check back with news 4 consumer reporter erika gonzalez to tell you how you can save money.ka? >> >> the best part your secret. nobody has to know you didn't buy your wedding dress, for example. here's another one. you got a green thumb but have no place to plant? it's what a lot of people struggle with. especially the d.c. area. kipplinger suggests renting space in a community garden may be exactly what you are looking for. you can do a search online for the nearest spaces, and of course their availability this spring. those are a hot commodity in d.c. may have more luck in virginia and in maryland. now, this next one, hear me out on this. such the talker in the newsroom. caskets. you can rent caskets. kipplinger says they can average up to $5,000. a lot of people know it is very expensive to plan funeral services. however, many funeral homes let you rent the casket for a viewing service for under $1,000 and then can you buy a simple wooden box insert used for cremation. talking about cremation here. now, a lot of people say, is this the same box that you're using for a bur

r erika gonzalez, news 4. >>> the director of white house drug policy office says d.c. should be able to legalize marijuana without a federal government getting in the way. michael boot chelli says the district should be allowed to govern itself. last november d.c. residents voted to legalize small amounts of pot but congress moved to block that the d.c. council is not giving up sending the initiative to congress which has 30 day to review the measure's if congress does not act it is likely the decriminalization law likely will take effect. >>> there's a new report out saying the number of people driving drunk is going down but the number of people driving while drugged is on the increase. since 2007 the number of people getting behind the wheel with alcohol in their system has fallen by one-third. but the survey finds that one in four drivers, 25%, admit to driving while drugged with some substance or another. the national highway traffic safety administration conducted that survey as part of its effort to find trends in america's driving habits. >>> california is gett

i'm erika gonzalez and i'm going to tell you about the problem that could delay you. i know you've been expecting it -- your tax ref >>> it looks like we'll never know what made the drinking water smell funny right before christmas in the shaw and local neighborhoods. d.c. water just wrapped up its investigation saying it could not pinpoint the source of the petroleum odor but said it's unlikely the problem will happen again. the smelly water triggered a do not drink advisory that lasted from december 17th to the 19th. people could not shower or cook with their tap water and three schools had to close. >>> we're learning more about a woman who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in virginia. her name is adela. she was 85. we're told she was walking between her house and the shopping center something she did all the time when she was hit. it happened along stone road in ville last night. investigators say snow on the shoulder may have been a factor in the crash. at this point, police don't have any description of the car that hit her. >>> get ready for a royal visit. we'

news 4 consumer reporter erika gonzalez tells us why companies are not cracking down on that practice reporter: it seems so easy type in your password and have access to countless video streams on a service like you hulu plus netflix, amazon prime instant video, hbo go or waft espn. it seems just as easy to give you log in to someone else a new survey shows 46% of those asked share their passwords with friends or relatives who don't live with them. but is sharing your password illegal? many of the terms of agreement seem ambiguous, but the companies don't seem to be cracking down. >> their business models however, are evolving. next year things could be different. for the time being, they're interested in creating streaming media addicts. >> what do you feel like watching tonight? >> reporter: while it technically may be okay to hand out your password you could get a nasty surprise like the moranos did when the show they were watching got blocked. it said netflix isn't connecting. my daughter said oerks i bet so and so watching. i said how would so and so be watching? she said gave he

consumer reporter erika gonzalez is in the studio. was will there and joins was a behind-the-scenes look. >> we count on "consumer reports'" findings and mention it quite often. we set out to show you what goes into testing the next thing you buy. can you run this fast? this is how treadmill durable is tested at consumer reports. this is its facility at yonkers, new york filled with hundreds of scientists and engineers. since the 1930s, though never this sophisticated, they've been testing everythin ellipticals to robotic vacuum s vacuums and freezers packed with box after box of -- spinach? why span after? why not corn or french fries? i can show you the science in the spinach on the consumer watch facebook page. like so many others at consumer reports, mark connolly lives and breathes his job. >> mostly the products that we test are big-ticket items that are important to people when they don't buy them more frequently. >> reporter: based on what strikes a subscriber's curiosity, secret shoppers purchase big-ticket items at a store l

consumer reporter erika gonzalez did some digging and explains why your valentine's day gifts could cost you. >>> and storm team 4 is tracking the change in our weather. >> it's a big big change. cold and windy two words that will be used often in our forecast over the next couple of days. tomorrow around 40 but those windchills way down at 25. and way, way down this weekend. wait until you see my forecast on the other side of the break. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ great rates for great rides. geico motorcycle see how much you could save. >>> the measles outbreak has a lot of people talking and has raised a lot of questions about your children's health. we've been talking about it this afternoon on my facebook page. join the discussion. in news4 your health now, a family allergy and asthma doctor is here from gaithersburg to answer our questions. dr. jackie, not long ago you had a patient in your office that had a rash that turned out to be measles. how easy is it for you to mix those two up? >> it's not at all. especially if it come was the story of not being vaccinated. you get rash and red ey

