Erica Johnson is a broadcast journalist and host of CBC's Marketplace.

Back treatment ads may twist the truth

March 26, 2010

These days, it’s hard to miss the ads promising relief for back pain. They’re marketing something called “non-surgical decompression therapy,” with headlines that claim the treatment comes “with a guaranteed success rate between 80 and 90 per cent!”

Do your homework on retirement homes

March 19, 2010

Geri and Peter Crawshaw thought they had picked out a great retirement home in Orillia, Ont., for Peter’s aging mom Betty — until a fire broke out last year and she suffered major smoke inhalation. Four other residents died.

The proper way to protect your plastic

March 12, 2010

There’s a good chance you’ve had that call from your bank or credit card company telling you your credit card has been compromised and you need a new one. That happened to me two months ago. And when I asked the customer service rep how my card was stolen, she mentioned thieves stealing the information off computers.

GPS users are better off with their eyes on the road

February 19, 2010

Here in Vancouver, hordes of people have descended for the Olympics.

Spotting a ‘growing’ problem in homes

February 12, 2010

Do a quick Google search of “marijuana grow-ops” in Canada, and the headlines pop up.

Questioning the Magic at Herbal Magic

February 05, 2010

When Stacey Edgar wanted to drop about 50 pounds last year, she decided to try Herbal Magic.  It’s one of the biggest weight loss companies in Canada — with more than 300 stores coast to coast.

Get-rich-quick schemes really are too good to be true

January 29, 2010

Admit it — at some time in your life, you’ve said to yourself, “I wish I was rich.”

Canadians open their hearts, and wallets, for Haiti

January 22, 2010

People are opening their wallets to lend a hand to Haiti.

Taking a hard look at your GPS

January 15, 2010

This past Christmas, one of the hottest gadgets going was the global positioning system (GPS).

Homeowners left on the hook after buying former grow-ops

January 08, 2010

We all know Mike Holmes – the guy with biceps the size of tires, who rights wrongs when it comes to home renovations. But at Marketplace, we team up with Mike tonight to tackle a growing (no pun intended) problem in Canada – homes that are used for marijuana grow-ops, then sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Tips on how to avoid marketing ploys involving soap

April 03, 2009

Wondering if you’re falling for a company’s marketing ploy?

Under pressure? Head for the door

March 26, 2009

You’ve probably seen the ads on TV and the Internet - ads featuring happy couples gushing about saving thousands of dollars on home furnishings. They’re talking about Direct Buy, a company that claims to cut out the retailer’s markup by helping members buy directly from manufacturers. Sure sounds like a great deal. And a lot of customers seem to love it.

Spotting phony loan scam artists

March 13, 2009

When Floyd Girouard needed a loan recently, he went to the bank where he’d been a longtime customer. But this trucker from Abbotsford, British Columbia says because he didn’t own his house, or any other collateral, the bank turned him down.

The allure of fake guns spells trouble

February 27, 2009

“Get your wallets, or I’ll shoot her!” yelled the gunman, as he put his weapon to Pat Johnson’s head.  He’d just walked into the antique store she manages in Vancouver’s swanky Shaughnessy district.

Read fine print before entering contests

February 13, 2009

In these hard economic times, who wouldn’t like to win $500,000? Heck, I’d like to win half a million no matter what the economy is doing!

THE TIP SHEET: Protect yourself and family from spending money on sweepstakes

February 13, 2009

Here are things you can do to protect yourself and your family from spending money on sweepstakes

EPFX offers ‘miracle’ cures

January 30, 2009

In my years as a reporter covering health stories, I thought I’d seen it all. But nothing compares to my investigation into the latest “miracle” machine that is sweeping Canada.

Let the buyer beware

January 16, 2009

If you’re looking to buy a car these days, you’re probably on a budget. You might be considering a used car — 40 per cent of all cars sold in Canada last year had previous owners, and with this economy, that’s expected to rise.