Current Events in February 2022

Shop LC of Austin, Texas, is recalling about 4,500 personal electric space heaters.

The space heaters can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards.

The company has received two reports of the electric heaters overheating. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Shop LC personal electric space heaters that come in black or white with a gold grill. The products were sold individually or in sets of two.

The heaters, sold individually, have a dome-shaped top and a carrying handle. When sold in sets of two, they are cylinder-shaped. The heaters measure about 8.46 inches tall and 5.3 inches wide.

A list of the recalled products, with SKU numbers, may be found here. The SKU numbers are not included physically on the product.

The space heaters, manufactured in China, were sold on Shop LC television networks airing on DirecTV channels 75 and 226, AT&T channels 399 and 1399, Verizon channel 159, Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Charter, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV and online at www.shoplc.com. from December 2020, through February 2021, for about $20.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled electric space heaters and return the product to Shop LC. Shop LC is notifying all known purchasers directly and providing free return labels with pre-paid postage.

Upon receipt of the recalled electric heaters, Shop LC will refund consumers through the original method of payment.

Consumers may contact Shop LC toll-free at (877) 899-0078 anytime, by email at customerservice@shoplc.com, or online at www.shoplc.com. Consumers can click on “Product Recalls” at the bottom of the company's webpage for more information.

Burger King says it’s taking the two-for-$5 Whopper deal off its discount menu and raising prices in an effort to offset higher costs. As the chain’s chief consumer icon, the Whopper’s price history over the years has gone from 37 cents to around $4.25. 

Burger King's Whopper had apparently run its course as a discount menu item. The item had “been on this core discount platform for too long," Restaurant Brands Chief Executive Officer Jose Cil told Reuters in an interview. However, he hedged that statement by predicting that good deals on Whoppers would return from time to time.

The fast-food chain said it also would stop selling less popular menu items like chocolate milk, sundaes, and small beverages that are intended for kids.

More menu cuts ahead

The Whopper won’t be the last menu item headed for the guillotine. Tom Curtis, president of Burger King’s North America operations, said in an interview that the company has a second – and larger – “wave” of menu cuts planned. 

According to Restaurant Business Online, one of those items might be the chicken sandwich. When the chicken wars heated up, Burger King decided it should have a piece of that action, but its sandwich didn't find as much success as some of its competitors' offerings.

Curtis said it’s possible that a menu switch might be in the works – one that “celebrates our original chicken sandwich, and offers a fun new approach to our unique fan favorite Chicken Fries.”

Burger King isn’t the only one raising prices

Burger King isn’t the only one feeling the pinch brought about by rising labor costs, shipping price increases, and spikes in the cost of ingredients like chicken.

McDonald’s is also expected to raise menu prices this year. Taco Bell already raised prices 10%, and Dunkin’ hiked its own prices by 8%. Chick-fil-A took a slightly different approach; instead of raising menu prices, the company reportedly reduced the size of its food. The chain has also been accused of raising prices on delivery items to try padding its bottom line.

COVID-19 ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 78,073,202 (77,919,052)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 925,815 (922,473)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 416,408,910 (413,746,208)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,842,248 (5,827,947)‌

Moderna CEO says pandemic may be ending

Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel definitely sees light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. In an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” today, Bancel said it’s “reasonable” to assume that we may be approaching the final stages of the pandemic.

“There’s an 80% chance that as Omicron evolves or SarsCov-2 virus evolves, we are going to see less and less virulent viruses,” he said.

However, Bancel – who leads a company that developed one of three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. – said there is a 20% chance that the next mutation of the virus could be worse than the Omicron variant.

CDC relaxes cruise ship guidance

With COVID-19 seemingly in retreat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has relaxed some of its guidance for cruise ships. Admittedly, it’s a very slight change.

The health agency lowered its cruise travel warning to Level 3 from Level 4, the highest such level. The Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) called it a step in the right direction.

"Cruise ships have medical, isolation, and quarantine facilities on-site, implement extensive response plans using private shoreside resources, and have created an environment where almost every single person is fully vaccinated,” the trade group said in a statement. “As a result, cases of COVID-19 are very low with the vast majority mild or asymptomatic—making cruise unequaled in its multi-layered approach to effectively mitigating COVID-19." 

Some teens go behind parents’ backs to get vaccinated

Teenage years are often filled with rebellion, but it’s taking a strange form in the latter stages of the pandemic. While some adults adamantly oppose COVID-19 vaccines, NPR reports that some children are quietly getting vaccinated without telling their parents.

