Don’t Let Scammers Add a Bah Humbug to Your Holidays

Sponsored Content provided by Rosalie Calarco - Associate State Director, Coastal Region, AARP

From supply chain shortages to investment scams, the holidays present criminals with a lot of ways to try to steal your hard-earned money and savings. That is why state and national fraud fighters including the NC Secretary of State, the US Securities Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau and AARP have a special presentation to help you spot and prevent holiday and investment scams. You can watch the program here.

Investment Scams – Be on the Lookout
We’ve all received the pitch — that one investment opportunity that sounds just too good to pass up. But 99.99% of the time, passing it up is exactly the right thing to do. Investment fraud siphons billions of dollars from investors every year.

Here’s how to spot a phony investment opportunity coming your way.

Avoid any investment where you have to “act now.” If the scammer can convince you to engage before you take the time to do any research or think more critically about the offer, they get your "investment" money. Also, be wary of investment pitches that use phrases such as "incredible gains” or "breakout stock pick.” According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, these phrases suggest high risk and possible fraud.

Supply Chain Scams
Thanks in part to worldwide supply chain delays the holiday shopping season has started earlier than ever, with shoppers trying to scoop up top gift items before they disappear. That means the online shopping scam season has officially begun.

Here are the two simple steps you can take to stay a step ahead of the grinch this holiday shopping season.

Type don’t click. The safest place to shop online is with retailers you trust and by typing their url into your web browser is much safer than clicking on a link you find in an email or web search. Also, avoid deals that you know are too good to be true, even if the offer comes from a friend. Scammers are experts at hacking social media accounts and one of the first things they do is send out fake offers to victim’s friends and family.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for all. Learn how to proactively spot scams or get guidance if you’ve been targeted. Visit www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call our dedicated helpline to speak to a fraud specialist at 1-877-908-3360."

Rosalie L. Calarco, a 17-year veteran of constituent services and advocacy under two federal officeholders, is the State Director for its Coastal Region, where she will work with AARP members in diverse populations across age, gender, socioeconomic status, culture, and ethnicity. Her service area will include 33 coastal and other counties in northeastern, eastern, and southeastern North Carolina.
Since 2004, Calarco has served in various roles of constituent services for federal elected officials from North Carolina. As Director of Veterans Services for former U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre, she represented veterans and other constituents in interactions with the Veterans Administration, Medicare, and the Social Security Administration, and she developed national and local grant applications to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on behalf of local municipalities in McIntyre’s district. Most recently, as Senior Constituent Advocate and Office Manager for U.S. Senator Richard Burr, Calarco provided similar services to constituents across North Carolina, while also managing casework for Burr’s appointments to Senate committees and subcommittees overseeing Education, Banking and Mortgage, Housing, Medicare, the Military, the U.S. Department of State, Tricare, and Veterans Affairs. Prior to these appointments, Calarco earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in social work from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNC-W), and the University of Georgia at Athens. She began a career in social work and has maintained professional ties while rising to hold multiple offices in the North Carolina chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Since 2005, she has served intermittently as Field Supervisor for the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs at UNC-W.

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