READ THIS NEXT: If a Stranger Asks About This, Make Sure Your Doors Are Locked, Police Warn. Officials across the country know that a seemingly small scam can do a large amount of damage, which is why they’re always working to alert Americans about known cons. Back in May, police in Connecticut and North Carolina both cautioned residents about a spoofing scam that had people believing they were talking to real officers on the phone, when they were actually being targeted by con artists looking to scare victims into handing over money....

READ THIS NEXT: 5 Warnings to Shoppers From Ex-Walmart Employees. Criminals use phishing schemes to trick you into giving them your private information by fraudulently posing as a “legitimate business,” according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The 2022 ThreatLabz Phishing Report from the security company Zscaler indicated that there was a 29 percent increase in phishing attacks overall last year compared to the year prior. But the retail sector experienced the largest rise in these scams....

RELATED: If You Bought This at Kroger or Walmart, Throw It Away Now, FDA Says. On Oct. 8, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Denver-based Northeast Seafood Products had issued a voluntary recall on 16 of its fish products. The listed items include Haddock, Monkfish, Bone-in Trout, Grouper, Red Snapper, Red Rock Cod, Ocean Perch, Pacific Cod, Halibut, Coho Salmon, Atlantic Salmon Portions, Lane Snapper, Tilapia, All Natural Salmon Fillet, Pacific Sole, and Farm-Raised Striped Bass....

RELATED: If You Have This OTC Medication, Stop Using It Immediately, FDA Warns. On Jan. 26, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Geri-Care Pharmaceuticals recalled OTC medicines it produces and distributes. The affected products include Extra Strength Acetaminophen 500mg tablets packaged in a 1,000-count bottle, Regular Strength Enteric Coated Aspirin 325mg tablets packaged in both 250-count and 1,000-count bottles, and Adult Low Dose Enteric Coated Aspirin 81mg tablets sold in 300-count and 1,000-count bottles....

If you wake up feeling sick on the day of your vaccine appointment, you may need to cancel—even if you think it’s just a cold. Amesh A. Adalja, MD, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Prevention that upper respiratory symptoms are particularly concerning because while they may seem like a cold, it could actually be the coronavirus instead. “There aren’t very many colds circulating right now,” he explained....

READ THIS NEXT: If You’re Using Any of These Milks in Your Coffee, Stop Immediately, FDA Warns. Freezing your food is an easy way to ensure it won’t go bad before you use it. But just like any product in your refrigerator or pantry, some items occasionally get called out by authorities for carrying potential health risks—even those in your ice box. On Aug. 18, FSIS issued a public health alert warning about certain ground beef items produced by Hawaii Big Island Beef after discovering they could be contaminated with harmful E....

In the recall notice, the FDA explains that Giant Eagle has pulled their Market District Gourmet Pretzel Platters and Gourmet Pretzel Bags—both of which include chocolate-covered pretzels—from circulation after it was discovered that certain batches may be contaminated with pecans.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Tree nut allergies—a classification that includes pecans—are thought to affect up to one percent of the U.S. population, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, and individuals with allergies or sensitivities to tree nuts “could experience a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” the FDA reports....

RELATED: If You’re Not Cleaning These 2 Spots, You’re Attracting Spiders to Your Home. Joro spiders surfaced in Georgia around 2015, when they were first identified by Rick Hoebeke and Byron Freeman, Georgia Museum of Natural History’s collections manager and director, according to the University of Georgia (UGA). Since then, the spider has grown to “extreme numbers” within the state, as they’ve been sighted in nearly 25 different counties, Michele Hatcher, a member of the University of Georgia Department of Entomology, told USA Today....

The research, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford and London’s School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on behalf of the British National Health Service, analyzed hospital records, intensive care unit admission data, and death reports from February through August that represented 40 percent of the entire population of Britain. Interestingly, the results, which have not yet been peer reviewed, found that there were significant differences between age groups and the effect they have on spreading the virus....

The CDC warns that keeping levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your bloodstream under control is an important step in maintaining heart health, especially in lowering your risk of heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, having high amounts of LDL cholesterol—which is the “bad” cholesterol versus the “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol—usually comes with no symptoms and must be monitored through regular blood tests. But the agency warns that physical warnings of high cholesterol show up on the body in some cases....

