Page 14 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2021 Massachusetts Unemployment & Job Estimates for October BOSTON, MA - The state’s October total unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point at 5.3 percent, the Executive Offi ce of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 25,000 jobs in October. This follows last month’s revised gain of 13,500 jobs. The largest over the month private sector job gains were in Professional, Scientifi c, and Business Services, Leisure and Hospitality, and Educational and Health Services. Since December 2020, Massachusetts has gained 186,500 jobs. From October 2020 to October 2021, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 197,200 jobs. The Largest over the year gains occurred in Leisure and Hospitality; Professional, Scientific, and Business Services; and Trade, Transportation and Utilities. The October unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage point above the national rate of 4.6 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The labor force increased by 5,600 from 3,720,700 in September, as 1,600 more residents were employed and 4,000 more residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 3.2 percentage points. The state’s labor force participation rate – the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks – was up onetenth of a percentage point at 66.0 percent. Compared to October 2020, the labor force participation rate is up 0.7 percentage points. October 2021 Employment Overview Professional and Business Services gained 9,700 (+1.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 43,400 (+7.6%) jobs were added. Leisure and Hospitality gained 4,900 (+1.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 51,100 (+19.7%) jobs were added. Education and Health Services gained 4,900 jobs (+0.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 26,000 (+3.5%) jobs were added. Trade, Transportation and Utilities gained 4,600 (+0.8%) over the month. Over the year, 26,300 (+4.9%) jobs were added. Manufacturing gained 1,100 (0.5%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 9,400 (+4.1%) jobs were added. Information gained 700 (+0.8%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 7,000 (+8.1%) jobs were added. Construction gained 500 (+0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 11,300 (+7.2%) jobs were added. Other Services gained 200 (+0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 5,100 (+4.5%) jobs were added. Financial Activities lost 700 (+0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 1,500 (+0.7%) jobs were added. Government lost 900 (-0.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, 16,100 (+3.8%) jobs were added. Labor Force Overview The October estimates show 3,529,400 Massachusetts residents were employed and 196,900 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,726,300. The unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point at 5.3 percent. Over the month, the October labor force was up by 5,600 from 3,720,700 in September, with 1,600 more residents employed and 4,000 more residents unemployed. The labor force participation rate, the share of working age population employed and unemployed, was up by 0.1 percentage point at 66.0 percent. The labor force was up 38,000 from the October 2020 estimate of 3,688,300, as 156,100 more residents were employed and JOBS | SEE Page 17 The Naughty List: BBB’s 12 Scams of Christmas W hile 2021 is winding down, scams targeting the public continue to cause trouble. Consumers should watch out for any fraudulent schemes aimed at swiping their cash and stealing personal information. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a Naughty List with the top 12 scams of Christmas that are most likely to catch consumers and donors off guard during this season. Many of the scams on this list are facilitated through emails and social media platforms; however, the latter is where most people are vulnerable. Exercise caution when coming across social media ads about discounted items, event promotions, job opportunities and donation requests, as well as direct messages from strangers. If you are asked to make a payment or donation by wire or e-transfer, through third parties, by prepaid debit or gift cards, treat this as a red fl ag. Be mindful of these scams that could cut into your holiday cheer and BBB’s tips to avoid them: 1. Misleading Social Media Ads: As you scroll through your social media feed, you often see items for sale from a small business. Sometimes the business even claims to support a charity to try to get you to order, or they off er a free trial. BBB Scam Tracker receives reports of people paying for items that they never receive, getting charged monthly for a free trial they never signed up for or receiving an item that is counterfeit or much diff erent from the one advertised. The 2020 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report found that online purchase scams were the most common cons reported to Scam Tracker and the category with the most victims. Do your homework and research the company before ordering. Check out the business profi le on BBB.org and read the reviews. 