According to the report, Philadelphia has a little-known city regulation that permits children over age 11 to be vaccinated without parental consent. Sixteen-year-old Nicolas Montero told the network he went there to get vaccinated because his parents refused to give their consent. Montero says his parents’ opposition stems from social media.

"The thing about these beliefs is that they alternate by the day," said Montero. "It's not one solid thing that they're going with, so it's just really baseless. It's like one thing they see on Facebook, and then they completely believe it."

Around the nation

• Pennsylvania: According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia’s vaccine mandate for indoor dining could expire this week. The newspaper quotes sources who also said the mask mandate could end later if cases continue their downward trend.

• Nebraska: State lawmakers are expected to vote later today on a compromise bill that would allow workers to claim medical and religious exemptions from workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The measure survived after senators defeated one amendment and a second one was withdrawn.

• California: Students in Roseville Joint Unified High School District can put away their masks. Despite a statewide mask mandate that's still in force for schools, the school board voted unanimously to make masks in classrooms optional.

• Illinois: Gov. J.B. Pritzker is lifting the statewide mask mandate at the end of the month because COVID-19 cases are declining, but Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said masks may still be required in the city. "I don't want to put an artificial date on when this is going to happen when we still see some danger signs in the data," Lightfoot said.

• Arkansas: Arkansas is one of only a handful of states where the coronavirus is not in retreat. New cases of COVID-19 increased by 1,685 on Tuesday. At the same time, the number of people treated for the virus in hospitals fell by 32.

President Biden has announced a new initiative intended to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The administration's efforts will be focused on emissions from cement, aluminum, and steel. If the initiative lives up to the White House's expectations, about a third of the nation’s greenhouse gasses will be eliminated.

The effort has a direct connection to Biden’s other “clean energy” efforts, such as low-carbon production of the steel and aluminum we need for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels, and the clean concrete needed to upgrade our transportation infrastructure. 

As a bonus, Biden says the initiative will also produce more jobs and give the economy a shot in the arm and is a perfect partner for its “America COMPETES Act.”

“These actions will create more good-paying jobs and follow on a historic comeback for American factories, with 367,000 manufacturing jobs added during President Biden’s first year in office, the most in nearly 30 years,” the White House said in a statement. 

“Further strengthening our industrial base will revitalize local economies, lower prices for consumers, provide more pathways to the middle class through union jobs, and boost American competitiveness in global markets.”

High hopes

Clean energy has been a major focus of the Biden administration. Not only have officials promised billions of dollars in tax incentives for companies to build out solar and wind energy offerings, but the administration has also been campaigning for consumers to move toward electric vehicles.

Unfortunately for Biden, those efforts are stuck in Congress at the moment, and conditions aren't improving as they wait there. Reports indicate that greenhouse emissions rose in 2021, further setting clean energy initiatives back.

In comments made to New York Times, Michael Greenstone, an economist at the University of Chicago, called the new policy moves targeting industrial emissions “bite-sized,” but he said they were necessary in the absence of action from Congress.

“The country is now in a position where it must pursue climate change on a very thin reed,” Mr. Greenstone said.

Biden’s efforts are also getting pushback from his own government, where changes could make the most impact. As an example, the president ordered federal government agencies to switch gas-powered vehicles for electric-powered ones over the next 12 years, but the Postal Service – which has the biggest fleet of vehicles and could make the most impact – said it couldn’t meet the president’s request and bought more than 150,000 gas-powered trucks instead.

One day after Texas sued Meta over its face recognition software, Alphabet – Google's parent company – announced major changes to how it deals with user privacy.

Specifically, the company said it plans to limit how apps track users on its Android smartphone platform. The move is in line with Apple’s recent restraints on how advertisers track consumer behavior on iPhones.

Over the next two years, Google said it plans to replace the current system used to identify users with one that is more mindful of users’ privacy. Not coincidently, the move comes as regulators take aim at Big Tech and as consumers express more concern about privacy.

Walking a fine line

When it comes to regulators, Julie Rubash, chief privacy counsel at data privacy firm Sourcepoint, says the government has to walk a fine line.

“Regulation and enforcement, when it comes to artificial intelligence require a delicate balance to address the potential harms that could come from misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) without stifling the potential benefits to society that could be gained from this powerful technology,” Rubash told ConsumerAffairs. 

