Online Retailers Delist Hazardous ‘Suicide Cords’ After CPSC Warnings

As Western New York residents frequently turn to portable generators during the region’s notorious lake-effect snowstorms and power outages, a critical safety warning has been issued regarding a specific, lethal piece of hardware. Major online retailers have committed to halting the sale of certain male-to-male extension cords following a series of urgent safety recalls, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced this week.

These hazardous products pose immediate risks of electrocution and fire. Because both ends of the cord feature protruding prongs, one side becomes “live” and energized as soon as the other is plugged into a power source, leaving the user vulnerable to lethal voltage.

In the electrical trade, these male-to-male links are aptly nicknamed “suicide cords.” They serve no legitimate household purpose and are most commonly—and dangerously—misused to “backfeed” power from a generator into a home’s electrical system through a standard wall outlet.

William Strasmore, reporting for the Lake Erie Times, notes that this practice is particularly prevalent in older residential neighborhoods throughout Buffalo and Erie County during winter emergencies. Backfeeding is not only a fire hazard for the homeowner but also endangers utility workers by sending electricity back onto the grid. Additionally, the short length of these specific recalled cords often forces users to operate generators too close to windows or inside garages, significantly increasing the risk of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.

In response to the grave dangers identified by federal investigators, e-commerce giants including Walmart, eBay, and AliExpress have agreed to scrub their platforms of these listings. The targeted items are typically blue, red, or yellow cords with two male ends and three-prong black plugs, primarily manufactured in China.

CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman emphasized the necessity of these delisting commitments, stating that while the agency has warned of these hazards for years, direct action with e-commerce platforms is required to remove these products from the marketplace entirely. To date, at least 3,100 units have been impacted across eight separate recalls, though the China-based manufacturers have reportedly remained unresponsive to federal outreach.

The Lake Erie Times has compiled the following data regarding the specific units targeted for immediate removal. Consumers in Western New York should check their emergency kits and garages for the following brands:

The CPSC and Lake Erie Times strongly urge consumers to cease use of these cords immediately. If a cord is currently plugged in, exercise extreme caution: do not touch the exposed prongs while the other end is connected to a power source or a running generator.

To ensure the safety of others, these products should be cut and disposed of in a way that prevents future use. For Western New York residents seeking safe ways to power their homes during outages, experts recommend the installation of a transfer switch by a licensed electrician. This professional installation eliminates the need for dangerous makeshift connections and ensures compliance with local Buffalo building codes.

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