Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

We usually don’t leave fruit lying around our kitchen, but occasionally it happens. A few weeks ago annoying fruit flies invaded. As we’ve done before, we put out open jars of apple cider vinegar, which worked to a degree.

Then, last week, Gosha, an acquaintance, told me she had started using Super Ninja Fruit Fly Traps, and they worked incredibly effectively. “No more fruit flies,” she said.

So, I ordered a packages and set the first small bottle on our counter near a banana peel, and it started attracting the little scavengers.

Reviews for the product (sold as 2-packs or 4-packs for around $15.99-$18.96) are generally positive, with users praising their non-toxic, food-based liquid bait.

Pros:

• Many customers note that the trap begins catching fruit flies within 24 to 48 hours by successfully mimicking a breeding/feeding ground.
• Reviewers appreciate that the liquid lure uses food-based ingredients without harsh chemical smells, making it safe to use around kids and pets.
• Each opened container remains active and effective for up to 3 weeks.
• Also, there’s a sticky side panel you can use to attach the bottle to a wall to keep it from having a careless spill.

Cons:

• Users point out that while the traps successfully kill adult flies, they won’t stop an infestation permanently unless you also locate and eliminate the actual breeding source (such as old produce, damp sink drains, or garbage).

Nose hair trimmer

Last week I was scanning Facebook, when up popped an ad for the Royal Birdie Manual Nose Hair Trimmer. Not that I need it, but nose hair does grow – especially in old noses. So I ordered one from Amazon for $15.99. My review follows the following online wide praise by reviewers for its “battery-free, durable stainless steel build, tactile squeeze-handle mechanism, and painless trimming performance.” Also, reviewers highlight that “the 12 dual-edged rotating blade system cuts cleanly via a simple pinching/squeezing motion without snagging or pulling hairs,” and that “the unit unscrews or comes apart easily, allowing you to clear out hair clippings with the included small brush.”

Well, I tried it repeatedly and could not get the squeeze handle to run the rotating blades, so I returned it. Try one if you like and good luck.

Walmart PlayStation scam

My wife received two back-to-back two voicemails two weeks ago from 712-334-9783. Each voicemail said, “This is Olivia from Walmart Order Verification, a preauthorised purchase of $919.45 for a PlayStation 5 and 3D headset has recently been placed on a Walmart account registered in your name and phone numbers. If you did not make this purchase, press one now to cancel the order or immediately call us.”

Then last week she received the same voicemail, this time from Valeria.

When I checked, the Federal Trade Commission said,  “A phone call about a $919.45 Walmart PlayStation 5 order is enough to make anyone stop and listen. That is exactly what scammers are counting on.

“The message sounds official, the amount sounds specific, and the instructions sound urgent. But before you press anything or call anyone back, it is important to understand what this call is really designed to do.”

The Walmart PlayStation 5 Scam is a fake order verification phone scam, the agency said. “The order usually involves an expensive item, often a PlayStation 5 bundle, gaming headset, or similar high-demand electronics product. The amount is commonly around $919.45, which sounds specific enough to feel believable. Then the message tells the victim to press a number to cancel the order. That is the trap. Walmart is not calling. There is no PlayStation 5 order. The scammers are using the fear of an unauthorized charge to push victims into interacting with the call.”

The FTC warns that fake account-problem calls often tell people to press 1, call a number, or speak with “support,” but the real goal is to steal personal or financial information. According to Bitdefender’s report on the FCC-related warning, victims who engaged were connected to live operators who requested sensitive personal information.

The FTC’s advice is direct: do not press 1, do not call the number given, and do not provide personal information.

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.