Rubash says advances in AI, when used properly, could provide consumers with highly personalized product experiences that actually improve lives instead of merely selling a product.

“Imagine the benefits of a car that understands and adapts to your driving patterns, medical technology that adapts based on your medical history, and educational tools that understand how your child learns,” she said.

What regulators have to be concerned about, Rubash says, is how this powerful technology could be harmful, such as its potential to lead to exploitation, unfair decision-making, discrimination, or unwanted disclosures. 

Looking at the big picture

Heather Federman, chief privacy officer at data intelligence company BigID, agrees that there are many aspects of technology advancements that are positive. She also agrees that regulators need to see the big picture.

“The concern is around what the tech companies deploying these technologies actually do with the data output,” Federman told ConsumerAffairs. “Are they sharing this information with data brokers to make credit and employment eligibility decisions about us? Or are they using it to build even better technologies that benefit society overall?”

The question, says Federman, comes down to how the data is used and whether that use is responsible.

Rubash says Big Tech and regulators should both have the goal of putting control in the hands of the consumer through clear, easy-to-understand, easy-to-exercise decisions. 

“Consumers should have the right to decide for themselves whether they want the products they interact with to adapt to their driving habits, medical history, learning styles, and other characteristics and preferences,” she said.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University School of Medicine explored how COVID-19 vaccines impact consumers’ antibody response to the coronavirus. According to their findings, the vaccine was responsible for improving the quality of antibodies over the course of the first six months post-vaccination. 

“If the virus didn’t change, most people who got two doses of this vaccine would be in a very good place,” said researcher Ali Ellebedy, Ph.D. “The antibody response we saw is exactly what we’d expect from a robust immune response. We never thought that six months following that second injection, many people would still be actively improving the quality of their antibodies. To me, that is remarkable.

"The problem is that this virus keeps evolving and producing new variants. So, the antibodies are getting better at recognizing the original strain, but unfortunately the target keeps changing.” 

Tracking the antibody response

For the study, the researchers collected blood samples, lymph node samples, and bone marrow samples from different groups of participants; none of the participants had tested positive for COVID-19. Blood tests and lymph node samples were collected prior to the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as at six checkpoints after getting the vaccine; bone marrow samples were collected at about four months and six months post-vaccination. 

The researchers learned that the strength and quality of the antibodies improved over time. This was first evidenced after analyzing how the antibodies interacted with germinal centers in the body; germinal centers are where immune cells get stronger to provide protection against infection. Antibodies improve in quality the longer they stay in germinal centers. 

This study showed that at the six-month mark, the majority of participants still had antibodies in their germinal centers, which is a key indicator of strong protection against COVID-19.

The researchers were surprised by this discovery after six months because there has been anecdotal evidence that consumers have a weaker immune response to COVID-19 over time. However, this might be due to there being fewer antibodies, not weaker ones.

“When you look at antibodies, quantity should not be your only concern,” Ellebedy said. “The antibodies at six months might be less in quantity, but they are much better in quality. And that refinement of the antibody response happens on its own. You get your shot, maybe your arm hurts for a day, and then you forget about it. But six months later your germinal centers are still ongoing and your antibodies are still getting better and better.” 

After analyzing the blood samples, the researchers found similar results. Over time, the antibodies got stronger and were more likely to protect participants from infection. In the early weeks after vaccination, the antibodies were 20% likely to be bound to a COVID-19 protein; by six months after vaccination, that figure jumped to 80%. 

While these findings are positive in terms of long-term virus protection, the researchers explained that mutations to the COVID-19 virus may put these findings into question. 

“Everything changes when a new variant comes,” Ellebedy said. “You have to retrain your immune system. It’s like updating your anti-malware software to make sure it matches the newest computer viruses that are going around. It doesn’t mean the old software was bad. It just means it no longer completely matches the viruses it is going to encounter.” 

Many studies have looked at how screen time may disrupt consumers’ sleep, and now a new study has explored how using different forms of media may affect sleep quality. 

While watching movies, listening to music, or watching TV can affect the duration of consumers’ sleep, the study findings show that overall quality of sleep wasn’t disrupted by using media before bed.

 “If you are going to use media, like watching TV or listening to music, before bed, keep it a short, focused session and you are unlikely to experience any negative outcomes in your sleep that night,” said researcher Morgan Ellithorpe, Ph.D. 

