HinTs from Heloise

DEAR

HELOISE:

Your readers need to know about a scam that my husband almost bought into a week ago. A man called and claimed we had not paid for one of our credit card debts since 2016. He was demanding that we pay up now, or they would place a lien against our home and take us to court. The man who called said we owed $8,000.

First, I knew I had paid that card off in 2016, so obviously, I knew this was a scam. We have never had more than one credit card each, and we always paid them at the end of the month. It was only used for emergencies, and we usually had very few of those.

Apparently, these people think the American public is so stupid that we won’t remember whether or not we pay our bills. Everyone needs to be on the lookout for these worthless scammers!

— Rosemary K., Petoskey, Michigan

ROSEMARY, YOU CAN report a scam to the Federal Trade Commission, at 1-877-3824357. You may also report scams to the FBI online at ic3.gov/home/ file-complaint. Thank you for alerting us to this scam.

— Heloise

SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise

P.O. Box 795001

San Antonio, TX 78279-5001 Fax: 1-210-HELOISE

Email: Heloise@Heloise.com

DEAR HELOISE: I love a cold glass of milk with dessert, but my wife believes milk is not good for us after childhood. I thought the calcium in milk was good for just about anyone. Am I wrong on this assumption?

— Norman S., Las Vegas

NORMAN, IT DOESN’T matter what age you are, milk is good for you. It contains vitamin D and calcium, and it’s also high in protein. It helps to prevent osteoporosis and helps with muscle strength. In addition, many seniors find milk to be comforting, and some feel a warm glass of milk helps them get to sleep at night. Personally, I love chocolate milk!

However, you might be better off with low-fat milk, because it’s still very healthy for you, but simply has a lesser fat content.

— Heloise

DEAR HELOISE: We adopted a dog from a local shelter in our city, and we love him so much. We named him “Bruce.” He’s had his shots, and we had him microchipped. But now, we’re arguing about whether or not to have him neutered. My husband is against it, but since we are not breeders, I feel that we should go ahead and get that done. Are animals better off after being neutered?

— Cody T., Orange, California

CODY, CONSIDER THIS: Veterinarians usually recommend that a male dog be neutered between six to nine months, with large dogs who are family pets being neutered when they stop growing — at about 12 to 15 months.

A neutered dog potentially has less, if any, prostate problems and testicular cancer. He often has fewer problems with mounting behavior, and while it does not make a dog calmer, a dog is less likely to run away from home in search of a female. So, by all means, have your dog neutered by your veterinarian.

— Heloise