Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

Harlan Levy. Courtesy photo

By Harlan Levy

In a continuing story about deceptive photos in ads, apparently seeing doesn’t always lead to believing.

The latest personal experience: I wanted to order some lightly salted rice cakes but, being lazy and not wanting to venture out in rainy stormy weather I went on Amazon and ordered thin rice cakes from Lieber’s. When they arrived I found out what “thin” meant. Not only were the rice cakes much smaller than the regular rice cakes I already had, but they measured ¼-inch in width compared to the other rice cakes’ half-inch width. Not a big deal, but it just showed how you can’t assume photos are actual product sizes.

Another examples of how online photos can be deceptive. Lieber’s rice cakes looked the same size as rice cakes I buy at the supermarket, but they’re thinner and smaller. Photo credit: Harlan Levy

Stronger weight-loss drug

Do any of you readers – like one of my relatives – use the new weight-loss drugs like Ozempic? If so, this item is relevant: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just approved a new higher dose of Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, called Wegovy HD, for greater weight loss and long-term maintenance of weight loss for certain adult patients. Wegovy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. The new higher dose is to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long-term in adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition like Type 2 diabetes.

Refunds for CT

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $10.9 million to consumers harmed by a credit repair operation known by multiple names including Financial Education Services (FES), United Wealth Education, United Credit Education Services, and Youth Financial Literacy Foundation.

The FTC charged the company preyed on consumers with low credit scores by luring them in with the false promise of an easy fix to their credit score and then recruiting them to join a pyramid scheme selling the credit repair services to others, costing them millions of dollars.

The FTC is sending checks to 443,048 affected customers, including 157,222 consumers in Connecticut who’ll receive $23,329,709 and should cash their checks within 90 days.

Newly illegal drugs

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Attorney General William Tong, and officials of the state Department of Consumer Protection, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Resources, and Connecticut State Police detailed changes that designated several substances readily available in stores as Schedule 1 Controlled Substances in Connecticut, effective today Wednesday, March 25. 2026.,

These products come in beverages, tinctures, pills, gummies, and other forms. All products containing any of the following recently scheduled substances are illegal to possess, manufacture, sell or distribute:

• Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), including its leaves, stem and any extracts
• 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH, a kratom derivative)
• Bromazolam
• Flubromazolam
• Nitazenes, including, but not limited to, isotonitazene
• Tianeptine
• Phenibut

“With false marketing that led consumers to believe these are safe products, and with candy-like flavor options, these substances posed a clear threat to those battling substance use disorder and our youngest residents,” Bysiewicz said.

“These substances have no approved medical use and have been widely available for sale in establishments easily accessed by children and other vulnerable populations,” DCP Commissioner Brian Cafferelli said, and they “have been marketed as health products, misleading people to assume they are safe when, in fact, they are addictive.”

Tong said he has sent letters to all known distributors and manufacturers of Kratom products. “As of Wednesday, it will be illegal to possess, manufacture, sell or distribute these drugs, including Kratom and tianeptine, sometimes referred to as gas station heroin,” Tong said. “These products are unsafe, untested, and if you see them, do not purchase them and call the police.”

NOTE: On Friday I rushed to Bristol Hospital for an emergency endoscopy for too low hemoglobin levels and bleeding ulcers, which could have killed me if untreated. It showed I have four bleeding ulcers that are no longer bleeding. I’m on meds and must follow a restricted (BRAT) diet, which I’ve been happy to do!

LESSON: If you have coal black stools, immediately call your gastroenterologist!

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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