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☆ Polls Missing US Economy's Strength Will Make the Next Recession Worse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( George Pearkes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

By underweighting the experience of certain groups — especially lower-income or frontline workers — policymakers could learn the wrong lessons from the post-pandemic economy. The Great DivergenceIf you ask Americans how the economy is doing, the general sentiment can be summed up in one word: bad. Similarly, the Conference Board's consumer confidence data isn't quite at its post-Great Recession lows, but it's far below its 2017-19 average. The ASEC data uses a very large sample to provide the best possible insight into households' economic well-being, with more than 75,000 households participating. Similarly, the focus on the prospect of a recession soared, even outdoing the period in 2020 when the economy was actually in a recession.

Persons: it's, —, Pew Organizations: University of, Conference, Labor Statistics, Government, Bureau of Labor Statistics, NFL, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, BLS, Census, Federal Locations: telemarketers, nonresponses

☆ 5 types of new jobs that AI could create
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

New AI jobs, which may not require a college degree, could offer high salaries for workers. The number of AI jobs is already on the rise. Here are the five new jobs that AI could create in the future, per the World Economic Forum. AdvertisementAs new AI tools continue to emerge , experts say engineers will be needed to guide their development. AI content creatorsAI tools will make it possible for "AI content creators" to "rapidly produce in-depth content on a topic in any field or domain" per the World Economic Forum report.

Persons: —, it's, Chris Hyams, James Neave, OpenAI Organizations: Service, World Economic, Meta, Economic, Marketing Factory

☆ Wealth Assistants claimed it would help its clients make money on Amazon. Clients said they 'lost everything' instead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Madeline Stone | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Wealth Assistants also said that if clients didn't break even in the first year, they would get their money back. BI spoke with 16 people who invested between $35,000 and $100,000 each to work with Wealth Assistants and said they lost their money. Ten days later, Wealth Assistants said it laid off its roughly 75 employees and planned to shut down by December 1. Selling customers on the entrepreneur lifestyleMany Wealth Assistants clients said they were drawn by the opportunity to generate passive income. Cart.com sent Wealth Assistants a formal notice of termination in the fall after Wealth Assistants stopped paying its invoices earlier in the year, the representative said.

Persons: Mike Wimmer, Wimmer, they're, I'm, Ryan Carroll, Max K, Max O, —, Carroll, Carroll didn't, we're, Tina Luk, breakeven, Seth Hamilton, Andrew Pou, Suzy Arriola, Saheb Sabharwal, Cart.com, Moe O'Neil, weren't, Max, you've, it's, they've, We've, we've, Madeline Stone, Jack Newsham Organizations: Business, ., Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, Products, Nobu Dallas, Lamborghini, Facebook, Wealth, BI, FTC, DK Automation Locations: China, Texas, Nobu, California, Houston, Pennsylvania, mstone@insider.com

☆ How 'consent farms' turn one click on a website into an open invitation for spammers to blow up your phone with robocalls
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Spam phone calls have been annoying Americans for decades. Most people are on the Do Not Call list, but "consent farms" claim they sell a way around it. Farming consent from unwitting consumersKelly Pinn gets a lot of spam phone calls. Consent farms run rampantThe FTC and other regulators call websites like HealthInstantly.org "consent farms." On one side are affiliate marketers, who get paid to steer traffic to the farms' websites.

Persons: —, you've, Kelly Pinn, she's, Pinn, Ethan Preston, Chad Smanjak, ActiveProspect, Preston, He's, Smanjak, winky, Rob Seaver, Josh Gillon, Giulia Porter Organizations: Service, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, telemarketers, ActiveProspect Inc, LinkedIn, FTC, Smanjak, FCC, Urth, PACE Association, Viceroy Media Solutions, Flatiron Media, C4R Media Locations: Wall, Silicon, Austin, Orange County, Washington, Panama

☆ ‘Telemarketers’ Review: Phony Phone Calls
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Hello? It’s ‘Telemarketers,’ Here to Tell You About an Amazing Scam
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Coralie Kraft | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As you both know, there’s a difference between documenting and investigating. At what point did you start to think, “There’s something worth investigating here”? PESPAS: We started realizing that the money wasn’t really being used properly, and we wanted to document that. Start a charity.”LIPMAN-STERN: We’d raise money for major police organizations ——PESPAS: Well, it wasn’t just that. So they would call you for firemen, then they would call you for veterans, then they would call you for the police.