RELATED: If You’re Over 65, Not Doing This in the Shower Is Causing Hair Loss. Most people lose an average of 50 to 100 hairs per day, according to the Mayo Clinic, but if your hair seems to be thinning, it may be a sign of male or female pattern hair loss, a genetic condition sometimes referred to as androgenetic alopecia. People with this condition lose more than the average amount of hair, and do not regrow it quickly....

READ THIS NEXT: If You’re Over 65, Not Doing This in the Shower Is Causing Hair Loss. Hair is an integral part of identity for many of us, whether you prefer to wear it long or short, keep it natural or experiment with different colors and shades. Experts recommend different precautions you can take to keep your hair happy, particularly when you wash it. If you enjoy a shower that’s on the hotter side, you may want to rethink the temperature, as using hot water to wash your hair can weaken your strands and lead to more hair loss....

RELATED: Unvaccinated People Are Banned From This as of Oct. 1, Homeland Security Says. On Sept. 20, Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House pandemic coordinator, announced sweeping changes to long-standing rules surrounding international travel amid the pandemic set to go into effect in November. One of the major updates will require any unvaccinated American citizens to test negative for COVID one day before their return flight to the United States....

While yeast, in many forms, can be innocuous, it can cause serious health issues when it’s administered directly into the nasal cavity. On Feb. 10, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of ManukaGuard Allercleanse Nasal Spray due to yeast contamination. According to the recall notice, anyone with the affected product should stop using it immediately.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb The affected nasal spray has UPC 858631002128 and lot #2010045 printed on the box and has a best by date of 10/2023....

READ THIS NEXT: If You Shop at Walmart, Get Ready for This “Fantastic” New Change. Grocery shopping can sometimes be overwhelming, and if you head to your local Walmart without a list, all bets are off. The aisles are packed with so many different choices, and if you’re shopping during peak hours, the crowds can make everything that much more overwhelming. That’s why many of us have opted to have our groceries delivered by Walmart....

According to the new study, which included researchers from University of California, Davis; Environmental Working Group; the California Department of Toxic Substances Control; and Green Science Policy Institute, couches made before 2014 are likely filled with added flame retardant material. The use of flame retardant material in upholstered furniture became prevalent in 1975, when California set a furniture flammability regulation called TB117. It was also followed across the U.S., as manufacturers did not want to make one set of products for California and another set for the rest of the country....

Initial reports from Hyundai Palisade drivers in August noted a “sharp chemical odor with a dash of something organic like garlic or rotten produce,” with others describing it as “really bad breath,” “old worn socks,” and even “hot garbage.” Luckily, investigations by Hyundai have provided insight. It turns out, the imitation leather used in the headrest pieces—specifically in “Palisade Limited and Calligraphy trim levels equipped with Nappa leather on the seats”—was the culprit....

Sometimes, you could experience bluish nails due to cold weather that can temporarily cause poor circulation in your extremities, leading to discoloration in the nails. And injuries to the tips of your hands or feet can cause bruises under your nails that can also alter their hue. But if that’s not the case, your nails may be turning blue or purple because there’s not enough oxygen in your blood, which is called cyanosis....

READ THIS NEXT: If Your Plants Are Drooping, This Bathroom Product Will Revive Them. Plants can be finicky, requiring TLC and ongoing care, especially when they start to wilt or droop. But before you head out to your local garden center, plant experts advise reaching for certain household products. Garlic, for example, can help control pest infestations, whereas Epsom salt is handy when treating yellowing leaves and magnesium deficiency. A hydrogen peroxide spray is another trusted approach for root rot, killing bad bacteria and releasing oxygen....

During an earnings call on April 20, Johnson & Johnson’s Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels, MD, said that the company believes that the benefits of its COVID vaccine far outweigh the potential risks. “We continue to believe in the positive benefit/risk profile of our vaccine,” Stoffels said, according to CNN. “In view of the raging pandemic that continues to devastate communities around the world, [we] continue to collaborate with medical experts and global health authorities—including the CDC, FDA, EMA, the WHO and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, SAHPRA—as we work towards continuing vaccination to end the global pandemic....