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Enter for Your Chance to Win Our "Freeze Out Fraud" Sweepstakes by Dec. 15!

Posted on 12/10/24

Holidays are a season of giving, don’t let scammers turn it into a season of taking. AARP helps Americans of all ages protect themselves and their families from fraud. Scams increase during the holiday season, and AARP wants you to be prepared.

Enter for a chance to win one of four $100 Visa gift cards, and learn more about how to protect yourself and a loved one from scams this holiday season. Sweepstakes runs from Dec. 2–Dec. 15, 2024. See rules below.

Four lucky winners will be drawn on Dec. 16, 2024.

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

Holiday Scam Warning Signs and Tips

  • Look out for huge discounts on hot gift items, especially when touted on social media posts or unfamiliar websites.

  • Watch out for spelling errors or shoddy grammar on a shopping website or in an email or text.

  • Don't respond to unsolicited emails that ask you to click on a link or download an app to access a deal or arrange a delivery.

  • Rather than clicking on a link from an email or text to a hot deal, go to your web browser and type in the web address of the company purportedly offering the deal.

  • Pay for gifts by credit card. This way, you can dispute charges and limit the damage if the transaction was fraudulent.

  • Buy gifts cards online directly from the issuing businesses, instead of from a retail rack, where the cards can be tampered with. When receiving a gift card as a present, register it if that’s an option, and use it sooner rather than later.

  • Avoid conducting any business online (making a purchase, donating, accessing password-protected sites) while using a public WIFI network unless you employ a virtual private network (VPN).

  • Recognize pressure from a charity fundraiser to donate before you hand over money. Pushy charity telemarketers could be an indicator they are imposters. Legitimate charities will accept your donations on your own timeline. Be sure to do your research before you donate.

  • Any time you are prompted to make a purchase or donation by wire transfer or gift card, it's a scam.

  • To outsmart porch pirates, retrieve a package as soon as it arrives. Have the sender require a signature, if possible. Pick up your package somewhere else, such as shipping to your nearest store, your workplace, your neighbor's house, or instructing the delivery person to place your delivery out of sight at your home. You may also want to consider a door camera for security.

  • To protect yourself from travel scams, determine if a website is real. Don't trust phone numbers as they can be easily spoofed. Also, be wary of travel businesses that ask for payment before confirming reservations.

Call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, to speak with trained fraud specialists who can provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid future scams.


ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

AARP OHIO FREEZE OUT FRAUD SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

*AARP is sponsoring an online sweepstakes between December 2, 2024 and December 15, 2024. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States/District of Columbia. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Only one (1) entry per individual.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. To Enter: Visit here to register. Sweepstakes takes place between 12:00 a.m. ET on December 2, 2024 and 11:45 p.m. ET on December 15, 2024. Entries must be received during this time and four people will be drawn randomly as prize winners. One entry per person. AARP is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, incomplete or incorrect entries. Entries become the property of AARP, and none will be returned and will be governed by its privacy policy.

2. Eligibility: Sweepstakes open to individuals 18 years of age or older, who are legal U.S. residents. Employees of AARP and their respective parent and affiliated companies, advertising and promotions agencies (“collectively, Promotion Entities”) and the immediate family members and members of the same household of those employees and directors, are not eligible. One prize per person.

3. Prize: Four $100 VISA gift cards, one per winner.

4. Drawing and Awarding of Prizes: The four winners will be drawn randomly on or about 10:00 a.m. ET on December 16, 2024 from all eligible entries. Drawing and awarding of prizes will be conducted by AARP whose decision on all matters relating to this sweepstakes is final. By participating and accepting a prize, each winner agrees to indemnify and hold harmless AARP, participating wholesalers, retailers and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and agencies for any injuries, damages or losses which may be sustained in connection with participation in this sweepstakes, and ownership, use or misuse of the prize. If a prize is returned as undeliverable, the prize will be forfeited. All expenses related to acceptance and use of prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.

5. Odds: The actual odds of winning depends on the number of qualified entries.

6. Names of Winners: For the name of the winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to AARP Winner’s List, 41 S. High St., Suite 3550, Columbus, Ohio 43215, for receipt by December 31, 2024.

7. Administrator: AARP

This story is provided by AARP Ohio. Visit the AARP Ohio page for more news, events, and programs affecting retirement, health care, and more.

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