12 On Your Side: Phantom Hacker Scam, weighted blankets, airplane armrests

This week’s consumer roundup from Marilyn Moritz!

KSAT OTT 12 On Your Side title graphic

SAN ANTONIO – Wasn’t our whole week of fall glorious? It’s my favorite time of year. It’s just a bit too short here. My family and I took a little vacay time to the Boston, Montreal and Maine area and the autumn colors are just gorgeous.  They can keep their winter, though!

I’ve reported on a bazillion scams, it seems, but this one is particularly maddening.  The kindest couple, 80-year-old sweethearts since high school, got taken in by what’s called the phantom hacker scam. It started with a pop-up on his computer. The criminals were conniving and convincing, and in the end, the couple lost more than $170,000. They shared their story here. And please talk about this with your family or neighbors, especially older folks who are being targeted.

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Have you ever tried a weighted blanket?  Some people love them. But, now there are weighted products like sleepsacks and blankets for babies. Sure, babies like to feel snuggled and hugged, but the American Academy of Pediatrics says weighted products are not safe for babies. You can check out our report on that here.

Here’s a question. When you fly, who gets the armrests? I typically raise it if I’m sitting next to someone I know, but that’s not always the case. Turns out, airplane etiquette people say the poor soul stuck in the middle seat gets the armrests.  More dos and don’ts when it comes to flying the friendly skies here.

And, I can’t resist, how ‘bout them Rangers? I grew up in Arlington and have been a fan for a lot of years. I even made $1.59 an hour working at the ballpark when I was 15. Good times.  And, finally, a World Series championship.

Have a great weekend, and may all your teams win.


About the Author

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.

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