How media affects sleep quality 

The researchers had nearly 60 adults keep a diary for the duration of the study that had them track what kinds of media they were using before bed, where they were using it, and whether or not they were multitasking while using media. The team then measured the participants' sleep quality with electroencephalography tests that tracked when they fell asleep, their sleep quality, and how long they slept. 

The researchers identified different patterns when it came to how the participants used media before bed and how it affected their sleep. Overall, sleep quality wasn’t significantly affected by using different types of media before bed. 

Avoiding multitasking and using media while in bed were linked with longer sleep for the participants. Additionally, the group was more likely to fall asleep earlier when using media in the hour before bedtime. On the other hand, when participants spent extended time using media before bed, they weren’t likely to get as much sleep.

“The findings present a complex picture, where media use before bed appears to be less detrimental for sleep than suggested by other research – as long as that use is not accompanied by multitasking, is conducted in bed, and the session is short,” the researchers wrote. “This has implications for research on sleep and traditional media use and points to the likelihood that there is more nuance to the issue of media use before bed than previously assumed.” 

Stack Em’ Up Books of Langhorne, Pa., is recalling about 200 Adam the Apple Children’s Stackable Toys.

Surface paint on the wooden toys contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead paint ban. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Adam the Apple children’s stackable toys that have 15 wooden pieces with a story written on each piece. They measure about 6 inches tall and 6.5 inches wide when stacked and look like a happy-faced red apple with a leaf on top.

The phrases "Adam The Apple, By Chris Bayon" and "Illustrated by Patrick Carlson" are written on the leaf.

The toys, manufactured in India, were sold online at www.stackemupbooks.com from June 2021, through November 2021, and at the Philadelphia Gift Show in July 2021, for about $25. The products were also given away at the Philadelphia Gift Show.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Stack Em’ Up Books to receive a pre-paid shipping label to return them, regardless of whether they purchased the product or received it as a giveaway.

Consumers who purchased the product at www.stackemupbooks.com or the Philadelphia Gift Show will receive a full refund once they return the product.

Consumers may contact Stack Em’ Up Books collect at (267) 987-3328 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET), by email at contact@stackemupbooks.com, or online at www.stackemupbooks.com/pages/cpsc-volutary-recall-information for more information.

The Royal Ice Cream Company of Manchester, Conn., is recalling specific lots of Batch Ice Cream brand Vanilla, Ginger, and Mocha Chip ice cream.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled products are packaged in paper 16-oz pints with the Batch Ice Cream brand name and flavors shown on the front.

Products are coded with a "Date of Manufacture" that reads 1/19/22 and a "Best By" date of 7/19/23. Both of those pieces of information can be found on the bottom of the cup.

The UPC numbers for the products are listed below:

• Vanilla – 837654968505
• Ginger – 83765496856
• Mocha chip – 83765496853

The recalled products were sold at Market Baskets and Roach Brothers Markets in Massachusetts and Big Y Stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, they should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (860) 649-5358 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST).

If you’re looking for deals on a vacation anytime between March 7 and March 21, there are plenty to be had.

According to the travel booking app Hopper and its 2022 Spring Break Travel Report, domestic airfare costs for Spring Break are down 6% and international flights costs are 14% lower than pre-pandemic 2019. However, the site says those fares won't last for long.

In fact, prices could go up by 45% between now and the week before Spring Break if consumers don't act soon.

Where are people going?

If you want to visit a popular destination, here are some idea starters for places that airlines have good fares for:

Most Booked Destinations - Domestic (Round-Trip)

• Miami, FL - $193

• Las Vegas, NV - $252

• Orlando, FL - $222

• Ft. Lauderdale, FL - $190

• Los Angeles, CA - $229

Most Booked Destinations - International (Round-Trip)

• San Juan, Puerto Rico - $275

• Cancun, Mexico - $320

• Mexico City, Mexico - $346

• Cabo, Mexico - $373

• Paris, France - $537

Hopper also cited some of the best deals that it says are available on its app. Here are some of the domestic and international options.