i'm erika gonzalez. i'll have that story coming up. >>> and storm team 4 tracking some big changes blowing in. amelia? >> our fist shot of cold air arrives tonight and lasts through tomorrow morning at least with that windchill advisory for the counties in blue until 10:00 a.m. cold throughout the day, snow on valentine's day. thank you, cable for the slower internet upload speeds. for making me wait longer to share my photo albums. thank you cable, because if we never had you... ...we wouldn't know the incredible difference verizon fios makes. in customer satisfaction studies, fios is rated #1 in internet speed and reliability - 8 years running. plus, fios has the fastest wi-fi available from any provider. for a limited time, get a fios triple play online at an amazing $79.99 a month guaranteed for two years. plus, a $400 bonus with a two-year agreement hurry, deal ends february 21st. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v >>> welcome back to news 4 at 4:00. storm

and consumer reporter erika gonzalez will show us the best de-icers for sidewalks and to protect our>> also developing an incredible tribute to the victims of the shooting spree in denmark. ♪ good morning, usher! hey! did you know bees communicate through dance? me too... we're practically twins! >>> the list is growing. schools in stafford virginia joining schools in prince william county schools. manassas park also closing schools tomorrow. chief meteorologist doug kammerer will have brand-new information coming up. >>> as large crowds gather to mourn the victims of that deadly shooting in denmark, another group protested a small memorial that had been set up for the accused shooter. some men removed the flowers that were placed at the site where police killed omar abdel al hussein in a shoot-out. he reportedly opened fire in two separate incidents on saturday killing a danish filmmaker and a security guard at a synagogue. nbc news has obtained audio from the moments the first shoot og cured at a controversial free speech event at a cafe. >> make very clear we have no indication at

erika gonzalez will tell you why. >>> air bags linked to at least six deaths worldwide. the new action the government is taking to punish the manufacturer. >>> tmi. lawmakers get cheeky in the most unusual way. >>> tax refunds coming up short. that's the reason for lawsuit filed this week. >> erika gonzalez says this reason dates back deca >> i was, like i don't get this. kind of baffled, kind of puzzled. why are you ta fm me. >> reporter: carolyn grant has lived in d.c. all her life and like millions of americans she looks forward to a tax refund. >> wow, i can't wait to get this money so i can do a little more. >> reporter: but last year after receiving her tax refund graham noticed she was shortchanged. the refund she received from the district of columbia was short $244. >> wait a minute. where is my money? so then that made me go back and look at my account and notice that the $244 was also taken from my federal. >> reporter: a total of $488 was withheld. money she planned on using toward her daughter's high school prom and graduation. not until after the money disa

erika gonzalez has done the research. >>> storm team 4 tracking another bitter cold evening. v.j.? >> that we are. i know folks are getting tired of it. i feel your pain. this cold air is going to continue over the next coupl >>> welcome back on news 4 at 4:00. we could be in for some record-breaking cold here again overnight. >> we have team coverage from storm team 4. let's begin with meteorologist veronica johnson. so how much longer are we going to have to tough it out? >> a while. you're going to have to really hang on here right now. a lot of folks getting tired of it. we're going to take a look at that trend, as i said as to what folks can expect not just the next seven days but the next 14 days. meanwhile, yes, icy conditions out there this evening. just a little bit of help from the sunshine today. not a tremendous amount. hey, we'll take it. the deal is though, if you go out this evening and it looks wet, it's likely to be ice so use caution. by tomorrow morning more icy patches across the area 13 degrees is how we'll start out. just one reason i think why we could get cl

erika gonzalez, news4. >> consumer reports reached out to all of those companies.ix spokesperson said a crackdown is not even a conversation in the company. h hbo go says the service is meant to be used by the members of a household with an hbo subscription. we do not encourage password sharing outside of that household and we limit viewing to three concurrent streams. espn says it cannot share the exact limit number of simultaneous streams, but it is enough to allow each household to enjoy the benefits of access across multiple devices. hulu plus and amazon prime did not provide a response. >>> the news4 iteam is digging into a problem awaiting local gamblers. >> i ain't going to lie to you. i was sick. >> the uptick in crime could be just feet away from you. >>> and storm team 4 is tracking this winter blast. >> it's ahaz ardous conditions on the evening rush. snow on the roads as we track this line of snow showers headed east less than an hour and a half from d.c. then the record cold. we'll have more on the snowfall amounts and what's next for us after the brea

consumer reporter erika gonzalez joins us in the studio with a comparison of the two biggest clubs, costco and sam's club. >> that's right. take a look at this map. there are a number of costco and sam's club warehouses in our area. there's probably one right near you. and if you're wondering about the difference between the two stores "consumer reports" breaks it down for us. both costco and sam's club promise to save you big bucks. but is one better than the other? "consumer reports" put them head to head. >> the first thing we looked at was membership cost. both offer different levels. costco starts at $55, sam's club at $45. not a big difference but something. >> reporter: in "consumer reports" surveys of subscribers, both clubs consistently get high marks on price. when it comes to services however, the offerings vary. at costco you can get a mortgage invest in securities or buy car insurance. sam's club offers online auctions where you can bid on things like tvs and laptops starting at just a dollar. you can also sign up to receive regular shipments of things you use lots of like dia

