Shopping and Donating

You’re probably getting emails, texts, and calls asking for end-of-year donations. It’s the season of giving, after all. Scammers know this is a popular time to donate, so they’re out there, too, trying to trick people into giving to them instead of a real charity.

As the holiday season approaches, it seems like there are more and more fake shopping sites. The ads on social media show expensive products like electric scooters, designer bags, and other popular toys and gifts at unbelievably low prices. Many of these bogus sites use photos and logos the scammers steal from legitimate businesses, but they won’t send you authentic products. If you’re wondering how to avoid these phony offers, there are a few ways to help you detect them.

When sellers of edible cannabis products use packaging that mimics popular kids’ cereals, snacks, and candy, the FTC and FDA take notice — and action. Edible cannabis — like cereal, gummies, cookies, candies, and chips — have cannabis that’s derived from marijuana or hemp. Some of these foods have Delta-8 THC, which is a part of cannabis that causes psychoactive and intoxicating effects. After accidentally eating edibles with THC, many kids have gotten sick and even been hospitalized.