Persons: LIPMAN, STERN, —, it’s, Joe, ” LIPMAN Locations: United States, America, C.D.G

☆ ChatGPT creator says AI advocates are fooling themselves if they think the technology is only going to be good for workers: 'Jobs are definitely going to go away'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says some jobs are "definitely going to go away." New jobs could be created in their place, but not all displaced workers will benefit. In March, Goldman Sachs forecasted that 300 million full-time jobs across the globe could be disrupted — not necessarily replaced — by AI. Altman told The Atlantic that he expects better — perhaps higher-paying jobs — will be created in place of the ones that are disrupted. The question, however, is whether displaced workers will be able to navigate their way to these new gigs.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, he's, it'd, Jobs, Goldman Sachs, Carl Benedikt Frey, Ethan Mollick, — Organizations: Service, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Columbia Business School, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School Locations: Wall, Silicon, Oxford

☆ Want to know how to get ready for the rise of AI? Dig into the past.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It's why top researchers are looking to the past as a guide to predict how generative AI could affect workers' jobs in the years and decades to come. "It's possible that in the end, we get better jobs, but in the short term, there's a lot of disruption," Mollick said. But Raymond warned that AI could produce some less-desirable outcomes for customer-service workers, particularly if customer-support chatbots become much more capable and advanced. The extent to which AI displaces jobs will depend on how quickly it scales what Mollick calls the "three levels" of work: tasks, jobs, and systems. Instead, what I would be thinking about is: How do you figure out how to use it to do your job better?"

Persons: Ethan Mollick, Mollick, Carl Benedikt Frey —, Frey, Lindsey Raymond —, —, Raymond, that's, chatbots, Oded, There's Organizations: Service, University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, MIT Sloan School of Management, White, National Bureau of Economic Research Locations: Wall, Silicon, Oxford, COVID, Columbia

☆ FTC, U.S. regulators crack down on illegal robocalls, telemarketing
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 18 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Tuesday announced a nationwide crackdown to stop companies from inundating people with billions of unwanted and illegal robocalls and telemarketing calls. "We don't know too many people out there who enjoy getting scam calls," Samuel Levine, director of the FTC consumer protection bureau, told reporters. In addition to targeting telemarketers, the crackdown targets Voice over Internet Protocol providers that facilitate robocalls, which often come from outside the country. In a statement, the company said it shared the FTC's concerns about robocall technology, and is confident its telemarketing consent practices are legal. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Samuel Levine, Dave Yost, Jonathan Stempel, Aurora Ellis, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Authorities, Republican, Thomson Locations: U.S, Washington, New York, Ohio

☆ Robert Downey Jr.’s Post-Marvel Balancing Act
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( David Marchese | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

So from where you’re sitting, do you feel as if you’re able to make sense of the business right now? Robert Downey Jr. in “Oppenheimer.” Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal PicturesIs it right that you’re remaking “Vertigo”? Downey on “Downey’s Dream Cars.” MaxDowney with his son Exton Elias and father, Robert Downey Sr., in “Sr.” (2022). I’m saying that doing the right thing for the right reasons gives you an advantage in spirit. You know, there’s part of me that thinks I should be a writer or an entrepreneur or I could blah, blah, blah.

Persons: Robert Downey Jr, ” Robert Downey Jr, “, Oppenheimer, ”, Christopher Nolan, Nolan —, Downey, Lewis Strauss, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy, —, Tony Stark, “ Oppenheimer, “ Perry Mason, ” Melinda Sue Gordon, ” Max Downey, Exton Elias, Robert Downey Sr, there’s, Chris Nolan, I’m, I’ve, he’s, Strauss, Oprah, Taylor, we’re, ” Downey, Holly Hunter, Mariana Trench, don’t, you’ve, Marisa Tomei, “ Chaplin ”, Jami Gertz, Andrew McCarthy, Sherlock Holmes, David Marchese, Emma Chamberlain, Walter Mosley Organizations: Marvel, Atomic Energy Commission, Universal, Netflix, Paramount, Everett, Little League, Carolco, Getty, Century Fox, U.S, Marshals, YouTube, Cal Newport Locations: Thunderdome, “, “ Sr, what’s, America

☆ Two guys who were fed up with spam calls created a ChatGPT tool that trolls telemarketers and wastes their time
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Jolly Roger is a telephone service that uses AI to fight back against pesky telemarketing calls. With the prevalence of robocalls across the country, Jolly Roger serves as a way to fight back. A telephone service called Jolly Roger harnesses ChatGPT and voice modulation software to create and read scripts to telemarketers. There were 4.7 billion spam calls made in November 2022 and 5.08 billion this past May, according to YouMail's robocall index. Until a world where dubious calls from unidentified numbers exists, Jolly Roger will do its best to alleviate the annoyance.

Persons: Jolly Roger, pesky, Whitey Whitebeard, Sally, telemarketers, Roger Anderson, Anderson, Steve Berkson, Berkson, Steve, Sid Berkson, Berkson's, ChatGPT, it's Organizations: Morning, Street Journal, robocalls, Force Locations: Washington, Arizona

☆ People Hire Phone Bots to Torture Telemarketers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Robert Mcmillan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/people-hire-phone-bots-to-torture-telemarketers-2dbb8457

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ US announces charges in $2.5 billion healthcare fraud takedown
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Of the $2.5 billion in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare, state Medicaid programs that serve the poor and supplemental Medicare insurance programs offered by private insurers, about $1.1 billion was actually paid out to the fraudsters, officials said. The charges, filed or unsealed from June 12 through to Wednesday, involved a series of cases comprising similar types of schemes. The claims get submitted to federal or state insurance programs for reimbursement. The types of medical services at the heart of such schemes usually involve those that pay the highest reimbursement rates. Past examples of such services targeted by fraudsters have included durable medical equipment, genetic testing and other lab diagnostic services.