. >> and consumer reporter erika gonzalez is working on a report about how these new high-tech cars can make any driver vulnerable t >>> and you think your commute is rough? ride eight long with a metro passenger in a wheel care to see the daily struggles she faces on metro. >>> and why the man whose murder conviction captured worldwide attention on the serial podcast has been granted an ap i know grandma's house isn't the most exciting, but it's only for a few hours. look what i've got. when you get verizon fios, you get beautiful hd picture quality, super fast internet, and america's most reliable network. so you won't miss a second of that movie, that game they love, or those moments with family. can we sleep over? please! come on! make your house the house. you get more from verizon fios the tv service rated #1 in hd picture quality and signal reliability based on customer satisfaction studies plus america's fastest most reliable internet. and for peace of mind, get a price quote in writing and professional installation from a highly trained verizon technician. now thru february 21s

at the live desk erika gonzalez. >>> all right. let's get the latest on the weather from doug.ght ahead again. >> a very chilly night, but the best news is it won't last all that long as far as the chill is concerned. as we look toward the next couple hours, 33 degrees right now. we'll drop down through the 20s, 25 at 9:00 23 at 11:00. it's not the wind but the windchill. 21 degrees in gaithersburg 26 in reston 27 in camp springs. the windchill right now between 10 and 15 degrees so a very cold night. storm team 4 radar all clear. lit stay that way, not just today but over the next couple days. good day tomorrow to get that car washed if they're open because, again, the temperatures below freezing. hard to get that water going sometimes. it will be chilly tomorrow. here's the windchill tomorrow. 8:00 a.m. between 15 and 20. noontime around 20 to 25. and notice how we're moving in the right direction. by 4:00 between 25 and 30 degrees. that but with some sunshine. i think we'll see lighter winds during the afternoon. some sunshine. the afternoon will be a lot better. so a cold s

consumer reporter erika gonzalez will show you how you can protect yourself. >>> and a sex investigationcal nail salon. what an employee is accused of doing. >>> women who went to a nail salon say they were sexually abused. the shop is at dupont circle's neighborhood. >> a nail technician is having to answer to accusations. kristin wright is in the studio to tell us how long this has apparently been going on. >> the nail tech was arrested in december. since then investigators learned of a third woman who says he touched her at the nail salon. hung nguyen was just in court on the new charge. a nail tech at color nails and spa is charged with touching women at the spa. court records say hung nguyen who goes by "tiger," inappropriately touched three clients between november of 2013 and last august. an employee and friend tells news4 the allegations are not true. >> i think he didn't do it. i don't believe that he did. >> reporter: one woman says after a pedicure the defendant later began to massage her shoulders, then put his hand inside of her shirt, according to charging documents. suspec

in upper marlboro erika gonzalez news4. >>> so you know what the powerball jackpot ended up being tonight? >> what? >> $564 million. the numbers have just been drawn. i'll give you five seconds to get your tickets. there they are. >> want me to check yours while you read them? >> i already have and you might as well tear them up. 25 11 54 13 39 and the powerball is 19. i didn't get even one of them. >> i got one number. yeah baby. >> but it's not powerball, is it? >> no. >> even if you didn't win, even if you didn't win, we invite you to let us know what you were dreaming of doing with the money. >> just keep ripping them up. >> yeah. >> or you can just do this if you want to. that might be just as good. >> i keep making my dream last a little longer. my tickets are at home. >> maybe you won. >> maybe i'll be here tomorrow, maybe not. >> no your husband already knows where they are. >> he'd be calling you right now. >> that's exactly right. that's exactly right. i'll tell you what you're going to want to do tomorrow. if you've got that kind of cash you're going to want to go -- go down to

but before you do you'll want to watch erika gonzalez at 5:00. she'll show you what happened to one man after he learned somebody else had already filed in his name and the acceptssteps you can take. >>> president obama will travel with the first lady and their daughters to selma, alabama, honoring the anniversary of historic civil rights marches. protesters were attacked violently as they marked across the bridge and violence stunned the world and eventually became known as bloody sunday. as part of their trip the first family will also honest or the 50th anniversary of the voting rights act. >>> underaged service members may soon be able to drink alcohol in maryland. today a state senate committee will consider a bill that would allow 18 19 and 20-year-old members of the military to drink beer and wine at bars an restaurants. the measure has received push back. drunk driving is a big concern. the law would also violate federal statutes which puts federal funding at risk. >>> new leadership in maryland could eventually lead to toll lanes on i-27

