Suspicious email raises red flag

Dear Heloise: I read with interest your column on bank fraud this morning. I had received an email purporting to be from my bank. They wanted me to verify certain banking information. This raised a red flag for me. I printed out the request out and took it to my bank. The teller was fooled and told me to send the information! I told her the address looked phony. It was some strange personal address. I asked to talk to a manager, and he verified that my suspicions were correct. If the origin address is questionable, don’t send the info! — Lynn Riley, via email

Lynn, thanks for this important info. When it comes to your financial matters, be vigilant and check everything carefully. — Heloise

Skunk Spray

Dear Heloise: I just read your article about removing skunk odor from a pet. My dog apparently wasn’t directly sprayed, but he did smell “skunky.” I sprayed vinegar water on his fur, and it got rid of the smell. It was a mix of 1 cup warm water to 1 cup white vinegar. It really removes odors!

The vinegar water is all I use for cleaning. Also, that and baking soda removed rust from carpet for me. I’ve used this for years, long before I ever saw that you have a vinegar booklet. Cheers! — Fonda Carlow, via email

Tong Help

Dear Heloise: My wife has to use a rider cart when she goes grocery shopping. This puts her at a disadvantage when she needs something from a high shelf that’s beyond her reach. She thought of taking a pair of tongs with her (kept in the reusable bags) to reach higher items. It works great! — R.M., Red Oak, Texas