Domestic (Round-Trip):

• San Jose, CA ($262/round-trip, -14% from last week)

• Asheville, NC ($251/round-trip, -12% from last week)

• Portland, ME ($280/round-trip, -10% from last week)

• Milwaukee, WI ($270/round-trip, -7% from last week)

• Myrtle Beach, SC ($239/round-trip, -6% from last week)

International (Round-Trip)

• Geneva, Switzerland ($544/round-trip, -13% from last week)

• Buenos Aires, Argentina ($882/round-trip, -12% from last week)

• Munich, Germany ($588/round-trip, -10% from last week)

• Milan, Italy ($618/round-trip, -10% from last week)

• Frankfurt, Germany ($578/round-trip, -9% from last week)

Travel prices follow supply and demand

When it comes to hotels, travelers should expect to pay about $165 per night, up 8% from February.

As far as rental car prices are concerned, travelers should expect to pay around $70 per day for a rental car. That's pretty much the same as Spring Break in 2021, and it should stay the same through mid-March. 

Travel prices are almost always a matter of supply and demand, so it would be a smart move to book domestic flights at least 3 weeks in advance. For international flights, book at least 3-4 weeks in advance so you can avoid high-priced last-minute fares. 

Hopper suggests booking hotels 1-2 weeks in advance if you're traveling to bigger cities like New York or Chicago. However, there are still deals to be had in big cities that have a lot of inventory of hotel rooms. 

While the travel industry is trying to get the White House to relax some of its travel requirements regarding vaccinations, nothing has changed yet. Masks on flights are still required, and passengers will need to be on their best behavior to avoid fines from the FAA.

COVID-19 ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 77,919,052 (77,740,239)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 922,473 (919,694)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 413,746,208 (412,262,713)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,827,947 (5,818,207)‌

Pandemic-related supply issues raise producer costs last month

Inflation is getting worse, largely because persistent supply chain bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are creating shortages. The Labor Department reports that producer prices, the measure of costs at the wholesale level, rose a full percentage point in January.

It was the biggest increase in the Producer Price Index (PPI) since last May. Producer costs have risen 9.7% over the last 12 months and are almost certain to be passed on to consumers.

Economists say the latest report shows that price increases are spread broadly throughout the production system, suggesting inflation could persist even after supply chain problems ease.

CDC study makes a case for vaccinations

The debate and controversy over COVID-19 vaccines could well last longer than the pandemic itself. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued another report that makes a case for getting the jab.

The study found that, in January, COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization rates in Los Angeles County among unvaccinated persons were 3.6 times and 23.0 times higher, respectively, than the rates for fully vaccinated people with a booster. During both Delta and Omicron predominance, incidence and hospitalization rates were highest among unvaccinated people and lowest among vaccinated people who received a booster.

“COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as severe COVID-19–associated outcomes in real-world conditions,” the authors concluded. “The risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19–associated hospitalization are lower among fully vaccinated than among unvaccinated persons; this reduction is even more pronounced among those who have received additional or booster doses."

Study: Antibodies improve months after vaccination

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that antibodies produced by immune cells become steadily stronger and more precisely targeted against COVID-19 for at least six months after COVID-19 vaccination. Earlier research suggested that the protection from the virus declines over time.

While it’s true that antibodies decrease in number, the researchers say those that remain are of a higher quality. The study suggests that declining antibody levels in the months after vaccination primarily represent a shift to a sustainable immune response. 

“The antibody response we saw is exactly what we’d expect from a robust immune response,” said Senior Author Ali Ellebedy. “We never thought that six months following that second injection, many people would still be actively improving the quality of their antibodies. To me, that is remarkable.” 

Around the nation

• New York: New cases of the coronavirus have dropped sharply across the state. State health officials report that there were 33,811 new cases in the week ending Sunday, a decline of 38% from the previous week. Gov. Kathy Hochul ended the statewide mask mandate late last week.

• Minnesota: Mayo Clinic's COVID-19 tracking model currently shows that the rate of average daily cases per 100,000 people is still pretty high in most areas of the state. However, they're down considerably from January. The clinic’s 14-day outlook predicts an even steeper decline.

• Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp has sent a bill to the legislature that would allow parents to opt out of a requirement that their children wear masks at school. The measure would be in force until June 2023. “We got to continue to move back to more normal operations,” Kemp said.

• California: State health officials say they will reassess the COVID-19 situation in schools at the end of the month. At that time, officials say they may lift the mask mandate that has been removed for other indoor public spaces. The decision for schools will be based on factors such as pediatric COVID-19 related hospitalizations, hospital admissions, and test positivity rates.

