Consumer News: Tomatoes recalled due to Salmonella risk

Social media ads for fake shopping sites are doing the most damage

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Americans reported losing $2.1 billion to social media in 2025, the highest losses tied to any contact method.

• Nearly 1 in 3 scam victims said the fraud started on social media, according to new FTC data.

• Losses from social media have increased roughly eightfold since 2020, showing a rapid growth in online fraud.

Americans are losing billions of dollars to that originate on social media platforms, according to newly released data from the Federal Trade Commission. The agency says it shows a dramatic shift in how scammers target consumers.

The FTC reported that consumers lost about $2.1 billion to social media in 2025, more than losses tied to any other method scammers use to reach victims. The figures reflect a steep rise in fraud activity online, with losses from these schemes increasing roughly eightfold since 2020.

Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to said the fraud began on a social media platform, highlighting how central those services have become to scammers operations.

The FTCs data shows that scammers frequently use social platforms to initiate contact before directing victims to fraudulent websites, fake storefronts or other deceptive channels. Shopping were among the most common, with many consumers reporting that they purchased items advertised online that were never delivered or were misrepresented.

Facebook drew the most complaints

Certain platforms appear more frequently in reports than others. Consumers said they lost more money to that originated on Facebook than on any other social network, with WhatsApp and Instagram also cited but at lower levels.

The FTC data is part of a broader surge in fraud losses nationwide. Across all types of , Americans reported losing nearly $15.9 billion in 2025, reflecting a growing financial toll as criminals adopt more sophisticated and targeted tactics.

Officials say the trend illustrates how scammers are adapting to where people spend their time online, using social media ads, messages and posts to build trust and exploit consumers.

The agency continues to urge consumers to be cautious when responding to ads or messages on social platforms, especially those promoting steep discounts or urgent offers, and to verify sellers and websites before making purchases.

Luxury cars top list of vehicles resold within first year, study finds

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Luxury brands dominate the list of new cars resold within the first year, led by multiple BMW and Mercedes-Benz models.

• Eleven vehicles were found to be resold at rates two to five times higher than the industry average of 1.5%.

• Loaner vehicle programs and unmet owner expectations are among the key factors driving early resale activity.

When someone buys a new car and trades it in within the first 12 months, it might be wise to take notice. When particular makes and models fall into that category, it could be a red flag.

A recent study from automotive research firm iSeeCars.com sheds light on which new vehicles owners are most likely to sell within the first year of ownership and the results skew heavily toward luxury brands.

Analyzing more than 24 million new car sales, researchers found that just 1.5% of new vehicles are typically resold within the first 12 months. However, 11 models far exceed that benchmark, with resale rates ranging from about 3.2% to as high as 8%.

Luxury brands in the lead

Leading the list is the BMW 3 Series, with 8% of units resold within a year, followed by the BMW 5 Series (7.1%) and Mercedes-Benz C-Class (6.1%). Other vehicles on the list include the Nissan Versa Note, Dodge Dart, BMW X3, BMW 4 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Chrysler 200, Subaru WRX and Nissan Versa.

Luxury automakers account for more than half of the vehicles identified. But dissatisfaction with the vehicle is not always the reason.

According to the study, one major reason is the widespread use of dealer loaner programs. Automakers often incentivize dealerships to purchase new vehicles for temporary use as service loaners, which are then resold as lightly used cars within a year.

Additional factors

Additional factors may also contribute to the high turnover, including dissatisfaction among first-time luxury buyers who opt for entry-level trims, as well as quality concerns or unmet expectations.

Among the non-luxury models on the list, all received average or below-average scores in the J.D. Power 2016 Initial Quality Study, suggesting that perceived or actual quality issues may play a role in early resale decisions.

Still, researchers caution that lower quality ratings do not necessarily indicate serious defects. In many cases, vehicles are resold simply because they fail to meet buyer expectations rather than due to major mechanical problems.

The findings highlight how ownership experience including expectations, incentives and early impressions can significantly influence how long drivers keep a new vehicle.

The smart shoppers couponing playbook

• Start with BOGO and plan ahead:These deals are the foundation, and you can often buy just one at half price. Build your list around them.

• Use the app and stack coupons:Clip digital offers and combine them with manufacturer and store coupons to maximize savings.

• Use extras most people miss:Rain checks, rebate apps, clearance items, and competitor coupons add even more savings.

Couponing at Publix isnt about extreme couponing or walking out with carts full of nearly free groceries.

