Consumer News: Online shopping has gotten too easy: 5 ways retailers trick you into spending more

The oysters were harvested from a Chesapeake Bay tributary in Virginia

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The CDC is warning consumers not to eat recalled Little Wicomico Oyster Company oysters linked to a Salmonella outbreak.

• The recall covers oysters harvested from two Virginia growing areas between September 18 and October 8, 2026.

• Consumers should discard or return affected oysters and seek medical attention for severe symptoms.

Federal health officials are warning consumers about a Salmonella outbreak linked to raw oysters from Virginias Little Wicomico River, prompting a recall and a temporary closure of the affected harvesting area.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says illnesses associated with the oysters are part of a cluster of 27 Salmonella Telelkebir infections being investigated by federal and state authorities. The recalled oysters reached restaurants and retailers in 15 states and the District of Columbia, and may have been distributed further.

Little Wicomico Oyster Company voluntarily recalled the oysters on October 9 and notified customers. Virginia health officials said an investigation in Pennsylvania established an epidemiological association between illnesses and consumption of oysters from the affected areas.

Which oysters are affected?

The recall covers whole, in-shell oysters harvested from September 18 through October 8, 2026, from the Little Wicomico River and Little Wicomico River Lower growing areas in Virginia. The companys certification number is VA-1421-SP.

According to the FDA, distribution included California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The company has stopped harvesting from the affected area and is cooperating with investigators. Oysters harvested from other Virginia growing areas are outside the recall. Contaminated food can look, smell, and taste normal, the FDA cautioned.

What consumers should do

The CDC advises consumers to throw away recalled oysters or return them. Items and surfaces that touched the oysters should be washed with hot, soapy water or cleaned in a dishwasher.

Restaurants and retailers should stop serving or selling them and clean and sanitize affected equipment and surfaces.

Salmonella commonly causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms generally begin six hours to six days after exposure, and most people recover without treatment within four to seven days. Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face greater risks of severe illness.

The CDC advises calling a healthcare provider promptly for bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than two days without improvement, diarrhea accompanied by a fever above 102F, or vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down. Signs of dehydration including little urination, a dry mouth, or dizziness when standing also warrant medical attention.

New sites recreate the thrill of shopping and ordering takeout without charging a penny. Could they help you save money?

• Shop without spending: Fill your cart, check out, and even track imaginary deliveries without buying anything.

• Try it for free: Sites like FakeHaul and FoodNeverComes recreate online shopping and ordering takeout.

• Turn pretend purchases into savings: Delay impulse buys and put the money you would have spent into savings.

Do you love online shopping but hate seeing the credit card bill that follows? There's a new trend that might be right up your alley.

Websites known as "dopamine sites" let people browse products, fill shopping carts, check out, and even track deliveries.

The catch? Nothing actually gets purchased or delivered to your home.

As TODAY recently reported, these simulated shopping experiences are attracting attention as a way to enjoy shopping without the financial consequences.

And if you occasionally shop out of boredom or to fill a void, they might be worth trying.

How does fake shopping work?

The trend gained traction in South Korea, where developers created websites mimicking online shopping and food delivery apps. You browse products, compare prices, fill your cart, and complete an imaginary checkout.

Some even let you track a pretend delivery, just like Amazon or DoorDash. But there's no charge, no package, and definitely no buyer's remorse.

The idea? Sometimes we enjoy the anticipation of shopping more than actually owning the stuff. And for some, the dopamine hit you get when ordering something is real even if youll never actually get the item.

Here are three fake shopping websites worth trying:

1. FakeHaul Best for online shopping

Think Temu or Amazon, except your checkout total is always $0. FakeHaul lets you browse fictional products, hunt for deals, compare prices, and fill your cart.

You can even complete checkout without entering a credit card number or shipping address.

Creator Jack Yang wanted to explore whether people could enjoy shopping without the financial consequences.

2. FoodNeverComes Best for takeout cravings

Constantly tempted to order DoorDash or Uber Eats? This one's interesting.

