With holiday shopping in full swing, it’s important for us to know how to avoid getting scammed this holiday season.

A new 2024 AARP Fraud Watch Network report highlights the ways criminals are targeting consumers this holiday season. The report shows four-in-five (82%) U.S. consumers have experienced some type of fraud this year – including gift card scams, counterfeit products, phishing attempts disguised as delivery notifications, and more. The research also shows many consumers are not aware of the types of fraud they may come across when shopping online.

Avoid Getting Scammed This Holiday Season

Kathy Stokes, AARP’s Director of Fraud Prevention Programs, joins us this morning on Jersey Magazine to share tips on how to spot and avoid scams and provide advice on what to do if you’ve already been targeted by fraud. She’ll also has data from the most recent AARP Fraud Watch Network survey gauging consumer awareness of safe shopping practices.

• Wreaths Across America Annual Escort To Arlington Coming To New Jersey

  Wreaths Across America (WAA) is proud to announce the commencement of its annual “Escort to Arlington,” the nation’s longest veterans’ parade. This event is meant to honor and remember our fallen heroes, while instilling the value of freedom in the next generation.

  The official route, available for viewing on the nonprofit’s website, will make stops at schools, memorials, and various locations down the East coast. Unless specified otherwise, these events are open to the public and the community is encouraged to attend and welcome the escort as it arrives in the area. Please note that arrival times are approximate.

  The Escort and its participants will be making stops on Wednesday, December 11, at:

  • Liberation Monument, Jersey City, NJ – 8:45 AM
  • Jenkinson’s Inlet Point Pleasant Beach, NJ – 1:15 PM
  • Masonic Fellowship Center, Burlington Township, NJ (not a public event) – 5 PM

   

  This year’s Escort to Arlington participants will include the current national president of American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Patti Elliot, among many Gold Star family members – fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, wives and children.

  Additionally, the current national president of Blue Star Mothers, Inc., Rebecca Stafford, will join the trip along with Blue Star family members. Veterans representing many eras and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), such as The American Legion National Vice Commanders Charles “Chuck” Robbins and Joseph “Joe” Lysaght, and American Legion Auxiliary National President Trish Ward, will all be traveling on the week-long journey.

  Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, Patriot Riders, and law enforcement from departments across Maine and New England will provide escort to ensure safe transport for all participants throughout the week.

  On Saturday, December 14, 2024, the nation will come together to observe National Wreaths Across America Day. Over 4,800 participating locations nationwide will host ceremonies to commemorate this special day. This event serves as an opportunity for communities to pay their respects to our fallen servicemembers.

  Mel Russen is the Location Coordinator for the New Jersey Viet Nam Veterans Memorial and he spoke with Jim Monaghan about this year’s event and its stops here in New Jersey.

• Greetings From the Garden State

  This week on our Greetings From the Garden State segment, host Mike Ham looks at Child Focus NJ, an organization that Child Focus designed to champion the best interests of infants, children, and teens impacted by, or at risk of, abuse or neglect.

  At Child Focus, they prioritize the needs and well-being of each child they serve, amplifying their voices and working towards lasting, permanent solutions that address their unique situations and provide the support they need to thrive.

• Rock N Ruff

  Merry Pitmas!

  It’s Terrie Carr and Merry Pitmas is something that I celebrate with my friend and rescue goddess hero, Sunny Nowell from Randolph Regional Animal Shelter every year (for close to 13 years!) It’s an opportunity for us to highlight some lovely larger breed dogs who reside at the shelter and so you how great they are. This year, Sunny brought the most lovely Terrier mix ‘Cher” (just like the singer) for a Rock N’ Ruff filming and this lovely pup charmed everyone she met (including our cameraman Tom and Val, Maryanne and Lisa from our sales department.

  Check out Cher’s Video

  

  TC Collection

  Cher is a young dog, (probably around two) not very large, SUPER friendly, happy to make new friends with everyone she encounters, incredibly sociable (no fear, curious and happy with new encounters), and very, very happy. She is also a bit smaller in size and a brindle beauty in color with stunning markings.

  And Cher didn’t mind us wrestling with her hat either! Cher met Santa at the shelter’s holiday photo event and even loved the big guy with the white beard! She’s quite awesome. She was a marcher in the Denville Holiday Parade and a crowd and doggie favorite.

   

  How To Adopt Cher?

  

  Photo Credit- Joe Frazz

  It’s simple- you can stop by the Randolph Regional Animal Shelter- at 97 Ironia Road in Mendham Township

  Call Sunny and set up a meet and greet- at 973-543-9333

  Or hit the shelter’s website for info-

  Randolph Regional Animal Shelter Info

  And for more pet-related content check out the Rock N’ Ruff Roundtable page! 

  TC’s Rock N’ Ruff Rountable

• Coach Sheets Ride In

  Jeremy Sheetinger is the head baseball coach atGeorgia Gwinnett Colleg where he led the Grizz Gang to the 2021 NAIA National Championship.

  These quick hits may, on the surface, be geared toward his fellow baseball coaches, but his motivational message can easily be applied to the classroom, workplace, and your personal relationships.

  This week, Coach Sheets was here in New Jersey at a high school coaching clinic. This morning he’s talking about “who, what, when, where, why” and perhaps most important, “how.”

  Jeremy Sheetinger | Sheets on X (formerly Twitter): "🚘 HOW 'BOUT THAT RIDE IN? 🚘Information is only as good as it applies to the Game & our people!* Who What When Where Why *Don't sleep on HOW!HOW gives our ideas legs - lays out the action steps that puts it all into motion! ⚡️ Positive Vibes Only!#👊 pic.twitter.com/4ezDmmRqSJ / X"

  🚘 HOW 'BOUT THAT RIDE IN? 🚘Information is only as good as it applies to the Game & our people!* Who What When Where Why *Don't sleep on HOW!HOW gives our ideas legs - lays out the action steps that puts it all into motion! ⚡️ Positive Vibes Only!#👊 pic.twitter.com/4ezDmmRqSJ

• Local Look

  Looking for something fun to do in the area? Chris Swendeman has you covered with this week’s Local Look.

  There are always so many fun events happening in our local communities.  Check out what’s in store for this week in New Jersey.

  • Head north to Sussex County for an amazing holiday event. It’s the annual German Christmas market at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta. Today is the final day of the largest Christmas market in New Jersey. There is so much to see and do and the majority of the proceeds from the weekend go to local charity. Get more info and details at GermanChristmasMarketnj.org.
  • You can take a trip to Hoboken today for their bustling artisan market under the 14th Street Viaduct. This has become a popular destination for craft lovers that includes local makers and creators throughout the area selling their unique and handmade creations. Admission is free.
  • And looking to get into the spirit with some great holiday music, then stop and summit today where the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra will be entertaining families with a free concert of seasonal holiday favorites.  Learn more at NJIO.org.

   

  And that’s your Local Look for this week on The Jersey Magazine.  If you’d like your event to be featured on The Local Look, you can email us at [email protected].  See you next week on 105.5 WDHA.

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