skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Fraud Alerts Can Help Ohioans Avoid Scammers' Holiday Tricks

play audio
Play

Monday, December 15, 2014   

COLUMBUS, Ohio – While the holidays are a time of giving, fraud experts say con artists are ready to take whatever they can from unsuspecting Ohioans.

Whether you are shopping in person or online, Amy Nofziger with the AARP Fraud Watch Network says scammers are getting smarter, and some of their biggest cons involve fake charities, gift-card fraud and online shopping.

A newer trick, she says, is fake websites offering the hottest holiday item.

"If you click on one of those links, you might think you're getting a great price on a tablet, let's say, but what you're doing is going to the scammer's fake website, entering your personal and credit card information, and that is where they victimize you," she explains.

Nofziger recommends shoppers go to a retailer's direct website for online shopping.

Ohioans of all ages can learn more about the red flags of fraud through the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

It tracks trending scams, provides fraud alerts and allows registered users to share stories of fraud they've witnessed with others.

Gift cards are a popular gift, and Nofziger says scammers will try cashing in on them by taking pictures of the numbers on front and back of the cards inside stores before they are purchased.

"They will wait for someone to load funds onto that gift card and then they will drain them,” she explains. “So if you're buying a gift card, make sure to inspect the gift card, look at the front, look at the back, make sure it hasn't been tampered with."

Nofziger says signs that you may have become a victim of fraud include suspicious activity on a credit card statement, suspicious mail, or unsolicited telemarketing calls. She says Ohioans can protect themselves best by being informed.

"It's really important for people to be proactive, learn the red flags of fraud, and certainly share them with your family and friends," she stresses.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021