FoodNeverComes lets you browse imaginary restaurants, choose meals, customize orders, and complete a fake checkout.

You can even watch a pretend delivery driver head toward your home. No food arrives, and no money changes hands.

3. NoBuyCart Best for tracking imaginary spending

Check out NoBuyCart and browse fictional products and fill your shopping cart without actually buying anything.

The interesting feature is its focus on showing how much you almost spent. That could help shoppers become more aware of their impulse-buying habits.

4 ways to turn fake shopping into actual savings

Instead of treating these websites as entertainment, try using them to change your spending habits.

• Use the 24-hour rule. Tempted to make an unnecessary purchase? Visit one of these websites instead, then wait 24 hours before buying the real item. The urge might disappear.

• Track what you didn't spend. If you skip a $65 impulse purchase, write it down. At month's end, add up the purchases you genuinely avoided. Just be sure to keep in mind that imaginary shopping totals aren't automatically real savings.

• Transfer the money instead. Skip a $40 purchase you could afford? Move that $40 into savings. Now you've turned an avoided purchase into actual money saved that you can use to fund an emergency fund or retirement account.

• Make real shopping less convenient. Remove any saved credit cards from shopping websites and turn off promotional notifications. By creating some extra steps, it gives you more time to reconsider the purchase.

But do these sites actually work?

That's still an open question. While simulated shopping might help some people resist impulse purchases, it could have the opposite effect on others.

Stanford addiction specialist Dr. Anna Lembke told Real Simple that shopping simulations can activate the brain's reward system, potentially increasing cravings.

In other words, pretending to shop might satisfy your urge to buy something, or make you want to shop even more. And of course, be cautious about privacy. A fake shopping site shouldn't need your real credit card information.

The bottom line: If you regularly browse Amazon, Target, or food delivery apps out of boredom, try fake shopping for a week.

Pay attention to whether it reduces your actual spending, and consider moving the money you don't spend into savings for the ultimate personal finance hack. Because the best shopping spree might be the one that costs you absolutely nothing.

A small human trial found changes in immune cells that could help explain the medications potential cardiovascular benefits

• A small study found that empagliflozin, a diabetes medication, reduced certain inflammatory cell clusters in the blood.

• The changes appeared within two weeks and became more pronounced after three months of treatment.

• Researchers say the findings could help explain how the drug may benefit heart health beyond its effects on blood sugar and weight.

A popular diabetes medication may offer another potential benefit: reducing inflammation linked to cardiovascular disease.

In a human trial, researchers found that empagliflozin, part of a class of drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors, reduced certain combinations of immune and blood-clotting cells associated with inflammation in blood vessels.

Inflammation is part of the body's normal defense system, but when it persists or affects blood vessels, it can contribute to cardiovascular problems. Understanding how medications influence this process could help researchers learn more about their potential heart-protective effects.

The findings, published in the journal Circulation, provide early evidence that empagliflozin may affect the immune system in ways that go beyond its established blood sugar-lowering effects.

There had been some suggestive studies in animals with these medications indicating they might be modulating the immune system affecting inflammation but that hadnt really been shown in humans, Mona Mashayekhi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at Vanderbilt Health, said in a news release. This study provides the first direct evidence of SGLT2 inhibitors altering human immune cells which may potentially reduce cardiovascular risk.

This finding is significant because its the first time this medication has been shown to have an immune effect at the cellular level with some specificity. If we understand how these medicines are reducing obesity-associated inflammation and heart disease and kidney disease, then we can identify the best patient for this treatment or discover other drug targets in that pathway that could really be beneficial.

How the study was conducted

The research team, led by investigators at Vanderbilt Health, enrolled 16 women with obesity and prediabetes. Participants took empagliflozin for three months, with researchers measuring changes in their blood before treatment, after two weeks, and after 12 weeks.

The team also examined a comparison group of women who followed a low-calorie diet for three months. This allowed researchers to explore whether changes in inflammation might be related to the medication itself rather than weight loss alone.

