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Today's Sound Off is about a new scam going around, so beware!
Dear Heloise: There is a new scam going around through email, no matter which carrier you use. It starts out with: "I am the representative of the customer support center at ..." They will claim to have received a certain number of complaints about your email account sending out malware and viruses. They will tell you that there were thousands of spam emails sent out from your account over the last three or four days and threaten to delete your account within 48 hours if you don't respond immediately. Then they'll tell you to install an antivirus software and that they will select the best one for you.
Below this, there will be a box that they want you to click on, which reads: "Scan for viruses." Don't click on that box!
This is nothing more than a scam and an effort to steal as much of your personal information as they can. If they get into your computer, they'll try to access your banking information as well as your credit and debit card information. They can also disrupt your computer service and cause an unlimited number of other problems.
If you look at the top of the email, you'll see a return email address that is clearly not from your carrier. That's your first clue that this is a scam. -- A Reader, via email
Reader, thank you for writing in. Here at Heloise Central, we try to help our readers avoid being taken advantage of by warning them about various scams and con artists. -- Heloise
VEGGIE PEELER USES
Here are some additional uses for a vegetable peeler:
-- Make vegetable curls as garnishes for salads.
-- Create chocolate shavings.
-- Shave chunks of cheese, such as Parmesan.
-- Shave sticks of butter into curls.
-- Create garnishes for cocktails like orange peels.
CLEANING SOLUTIONS
Dear Heloise: I bought your pamphlet on cleaning solutions years ago, and it was a lifesaver. I now have two married daughters who could use a copy in their homes. How do I go about ordering a couple of these stocking stuffers for them? -- Mary Ann R., Provo, Utah
Mary Ann, it's so easy to get copies. Go to www.Heloise.com or send $5 per pamphlet, along with a stamped, self-addressed, long envelope to: Heloise/Cleaning Solutions, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. You're right about these making great stocking stuffers. -- Heloise
PRACTICING GRATITUDE
Dear Heloise: My family has a tradition at mealtimes where we go around the table and each person is required to name three things that they are grateful for. It may seem like a small thing, but it makes us remember how fortunate we are to live where we live, enjoy the freedoms we have and cherish the friends who are there for us in times of need.
For so many people, just having a roof over their head or a decent meal is a luxury. Many others are lonely, frightened or sick and don't know where to turn. We sometimes grumble about the stress and strife in our lives, but instead, we should learn to show more gratitude. -- Caroline G., Carson City, Nevada
CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN SINK
Dear Heloise: I don't like to use abrasive cleaners on my porcelain sinks in the kitchen or bathroom. Instead, I fill the sink with water and pour in 1 cup of bleach about once every month. I let it stand for about 30 minutes, then drain the sink. It disinfects my sink and keeps it sparkling white! -- Jean D., Royal Oak, Michigan
THANKSGIVING ACTIVITY
Dear Heloise: When Thanksgiving comes around, I like to set a table for the adults and a table for the children. Before dinner, as a way to keep kids occupied, I give them legal-size paper and felt pens. I then ask them to draw a Thanksgiving picture.
Once they're done, I use that as their placemats. They really enjoy that part of the day! -- Agnes T., Ponca City, Oklahoma