Hello from Hank
We’re heading into December -- that happened pretty quickly! Have you done any shopping for family or friends yet? I did a little online shopping over the weekend, along with the rest of the country -- but I definitely need to get working on my list! And this year -- I didn't even wait for Thanksgiving, I started decking the halls the weekend before.
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So the decorating is DONE and I don’t need to worry about it. I like decorating before December gets here, so that way I can enjoy a full month of my tree and decorations before I have to take it all down again!
Moving onto a big consumer issue: This Marriott/Westin data breach is massive. I don’t understand how these massive hacks happen to companies that should have protections on such sensitive information. We pay them good money to use their services, shouldn't the protection of our privacy be included in that?
The breach affects 500 million customers -- that’s far too many addresses, phone numbers, and passport numbers out there to be used maliciously. And we wonder why we all get so many scam and robocalls nowadays. It just really grinds my gears.
Enough of that for now -- I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!
-- Hank
Recall of the week
IKEA is recalling a dining table due to a laceration hazard. The company has received 3 reports of the glass extension leaf detaching and falling, causing injury. The tables were sold nationwide from February 2017 to October 2018.
Click here for more information on the recall.
Scam of the week
Looking for extra cash around the holidays? Be careful of temporary jobs scams. Retailers and delivery services need extra help at the holidays, but beware of solicitations that require you to share personal information online or pay for a job lead. Apply in person or go to retailers’ main websites to find out who is hiring.
Click here to learn more about avoiding holiday job scams.
Deal of the week
Some retailers are still holding Cyber Week deals, extending Cyber Monday.
- Target is offering 50% off toys and 40% off bedding, but beware the sale ends Saturday.
- Art Van is offering 25% off.
- Walmart is still offering deals on electronics and sports equipment.
- And Macy’s is offering an extra 30% off of clothes.
- But make sure you check on each retailer’s website to make sure the deals extend past Saturday.
Stories from the week
- A massive data breach was reported at Marriott and Westin hotels.
- The IIHS did a study and rated headlights on most cars -- pretty low.
- Thinking about booking a last minute vacation?
- Ready to do some shopping for toys? We tested out the hottest toys of this holiday season and STEM toys to see how they rank with kids!