From porch pirates to pseudo online suitors, the holidays bring some ugly decorations these days.  That is...jerks from the online and on-porch jerk store.

MilanMarkovic
MilanMarkovic
loading...

Jerks, right?

Not just guys, but ladies, y'all can be jingle jerks as well.

The fix for your online shopping trepidation is as simple as a google search.  So says AARP director of fraud and victim support, Amy Nofziger.  It's the least you can do!  Seriously, just open another tab and copy and paste the website you've been directed to.  Problem is, with supply-chain issues, our go-to shopping sites might be unable to deliver, but there's always another site that can rescue you from your last-minute searches.

She said as people quickly scroll through online ads, they might not do enough vetting to make sure the company behind a post is real. She added supply chain issues could prompt people to bypass trusted companies through internet searches.

"And they're finding these websites that look legitimate, but they're not," Nofziger observed. "Take the name of the company, put it in a search engine, and do your research. "

I think I got poached by a site selling facemasks during the offset of the pandemic.  Made my order- got nothing, but a lesson in online ordering. Once bitten.

Sad christmas cat dressing up in red rabbit costume
AlenaMozhjer
loading...

It's not just holiday shopping that picks your pocketbook, online romance can be ten times worse. Plus, it can hurt your heart during the holidays...

Dog lying on the floor in a house near a Christmas tree with gifts
kozorog
loading...

Here's where Parrell Grossman, director of the consumer protection and antitrust division for the North Dakota Attorney General's Office comes in to help ensure your holiday happiness. I agree...just like adoptable pets, go look for love AFTER the holidays.  They'll love you all the same.

"When you're lonely at the holidays, it might be the time you decide to engage with someone over the internet," Grossman remarked. "And they can be very convincing, and they will have a myriad of reasons why they need money."

Be wary of where you tread online.  Be it desperate last-minute shopping or last-minute yearnings, due diligence is suggested and seasons greetings to one and all!


LOOK: The top holiday toys from the year you were born

With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s the perfect time to dive into the history of iconic holiday gifts. Using national toy archives and data curated by The Strong from 1920 to today, Stacker searched for products that caught hold of the public zeitgeist through novelty, innovation, kitsch, quirk, or simply great timing, and then rocketed to success.

LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don't exist anymore

The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.

Most Famous People From North Dakota's Biggest Cities

More From Hot 975