Recall Alert: Power Strips Sold on Amazon Could Start Fires

More than 5,500 power strips, sold under the CCCEI brand, are being recalled due to potential fire hazards. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission issued this alert on March 26, warning that these devices could pose risks that may lead to “serious injury or death.”

What’s the issue? These power strips lack an important safety feature known as additional overcurrent protection, which is meant to prevent overheating when multiple devices are connected. Without this precaution, overloaded strips might ignite, turning them into serious fire hazards.

These products were available for sale on various e-commerce platforms between April 2024 and January 2026, typically priced between $23 and $30—a risky deal, to say the least.

The strips, sold by Middle Way Electronics, are offered in cord lengths of 6, 10, and 15 feet and feature six outlets along with a distinct on/off switch. If this design looks familiar, it might be wise to take a closer inspection.

So far, there have been two confirmed cases of the strips sparking and melting, but, fortunately, there have been no reports of fires or injuries associated with these incidents.

Consumers are urged to stop using these power strips immediately and to reach out to Middle Way Electronics to obtain a full refund.

The takeaway? When it comes to powering your devices, using low-cost strips might not be worth the risk.

However, be cautious with any “recall notifications” that may pop up in your inbox or messages; not all of them are genuine. Scammers are increasingly posing as retailers like Amazon, attempting to lure shoppers into sharing personal information through fraudulent recall alerts.

For instance, Taylor Frost-Smith, a mother of three, recounted a recent experience where she received a text claiming to be an “Amazon Product Recall Notification” for an item she had previously bought. The message prompted her to click a link to access refund details, but it didn’t seem quite right.

“The first thing I noticed was that it was limited to 18 people on Amazon,” she said, raising her suspicions.

Instead of clicking the link, Smith opted to check her order directly through the Amazon app, discovering that there was no such recall. The conclusion? It was a phishing scam.

These scammers capitalize on the urgency that leads individuals to click before thinking. Experts warn that it’s best not to click on links in unsolicited messages. Instead, visiting the retailer’s official website or app is a safer approach when checking for recalls.

For reliable information, shoppers can also consult official sites like recalls.gov and the CPSC website.

Typically, registered products would trigger formal recall notifications through email or traditional mail, not random texts. This caution comes at a time when text-based scams are surging, with recent reports indicating a 50% increase in such attempts over the past year, particularly affecting younger consumers.

In summary, while this recall is legitimate, it’s important to remain aware of the equivalent risks posed by scams that exploit fear and urgency.