Hello fellow citizens of the internet! Andrew here. Welcome to today’s edition of web_crawlr.
I hope your weekend is off to a good start. Our top stories today are about: A “balloon shot challenge” that went viral, a woman claiming her savings account at Wells Fargo disappeared, Amazon Prime Day shoppers thinking they were scammed, and a look at the history of Baja Blast.
After that, our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira has a “Decoding Fandom” column for you.
Also: If you didn’t take our weekly news quiz yesterday, there’s still time! Just open yesterday’s newsletter and answer the question. If you answer correctly, you might win a “Crawl Into Fall” shirt.
Kira will guide you through the news on Monday, so I’ll see you next week!
— A.W.
⚡ Today’s top stories
🎈 VIRAL
‘Remind me to never make an appointment here’: Balloon shot challenge shows which healthcare workers shouldn’t be handling needles
A dentist on TikTok has a couple of internet stars on staff after a balloon needle challenge went viral this week.
😱 WTF
‘Where is all my life’s savings?’: Woman says her savings account at Wells Fargo just disappeared
In a startling revelation, a woman claimed that her savings account with Wells Fargo has disappeared without a trace.
💸 SCAMS
‘I was CONVINCED this happened but never was able to prove it’: Amazon Prime Day shoppers think they’re getting scammed
After the most recent Prime Day, concerned customers are sharing why they think things might be too good to be true. And they have receipts.
🥤 THE MORE YOU KNOW
What is Baja Blast? What is its history? And what is its appeal?
Since coming into the world, Baja Blast has not only become an oddly beloved refreshment, but also in central to a piece of enduring internet lore.
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⭐ Decoding Fandom
By Kira Deshler
Assistant Newsletter Editor
Fan conventions are where the digital and the material meet
In each edition of web_crawlr we have exclusive original content every day. On Saturdays our Assistant Newsletter Editor Kira Deshler dives deep into the world of fan culture in her “Decoding Fandom” column. If you want to read columns like this before everyone else, subscribe to web_crawlr to get your daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
🕸️ Crawling the web
Here is what else is happening across the ‘net.
📱 If you have an iPhone and something goes wrong with it, you might be tempted to take it to your cellphone provider for a quick fix. But according to one former phone store worker, that’s a terrible idea.
🥨 A Wetzel’s Pretzels worker says she finds herself in uncomfortable predicaments when customers ask what’s fresh. Spoiler alert: Everything is at least two hours old.
🛒 This Instacart customer didn’t seem too pleased upon seeing just how much more of a premium she was paying for groceries to be delivered to her rather than getting them at the store herself.
💼 A career strategist revealed in a viral video how your LinkedIn headline may be sabotaging your job search.
📱 This app-based weight loss program prioritizes your mental health so you can live a healthier lifestyle.*
🍝 In a viral TikTok, a group of Olive Garden customers ask about pink sauce. That’s when their server exposes the recipe of the chain’s five-cheese marinara sauce.
👞 People are not here for this Christian Louboutin shoes Marvel collection.
🍽️ A pair of Texas Roadhouse customers are going viral for sharing their $15 cheap dinner date menu hack.
📺 From the Daily Dot archive: Here’s why you can’t take a screenshot of a TV show or movie on your computer.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
👋 Before you go
In a viral video, a customer shares her hack for preventing fast-food drive-thru workers from stealing her credit card information.
In the 18-second clip, Tiktoker Lip Liners Black Girl (@being_a_blessing) sits at a fast-food chain’s drive-thru window.
She says, “Every time I go through a drive-thru, I say this so they won’t try to steal my card number. Watch this.” She then hands the fast-food worker her credit card and says, “If it declines, don’t laugh at me, OK?.”
She suggests that by implying that she may have limited funds—not even enough to pay for her fast-food meal—she can discourage drive-thru workers from stealing her credit card information because there is nothing for them to take.
🎶 Now Playing: “Supergirl” by Krystal Harris 🎶