Using genetic sequencing and cellular imaging, researchers looked closely at immune cells and their interactions with other blood cells. One focus was monocyte-platelet aggregates, or MPAs. These form when monocytes, a type of immune cell, attach to platelets, which help blood clot. These cell clusters are associated with inflammation in blood vessels and cardiovascular disease.

What the results could mean for consumers

Women who took empagliflozin experienced a significant reduction in MPAs within two weeks, and the decrease was even greater after 12 weeks. The researchers did not observe the same reduction in the comparison group following a low-calorie diet.

The team also found that the participants' monocytes shifted away from a highly inflammatory state toward a more stable pattern of cellular energy use. Together, these findings suggest the medication may influence inflammation through changes in immune cells, rather than simply through weight loss.

However, the study was small and included only women with obesity and prediabetes. It does not establish that taking empagliflozin will prevent heart attacks or other cardiovascular events. More research is needed to understand how these cellular changes translate into meaningful health benefits.

Researchers at Vanderbilt have begun a larger, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 74 people with obesity and metabolic syndrome. That study will investigate these immune changes further and examine fat tissue to better understand inflammation.

For consumers, the findings offer a promising new direction for research, but they are not a reason to start or change medication without consulting a healthcare professional.

The new deal gives shoppers delivery perks, gas discounts, and streaming options for one annual fee

• Walmart is offering Walmart+ and Sams Club Plus together for $120 per year, nearly $100 less than buying both memberships separately.

• The bundle includes delivery benefits, gas savings, select streaming access, and rewards on eligible Sams Club purchases.

• Existing members can upgrade or link their accounts to access the offer, with different options depending on their current membership.

Between grocery runs, household essentials, gas, and entertainment, keeping up with everyday expenses can add up. Now, Walmart is giving shoppers a new option for combining several shopping and lifestyle perks under one membership.

Walmart announced a $120 annual offer, bringing together Walmart+ and Sams Club Plus. The company says the combined price saves customers nearly $100 a year compared with paying for both memberships separately.

At $10 a month, the package is designed to help shoppers save on purchases while making everyday errands more convenient. Whether customers shop for weekly groceries or stock up on household supplies in bulk, the two memberships offer different ways to access savings.

Were giving people a reason to expect more from their memberships, John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart Inc, said in a news release. For $120 a year, were raising expectations for what a membership can deliver: more money in their pockets and more time to call their own.

What comes with the $120 membership?

The combined membership includes access to Sams Club and its member-only prices on brand-name products and Members Mark items. Members also get delivery benefits from both Walmart and Sams Club, subject to order minimums and availability.

The package includes a choice of one ad-supported streaming service: Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential. Members can change their selection every 90 days, with additional registration required.

Other benefits include gas discounts of up to 10 cents per gallon at more than 17,000 participating stations and 2% Sams Cash on eligible Sams Club purchases. The rewards program has a maximum annual earning limit of $750, and restrictions apply.

Customers who already belong to one of the programs have several ways to access the deal:

• Walmart+ annual members can switch to the combined membership for an additional $22 per year.

• Sams Club members can upgrade to Sams Club Plus for $60 more annually, with Walmart+ included.

• Sams Club Plus members can activate Walmart+ at no additional cost.

• Customers paying for both memberships can link their accounts, and most are eligible for a prorated Walmart+ refund.

What this means for shoppers

For consumers who regularly use both retailers, the offer could be a way to cut membership costs without giving up familiar benefits. Combining delivery, warehouse shopping, gas discounts, and streaming access may also make it easier to get more value from one annual fee.

However, the savings will depend on how often shoppers use the included services. People who rarely shop at Sams Club or don't need delivery may not get as much value from the package as households that use both stores regularly.

Customers can join, upgrade, or link their accounts through the Walmart or Sams Club apps or online at Walmarts membership website. Before signing up, shoppers should review the applicable terms, delivery minimums, and benefit restrictions to make sure the bundle fits their needs.