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Toxic Jewelry and holiday scams: CBC Marketplace's consumer cheat sheet

Miss something this week? We got you. Here's this week's Marketplace cheat sheet.

Get this in your inbox every Friday. Sign up for the Marketplace newsletter.

Rotten reno

First, a tree landed on his roof. Then he ended up with rats rotting in the walls. The B.C. man's home nightmare happened because his insurance company's preferred contractors botched the job. Now his house is unlivable and he and his family are camped out in a trailer in the driveway. Here's what you need to know before you file an insurance claim.

The Internet of Things (that sometimes spy on you)

No, we're not wearing tin-foil hats: Your devices really are tracking you. But what they do with the info varies. Last week, owners of Vizio TVs in the U.S. found out the company tracked what they watched. They're not the only ones: from PlayStations to light switches, other gadgets also share data about our habits.

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American Netflix and chill

Oh, the peculiar loneliness of knowing what you could have access to on U.S. Netflix if you didn't live in Canada. Sigh. Many would-be border-hoppers got stopped at the border last year when Netflix cracked down. Now, a Canadian company claims it's built a device that can bust through those border blocks.

Menthol burn warnings

Been hunched over that screen too long? Maybe you use over-the-counter pain relief creams. You'll want to check the label for menthol. Health Canada warns there's a serious risk of "skin burns … blistering or other severe skin damage," if the ingredient is included.

Red hot holiday scam

The almost-too-good-to-be-true vacation package you scored really could be just that. Fraudsters are advertising super cheap deals, getting access to your credit card and posing as real travel agents to book last minute trips with vacation companies. They pocket the cash they ask you to send up front, and you get charged for a trip you didn't take.

In other news …

- Heads up, parents: These recalled strollers could be dangerous.

- Another day, another story about an out-of-control data roaming charge.

- If you want to buy a car that will be worth money years from now, you may want to buy Japanese.

Toxic jewelry: back on the case

Last year, we investigated how toxic cadmium ends up in children's jewelry. And now, Health Canada is cracking down with tougher regulations.

Catch it on TV or watch it online now.