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

By Harlan Levy

Following up on last week’s Halloween column I went looking for local mask and costume shops and found none in West Hartford. But there’s a fully stocked Party City store in East Hartford at 17 Main Street, where I found everything you or your children and grandchildren might want.

See my photos for some winners with prices in the photo captions. I’d love to publish photos of trick-or-treaters in their costumes. Send them to [email protected].

Massive meat recall affecting West Hartford and other markets

On Monday Oct. 14, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued an updated recall of the nearly 10 million-pound recall first announced last Wednesday due to listeria concerns affecting products in grocery stores nationwide, including Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Target, Aldi, Amazon Fresh, 7-Eleven, and more.

Routine testing by pre-cooked meat producer BrucePac found evidence of listeria monocytogenes on its ready-to-eat meat and poultry, which can cause a listeriosis bacterial infection. Its severe form causes stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. For babies and toddlers, the elderly, and the immune-compromised, listeriosis can result in death.

Sandwiches, wraps and salads are the main prepared foods involved. Frozen meals containing chicken products ranging from pastas and burritos to bowls and family meals are also affected.

The USDA is continuing to update the list of affected products. Find a full and expanding list at FSIS.usda.gov and check back frequently for updates.

Affected products were shipped to establishments and distributors nationwide, including restaurants and other food institutions, and appear in salads, frozen meals and other pre-packaged foods off different brands sold at a variety of locations.

What brand names are included in the recall? Fresh Express, Rao’s, Boston Market, Dole, Jenny Craig, Atkinson, ReadyMeals, El Monterey, Don Pancho’s, Amazon Kitchen, Home Chef, Trader Joe’s brand, Great Value (Walmart), Central Eats, and others.

If you have any of these, throw them away or return them to where you bought them.

Free trial scam

On Sept. 30 the Frderal Trade Commission announced it’s sending more than $2.8 million in refunds to consumers charged for “free trial” offers for personal care products and dietary supplements, including $20,660 to 107,197 Connecticut residents, some of the $2.8 million.

Apex Capital Group marketed supposed “free trial” offers online but instead billed consumers the full price and enrolled them in negative option continuity plans without their consent.

My experience

On Tuesday I was scrolling through some product ”hacks” to make life easier (for next week’s column) when I checked out Total Adblock, a software addition to block all the unwanted ads that litter my inbox. It only cost $1.99, so I paid for it via PayPal. Then I received an email congratulating me and stating that every month I’d get a bill for $9.99 to keep the deal going.

Sadly, I’d fallen for another “free trial” deal a few years ago, and I had a hell of a time getting out of it, including filing a dispute with my credit card company and numerous calls to the merchant.

So I wasn’t happy this time around to learn from Total Adblock that, yes, I could cancel the account, but to do so I had to send a certified letter costing $14.95 announcing my cancellation.

“Fudge!” (or something like it) I shouted to no one in particular and contacted PayPal to see if I could cancel the item. “Too late,” PayPal responded. But I could cancel all future payments, which I did. Now the question is whether Total Adblock will continue to bill me every month, even though I won’t pay, and whether at some point it will get a collection agency to go after me for the accumulated bills.

Meanwhile, I’m filing a dispute with my credit card company.

But will I relent and send the damn $14.95 letter when I’m sick of getting billed?

I think I’ll wait til the results of my dispute are clear.

All I can say is AAARRRGGGH!

In any event, if you’re considering a “free trial” offer, check the fine print before you end up wasting your precious time in the morass of your effort to extricate yourself.

Now you’re warned.

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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