With the holiday shopping season on the horizon, consumer advocates and federal agencies are warning the public to be on the lookout for tell-tale signs of a scam.

Tom Lacock - associate state director with AARP Wyoming - said because people are sending packages at this time of year, scammers are separating people from their hard-earned money by posing as delivery officials.

"You'll see a fake text from somebody," said Lacock, "saying that they cannot deliver a package and in order to rectify the situation you need to click on a link that they're nice enough to send you. We recommend avoiding those links entirely."

To ensure your gift arrives intact, send tracking information and expected arrival dates to recipients, even if it might spoil the surprise.

If you are contacted, Lacock said call the company where you placed the order directly and ask if there are any problems. To keep others from falling victim, report incidents by calling the ElderWatch Help Line at (800) 222-4444.

In the first half of 2023, more than one million Americans lost $4.4 billion to scammers, according to Federal Trade Commission data.

Lois Greisman - associate director with the Federal Trade Commission Division of Marketing Practices - warned in a news briefing to Ethnic Media Services never send money to someone you don't know or trust, or who pressures you to pay immediately.

"Especially when somebody says 'I'm from the government, I'm from the IRS, I'm from the sheriff's office. I can send somebody to arrest you now,'" said Greisman. "They can be very persuasive."

Scammers also want you to pay using methods similar to cash, which are hard to trace and make it nearly impossible to get your money back.

Lacock said nobody legitimate will demand that you have to pay with gift cards, crypto currency or a wire transfer.

"Anytime someone asks you to pay with a gift card, that puts up really huge red flags," said Lacock. "Because that's an untraceable payment source that we know scammers like to use, and use quite a bit."

A new study showed the flame retardants used in the seats of many cars emit toxic gases, and recommended the federal government reevaluate its flammability standards.

Researchers at Duke University and the Green Science Policy Institute in Berkeley studied the air and foam from 101 cars model year 2015 and newer, and found traces of two carcinogens on California's Prop. 65 list of harmful chemicals.

Robert Herrell, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, called on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or state officials to act.

"We would hope that the relevant federal authorities would take a look at this," Herrell urged. "They have indicated that they're aware of this study, they're reviewing it. In some cases, California chooses not to wait necessarily for the feds to act, and we can try to act ahead of that."

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group of dozens of auto manufacturers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The study, in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, found the chemicals are released into the air two to five times more often in the summer when the car is hot. It recommended people park in the shade, air out their cars before getting in and avoid using the recirculated air feature in their vehicles.

Herrell noted his group fought to get the government to require furniture manufacturers to phase out similar flame retardants.

"Historically, the auto industry has really lagged behind on safety and consumer protection issues," Herrell asserted. "More often than not, they've been sort of dragged kicking and screaming into the modern age."

The flame retardants at issue do not prevent burning but they slow a fire's progression. Many fires starting inside cars begin with a dropped cigarette, so some experts have suggested the feds update flammability standards with a new anti-smoldering requirement, which could be met without the use of these types of chemicals.


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Supply chain disruptions mean consumers who need prescriptions filled in Indiana and around the country are running into roadblocks.

Parents and caregivers have limited options, as the availability of generic medications is running low. There are several causes: Inoperable manufacturing plants cause production delays and back orders pile up. A key pharmaceutical ingredient needed to make a certain medicine has been discontinued, causing additional problems.

Veronica Vernon, assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Butler University, called the situation dire.

"We're seeing one of the worst cases of prescription drug shortages that we've seen in recent years," Vernon observed. "Unfortunately, this is a cause for concern because you go to the pharmacy and expect them to have the medication in stock, and they don't."

Vernon acknowledged pharmacists cannot guarantee patients when a certain medication will be delivered. She advised parents and caregivers to schedule refills up to two weeks in advance to make sure they will be ready on time, if the pharmacy can even get the medication.

According to Singlecare.com, atorvastatin, sold under the brand name Lipitor, was the most prescribed drug in Indiana last year. It's used to lower cholesterol.

The shortages affect both brand name and generic drugs. Vernon suggested keeping good lines of communication open with your pharmacist and asking if there are any negative health risks tied to taking a generic, if one is available.

"One of the most important things you can do is to always keep a list of your current medications with you," Vernon recommended. "And also keep a record of what you've tried in the past. When my patients experience a shortage, I'll say let's try this other medication that's in the same class is expected to have the same effect. Have you tried that before?"

Statista.com estimated the total market for generic drugs worldwide was estimated at $412 billion in 2022 and the figure is expected to increase to more than $600 billion by 2030.


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Just last month, a California man was sentenced to four years in prison for being the mastermind behind romance scams - in which he received hundreds of thousands of dollars from two elderly Arizona women - according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

One local group is sounding the alarm.

Dawn Alexander is a communications analyst with AARP Arizona, and wants to encourage all Arizonans to be mindful about who they're speaking to and how much information they're giving out.

"These romance scams, they'll start to ask for gift cards, they'll start to ask for money, and then they'll get more brazen," said Alexander. "A lot of times, it can easily turn into a money mule situation - which is basically they will eventually gain access to their bank accounts and start running money fraudulently through those."

Alexander added that while romance scams can start on dating apps, they can also start through less conventional avenues.

She added that romance scammers look to exploit the desire for love and companionship - and says warning signs can include professing love early on, someone who needs money to deal with an emergency, or an individual who makes plans to meet in person but never follows through.

Alexander contended that as technology and things such as artificial intelligence get more advanced, so do the scams.

She added that AI has enabled scammers to more easily produce things such as photos and videos which seem legitimate.

She said AARP has the AARP Fraud Watch Network, which is a free resource for both AARP members and nonmembers alike. She said if you're in doubt, there are those who are ready to help.

"They can reach out to AARP.org/fraudwatchnetwork or they can call a toll-free number, 1-877-908-3360," said Alexander, "and they will speak to an actual person who can assist them with any of their concerns."

Alexander said another tip is to never send money including wire transfers or cryptocurrency to a stranger or someone you met online, as she said they're wanting forms of payment to be what she calls "untraceable."