erika gonzalez news 4. >>> we all know snow makes driving and parking difficult.re's a way. take a look at this parking shot. that ice pileup is a result of snow from earlier in the week. the driver of the jeep took advantage, creating their own pocket spot. the next question is how do you get down from all of that? >> this just in alec baldwin drives a jeep. >> in an unrelated story. >> hey, in these conditions you do what you've got to do. >> absolutely. >> they've got tough stuff there. our friends and neighbors in boston have it worse than that. some people e afrd to dig their car out. once you give up the space, you know when you come back it will be gone. >> nowhere to put the snow. >> even the harbor is frozen over. we have our own snow to be cleaning up today. you got between a whole lot of nothing and a foot of snow yesterday. right now it's just cloudy outside in washington. rain has been coming down most of the overnight hours. that's finally starting to taper off in the metro area, will linger longer in southern maryland. the potomac and most of the lo

. >>> ahead of all the snow coming there's still time to erika gonzalez joins us with ways to prep our homes and sidewalks for the winter weather. >> you've heard tom talking about it all morning. could see sever inchseveral inches before tomorrow morning and a few preparations can save you really a lot of time and energy in the long run. outside your home. start there first. shall we? have you haven't already done so disconnect any hoses you may have from outside spigots and clear the gutters and outside drains of debris or ice so that the melted snow can travel down the drain. the key here is to keep the water from the melting snow from backing up into your basement. now when it comes to de-icing your sidewalks, the maryland cooperative extension service suggesting using magnesium chloride, calcium chloride or po pass yum chloride. all can be really really harsh and damage the concrete. salts can damage your plants. so the extension service recommends using only a thin coat of this. less is more here when talking about those de-icers. if want to try getting traction without the damag

. >>> news 4 consumer reporter erika gonzalez is here with a look what she's working on. what's going on? >> good to see you. right in the middle of tax season. you may have plans to file yours this weekend. what if someone already filed in your name? your refund ripped off. that's exactly what happened to this man right here coming up tonight on "new4 at 5:00," i'll show you how long it could take to get something like this resolved and the steps that you can take if you learned that the same thing happened to you. coming up tonight on "new4 at 5:00." >>> thank you. see you tonight. >>> there are new remodels trends when it comes to renovating your bathroom. many people are making their bathroom as showpiece, like the kitchen. joining us to talk about that is contractor licensed contractor and host of "i hate my bathroom" jack devlin. good to see you. thanks for joining us. >> thank you for having me. >> you're in town because at the expo show? >> yes. and working the capital home and garden show. what's cool about that is that people can come and get the inspiration the

tonight on news 4 at 11:00, erika gonzalez will walk us through a prince george's county home to show us where properly placed c.o. detectors should be. she'll show you how inexpensive it is to keep your family safe. we're working for you tonight at 11:00. >>> 6:24. in news 4 your health, arethere could be a big change on federal cholesterol guidelines. dietary guidelines advisory committee recommends cholesterol levels no longer be listed as a nutrient of concern. it says it's not associated with a higher risk of heart disease which we had heard for years. and that means you may be advised to not limit it as much as anymore. so you can enjoy foods with high cholesterol will that but remember eat everything in moderation. >>> you may need a nap. paris researchers found napping actually helps restore your body's immune system. they found a 30 minute nap could improve your health and stress levels. small study analyzed hormone levels in 11 men who slept for only two hours the night before. researchers saw a significant improvement following a nap. however, they still recommend that you

erika gonzalez joins us now. how in the world did this happen? >> so we had that same question. everybody is scratching their heads like how do you miss an inspecti lik this? on its website, southwest says that it notified safety regula as soon as it learned that they had missed the inspec deadline. after we e-mailed the airline, it explained that it was while updati the maintenance tracki system that it "inadver omitted the low west of three intee maintee check established." the airline says the federal aviati administration gave it the okay to continue flying the planes whi the inspections take place over the next couple of days. the inspection is for the stand-by hydraulic system which serves has a backup. when we called on cnbc's auto and ailebeau, he said the fact that they're still allowed to fly, there's no immediate danger. missed inspections don't happen it's not consid a widespread prt also told us whose custom hadn accommodated. we called the f.a.a. for more informat though. w numbers out show th unfixed recalls still on the road. tell you how to stay safe and the one

in upper marlboro erika gonzalez news 4. >>> history will be made this afternoon in the big apple.ctress jamie brewer becomes the first model with down's syndrome in walk in new york's fashion week. e may recognize her from "american horror story." according to the "today" show she'll model for designers. business leaders, philanthropists and other ins sprangsal women. >>> time for an inspirational lady here. inspire us to get our coats out tonight. >> yes. >> what are you saying? how cold is it going to get? >> so windchills by this afternoon in the teens. tonight, single digits. tomorrow morning, look at this graphic. below zero.ing about 4 below in washington tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. about 9 below in hagerstown and cumberland. i think areas well west of the d.c. metro area could see some school delays tomorrow morning because of the cold. still kind of a tough call here in the district if they would delay school. regardless know is going to be frigid windy tomorrow morning and breezy throughout the day tomorrow. high temperature tomorrow only 29 degrees. windchills tomorrow afterno

