Consumer Alert

One out of 10 Canadians had packages stolen in the past year: survey

One out of 10 Canadians say they have had at least one package stolen in the last year, according to a survey.

Subaru makes the best car, according to Consumer Reports

Subaru is the new best car brand of the year, according to a recent ranking.

'It was like I was brainwashed': 2 Ontarians lose $230K to separate AI-generated cryptocurrency ad scams

Two Ontarians collectively lost $230,000 after falling victim to separate AI-generated social media posts advertising fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.

Calls for Ottawa to end Canada Post strike mount as businesses face challenges

As the Canada Post strike nears its three-week mark, stores across the country have turned to alternate measures to send products to paying customers and keep operations running smoothly.

Ontario woman tries to use Visa prepaid gift card, realizes she had been scammed

An Ontario woman was 'shocked' to find out her unused $250 gift card was almost completely drained. 'My aunt gave me this gift card as a present and I was shocked to find out it was almost empty,' Catherine Uchida, of Mississauga, told CTV News Toronto.

Black Friday sales stretch out for weeks: retail analyst

Black Friday is officially the busiest shopping day of the year, even surpassing Boxing Day and Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas. Analysts say retailers are rolling out Black Friday sales sooner now, making them last longer into Cyber Monday and beyond.

Ontario family says dream renovation project has become their 'worst nightmare'

A Whitby family says a home renovation project has turned into their 'worst nightmare,' as construction continues into its 17th straight month.

Canadians carrying more debt and missing more payments: reports

Interest rate cuts by the Bank of Canada appear to have stimulated spending with more consumers taking on added debt, but as more people take on more credit and car loans there's also been an increase in delinquency rates.

Ontario woman buys van with odometer rolled back almost 100,000 kilometres

An Ontario woman thought she got a good deal when she bought a van for $2,700, but later learned the odometer had been rolled back nearly 100,000 kilometres.

Pat Foran

Pat Foran is an award-winning videojournalist with CTV News Toronto and the host of the station’s popular feature segment “Consumer Alert”.

In this role, Foran has helped consumers recover millions of dollars, exposed scams, warned about unsafe products, and passed on countless money saving tips to the public. The thousands of phone calls, e-mails, and letters he receives prove there is an intense public interest in solid, trustworthy consumer information.

Prior to his role as CTV Toronto’s consumer advocate, Foran worked as a reporter for three different CTV affiliates, beginning in 1986.

Foran is also the author of four national bestselling books on consumer and financial issues. His latest, The Smart, Savvy Young Consumer, is designed to help young Canadians spend and save wisely.

Have a story tip for Pat? Email alert@ctv.ca