It’s Cyber Monday but before you click on that too good to be true sale, Brooke Thorington has some tips on avoiding a scam.
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The figures are in and this year’s Small Business Saturday was an apparent record-setter. More from Dave Brannen.
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Today is the deadline to register for FEMA disaster relief if your main home suffered damage during Hurricane Ida. Nathan Custer with the agency says that damage can range from the minor to the catastrophic, but if you haven’t registered with FEMA for assistance, you only have hours left to do so:
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To register, call 1-800-621-3362 or visit DisasterAssistance.gov on the web.
Custer says there is no dollar threshold on the amount of damage you can seek help for.
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The assistance doled out by FEMA is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Custer says more than a half-million property owners have registered with FEMA since Ida hit and at least one-point-six-billion-dollars in assistance has been paid out by the agency:
Cut 5 (08) “..in late August.”
To register with FEMA for assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362.
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News of the Omicron variant of COVID has health experts concerned as a number of countries have reported cases of the new variant, including Canada. Governor John Bel Edwards is also mindful of Omicron and says unfortunately it’s par for the course.
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Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are now experiencing a surge in the Delta variant, similar to the one Louisiana had over the summer. Edwards says it’s another reminder the pandemic is far from over and everyone needs to help slow transmission.
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Currently, 49-percent of Louisiana’s population is fully vaccinated, that’s more than 2.26 million. 55-percent have received one dose of the COVID vaccine and 18-percent are boosted.
Edwards says we should all be concerned about the newest variant and continue to practice mitigation. The governor says he’s hoping and praying the state will not have another surge similar to the one Louisiana experienced in July and August.
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The Omicron variant is now the dominant COVID variant in South Africa, less than two weeks after it was first reported.
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It’s Cyber Monday, and Carmen Million, President of the Baton Rouge Better Business Bureau says before you click on that sale it is your responsibility to investigate that the retailer is credible, and it’s a secure site before you give them your personal information.
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She also advises that you check their reviews and their reputation with the BBB.
Million says you should always price check and compare prices from a variety of online retailers, but most importantly, especially this year with supply chain disruptions…
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Beware of phishing scams and pop-up windows claiming bargains, Million says this is where you need to investigate a retailer. Million says how you pay for your item is another way to protect yourself from a scam.
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And remember to check a retailer’s return policy, they are not all the same.
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This year’s 12th annual Small Business Saturday was a hit nationwide with spending hitting an estimated all-time high of 23.3-billion dollars. Dawn McVea, Louisiana Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says the figure includes a two percent increase in small business online shopping that increased to 58 percent.
Cut 12 (06) “…good positive trend.”
McVea says six percent more shoppers opted Saturday to support local independent restaurants around the nation than in 2020.
McVea says a large majority of those surveyed found Small Business Saturday to be a positive event for their communities.
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State figures for the success of Small Business Saturday were not available.
McVea says the fact that sales went up this year for mom and pop shops during Small Business Saturday can be a precursor to an improved fourth quarter.
Cut 14 (10) “…strong holiday season.”