The Bottom Line
Small business is important to Central Oregon, and to Mid Oregon. Find tips and resources for business, and information about Mid Oregon’s commercial services and business members.
Support the 2021 Duck Race Raffle
Would you like to help local non-profits and have a chance at winning over $13,500 in cash, prizes, and gift cards? Support the 2021 Duck Race Raffle and buy $5 tickets at www.theduckrace.com/shop. Mid Oregon Credit Union is excited to continue our involvement with this established fundraiser and appreciates our members’ continued support!
In its 32nd year, the Great Drake Park Duck Race is presented by local Rotary clubs, Credit Unions Working Together (First Community, Mid Oregon, OnPoint, and SELCO), and many local sponsors.
Support local non-profits
The 2021 Duck Race beneficiaries include the Deschutes Children’s Foundation, J Bar J Youth Services, KIDS Center, and Mountain Star.
Virtual fundraiser and raffle for 2021
Similar to last year’s online fundraiser, the 2021 Duck Race will be virtual. A random drawing on September 12th will determine the 2021 winners. Event organizers hope to return to a live river race in 2022.
2021 Duck Race Raffle prizes
Supporting the above non-profits above is worthwhile in itself. But with the 2021 Duck Race Raffle, lucky winners will receive prizes valued at over $13,500, including:
- Grand prize of $5,000 cash
- Two Hoodoo Ski Resort season passes
- Saxon’s ½ carat signature diamond earrings
- Milwaukee 18v cordless toolset
- Big Mountain Helicopter Tour
- Painter for a day
- $500 in Bend downtown gift certificates
- $500 Home Depot gift card
- Red Carpet Car Wash annual pass
- $400 Old Mill District gift cards
- $400 Amazon gift card
- Four rounds of golf at Widgi Creek
- $250 Zydeco gift card
- $250 Wild Rose Thai gift card
- Widgi Creek pickleball courts punch cards
To learn more about the Duck Race prizes, visit the prize page.
Also, ticket purchasers are entered to potentially win $100 gift cards to local restaurants drawn weekly. Gift cards include Hola, Noi Thai, Deschutes Brewery, Lemon Tree, Pine Tavern, Zydeco, and more.
Buy raffle tickets online
It is easy to go online to purchase a $5 ticket. Or increase your chances to win with a 5-pack of tickets ($25), 10-pack ($50), or 20-pack ($100). Purchasers must be 18 years of age or older and physically in the state of Oregon at the time of ticket purchase.
You can find information about the 2021 Duck Race at all Mid Oregon branches and our website. Look for the Duck Race mascot and van around Bend. Help local non-profits by buying 2021 Duck Race Raffle tickets. We appreciate our member’s generosity!
Guzzle Less
How to deal with rising gas prices this summer
By Chris O’Shea* According to AAA, the average price of gas is just over $3 per gallon. That’s up from an average of $1.9 per gallon at the same time last year. With summer travel ramping up, the demand for gas is only increasing. What does all of this mean? It’s time to plan for soaring gas prices during your summer excursions. Here’s how to do that.
Use tech
One of the easiest ways to find cheap gas is to use an app. There are many gas apps to choose from, like Gas Buddy or Gas Guru. These apps will show you where the cheapest gas is located and other helpful tips, like stations that are completely out of fuel.
Shop around
This might seem obvious, but don’t go to the first gas station you see. Roll by a few local stations and make some notes of which station typically has the lowest prices. Stations close to each other often engage in small price battles that could end up saving you cash at the pump.
Mind the border
There are some states that usually have higher gas prices than other states, so be mindful of that as you travel. As US News reports, California, Pennsylvania and Illinois are known for having high gas prices. On the other hand, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are known for having low gas prices.
Be efficient
Practice ways to lower your overall fuel consumption. That means carpooling or taking public transportation when possible, or driving when traffic isn’t bad so you don’t idle and waste fuel. If you’re financially able, consider buying an electric vehicle or a hybrid. Every small change to your fuel habits can lead to savings in the long run.
*This guest article is from the “Your Money Blog” in ‘Mid Oregon’s Digital Banking Credit Savvy resource.’ It is made possible by Savvy Money. “Guzzle Less” by Chris O’Shea was published in July 2021.
How to Avoid Apple App Scams
Fake apps are an ongoing problem for the Apple App Store. With nearly 1.8 million apps in their store, Apple estimates it makes approximately $65 billion a year from the apps. They have a dedicated Discovery Fraud Team and technology to keep scam apps out. But, fraudsters still find a way of sneaking in. A Washington Post report found that out of Apple’s 1,000 highest-grossing apps, nearly 2% are some type of scam. Many fake apps can deliver malware to a device, but others are just looking to make a quick buck with financial scams.
Apple insists they take great strides to keep infected apps out of their store, saying that in 2020, they removed over 400,000 apps from their store for assorted reasons. But for those who have fallen victim to these fake apps, the company didn’t go far enough. According to Appfigures research, fraudulent apps cost users an estimated $48 million last year. That’s a hefty price tag for app lovers to pay, but there are ways to avoid downloading the next scam app.
What Apple app scams look like
The road to downloading a safe app can be challenging, but not hopeless. You should never sideload apps, which is downloading apps from other sites other than the official app stores. Many bogus apps misuse company names for cover, taking a closer look at the app title can be revealing.
For example, Samsung TV owners can go to Apple’s App Store and download the SmartThings remote control app. One security researcher did just that and came across an app called Smart Things. After paying $19 for the Smart Things app, you will discover you’ve just been scammed. The difference between the two? The scam app has a space separating both words. One added or deleted space is sometimes all it takes to fall prey to sneaky fraudsters.
Messing with app names is very similar to typosquatting, also called URL or domain hijacking, when a bad actor misspells a domain name to get traffic to their website. The same is done with apps. As the example above shows, scam apps can hide in plain sight.
The devil is in the details
Scrutinizing app names for subtle differences is a proven way to protect yourself from copycat app scams. Relying on app reviews for legitimacy is risky business since they too can be faked. Scammers count on users not checking name details, allowing them to typosquat app names to their advantage. Check and double check app spellings, looking for typos, strange spacing, misspellings, and more.
For more articles on phishing scams, cybersecurity and related topics, visit Mid Oregon’s Security and Fraud Center.