Consumer News: Tax season are back — and they’re getting harder to spot

Researchers found harmful pollution can linger indoors long after skies clear, raising new concerns for families returning home after wildfires

• Wildfire smoke can keep polluting your home long after the flames are out, with harmful chemicals lingering indoors even when outdoor air looks clean again.

• Indoor air can sometimes be worse than outdoor air after a wildfire, as smoke-damaged materials continue releasing toxic VOCs like benzene and toluene.

• Families can take steps to reduce exposure, including smart ventilation, high-quality filtration, and careful cleaning to limit long-term health risks.

When wildfire smoke finally clears, most people assume the danger has passed. The skies look blue again, the air smells normal, and life slowly returns to routine. But according to a new study from UCLAs Fielding School of Public Health, the air inside your home may still be far from safe even weeks after a wildfire is out.

The research found that wildfire smoke can leave behind volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that continue to seep into indoor air long after outdoor air quality improves. Some of these pollutants are known to be harmful even carcinogenic and in certain cases, indoor pollution levels can actually be higher than whats measured outside during the recovery period. In other words, going back inside doesnt always mean youre breathing cleaner air.

As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the U.S., the findings reveal a major blind spot for homeowners and renters who assume their homes reset once the smoke is gone. ConsumerAffairs spoke with Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of air quality company IQAir, to learn more about these health risks and what steps families can take to reduce them.

The risks of poor air quality

What should consumers be most worried about? According to Dolphin Hammes, it comes down to exposure to VOCs days and weeks later.

VOCs like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes were elevated more in the post-fire period than during active burning, especially in unoccupied homes, showing that residents can be exposed long after visible smoke is gone, she said. This means simply returning home wont automatically eliminate risk.

On top of that, these chemicals can increase consumers health risks long-term.

These VOCs are released from smoke-impacted materials and can continue to off-gas, elevating indoor exposure. Benzene is a known carcinogen, and long-term exposure can increase cancer risk. Toluene and xylene can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, affect the nervous system, and exacerbate asthma. Ethylbenzene can contribute to respiratory and neurological symptoms. These chemicals are also common in building materials and household products, compounding risk after smoke infiltration.

Reducing chemical exposure

If youve been exposed to these chemicals, Dolphin Hammes encourages consumers to start taking action immediately to limit their health risks. Here are some of her best tips:

• Increase ventilation wisely by opening windows when outdoor air quality improves and outdoor VOCs are lower.

• Run your HVAC system in recirculation with a MERV 13+ filter to avoid drawing outdoor pollution inside.

• Deploy high-performance filtration and activated carbon systems to capture PM2.5, ultrafine particles, and VOCs at high efficiency.

• Clean smoke-soiled surfaces and materials using wet methods (avoid dry sweeping/vacuuming without HEPA filters), and remove or clean fabrics that absorbed smoke.

Continual filtration and cleaning give the biggest reductions in indoor exposures, she explained. When cleaning, avoid using cleaning sprays since nearly all cleaning sprays also release VOCs.

The importance of indoor air quality

Dolphin Hammes explained that indoor air quality is traditionally more polluted than outdoors even in the absence of a wildfire. Because of this, taking steps to filter your air and take the necessary precautions can ensure your family is breathing the cleanest quality air in your home.

Consumers should understand that persisting indoor pollutants arent always detectable by smell, but they can still harm health, she said. Robust filtration tailored to your home size and pollutant mix is more effective than ad-hoc solutions.

Long-term strategies like replacing carpets and upholstery exposed to heavy smoke, cleaning HVAC ducts, and maintaining high-efficiency filters can reduce ongoing emissions. Finally, blended strategies monitoring + filtration + source control + ventilation consistently deliver the greatest health protection. Because indoor air affects every breath you take, post-wildfire indoor air quality deserves the same attention as outdoor air decisions.

Risk for adults who reported medical debt 7% higher than average

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Adults with medical debt face a sharply higher risk of housing instability, including trouble paying rent or a mortgage.

• A new national study found medical debt is linked to a 44% higher likelihood of housing problems the following year.

• Researchers warn the findings highlight a growing affordability crisis that connects health care costs with housing security.

Some surveys have found that medical bills are the most common financial factor cited by individuals who file for bankruptcy, though the exact share is hard to determine. However, new data show new evidence that medical bills can severely impact Americans financial lives.

For example, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports that people burdened by medical debt are significantly more likely to experience housing instability in the following year.

