Reader warns of another computer scam

Dear Heloise: I have a warning for those who don't know everything about computers! At 63 years old, I nearly allowed someone to access my computer. While I was trying to print a recipe, my computer froze, and a big alert appeared on my screen. It showed a phone number for Windows tech support. Unfortunately, I made the call.I was on the phone with someone who wasn't in this country. He asked a lot of questions, like "Does anyone else use this computer?" This seemed odd to me.I gave him no personal information. He said my IP address was at risk. I could hear other operators in the background. Soon he was able to move the cursor on my screen. I was feeling suspicious, so I asked him if he worked for Microsoft. He said "yes." He sounded impatient, though, and I had a bad feeling. So, I hung up. He called me back four times, and I blocked the number.The program that he installed (and I removed) looked official and was called "Rescue Me." My advice is if you ever get a warning with a phone number that instructs you to call, don't! Instead, close your browser (using the alt + F4 keys) or restart your computer. Microsoft would never post a phone number instructing you to call them. M.H.,Spokane, Washington M.H., thank you for this piece of advice. Many people have a limited knowledge of computers and sometimes believe the person on the phone is there to help them. Sadly, this isn't always the case. Here at Heloise Central, we always caution people to never give out important or personal information to strangers. Heloise Dear Heloise: We all want salad ingredients to stay dry so the seasonings and dressings pair well with salad greens that are nice and crisp. I like to make my salads ahead of time so that all I need to do at mealtimes is toss and serve.To keep the ingredients dry, lay a paper towel in the bottom of the salad bowl and put the wettest ingredient (such as tomatoes) on top of the towel. Lay another paper towel for the next ingredient and so on, continuing to lay a towel between each addition. Lastly, add the salad greens on top.When it comes time to serve, gently pull to remove the towels, allowing all the salad "makings" to fall into the bowl. Everything will be nice and dry, with the greens staying crisp.Since the paper towels are clean, they can be laid on the kitchen counter to dry and be reused later for hand-drying or other purposes. Elizabeth B.,Pittsburgh Dear Heloise: I've been a hairdresser for more years than I care to think about, and one of the major problems I get at least once a week is product buildup. You can eliminate this by combining 2 tablespoons of vodka with 2 cups of seltzer. The bubbles in the alcohol and seltzer will wash out the product buildup.This method is only used as a treatment after washing your hair with shampoo. It helps your hair achieve a nice shine.Also, I always like to mix a ½ cup of vodka with my shampoo to keep my hair shiny and keep down product buildup. I pour the vodka in the shampoo bottle and shake it before each use. T.G.,in Florida Send a great hint to: Heloise@Heloise.com