SALISBURY – Ring in Spring will be Saturday, March 26, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Gateway Park on the corner of East Innes and Depot streets.

North Carolina’s January unemployment rates improves slightly

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, decreasing 0.2 of a percentage point from December’s revised rate while the national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.0 percent.

North Carolina’s unemployment rate decreased 1.6 percentage points from a year ago. The number of people employed increased 25,124 over the month to 4.8 million and increased 179,320 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 9,594 over the month to 197,469 and decreased 70,319 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, increased 4,100 to 4.66 million in January. Major industries experiencing increases were professional & business services at 3,400, construction at 2,900, financial activities at 2,700, education & health services at 1,100 and information at 100. Major industries experiencing decreases were trade, transportation and utilities at 2,300, other services at 2,000, government at 1,200, leisure and hospitality services at 500 and manufacturing at 100. Mining and logging employment remained unchanged.

Since January 2021, total non-farm jobs increased 166,500 with the total private sector increasing by 146,200 and government increasing by 20,300. Major industries experiencing increases were leisure & hospitality services at 49,600, professional and business services at 37,300, government at 20,300, trade, transportation and utilities at 12,400, financial activities at 11,500, education & health services at 10,400, manufacturing at 7,300, construction at 6,500, other services at 5,800, and information at 5,400. Mining and logging employment remained unchanged over the year.

Cryptocurrency scam rates rise to second riskiest scam since last year

CHARLOTTE — Scams related to cryptocurrency jumped from the seventh riskiest scam in 2020 to second riskiest in 2021, according to the 2021 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report.

Although cryptocurrency scams made up only 1.9 percent of the scams reported to BBB Scam Tracker in 2021, the average reported median dollar loss reported for these scams was $1,200, much higher than the overall median dollar loss of $169 for all scam types. The annual report analyzes scams reported to the Better Business Bureau. 

Online purchase scams maintained the top spot as the riskiest. It made up 37.4 percent of all scams reported to BBB Scam Tracker in 2021, with 74.9 percent reporting a monetary loss. Employment scams dropped in 2021, from second riskiest to third. Employment scams dropped in 2021 from second riskiest to third. The susceptibility and median dollar loss of this scam type dropped slightly, while the number of reported scams increased from 7.1 percent in 2020 to 7.8 percent in 2021. 

“Scammers shift their tactics constantly and appear to have expanded their use of cryptocurrency to perpetrate fraud,” said Tom Bartholomy, president and CEO of BBB Charlotte. “Cryptocurrency scams were riskier in 2021 with 66 percent of those targeted by this scam type losing money and a reported median dollar loss of $1,200. Scammers are using social media and other means to promise investment opportunities with great returns and low risks, which is a huge red flag. We received many reports of people being targeted on a variety of social media platforms after their friends’ accounts were hacked.” 

While susceptibility decreased in 2021, median dollar loss rose 47 percent. Credit cards remained the highest reported payment method with a monetary loss followed by online payment systems. Payment made via cryptocurrency resulting in a monetary loss was more than doubled from 2020. The payment methods with the highest median dollar loss were wire $1,450 in transfer, $1,200 in cryptocurrency, $900 in check, and $700 in prepaid card. 

More than 44 percent reported losing confidence or peace of mind because of the emotional impact of being targeted by a scam and about 35 percent reported losing personal information. 55 percent of people reported losing time as reported losing money after being targeted by a scam.