today on news 4 at 4:00 consumer reporter erika gonzalez compares the fees across the board so you don't much and have options in case they're out there. for an even bigger break for your wallet we've penned lots of inexpensive do it yourself valentine gifts on the nbc washington pinterest board. >>> time for a final check on the forecast. tom's here. >> revel in this wonderful weather while you can because it is going to be turning so beginning tomorrow afternoon. beautiful downtown washington live view there from our city camera overlooking the potomac river, washington monument basking in mid-day sun under a blue sky and temperatures responded. already in the upper 30s, much of the region and continue to climb into the low, around 2:00 near 30 by tomorrow with a cloudy sky. all cloudy during the day thursday and strong winds developing during the afternoon. may get up to around 40 around noontime then temperatures drop down into the 20s by sunset. teens by dawn friday. some of those winds thursday night could be gusting to 40 miles an hour. might get a few scattered flurries or maybe

tonight at 11:00, erika gonzalez takes us inside a nationwide scam that is hitting home hard.he nanny scam tonight at 11:00. >>> you probably have seen a lot of snowplows driving along the roads. some of the side streets. you have the small independent contractor, large plows. but chances are you probably haven't seen one like the one we'll show you. >> here you have it a toilet with a motor plowing snow. david goldburg of rockville created this contraption, he calls it "loo-cy". he made it for a parade, but he wanted to get use out of it during the winter month, so he slapped a plow on there. comes complete with toilet paper stand and magazine rack. >> just in case. >> you never know. makes you wonder what kind fuel he's using. >>> we're not the only ones suffering. records being set around the country as the bitter cold teat tightens its grip. an natio harbor. what you can expect on your way to work with your drive time forecast. >>> also ahead, running out of room. the conditions mormonry county students are finding themselves learning in and what >>> we're dealing with som

. >>> i'm erika gonzalez. valentine's da will cost you more this year. i have new numbers from the national reta federation. the average person sell briting cupid's day puts the price of love at about $142, slightly more than last year. our consumer spending survey shows more than half of those buying gifts will opt for candy. when it comes to flowers, americans wl d more than $2 billion. and if you're looking for money-savin ideas, we are putting diy valentine's day gifts on our pinterest forum. you can finthk our consumer watc facebook page. >> thanks erika. >>> the seri stowaway has done it again. a woman who has a long recorof sneaking throuh rity on the planes has arrested again in florida. this time she admitted to flying from minnesota to florida with no ticket. she also allegedly checked into a jacksonville resort using a fake name. tsa is continuing to investigate her claims and review airport surveillance video. >>> here's 35 million new reasons to buy a powerball ticket. the jackpot climbed this afternoon mo t 24 hours before the big drawing.

consumer reporter erika gonzalez joins us now with more on this added layer of protection. erika? >> jim, pat, you may have plans to head out, get your taxes filed this weekend. a lot of people are doing that. if you live in the district you now have a way to protect your personal information. the irs tells us d.c. florida, and georgia have been chosen for a special irs pilot program. if you opt in you get a six-digit number called an i.p. pin. it's got to be used hand in hand with your social security number but it is an added layer of security. once you opt in you can't opt out. you're going to get a new pin every year in order to file. now, in order to be eligible you have to have filed a federal tax return last year in the district. if that's you, you can visit the consumer watch facebook page for a link to the site get your i.p. pin before you head out this weekend to file. coming up tonight at 5:00 i'll introduce you to one man who wishes that he had that i.p. pin right about now. he's a victim of tax fraud. his refund check is not going to be coming to him for a very long t

tonight at 11:00, consumer reporter erika gonzalez takes us inside a nationwide scam hitting home hardnny scam tonight at 11:00 here on nbc 4. >>> when it comes to getting your nails done it's not all about the pretty colors and polish. that primping and soaking means there is potential for infection. varnish lane is the first to offer waterless man mani/pedis. >> water is the main source of infection when you go in a nail salon, so by eliminating the water, we create safer service for our clients. >> it may reduce health risks but health officials say infections can still happen anywhere. n how to tell whether your nail salon is safe. nbcwashington.com, search nail salon. >>> if you go to visitadvice it that came.com it's been so cold the site told you to hit the florida keys instead. we're told so many people checked out the change that it crashed the website and boosted interest in central new york. >>> you have to give this man points for creativity. take a look. this is a motorized toilet that he's riding and it's plowing snow too. is this david goldberg of rockville, he created t

