Buyer beware at garage sales

Spring cleaning means garage sales for many Iowans, giving Saturday morningsa whole new meaning. But getting a bargain at a garage sale is not asharmless as you may think. Debbi Cooper, an environmental specialist for theIowa Bureau of Health Protection, says that you need to beware of garagesale buys that could be recalled products.Over 300 products are recalled each year, making it likely that some willend up on the card tables of unknowing neighbors. There is no protection forthis type of purchase, so the buyer is on their own after a sale.If you do find a recalled item, you can contact the company for areplacement or repair kit, but some products need to be trashed.Many products come with a registration card. Cooper recommends thatyou fill those out to insure that if a recall is necessary, you will benotified. She says you should keep their eye out for recalls on departmentstore bulletin boards, on the news and by checking with the Consumer ProductSafety Commission at 1-800-638-2772.