2. Social Media Gift Exchanges: Each holiday season this scheme pops back up, and this year is no diff erent. A newer version of this scam revolves around exchanging bottles of wine; another suggests purchasing $10 gifts online; another twist asks you to submit your email into a list where participants get to pick a name and send money to strangers to “pay it forward.” There is even a twist about “Secret Santa Dog” where you buy a $10 gift for your “secret dog.” In all of these versions, participants unwittingly share their personal information, along with those of their family members and friends, and are further tricked into buying and shipping gifts or money to unknown individuals. And – it’s an illegal pyramid scheme. 3. Holiday Apps: Apple’s App Store and Google Play list dozens of holiday-themed apps where children can video chat live with Santa, light the menorah, watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve or relay their holiday wish lists. This holiday season, like last year when COVID-19 caused children to skip the traditional in-person visit with Santa, apps may play a more important role than ever. Review privacy policies to see what information will be collected. Be wary of free apps, as they can sometimes contain more advertising than apps that require a nominal fee. Free apps can also contain malware. 4. Alerts About Compromised Accounts: BBB has been receiving reports on Scam Tracker about a con claiming your Amazon, PayPal, Netfl ix or bank account has been compromised. Victims receive an email, call or text message which explains that there has been suspicious activity on one of their accounts, and it further urges them to take immediate action to prevent the account from being compromised. Be extra cautious about unsolicited calls, emails and texts. 5. Free Gift Cards: Nothing brings good cheer like the word free. Scammers have been known to take advantage of this weakness by sending bulk phishing emails requesting personal information to receive free gift cards. In some of these emails, scammers impersonate legitimate companies, like Starbucks, and promise gift cards to loyal customers who have been supporting their business throughout the pandemic. They might also use pop-up ads or send text messages with links saying you were randomly selected as the winner of a prize. If you have received an unsolicited email with gift card off ers, do not open it. Instead, mark it as Spam or Junk. However, if you opened the email, do not click on any links. 6. Temporary Holiday Jobs: Retailers typically hire seasonal workers to help meet the demands of holiday shoppers. Shippers and delivery services are top holiday employers this year because of the increase in online orders and the need to get most of these packages delivered before Christmas. These jobs are a great way to make extra money, sometimes with the possibility of turning into a long-term employment opportunity; however, jobseekers need to be wary of employment scams aimed at stealing money and personal information from job applicants. Keep an eye out for opportunities that seem too good to be true. 7. Look-Alike Websites: The holiday season brings endless emails off ering deals, sales and bargains. Be wary of emails with links enclosed. Some might lead to look-alike websites created by scammers to trick people into downloading malware, making dead-end purchases and sharing private information. If you are uncertain about the email, do not click any of the links. Instead, hover over them to see where they reroute. 8. Fake Charities: Typically, 40 percent of all charitable donations are received during the last few weeks of the year; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations had to cancel their usual fundraising events and awareness campaigns and are now inviting donors to support online. Donors are advised to look out for fraudulent charities and scammers pretending to be individuals in need. Avoid impromptu donation decisions to unfamiliar organizations. Responsible organizations will welcome a gift tomorrow as much as they do today. Verify a charity at BBB’s give. org. Where possible, donate to the charity through their website and use a credit card. 9. Fake Shipping Notifications: More consumers are making purchases online; there is also an increase in the number of notifi cations about shipping details from retailers and carriers. Scammers are using this new surge to send phishing emails with links enclosed that might allow unwanted access to your private information or download malware onto your device. They might also try to trick people into paying new shipping fees. 10. Pop Up Holiday Virtual Events: This year many local in-person events, such as popup holiday markets or craft fairs, have moved online. Scammers are creating fake event pages, social media posts and emails – charging admission for what used to be a free event. The goal is to steal credit card information. Confi rm with the organizer of the event if there is an admission fee. In the cases where there is a charge, use a credit card. If the event is free, watch for scammers trying to claim otherwise. 11. Top Holiday Wish List Items: Low or ridiculously priced luxury goods, jewelry, designer clothing, and electronics are almost always cheap counterfeits and knockoffs. This year the Galactic Snackin’ Grogu Animatronic (aka Baby Yoda) and game consoles are some of the items in high demand. Be very cautious when considering purchasing these high-value items from individuals through social sites. 12. Puppy Scams: Many families, especially those with children, might be considering to add a furry friend to their household this year; however, you could fall victim to a pet scam, which are on the rise this year. Request to see the pet in person before making a purchase.
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