consumer reporter erika gonzalez gives you closer look. >> reportt evhi tt goes to the consumer at the electroniw makes its way to the sto kjells right away, but tonig we've got some standouts tara dunyan has a few items that took the cake. for starters, this huge wallet may look ke what a lot of people have but we can condense that. >> you leave the ten-pound wallet at home with loot pay. you download the app and literally fits like a case beyond you swipe again all your cred data, swipe it at any cash register millions across th country, just a really easy and, you know, light weight solution. >>> the belkin wimo. this is gre if i catch a flight and forgot to lower the thermost >> this allows you a lot of remote-cor options with your appliancea eleconi in your home and a great green and environment solution to the remote conol devices. >> the motorola multicollar is my favorite. this is a camera for our dogs. >> everyo loves their dogs, now with a cram that's wearable on the dog collar you can see what your d is doing speak to your dog through this collar, and it's just a really fun

consumer reporter erika gonzalez heard from one woman who says she lost thousands of dollars. >> there was that sad and i tried to keep calm. >> reporter: anna rodriguez is still upset because she's out $3,000 after the skin care company she bought services from closed its doors. >> they were really nice. >> reporter: she purchased 20 visits to american laser skin care. she took out a loan for $3,000 to pay for the treatment package. the company has locations nationwide including seven throughout maryland and virginia. it offers services like laser hair removal, skin rejoouf nation wrinkle reduction, cellulite treatment and botox. she had no idea the company was in trouble, but then she got a phone call. >> saying that they have some kind of trouble with the power there and my appointment has to be rescheduled and they are going to call me back to let me know when it's going to be. >> reporter:. she never heard back. she says she only used 2 of the 20 visits before the company shut down without notice. she only learned about its closure when she started searching for answers online. >>

. >> consumer reporter erika gonzalez so here to tell us what we can do. >> short window of time but none of the things we're about to go through eat up large chunks of time. so you can take a few notes and get to it. start outside. if you haven't done so you're going to disconnect the hoses from the spigots. clear the gutters and outside drains of debris or ice so that melted snow which in this event may take a little while to get to, but so melted snow can travel down the drain. the key is to keep the water from melting snow from backing up into your basement. inside your home keep a small drip going on those faucets that may be at risk of freezing. that constant flow of the water will help keep the pipes from bursting. if you turn on the faucet and no water comes out, call the plumber asap. do not use an open flame too to try and thaw a pipe. if a pipe does burst, this is obviously worst-case scenario here turn off the water at the main shutoff valve. usually this is in your basement or in your crawl space. another great idea just because of the snow and all this may not be a bad

. >> consumer reporter erika gonzalez with us right now. >> the reach of the storm is massive but the good news is most airlines are waving fees for travelers from atlanta to philly. we checked in with all the major airlines. all are waving that change fee for those with flights scheduled to leave tonight or tomorrow. the catch is you have to reschedule travel for sometime late they are week friday at the latest. if you had plans to fly tonight or tomorrow get online folks, get on the phone, check with your airline. oftentimes you're stuck with paying the fare difference. but we found airlines such as united and jetblue waving those as well. by the way, we also checked on amtrak vamoose, ground and other, none announcing cancellations for tomorrow. we'll put those on our website, nbcwashington.com, and our nbc washinapp. >> it a l bit of patience helps. >> yes, it does. >> thank you, erika. right now doug and veronica are answering your questions about this storm on the storm team 4 facebook page. go there now if you have a question for them. and track the storm on your phone or table

. >> erika gonzalez here with us in the studio with some corners we can cut. >> that's right.ood morning to you. the next couple of things could help will you save a small fortune. kiplinger found brides spent an average of $1300 on their dresses last year. it gets expensive, right? so sites like represent the run way and borrowing magnolia can do it anywhere from $30 to $450. you wear it once you take the pretty pictures nobody has to know that you send it back, right? next on the list tools. a number of the big hardware chains can rent you things like pressure washers, you can also do smaller tools, as well. lipglinger says you can represent it if you're just doing one or proper projects. if you found something that you can rent that i don't know about, facebook me suggestions on our consumer watch page. i'll see you in a couple of minutes. >> pressure washer just a couple times for you aaron? >> yeah right. i don't know anything. department living is great for me. we're being taking breaking news for you this morning. really big mess that could make it hard for you to get t

