The other day I was shredding an old
AARP magazine when I spied an article about how 85% of hoomons are confident
they can spot an imposter, but the majority flunk an Imposter IQ quiz. Fwankly,
I’m worried.
These hoomons are responsible for keeping us in the luxury of which we are accustomed to. If they get swindled by con artists, they will have less to spend on us.
I consider it my pawblic doody to
inform yoo of nefarious ways these fakers are taking advantage of our doddering
hoomons, so yoo can be on the look out and stop the fakers before they steal
the treats right out of your moufs!
Here are ways AARP says our hoomons are being fooled by fakers. (I’ve shredded the magazine so I’m pawraphrazing here.)
Jury Doody
Official Sounding Faker: “This is
Judge Judy Wapner calling from the county courthouse. You’ve missed jury doody.
Either pay $300 now, or go to prison.”
Utility Company Scam
Official Sounding Faker: “We have a
utility truck parked in your neighborhood, ready to shut off your electricity
if you don’t pay the past-due amount on your bill tonight.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Gosh! It’s
seven o’clock. It’s supposed to go below freezing tonight! I thought I paid my
account, but I trust you. Here’s my credit card, my Social Security Number and
the password to my online bank account.”
The Gov’mint Faker
Official Sounding Faker: “I’m
calling to notify you of your unclaimed property with our state.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Unclaimed
property! Is it from Aunt Margaret’s estate? She just passed away, and all she
left me was her collection of Neil Diamond records. I don’t have a record
player. Plus I never liked Neil Diamond.”
Official Sounding Faker: “I can
release Aunt Margaret’s property to you, if you pay $300. I will also need her
Social Security number.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Oh dear! I
don’t have her Social Security number.”
Official Sounding Faker: “No
problem! I can check it through yours. I will also need your credit card number
and bank account password.”
The Ticket Scalper
Official Sounding Faker: “We
represent Star Struck Tickets, and you’ve been chosen to get seats for the Ed
Sheeran concert for a huge discount, if you act quickly.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Gosh! I’d
love to take you up on your offer, but… Who is Ed Sheeran?”
Official Sounding Faker: “Some
British singer. I also have Pink tickets.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Does a pink
ticket cost less than other colors?”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “I’m prone to
migraines.”
Official Sounding Faker: “Justin
Bieber?”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Will he take
his shirt off? I don’t like tattoos.”
Official Sounding Faker: “What about
Susan Boyle?”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Oh, does she
sing too? I just loved her as Erica Kane on All My Children.”
Official Sounding Faker: “I’m not
supposed to do this, but if you act now… You can have two Whitney Houston
tickets for the price of one. All I need is your credit card, your Social
Security Number and your password to your bank account.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Sold!”
The Bank Faker
Official Sounding Faker: “We have
detected a problem with your accounts. We will need you to verify your personal
information.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Oh dear. I
will hurry right over.”
Official Sounding Faker: “No! We
need you to verify over the phone so we can confirm you are you, and fix the
error.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Okay. What
information do you need?”
Official Sounding Faker: “Your bank
account number, starting with the 9-digit routing number. We will also need you
to verify your date of birth and driver’s license number.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Do you also
need my Social Security Number?”
Official Sounding Faker: “You
betcha!”
The Kitten Breeder
Official Sounding Faker: “Our blue ribbon purebred Turkish Van, Hermione, just had a beautiful litter of purebred kittens. They are usually sold for $700 a piece, but for today only, you can have a kitten for $200!”
The Lottery Winner Faker
Official Sounding Faker: “I
represent the Ontario lottery, and I’m excited to tell you that you’ve won $1
million! All you have to do is pay the import tax and fee, and we’ll send you
your winnings.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “This is so
exciting! I’ve never won anything. How much is the import tax and fee?”
Official Sounding Faker: “Only
$500.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Oh dear.
That’s a lot of money.”
Official Sounding Faker: “One
million dollars is a lot more money.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “I know, but…
I’m supposed to take Frisky for his shots tomorrow. I may not have enough to
pay both your fee and his veterinary bill.”
Official Sounding Faker: “Well, you
sound like a nice person, so… I’m going to do something I’m not supposed to do.
I will change the fee to $300, but only if you ACT NOW. Think of all the treats
and toys you could buy Frosty with one million dollars?”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “It’s Frisky,
but for one million dollars, I’ll change his name! Here’s my credit card
number.”
Official Sounding Faker: “I will
also need your date of birth and Social Security Number to verify you are who
you say you are. You know how the government is.”
The Police or Fire Department Fakers
Official Sounding Faker: “We’re
raising money for local officers/firefighters injured in the line of duty. How
much will you be donating today?”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “How can I say
no?”
The IRS Faker
Official Sounding Faker: “Our
records show you are at grave risk for large fines for unpaid taxes. You must
settle this situation immediately to avoid going to jail.”
Our Doddering Hoomon: “Oh dear! Do
you take American Express?”
Stranger Danger!