Their study, published January 12 in JAMA Network Open, found that adults who reported medical debt in 2024 had a seven-percentage-point higher chance of facing housing instability in 2025 than those without medical debt. That difference translates to a 44% increased risk of problems such as difficulty paying rent or a mortgage, eviction, or foreclosure.

The findings add to mounting evidence that medical debtalready a widespread issue in the United Statescan have cascading effects that reach well beyond health care itself.

A common and costly burden

Using data from a nationally representative survey, researchers analyzed responses from 1,515 U.S. adults who participated annually between 2023 and 2025. About one in six respondents reported having medical debt in 2024, while roughly one in 12 reported housing instability in 2025.

Of the 240 participants who said they had medical debt in 2024, 60 reported experiencing housing instability the following year. Renters were particularly affected, accounting for about two in five adults with medical debt in 2025.

Given what we know about the importance of housing for health, these findings suggest that for many people, receiving health care can lead to medical debt, and then to housing instability, said Kyle Moon, the studys first author and a doctoral candidate in the Bloomberg Schools Department of Mental Health. This can create a cascade of consequences, including delayed health care, that jeopardizes health.

The broader affordability picture

The research team, led by senior author Dr. Catherine Ettman, examined how financial stressors interact to affect health and well-being. Health care costs in the U.S. can be high even for insured individuals, and medical debt affects tens of millions of households nationwide.

Earlier research by Ettman and colleagues linked medical debt to skipping mental health care in subsequent years. Other studies have shown similar connections between medical debt and forgoing needed medical treatment.

This analysis weaves together two important drivers of affordability in the United States, Ettman said. It suggests that medical debt is linked with housing instability, which we know could have further influence on health outcomes.

The study draws on data from the Cumulative Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well Being (CLIMB) Study, which began in 2020 to measure the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey now tracks a wide range of health and socioeconomic factors, including income, savings, insurance coverage, and housing stability.

The safest place for packages isnt your front door

• Hide packages completely by moving deliveries off the porch and into the garage using Amazon Key.

• Control deliveries remotely with smart garage access and real-time alerts.

• Create instant proof with delivery records and camera footage.

If porch pirates are a problem in your neighborhood, its time to consider using the inside of your garage as a safe haven for deliveries.

Using your garage as a drop-off point keeps packages out of sight, protected from weather, and far harder for thieves to access. Heres how to do it safely, smartly, and without turning your garage into a security risk.

Use in-garage delivery for high-value packages

Perhaps the most secure option right now is something called Amazon Key. It allows Amazon delivery drivers to actually place packages inside your garage (even when youre not home) instead of leaving them outside where they can be stolen.

How it works in real life:

• You connect a compatible smart garage door opener and an optional camera.
• The driver scans your package which opens the garage door briefly.
• They place the package inside. They're instructed to only walk into your garage a maximum of five feet.
• Once the package is placed, the driver closes the doorandthey're unable to open it again.
• You then getnotifiedof the delivery.

Why it works so well:

• Thieves cant steal what they cant see.
• Packages are protected from rain, heat, and snow.
• It eliminates the delivery window porch pirates rely on.
• Especially useful for electronics, bulk items, and anything over $100.

Works with compatible smart garage door hubs made by myQ, Chamberlain, Aladdin Connect by Genie, and Overhead Door.

Add smart delivery instructions that route drivers to the garage

Even without in-garage delivery, many drivers will place packages inside an open garage if you leave them clear instructions.

Most will also leave the packages behind a hedge, or side yard gate, if you ask them.

To make it happen, in your delivery app (or Amazon app), add notes like:

• If garage is open, place package inside
• Leave inside garage, behind car
• If garage is closed, leave behind the side gate on the right of the house

Also, consider keeping the garage door cracked open on delivery days if youre home.

Why this helps:

• Many drivers want to hide your packages but they usually wont guess where to leave packages, so giving them directions makes their job easy.
• The clearer your instructions the better as it removes any hesitation the driver might have.

This works best during daytime deliveries when youre nearby.

Install a smart garage door opener (even without Amazon Key)

Smart openers like myQ let you:

• Open and close the garage remotely
• Get alerts if the door opens unexpectedly
• Check whether the garage is still closed from your phone

Practical uses:

• Open the garage for a delivery window, then close it remotely
• Double-check that you didnt forget to shut it
• Monitor repeated open/close activity that could signal tampering

This adds some very useful controls without fully committing to in-garage delivery services.

Put packages behind something inside the garage

Even inside a garage, visibility matters and its worth putting them somewhere not noticeable.

