head's massive product recall is going from the delicatessen to the courtroom. After an initial recall last month of around 200,000 pounds of deli meat due to possible Listeria contamination, the company expanded it on Tuesday, July 30, to approximately seven million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.  Click here for a new, updated story: Third Death From Listeria Outbreak Linked To Boar's Head Deli Meat A lawsuit filed on Thursday, Aug. 1 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York accuses Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Inc. …

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise
Don't Fall For It: Driveway Paving Scams On Rise Police are warning of an uptick in scammers hoping to take advantage of the warmer spring weather. Each year, agencies across the country see an increase in complaints about fraudsters who bait homeowners with driveway paving services, according to the North Greenbush Police Department in New York. “As the trees sprout leaf buds and the daffodils peek out of their underground hiding, so must the scam artists offering to pave or sealcoat your driveway for the low low price of only five times what it would cost for a legitimate business to do it,” the agency said on Facebook. “And they must b…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Public Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Cook Chicken Products Public Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Cook Chicken Products
Public Health Alert Issued For Ready-To-Cook Chicken Products A public health alert has been issued for ready-to-cook chicken entrée products that may be missing labeling that includes the list of ingredients and cooking instructions, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.  "This product contains soy and milk, known allergens, which may not be declared on the finished product label," FSIS said in a statement, saying the alert is being issued to "ensure that consumers with an allergy to soy and dairy are aware that these products should not be consumed and to ensure that consumers properly …

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
First Black Woman To Serve As US Attorney For District Of Connecticut Takes Command First Black Woman To Serve As US Attorney For District Of Connecticut Takes Command
First Black Woman To Serve As US Attorney For District Of Connecticut Takes Command A longtime lawmaker in Connecticut has checked off a new milestone. Vanessa Roberts Avery, age 47, of West Hartford, has been sworn in as the US Attorney for the District of Connecticut, making her the first Black woman to fill that position. “It is an honor to return to this office, in the city where I was raised, to serve as Connecticut’s U.S. Attorney,” Avery announced.  “I look forward to working with the many talented members of this office, as well as our dedicated law enforcement partners, to enforce federal criminal and civil laws, protect our communities, and ensure justice …

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by Zak Failla
News
Wegmans Recalls Two Separate Products Wegmans Recalls Two Separate Products
Wegmans Recalls Two Separate Products Wegmans is recalling a pair of popular items that may contain foreign materials. The grocery giant announced that seven-pound bags of “Wegmans Bagged Ice” has been recalled due to the possibility of metal shavings in the package. It is also recalling “Wegmans Everything Bagel Seasoned Hummus” that may contain small, hard, black items inside the product. Bagged ice products that are subject to recall can be identified by lot codes printed on the bags, reading “ROC 100” or “ROC 104” with the UPC “0-77890-42446-9.” The hummus has a lot code of “211088,” with a UPC of “7789050576,” and “Best…

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by Zak Failla
News
Eversource Warns Customers Of New, 'Finetuned' Scams Eversource Warns Customers Of New, 'Finetuned' Scams
Eversource Warns Customers Of New, 'Finetuned' Scams Eversource is cautioning its East Coast utility customers to be wary of fraudsters who have recently been targeting consumers in Connecticut and Massachusetts. This week, Eversource issued an alert after receiving reports of "scam artists aggressively targeting utility customers.” Officials said that new tactics are being used as scammers continue fine-tuning their techniques, including phony caller IDs that display “Eversource” and scripts that sound like a legitimate company representative threatening to disconnect their electric or gas service because of an unpaid bill.  …

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by Zak Failla
News
Scammers May Victimize Peer-To-Peer App Users, CT Attorney General Warns Scammers May Victimize Peer-To-Peer App Users, CT Attorney General Warns
Scammers May Victimize Peer-To-Peer App Users, CT Attorney General Warns Federal and state officials are warning consumers to be vigilant when using “peer to peer” apps like CashApp, Venmo, PayPal, and Zelle to avoid losing money, giving out valuable personal information, or being victimized by scammers. Like any product, consumers must make informed decisions with regard to the use of financial technology products including the “peer to peer” applications for smartphones, otherwise known as “prepaid accounts” or “P2P account.”  P2P Apps have become increasingly popular through companies like Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, and PayPal. While these apps can be used …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT AG Wants Eversource To Pay For August Storm Failures CT AG Wants Eversource To Pay For August Storm Failures
CT AG Wants Eversource To Pay For August Storm Failures Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is calling on Eversource to pay penalties and for damages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias last summer. Calling Eversource’s failure to communicate and protect public safety during and after the storm “imprudent,” Tong said that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) should mandate consumer credits and make all findings necessary to levy penalties. Last August, Isaias left more than 100,000 Eversource customers without power for several days, some more than week, which drew the ire of Tong and other elected officials in Connecticut. Accor…

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by Zak Failla
News
Here Are Four Ways To Avoid Stimulus Check Scams Here Are Four Ways To Avoid Stimulus Check Scams
Here Are Four Ways To Avoid Stimulus Check Scams Consumer protection and law enforcement agencies are warning people to be wary of scams associated with stimulus checks. To avoid scammers, the Department of Consumer Protection is circulating tips on how to identify, stop, and/or report fraudsters going after stimulus checks. The second round of stimulus checks to help Americans deal with an economy hampered by COVID-19 began arriving in people’s mailboxes and direct-deposit accounts in late December. Single people will get $600, a married couple will get $1,200, and there will be an additional $600 per child to families. Everyone who qual…

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by Kristin Palpini