AARP says never listen to a pitch
from a stranger, be it on the phone, in person, or over the internet, without
first independently verifying they are legitimate. They didn’t indicate in the
article exactly how to verify they’re legitimate, so my advice is to tell them
that before you commit to anything, especially giving them money, yoo will
first need to call their corporate office to verify the offer. And not necessarily
a phone number they give yoo, either. Honestly! Do I have to think of
everything? Go Google how to avoid getting scammed. Google won't steer you
wrong! *coughs into paw*
For me, the best way to never be a
victim is to consider whatever they’re selling to be a scam—and walk away with
your tail in the air.
So! How vulnerable are your hoomons
to official sounding fakers? Have them click on the link below to take the
Imposter IQ Quiz to find out.
Pee Ess. My hoomons got 100% right
on the quiz, so tonight we’re celebrating with Starkist toona noms.
Before I leave, I want to wish my daddy a very Happy Birthday!
He's not old, just funny in the head.
-quoting my mom
Until Next Time...
Hi evfurrybuddy, this is Dori. *wavy paws* For today's Caturday Cat-toon, all I'm gonna say is... brofurs are a pain in the tail.
Winter storms coupled with a year-long quarantine can make you so miserable, it is easy for you to assume the worst in life. Maybe after being cooped up with your spouse working at home, you are now struggling in your marriage. That’s the Too Much Togetherness Syndrome.
You know you have TMTS when your imagination runs wild on a daily basis as you contemplate what Life would be like without the ol’ ball and chain.
Please enjoy my words of wisdom by watching my Paw'dcast below.
Once the veterinarian said MOLD I went into action by calling in a duct cleaning company to scour our air handlers and ducts. They also released live bacteria that would eat the mold. This was a very expensive process and it took all day for our home vents to be disinfected, but there was no choice.
It didn’t occur to me to have our home rechecked until the summer of 2015 when Dori and Peaches both came down with “colds from hell.” I too was suffering from the effect of mold. Turns out I’m highly allergic to it. In 2012 I was continually foggy-brained, and aching in every joint. I wanted to sleep all the time, which is highly unlike me.
The foggy-brained part is what kept me from recognizing my symptoms again in
2015. It took Dori giving an eerily familiar cough that reminded me of Cookie
that had me running the girls to the vet, and calling in the same company as in
2012 to check my air handlers.
The mold was back, and this time it was Terminator Mold. It was back, it was badder, and hell bent on destroying everyone in the house. But instead of
cleaning like they did in 2012, this time the crew was more investigative
as to WHY we had mold. This time they discovered the duct tape around the mains had
softened and pulled apart, allowing attic debris into the blowers (I always
wondered why I had so damn much dust). They also found the seams were allowing
cold air to seep out, creating dampness.
Mold thrives on Darkness, Warmth,
Oxygen, and Moisture.
It appears we had won the Mold
Lottery.
Filters are changed every month. We
thought they were dirty. We didn't realize the dirt was mold.
Then the mains had to be resealed
using duct butter that hardened like plastic.
Don't think mold can't happen to you. Mold is more rampant than I ever
believed possible. Our home was 7 years old when we had mold in 2012. I read
that mold is more prevalent in newer homes due to construction rush. Duct tape
isn't good enough to seal your air handlers. Make sure its duct butter, and
before you buy, have your home inspected.
For more information, start with Mold Blogger.
Have you ever had mold
in your home? Have you ever had your home inspected?
Today is National Love Your Pet Day.
I don't think this is what they mean.... Do yoo?
As Ms Ramaswami says, the
cats she usually saw on the streets are very thin. Sickly. Initially she has
only mild interest in the cats. In Oman, street cats are a part of life, but
life outside the home walls. Feeding them is not encouraged. The cats must
fight among themselves for whatever scraps they can find in the trash bins.
Chitra, in fact, brought home a sickly, but feral kitten as a child, however it
erupted in panic, leaving scratches before being set free, confirming in her
mind the accepted notion that street cats were not meant to be pets.
She does not consider herself a cat person when the book opens. She has a rabbit back in New Jersey where her husband works, and muses she would like to have a dog someday. However Fate has other ideas when a scrawny ginger-white cat appears in her path. The moment the cat lifts his head to gaze at Chitra with tired, golden eyes filled with a melancholic emptiness, the stars align.
Chitra says she always
leaves a little room in her heart for the unexpected. Rumi’s arrival is
certainly unexpected, but in her heart Chitra soon realizes her initial promise
to her family to find this sweet stray a home is futile. Rumi and Chitra are
meant to be together.
BUT FIRST, RUMI is a
well-told weave of one woman’s determination to overcome her native country’s
prejudice against helpless cats. I applaud her for answering the call of caring
for the Oman street cats when few others do, and I look forward to future novels
by this talented author.
Today's topic is Choose to be Happy.
For the past year my family has been nomming a steady diet of stress. And it's not delicious, even with a little salt and a shot of tequila.
Yoo see my pawrents packed up our home and moved us to Flory-Da last summer. During the packing Mom realized she had been lugging too many items from childhood throughout her life. Plus, being an author, she had boxes of abandoned manuscripts, lots of beloved books, and sentimental stuff acquired from relatives who had gone over the rainbow bridge. It was time to purge.