• Alaska: Officials say the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on children in the state’s overburdened foster home system. “Children are sleeping in offices, in OCS offices, because they test positive for COVID, and there’s no one available to take them,” said Amanda Metivier, interim director of the Child Welfare Academy.

Valentines Day is over, but law enforcement officials and consumer advocates say romance scams are still prevalent. In fact, many officials trace a large increase in these schemes to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The method of choice among these predators is to use one or more dating apps to search for victims. They create fake profiles and establish an online relationship before moving in for a payoff.

In many cases, the scammer will tell their victim that they have had a severe financial setback. Often, their victim volunteers to send money.

Huge losses in 2021

According to Statista, there were an estimated 44.2 million users of online dating services in the United States in 2020 – 26.6 million of which were on smartphone dating apps. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that the 2021 losses linked to romance scams accounted for more than half a billion dollars, and the prevalence of romance scammers increased nearly 80% compared to 2020.

Patricia, of Harrison, Ark., tells us she had a close call with a romance scammer who asked her to cash a check and send the proceeds back in the form of an Apple gift card – a sure sign of a scam.

“But I've read too many articles on this subject so I didn't send them a dime nor gift cards,” Patricia wrote in a review of US Search, which she credits with helping her avoid the trap. 

Devin, of Upper Darby, Pa., reported a similar experience on a dating site called Plenty Of Fish (POF). She noticed that a lot of the scammers pretended to be lonely U.S. soldiers.

“Victims may encounter these romance scammers on a legitimate dating website or social media platform, but they are not U.S. soldiers,” Devin wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “To perpetrate this scam, the scammers take on the online persona of a current or former U.S. Soldier, and then, using photographs of a Soldier from the internet, build a false identity to begin prowling the web for victims.”

Red flags

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has warned residents of her state to be careful when using online dating apps. She says there are several ways people can protect themselves. One way is to be mindful of common tactics that romance scammers use.

For example, be wary of anyone trying to establish a bond very quickly, even proposing marriage not long into a relationship. Scammers will also try to move the conversation to a direct-messaging app while revealing very little about themselves.

The biggest red flag, of course, is an appeal for money. Scammers may wait several weeks into the relationship before springing this on their victim. By then, Moody says the victim may be especially vulnerable.

“It is pitiful that scammers prey on people searching for companionship – exploiting their emotions all in an effort to steal their money,” Moody said. “Be wary anytime you are interacting with someone online, to make sure that the person you are talking to is actually who they say they are and not a scammer."

Amid competition from fintech firms, Bank of America – one of the largest credit card issuers in the U.S. – is introducing a new way to pay for things.

The company is rolling out its new online payment solution called "Pay by Bank." The new feature allows consumers who are making online purchases to pay directly from their bank accounts instead of using a credit card or debit card. 

The company says Pay by Bank transactions are based on the concept of “open banking.” They take place in real-time and require no credit card or debit card details. Bank of America says this makes online checkout simpler, faster, and more secure.

Bank of America seems to have a pretty good reputation among consumers for its security. Hector, of Las Vegas, told us he’s pleased with how Bank of America handles the security of his credit card account.

“Card controls are excellent because you can stop any online or atm activity anytime,” Hector wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I feel my account is safe. You can only access account info from your own device.”

No storage of customer data

Bank of America says Pay by Bank is even safer than payment card transactions because there is almost no storage of customer data. Because a card is not required and it is an online “account to account” payment, companies do not need to obtain and store customer card data.

The system leverages the customer's bank authentication network for added security. And as a bonus for consumers, the transaction does not levy a card processing fee.

The system is rolling out first in the U.K., but it will be available in the U.S. in the months ahead. Once it is fully implemented, many e-commerce merchants will offer Pay by Bank at checkout. After selecting that option, the customer authenticates the payment by using their existing login credentials through their online banking platform.

Once authenticated, the payment is sent directly from the customer's bank to the company's account. The customer is returned to the checkout page and the transaction is complete.

"The launch of Pay by Bank is part of our continuous cycle of technology investment that helps us to keep clients at the cutting edge," said Matthew Davies, co-head of Global Corporate GTS Sales and head of GTS EMEA at Bank of America. 

Davies predicts that Pay by Bank will make online shopping easier and more secure for consumers while helping merchants set themselves apart from their competitors.