. >> erika gonzalez is here with more. >> we turned to cnbc for answers. we got answers on how this is going to affect you. everything from warranties to gift cards. >> staples is going to be able to honor all of the warranties and things you bought from office depot. it's always a smart idea when you have a warranty to save the receipt, save the paperwork in case the computer systems don't transfer over the proper way or if they change the company servicing the warranty. you can bet that warranty will be honored. >> paper is still good. what about gift cards and customer loyalty cards? if you he an office depot credit card how is that going to impact you? >> this is not like office depot is going out of business. your gift cards are going to be good good. your loyalty cards will stbe can take a matter of months. any changes in the reward programs pay attention to those terms over time how they might shift the program. if there are certain benefits through office depot that might not transfer over you want to be aware of e-mails telling you you need to use

erika gonzalez is here with a warning about this silent killer. >> it is called the silent kifler.rbon monoxide has no odor, no taste or smell. several families in our area recently became sick after breathing in the dangerous gas. there a way to detect it. install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. tonight at 11:00, we'll walk you through this home and show you where they should be placed and how to test them. it's an inexpensive way to protect your family from the silent killer. that's tonight at 11:00. >> erika, thank you. >>> a new york city police officer arraigned tonight on charges he shot and killed an unarmed black man. brand-new information is emerging tonight about that confrontation. we'll have a report from new york. sta >>> seven police officers and firefighters who helped save lives after the boston marathon bombings are among new recipients of the medal of valor. it's the nation's highest award for public safety officers. vice president joe biden and attorney general eric holder presented 21 civil servants with the medal at the white house today. >>> careless a

consumer reporter erika gonzalez is here with a warning tonight about tax fraud. erika? >> we are hearing about a wave of fraudulent tax returns being filed. the irs tells us d.c. has one of the biggest problems with tax fraud related to identity theft. we asked, just how much did the irs pay in refund grade last tax season? i would told us nearly $6 billion nationwide. >> so here are copies of your tax return. >> reporter: adrian thompson lives in d.c. he's a middle schoolteacher looking forward to summer vacation. he's anxiously been awaiting his tax return. >> me and my girlfriend actually have a cruise set up for us. >> and he's saving for his dream profession. >> as well as taking a class right now to my last prerequisite. >> reporter: he's looking forward to more than a thousand dollars in his tax refund. was expecting until he got a phone call. >> you know, just a few days ago, mr. thompson you filed your taxes and everything went through normally until we received a rejection code. >> reporter: rejection code. >> that reject code showed us his information was alr

. >> erika gonzalez is here to explain what this means for taxpayers and how to keep you and your money safe and secure. >> turbotax has stopped processing the state filings in response to what it call an increase in suspicious filings. criminals who use stolen identity information to file fraudulent state tax returns and then claim tax refunds. intuit says it does not think the fraud is the result of a security breach of its systems. the company says its goal is to resume e-filing in a matter of hours rather than days. and if you suspect any fraud, intuit has identity protection agents that can help and you can find that resource on our website, nbcwashington.com, and just search "taxes." >>> now we're going to an update on that anthem hack. the company says those affected by the hack will hear from the company directly. you're going to get a letter from-in the mail. we're talking snail mail and not e-mail. anthem is warning customers about scam artists sending fraudulent e-mails and phone calls. remember the company is sending out letters. they're not going to call you ask for persona

. >> erika gonzalez is here to explain what you should do to protect yourself. >> this is timely because it's tax season. when you think about filing taxes you need your employment information, your name your social security and your address. guess what all of that was stolen during the anthem hack. this is a perfect example if you're a victim of a breach file your taxes as soon as possible. if hackers have your social and employment information they have the means to file a fraudulent tax return with your name. that means they're going to get your refund and that is how tax return fraud works. another thing you can do right now, monitor your existing accounts. unlike when your credit card information is compromised, you're not going to get another social security number so you want to keep track of your credit report. watch out for unauthorized financial activity including your 401(k) and any brokerage accounts. and sign up for fraud alerts so that you're contacted before new credit is issued. we should say contact the three credit reporting agencies. some would say one, just to your du

tonight at 11:00, consumer reporter erika gonzalez sits down with lee after her potential job opportunity cost her thousands of dollars. find out how this scam works and how to prevent it from happening. the nanny scam tonight right here news4 at 11:00. >>> and new tonight, the family of the woman who was hit and killed while she was waiting for a bus is speaking to news4. what they have to say to the suspected drunk driver who was involved in this tragedy. >>> rudy giuliani's latest comments about the president causing a firestorm. tonight at-o'clock why he he said president obama doesn't love america. >>> and a daring attempt to save man's best friend. >>> right now at 5:30 schools starting to open late tomorrow as this wicked cold sets in so pull up our nbc washington app right now and check out the latest announcements. >>> the dmv will be in an icebox overnight. we could have record-breaking temperatures and subzero windchills. >> our live team coverage continues with doug and v.j. we have this siberian express. we need it to blow through faster doug. >> i'm working on it. if we all

. >>> buckle u for a one-of-a-kind ri consumer reporter erika gonzalez reveals "consumer reports'" top autos of 20 ♪ ♪ know you can keep your financial big picture under control. know you can see how much you have to spend and whether you should transfer funds. know you can easily keep track of what you're putting away. and know you're budgeted for the great escape. thanks to virtual wallet by pnc. ♪ ♪ . >>> buying a is one of the biggest purchases a person makes so, before you spend tens of thousands of dol check this out. "consumer reporst released its top picks of 2015. >> and consum reporter gonzalez go took a road trip to find out which cars are the top performers. how are you? >> i'm well. come on over my friend. top ten pick, drum roll, please, the biggest excitement out of all of this is three are american made. detroit is back. this is huge. so we took the time to travel up to connecticut to get behind the wheel of what could be your next car. we had some fun doing it too. >> you know it. >> reporter: tis the best car "consumer reays has ev tte weo. >oh. super quite 0 to 60 in

