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CPSC Warns Consumers to Stop Using Male-to-Male Extension Cords, Secures Delisting Commitments from e-Commerce Platforms

Release Date: March 31, 2026
  • Male-to-male Extension Cord – blue
    Male-to-male Extension Cord – blue
  • Male-to-male Extension Cord – red
    Male-to-male Extension Cord – red
  • Male-to-male Extension Cord – yellow
    Male-to-male Extension Cord – yellow

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has secured the removal of hazardous male-to-male extension cord listings from major e-commerce platforms, including Walmart, eBay and AliExpress, and is warning consumers to stop using these products immediately. These cords have exposed prongs that can become energized when plugged into a power source, creating a serious risk of electrocution or fire. These products should never be used under any circumstances.

The cords are often used to supply power from a generator to a residential electrical system, a dangerous practice known as backfeeding that that can result in serious injury or death from electrocution or fire. Their short length also increases the likelihood that generators will be operated in enclosed spaces or too close to homes, creating a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

CPSC urges consumers to stop using and dispose of these cords immediately. Consumers should unplug them carefully and avoid touching exposed prongs. 

The blue, red or yellow extension cords have two male ends with a three-prong black plug and were manufactured in China.

CPSC is taking this action to prevent these hazardous products from continuing to reach U.S. consumers through online marketplaces. 

“Male-to-male extension cords, often referred to as ‘suicide cords,’ pose a serious risk of fire and electrocution and have no legitimate household use,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman. “CPSC has warned consumers about these hazards for years. We are now taking the next step by securing delisting commitments from e-commerce platforms to remove these dangerous products from the marketplace.”

The China-based sellers have been unresponsive to CPSC requests for a recall or information about these products.

Nevertheless, CPSC has secured the removal of these listings from the e-commerce platforms where they were sold. In addition, Walmart, eBay, and AliExpress have committed to identifying and delisting similar hazardous products.

Report any incidents involving injury or product defects to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Release Number
26-363

About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products. 

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

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