A new study conducted by researchers from Iowa State University explored how staying active can benefit consumers after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. According to their findings, consumers who exercised within the first hour of receiving a vaccine are more likely to get a boost of antibodies that wasn’t seen in more sedentary vaccine recipients. 

“Our preliminary results are the first to demonstrate a specific amount of time can enhance the body’s antibody response to the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine and two vaccines for influenza,” said researcher Marian Kohut. 

Benefits of staying active

For the study, the researchers conducted two trials – one on humans and one on mice. In the human-based study, a group of participants walked or cycled on a stationary bike for 90 minutes after receiving one of three vaccines: the COVID-19 vaccine, the seasonal flu shot, and the H1N1 flu shot. The team then tracked the participants' antibody response for the first four weeks after receiving their shot and compared the outcomes with those who had received the vaccines but hadn’t exercised. 

Ultimately, exercise proved to be beneficial for the participants. The researchers found that those who exercised after getting their shot had higher levels of antibodies through the four weeks. 

The team modeled a similar study on mice in which subjects ran on a treadmill after receiving a vaccine. The results held up in the mice trial, indicating that exercise had a positive effect on the antibody response.

However, this correlation between exercise and antibodies wasn’t consistent when the participants’ workouts were shorter. Compared to the 90-minute exercise, working out for even half as long wasn’t effective at producing the same boost in antibody levels. 

The researchers want to better understand why exercise has such a powerful effect on antibody response after a vaccine. They hypothesize that physical activity helps improve blood flow, which allows immune cells to circulate better throughout the body. However, they explained that many factors can come into play.

“...A lot more research is needed to answer the why and how,” Kohut said. “There are so many changes that take place when we exercise – metabolic, biochemical, neuroendocrine, circulatory. So, there’s probably a combination of factors that contribute to the antibody response we found in our study.”

Though recent studies have highlighted the environmental benefits associated with walking or biking, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Surrey found some risks associated with bike trailers.

Their findings showed that when parents use bike trailers for their kids, they could be exposing their children to higher levels of air pollution. 

“It’s unfortunate that the very people who help minimize pollution by cycling rather than driving can be exposing their children to higher levels of pollution, and I’d encourage adults pulling bike trailers to use covers in heavy traffic,” said researcher Prashant Kumar. “With the use of electric-assisted cargo bikes growing rapidly in Europe, it’s crucial traffic planners ensure road infrastructure is designed to enable safe use of sustainable transport options.” 

Keeping kids safe from pollution

The researchers simulated the conditions of an adult riding a bike with a young child sitting in a trailer to understand how air pollution affects kids differently than their parents in these situations. They modeled trips around school drop-off and pick-up times and tracked several different pollutants. 

The researchers found that kids sitting in bike trailers were more susceptible to air pollution than their parents – primarily because of the height of these bike attachments. The study showed that kids were exposed to 14% more pollutants sitting in bike trailers than their parents were on the bikes. 

The researchers also learned that those figures spiked in the afternoon hours compared with the morning. During bike rides home from school, the kids were exposed to nearly 20% more pollutants than their parents. Pollution exposure was also higher for the kids when passing through high-traffic areas. 

To help prevent such high levels of pollution exposure, the researchers recommend that parents get covers for their bike trailers. These protective coverings were found to cut kids’ exposure to pollutants in half – especially during times with high traffic. 

Moving forward, the team plans to do more work in this area to better understand how pollution and traffic patterns in different regions can affect kids’ exposure when riding in bike trailers. 

If you had guacamole at your Super Bowl party, you had it just in time. Mexico's Agriculture Ministry announced in a statement that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS-USDA) has paused avocado inspection activities in Michoacán and is stopping all imports until further notice.

CNN reports that the action was taken after a U.S. official received a threatening call on his official cell phone while carrying out his inspection duties in Michoacán.

APHIS-USDA has opened an investigation to assess the threat and determine the necessary measures to guarantee the physical integrity of all of its personnel working in Michoacán. Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture stated that a meeting is being held between APHIS personnel, representatives of the Association of Producers and Packers-Exporters of Avocado of Mexico (APEAM), and the local and state police to address the issue.

Cartels partly control avocado production

Avocados are highly popular in the U.S., and Michoacán’s avocado production plays a big role in America's consumption.

In the last six weeks, avocado producers from Michoacán have exported more than 135 thousand tons of avocados to the United States alone. Michoacán is the epicenter of the “green gold rush” in Mexico thanks to its altitude, climate, and soil. 

