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Gen Z consumers are five times more likely than baby boomers to be scammed while holiday shopping online, according to Norton's latest survey.

Social media shopping habits, tempting deals, and pressure to act quickly can make younger shoppers more vulnerable to scams.

Norton's scam research expert shares warning signs to watch for and practical tips to help consumers shop safely this holiday season.

You might assume that people who grew up using the internet would be better at spotting online scams. But new research suggests that isn't necessarily the case, especially when it comes to holiday shopping.

According to Norton's latest Holiday Survey, 25% of Gen Z consumers in the U.S. have been scammed while shopping online during the holidays five times the rate of baby boomers (5%). Younger shoppers are also more likely to take risks, with 45% saying they're more willing to take chances during the holiday shopping season and 49% admitting they've purchased from a seller they suspected could be a scam.

Author: Kristen Dalli
Source: Consumer Affairs

42% of Americans say airplane passenger behavior has gotten worse over the past five years.

Loud conversations, music, and videos without headphones rank as the biggest in-flight annoyance.

Most travelers favor a little more courtesy, including checking before reclining and waiting their turn to exit.

Flying can be stressful enough without having to deal with inconsiderate passengers. From loud phone conversations to arguments over armrests and reclining seats, airplane etiquette has become a popular topic of debate among travelers.

Now, a new survey suggests that many Americans feel passenger behavior is heading in the wrong direction. According to research commissioned by The Points Guy (TPG), 42% of Americans believe airplane etiquette has gotten worse over the past five years.

Author: Kristen Dalli
Source: Consumer Affairs

Utah leads the rankings: Just 21% of residents 65 and older live alone, and only 7.6% report frequent mental distress.

Hawaii has the fewest seniors living alone: Only 19.2% of older residents live by themselves, according to the analysis.

Small steps can make a difference: Regular phone calls, community activities, and free local resources can help older adults stay connected.

Growing older often brings big changes. Retirement, losing a spouse, health problems, and having family members move away can all make it harder to stay socially connected.

But some states appear to have stronger conditions for older residents than others.

Author: Kyle James
Source: Consumer Affairs

Stanford Medicine researchers identified brain activity patterns associated with Alzheimers risk years before memory problems appear.

In more than 1,300 cognitively healthy adults, the patterns helped predict later cognitive decline and Alzheimers diagnoses.

The experimental scoring system is not a diagnostic test, and researchers have not established whether changing these patterns can prevent the disease.

A new Stanford Medicine-led study suggests that patterns of brain activity could offer an early warning of Alzheimers disease, years before people develop noticeable memory problems.

Published in Science Advances, the research examined how different brain regions function together during rest. Scientists developed a score that distinguished patterns associated with exceptional memory in old age from those associated with Alzheimers.

Author: Mark Huffman
Source: Consumer Affairs