Over the past year, hundreds of you have asked Whistleblower for help. While we can't investigate each tip, we want to share more of what you tell us. In 2009, we started publishing a few tips each week to stimulate online discussion and create ways for our readers to help each other. Unlike our news stories, we have not verified this information, so we do not include the names of the parties involved. If you have a tip, send it to whistleblower@startribune.com.

A resident of a public housing complex said the manager recently told tenants not to buy items from thrift stores because they might be infested with bed bugs.

"I question this because public housing residents are often too poor to shop at conventional stores. I am one of them," the resident wrote. "If such a judgment about thrift stores and garage sales is made, it should have solid scientific backing."

Jeff Hahn, an entomologist at the University of Minnesota, said bed bugs can be spread in many ways, including from people sitting in theaters and airplanes. But he said thrift store shoppers can protect themselves by putting clothing in plastic bags and washing the clothing immediately in hot water. Read more tips about preventing bed bugs here.

New York City officials recently announced a strengthened effort to deal with the pests after several stores closed in the wake of bed bug infestations.

Do you think it's fair to prohibit shopping at thrift stores?