Publix is one of the few grocery chains where understanding how their system works can consistently save you 2040% on your grocery bill without spending hours clipping coupons.

The first thing you need to do is create a free Publix account if you havent already. Next, I highly recommended downloading the Publix app and familiarizing yourself with it. Trust me, youll use the app a lot to save money on your future grocery hauls (more on the app below.)

Start with BOGO at Publix (this is your foundation)

Publixs Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) deals are the backbone of their entire savings system.

You can find all of the current BOGO deals on the app or on the Publix website.

BOGO deals rotate weekly and often include:

• Pantry staples
• Frozen foods
• Snacks
• Meats like chicken breast and pork
• Household items

But heres the BOGO secret sauce:In many states, BOGO items ring up at half price each, meaning you dont actually have to buy two to get the deal.

Why this matters:

• You dont need to overbuy.
• You can stay within your budget.
• You still get the same per-unit discount.

For example:

If pasta sauce is BOGO at $4 each, you can often buy just one for $2 instead of spending $4 upfront.

Also, many BOGO deals follow very predictable cycles, typically every four to eightweeks. Over time, youll start to notice:

• Your favorite cereal goes BOGO monthly.
• Cleaning supplies rotate every few weeks.
• Snacks and drinks follow seasonal cycles.

Pro tip: Keep a running note in your phone of stock-up prices. When something hits that number, thats when you buy more than two.

Use the Publix app like a savings tool

The free Publix app is where a lot of hidden savings live and is a must-download.

Inside the app, you can:

• Clip digital coupons.
• Browse weekly deals, including BOGO deals.
• Build a shopping list.
• Search specific products for discounts.

Just tap the little box next to a digital coupon to "clip" it. Then when you get to the checkout register, you just enter the phone number associated with your account, and the coupon savings automatically comes off your total.

Before heading to the store, smart Publix shoppers:

• Check BOGO deals.
• Clip every relevant digital coupon even if youre not 100% sure youll buy it.
• Build a list based on those savings.

By the time they walk in, they already know:

• What theyre buying.
• What it should cost.
• Whats actually a deal and what isnt.

Pro tip: Be sure to use their app when youre inside the store, too. This is because sometimes shelf tags dont reflect the latest pricing or digital deals.

Stack coupons (where real savings happen)

Unlike many retailers, Publix allows you to stack multiple types of coupons on a single item.

What you can stack:

• Manufacturer coupon (paper or digital)
• Publix store coupon
• Digital coupon from the app

In many cases, that means youre applying two or even three discounts to the same product. But keep in mind, most Publix digital coupons can only be used once per transaction, unless otherwise stated.

What this looks like in practice:

Lets say for example granola bars are BOGO, bringing them down to $3/box. If you also have a $1 manufacturer coupon AND there'sa $1 Publix digital coupon, your total for the bars would be just $1.

Most shoppers miss this because they assume:

• Only one coupon per item
• They forget to check for store coupons

Thats leaving significant money on the table, especially for large families.

Pro tip: If you regularly buy Publix in-house brands, youre in-luck, as they let you stack a paper and a digital coupon together on the purchase of one item.

Shop the weekly ad (timing matters)

Publix runs on a weekly sales cycle, and understanding that timing can give you a big advantage.

Most stores update their ads:

• Wednesday (or Thursday, depending on location)

This is when:

• New BOGO deals launch
• New digital coupons activate
• Old deals expire

How to use this to your advantage:

• Shop early in the week for the best selection.
• Shop late in the cycle for markdowns and clearance.

Some locations even allow sale overlap, where you can catch deals from both weeks at the same time.

Look for hidden savings (most shoppers miss these)

Publix is full of small savings opportunities that arent heavily advertised.

1. Yellow shelf tags

These mark:

• Temporary discounts
• BOGO deals
• Special promotions

2. Clearance sections

Youll often find these hiding:

• On end caps
• In back aisles
• Near the bakery or meat department

3. Managers specials

These are items marked down for quick sale. Youll find them most often early in the morning in the meat, produce, and bakery department.

The items might be close to expiration, but if youll use them in the next day or two, or can freeze them, they can save you a lot of money with very little food waste.

They are often discounted 3050% or more, and when combined with coupons, the savings can be really significant.

Build your list around deals (this is the mindset shift)

This is the biggest difference between average shoppers and savvy ones.