. >>> and our consumer reporter erika gonzalez has good tips for you. >>> welcome back inside. hey, the roads are clear. we know the sun is shining out there. some of the sidewalks are not clear so much. >> if you own a home or business in the district you have 24 hours to make sure the sidewalks are clear. news4's chris gordon was along mass. avenue in the northwest with a look at the progress. >> especially right there on the corner 14th and w is really hard going there. i may have to go out in the street to ride my wheelchair back up to my home. >> reporter: we followed this disabled veteran navigating a section of uncleared sidewalk on 14th street right across from the reed center and d.c. government's office building. some curb cuts are still clogged with snow and bus stops can be challenging for the disabled and elderly. at 18th lamont northwest we found a moth we are two children and a dog walking on a slippery snow-covered sidewalk. a neighbor was shoveling his sidewalk so walkers are encountering a patchwork of snowy sidewalks alternating with sidewalks that have been

consumer reporter erika gonzalez has details. >> this is it expedia plans to buy orbitz for more than a billion dollars. what does ha mean for customers booking online? what does that mean for you and me? we asked expedia. they told us there will be no changes to consumers' bookings as a result of today's news. it went on to say its proposed acquisition of orbitz still subject to approval by the shareholders of orbitz and other closing conditions. now, if all of that goes through, if then expedia would gain orbitz's namesake such as cheap ticket ts and hotel club. expedia already has about a dozen brands such as hotels.com and hot wire. this is expedia's second major deal. recently it announced it has plans to buy travel os ti. that was last month. back to you. >> thanks erica. >>> more than 4 million disposable plastic fire extinguishes are being called tonight. they're made by kitte. a faulty valve is can cause them to not fully discharge when you need them to. if you have one, call kiddie for a replacement. the list of models recalled is on our website, nbcwashington.com. >>> anoth

consumer reporter erika gonzalez is here to help make sure you're not calling plumbers or mechanics this holiday weekend. >> nobody wants to see them arnold. last thing you want is an expensive repair bill. due diligence right now can spare your wallet the expense. let's start in the home. make sure your pipes don't freeze. you know your house better than anybody else so where are the exposed pipes? wssc says go to your kitchen, your bathroom sinks, open those cabinet doors beneath. that will keep the air, the warm air circulating. and if you just keep a trickle of water flowing from all of the faucets your pipes are less likely to freeze. now, the other thing that hold people up during these big cold snaps, your car. aaa says fill your tank tonight. that'll reduce the chance the water vapor will freeze. top off the radiator and de-icing fluid. you'd rather have more than not enough. lastly give your wheels a ttle more air, the cold tend to drop the psi. your driver's side door should indicate exactly how much your tires need. preventative care these things hardly take any money to do an

our consumer reporter erika gonzalez with a look inside. >> reporter: we are talking edgy and sleek decornial movement. >> so the time is now. >> reporter: we recently sat down with a global brand officer for marriott hotels. marriott is bringing a european brand to the u.s. it's aimed at millennials. modern and tech savvy, right here this is a peek and marriott is not alone. major hotel chains have crossed over to the boutique look and with brands you've never heard of. tonight at 11:00, we take you inside the hotels changed by the millennial movement. >>> just like us. we're wondering if those topless guys are part of the deal. >> i have no idea. >> the new trend. >> who's that guy? >> right. you definitely don't want to be out topless tonight, though. it is cold. >> no! >> i'm stretching here. >> yeah. very good. sometimes transitions work. let's show you what's going on tonight. definitely not. it is going to be a chilly night as you make your way across the region. friday night out, 34 degrees at 7:00. by 10:00 right around 32 but still a good night to get dinner. nobody's going to b

erika gonzalez has who it impacts in our area the most. >> we've heard the number potentially 80 million people at risk. we made a lot of calls today to narrow it down and exactly who in our area may be affected by this. out of more than a dozen states anthem insurance based out of virginia is the local state impacted in this breach. anthem took to social media tweeting there's no evidence of medical or credit card information compromised but the hackers did get a hold of names security numbers, addresses, phone, e-mail, and employment information. anthem is working with the fbi in investigating the hack but it has not said when it identified the breach or the period in which it happened. the breach affects people with anthem coverage either now or even if you had anthem coverage in the past. the virginia attorney general says anthem has more than 3 million members in the commonwealth. that section of virginia that is exempt, what you see in white, the city of fairfax, the town of vienna and the area east of route 123. that's exempt, that you're not members of anthem. the rest of the sta