Best placement tips:

• Ask drivers to place packages behind the car or another large object in the garage.
• Consider using things like shelving units, storage bins, or even a recycling bin as a visual blocker.
• If drop-off instructions are available, ask the driver to not leave packages directly in front of a walk-in door as it creates a tripping hazard.

Why this matters:

• If the garage door is opened briefly later, packages arent immediately visible.
• Opportunistic thieves rely on speed and sightlines.

Think out of sight, even indoors and youll always protect yourself from thieves.

Add a garage-facing camera (not just a doorbell)

A front door camera doesnt help you much if your deliveries are in the garage.

What to do instead:

• Install a camera inside the garage facing the door.
• Or mount one outside aimed at the garage opening.
• Then enable motion alerts during delivery windows.

Benefits:

• Youll records who enters the garage and when.
• Provides proof if a package ever goes missing.
• Acts as an excellent deterrent when someone notices the camera.

Another side benefit is that a camera helps catch accidental mis-deliveries. Delivery companies and retailers are far more likely to fix a mistake if you report it quickly. Video proof lets you flag the issue the same day instead of discovering it hours or days later.

Always secure the door between the garage and your home

Consider this a non-negotiable.

Do this immediately:

• Keep the interior door locked, even during deliveries
• Install a deadbolt if you dont already have one
• Treat the garage as an exterior space, not part of the house

In-garage delivery should never mean in-home access.

If a package still goes missing, check the garage logs first

Before assuming theft:

• Review delivery photos and timestamps
• Check garage open/close history in your app
• Look behind and under stored items

Many stolen packages are simply tucked out of sight.

BBB says celebrities hawking a weight loss product are AI-generated

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Consumer advocates are warning about a surge in deep-fake videos on social media promoting a weight loss supplement known as LipoMax.

• More than 170 complaints were filed over a two-month period, many tied to fake celebrity and doctor endorsements pushing the so-called pink salt trick.

• Consumers report misleading ads, expensive purchases, aggressive upselling, and difficulty getting refunds.

A growing number of consumers say they were misled into buying a weight loss supplement after encountering highly convincing fake videos on social media that appear to feature celebrities and medical professionals.

The product, called LipoMax, is marketed online as part of the viral pink salt trick diet trend. According to recent consumer complaints, scammers are using artificial intelligence to create deep-fake videos that falsely show well-known figures endorsing the supplement, giving the ads an air of legitimacy.

Several consumers said they saw videos that appeared to show Oprah Winfrey alongside physicians praising dramatic weight loss results. In reality, the videos were fabricated, and neither the celebrities nor the doctors had any connection to the product.

Its not Oprah

A consumer from Illinois told BBB's Scam Tracker: I was on Facebook and noticed a video with Oprah Winfrey and a doctor speaking of the 'pink salt trick diet. Oprah herself talked about the magnificent results as did others on the video. Oprah also claimed she funded the project to manufacture the LipoMax product (pink salt trick). I figured Oprah this must be legit. Over $400 after ordering the product I did indeed receive the order... Now I continue to receive emails asking me to sign on with a weight loss coach for more money."

A Florida consumer shared a similar experience, saying they paid $303.95 for a six-month supply after watching what they believed was a genuine endorsement video. After placing the order, the consumer said they were contacted by someone claiming to be a LipoMax coach who attempted to sell an additional $800 worth of supplements.

Complaints have come in from dozens of states, including California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, highlighting how widespread the ads have become.

What the company says

Beyond fake endorsements, consumers report a range of other issues: unexpected or improper billing, poor product quality, ineffective ingredients, and pressure to continue buying more supplements. Some also said customer service was difficult or impossible to reach.

An investigation into the company behind LipoMax found that while the trademark is registered to a business in Wyoming, consumers are instructed to send returns to addresses in Florida.

The company has said it does not authorize or produce AI-generated or deep-fake promotional videos and blames independent affiliates for creating misleading content. It also says it is working to address misuse of its brand.

Consumer protection experts say the situation underscores a broader problem as scammers increasingly turn to AI tools to make ads more believable.

What to do

To protect yourself from weight loss , experts recommend being skeptical of celebrity or medical endorsements, especially on social media. Research the company independently, read reviews from multiple sources, and be cautious of limited time offers or automatic subscription plans that can lead to recurring charges.

If a purchase quickly leads to pressure to buy additional products or services, thats another red flag.

Suspicious or misleading ads can be reported through consumer protection channels, including ConsumerAffairs, the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP and the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center.