However, avocado production, much like illegal drugs coming from Mexico, is partly controlled by cartels. START – the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism – reports that the success of the avocado economy has resulted in an explosion of cartels that are exploiting avocado producers and extorting a share of their profits.

Expect the cost of avocados to keep growing

Heading into Super Bowl weekend, a 48-count box of Mexican avocados crossing through south Texas were $50 to $54, up from about $26 to $30 the same time a year ago. 

While the import stoppage from Mexico will certainly increase prices, high demand -- particularly among millennials -- is also causing avocado costs to rise.

“Rising number of buyers for healthy food products either for clinical reasons or for practicing healthy lifestyle are impelling market growth of avocado,” reports MarketWatch. “This awareness is required to drive much more interest for the superfood, which will shape the business going ahead.”

Overdraft fees and non-sufficient fund fees (NSF) are big business for banks, generating upwards of $15 billion a year. However, these fees come at a big cost to the average consumer, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has spent much of the last year trying to address that problem.

Changes have come slowly, but banks are starting to respond to the CFPB's concerns. After the agency got TD Bank to pay $122 million to settle charges related to overdraft fees, banks began making changes to their overdraft programs. Ally Bank and Capital One Bank even went as far as completely dropping their overdraft fees altogether. 

What consumers can expect from the CFPB’s actions

The CFPB recently outlined some of the changes it says consumers can expect from banks due to its efforts:

• Eliminating NSF fees charged when transactions bounce;

• Reducing the size of overdraft fees;

• Reducing the number of overdraft/NSF fees that banks can charge consumers each day;

• Increasing the amount that an account can go negative before charging an overdraft fee;

• Providing a grace period for consumers to bring their account back to positive before charging an overdraft fee. Wells Fargo Bank, JP Morgan Chase, PNC Bank, US Bank, and Fifth-Third are among the banks now offering a “next day” grace period.

• Eliminating “extended” or “sustained” overdraft fees charged when the account is not brought back to a positive balance after a certain period of time.

“Collectively these changes represent an encouraging step by some banks in the right direction,” the CFPB said. “We are continuing to monitor these developments to better understand the impact of these changes, and to work to ensure that banks continue to evolve their businesses to reduce reliance on overdraft and NSF fees.”

To help consumers gain a clearer insight into what their bank is doing in response to the CFPB’s efforts, the agency has prepared a table that provides a snapshot of large banks’ overdraft and NSF practices. 

Consumers cite problems with processing

While the CFPB is continuing to make progress on NSF and overdraft fees, it's not safe to assume that everything is rosy or simple on the consumer side yet.

Alani, from Trenton, N.J., recently told ConsumerAffairs about their experience with Bank of America's overdraft fee process. They say the company still has a lot of wrinkles to iron out.

“So they just started the no overdraft fee… Now all of sudden it seems like things are taking a longer time to process. Even though I see it showing up it technically didn’t clear yet. One day it’s 500$. The next I can be overdraft-300,” Alani wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “So something that was shown as a transaction a few days ago in your account don’t actually come out of [the account] till a few days later."

Is overdraft protection worth it?

Overdraft protection is an add-on that many banks offer to their customers to help alleviate some of the threat that NSF and overdraft fees present. However, one expert says consumers need to pay extra attention to how that protection actually plays out.

"While this may appear to be a wonderful thing, it has a cost. Depending on the bank, overdraft fees can range from $20 to $40," Lyle Solomon, a financial expert and consumer bankruptcy attorney, told ConsumerAffairs. "Overdraft protection, like overdraft fees, is a deception. Banks would not need to levy overdraft fees if customers were never permitted to consume money they didn't have."

Solomon recommends that consumers set up account alerts to keep track of their balances and stay on budget. Setting up email, SMS, or mobile push alerts on a bank's app or website can also help you get up-to-date information on your accounts.

"Most banks, for example, can alert you if your account balance falls below a specific threshold, if transactions, transfers, or withdrawals exceed a given point, or if questionable transactions happen," Solomon stated. 

Ken Tumin -- a banking expert with DepositAccounts.com and a LendingTree advisor -- suggests that consumers also link their checking and savings accounts and look into an "overdraft transfer" option.

"If they overdraw from their checking account, an automatic overdraft transfer is done in which the amount to cover the overdraft is automatically transferred from the savings to the checking account," Tumin told ConsumerAffairs.