Most people:

• Make a grocery list
• Then look for deals

Smart shoppers:

• Look at deals first
• Then build their list

Why this works:

It allows you to:

• Take advantage of sales cycles
• Avoid overpaying for full-price items
• Stay flexible with your meals

Pro tip: Think of your weekly ad as your menu planner. If ingredients are on sale, thats what you eat that week.

Use rain checks (a hidden advantage)

If a sale item is out of stock, Publix often offers a rain check and they actually have a great policy in this regard.

This allows you to:

• Lock in the sale price.
• Come back later and purchase it.

If you have a rain check and a coupon for an item, you can still use the coupon even if its now expired. As long as it was valid on the date the rain check was issued, Publix will honor it.

A rain check can actually be issued for up to eight individual items or up to fourdeals, with a maximum of 20 total items.

Pro tip: Use rain checks on high-demand items like paper goods or popular BOGO deals.

Stack savings with rebate apps

I know I say this in almost all of my couponing articles, but try to take advantage of the extra savings that rebate apps giveyou. The two apps worth your time and effort are:

• Ibotta
• Fetch

How they work:

• Buy the item at Publix.
• Upload your receipt via the Ibotta or Fetch app.
• Earn some cash back.

The cool part is both apps stack on top of coupons and BOGO deals, giving you an extra layer of savings. Think of an Ibotta rebate as more of a manufacturer coupon, except its not an instant discount at the register. You get paid after you upload your receipt in the Ibotta app and they verify your purchase.

Get in the habit of always checking rebate apps before you shop. It only takes a minute and the savings add up over time.

Publix also accepts coupons from competitors

Publix accepts competitor coupons, and Im not going to lie, their policy is kind of terrific.

Amazingly, they will accept a coupon from a competing stores private-label item. Publix sees this as a great opportunity to introduce shoppers to their in-store brands, which they're quite proud of.

Theyll also honor BOGO deals from competing stores in your area.

They even go a step further by accepting prescription coupons from local retail pharmacies, as well as competitor coupons tied to rewards or loyalty programs.

Keep in mind, acceptance can depend on location. Each store only takes coupons from nearby competitors, and theyll have a posted list in-store. So, one Publix might accept coupons from Target and Safeway, while another may only accept coupons from Winco.

Ask an employee if you dont see the list posted.

Toyota, Mitsubishi, and trailers are part of this week's recall roundup

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Recent research suggests doing different types of exercise not just more of it could help you live longer

• Doing a wider variety of physical activities was linked to a lower risk of early death in a recent study.

• The benefit held steady even when total exercise time stayed the same.

• People with the most exercise variety had a 19% lower risk of premature mortality.

Weve all heard that getting enough exercise is key to staying healthybut recent research suggests how you move may matter just as much as how much.

A study highlighted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that people who regularly mix up their physical activities think walking one day, strength training another, maybe even gardening or yoga tend to live longer than those who stick to just one type.

The idea isnt to overhaul your routine overnight. Instead, the findings point to something surprisingly simple: variety itself may offer added health benefits, even if your total exercise time doesnt change

People naturally choose different activities over time based on their preferences and health conditions. When deciding how to exercise, keep in mind that there may be extra health benefits to engaging in multiple types of physical activity, rather than relying on a single type alone, corresponding author Yang Hu, research scientist in the Department of Nutrition, said in a news release.

The study

The study, published in BMJ Medicine, followed more than 111,000 adults across two long-running datasets: the Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Participants were tracked for over 30 years, regularly reporting their physical activity habits from walking and running to swimming, weightlifting, and even yardwork.

Researchers didnt just look at how much people exercised. They also created a variety score, based on how many different types of activities participants did consistently. Then they compared those scores with long-term health outcomes, including deaths from all causes as well as specific conditions like heart disease and cancer.

To make the findings more reliable, the analysis accounted for other factors that could influence health, such as lifestyle habits and medical history. It also excluded participants with major diseases at the start and used long follow-up periods to better capture real-world patterns.

What the study found and why it matters

The results were striking: people with the highest variety of physical activity had a 19% lower risk of premature death compared to those with the least variety.

Whats more, that benefit showed up at every level of exercise. In other words, even if two people spent the same amount of time being active, the one who mixed in more types of movement tended to have better outcomes.

The study also found lower risks of death from major causes including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory illness among those with greater activity variety.

There are some caveats. The data relied on self-reported activity, and most participants were white health professionals, which may limit how broadly the findings apply.

Still, the takeaway is pretty approachable: instead of doing the same workout on repeat, adding a little variety whether thats trying a new class, rotating activities, or just changing up your routine could offer extra benefits over time.