Persons: Merrick Garland, telemarketers, fraudsters, Sarah N, Lynch, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S . Justice Department, Wednesday, Medicare, Department, Thomson Locations: New Jersey, Wisconsin

NEW DELHI, May 8 (Reuters) - Truecaller (TRUEb.ST) will soon start making its caller identification service available over WhatsApp and other messaging apps to help users spot potential spam calls over the internet, the company told Reuters on Monday. The feature, currently in beta phase, will be rolled out globally later in May, Truecaller Chief Executive Alan Mamedi said. Telemarketing and scamming calls have been on the rise in countries like India, where users gets about 17 spam calls per month on average, according to a 2021 report by Truecaller. For Truecaller, India is its biggest market with 250 million users. It has 350 million users globally and earns its revenue from advertising, subscription services, and verified listings from businesses.

☆ Pelosi campaign pays Illinois man $7,500 after he sued over 'invasive and harassing' fundraising texts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Illinois man sued Nancy Pelosi's campaign for more than $31,500 over unwanted fundraising texts. And according to federal campaign finance disclosures made public on Friday, the dismissal came after Rojas received a $7,500 payment marked "Settlement" from Pelosi's congressional campaign. Rojas and Pelosi's campaign did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. A fundraising text that Rojas received from Pelosi, according to the lawsuit. Screenshot/Rojas v. Nancy Pelosi for Congress et alA full copy of the lawsuit can be found below:

☆ How ChatGPT is changing the job hiring process, from the HR department to coders
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Kevin Travers | Special To Cnbc.Com | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

But how many business leaders are currently using AI tech in day-to-day operations or plan to? Half of the companies ResumeBuilder surveyed in February said they are using ChatGPT; 30% said they plan to do so. Since the survey was completed, more professionals have started using generative AI. There has been a growing concern that generative AI could replace jobs, and perhaps not the ones most expected. On the hiring side, 82% of respondents said they had used generative AI for hiring in a recent ResumeBuilder update.

☆ Why some college professors are adopting ChatGPT AI as quickly as students
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Carolyn Chun | Kevin Travers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In an analysis of professions "most exposed" to the latest advances in large language models like ChatGPT, eight of the top 10 are teaching positions. Post-secondary teachers in English language and literature, foreign language, and history topped the list among educators. Jobs most 'exposed' to generative AI Rank Profession 1 Telemarketers 2 English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary 3 Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary 4 History Teachers, Postsecondary 5 Law Teachers, Postsecondary 6 Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary 7 Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary 8 Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary 9 Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary 10 SociologistsSource: "How will Language Modelers like ChatGPT Affect Occupations and Industries?" But affected jobs – or as the study officially describes it, jobs most "exposed to AI" – does not necessarily mean the human positions will be replaced. And for topics that are very dense, "ChatGPT can even help educators translate some of those lessons or takeaways in simpler language," he said.

☆ Even hackers are getting laid off: As companies beef up cybersecurity, one hacker group reportedly let go of 45 telemarketers tricking people into inviting ransomware
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

More countries are targeting payments made to appease ransomware attackers, according to Gartner. As US Department of Justice investigators and companies beef up their oversight of cybersecurity threats, the impact of ransomware attacks — hackers demand ransom payments from targets — has been blunted, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Ransomware hacks can have high stakes, especially when hackers blackmail targets over private information in order to extract payments. In 2021, the agency created new groups internally, including the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and the Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force. Countries are generally also stepping up their oversight of ransomware attacks and trying to improve privacy regulations, according to the research and consulting firm Gartner.

☆ Even if ChatGPT doesn't take your job, it could help another human replace you, says the economist who famously concluded AI could eliminate nearly half of US jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In 2013, Oxford economist Carl Benedikt Frey estimated that nearly half of all US jobs could be replaced by AI. So rather than having your job "outright replaced," Frey says, ChatGPT's adoption may ultimately result in a different outcome — being replaced by another human. That said, he believes the study's estimates regarding potential AI job replacement are still "broadly on target." "We may be more focusing on generating the right ideas, asking the right questions, things that are more interesting." That's because there are arguably some things ChatGPT can't learn from scouring data from millions of websites.

☆ How 'Real Housewife' Jen Shah's fabulous life came crashing down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Stephanie Clifford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +43 min

The woman wrote to the judge overseeing Shah's case that she'd had to remortgage her house, almost divorced, and "thought about ending my own life." The couple decided that he should get his degree while Jen Shah dropped out of college to work. (Shah told a judge at her 2022 plea hearing that she had been treated for "alcohol and depression" two years prior. Koa Johnson, Jen Shah's former fashion designerWhen Sharrieff Shah did participate in filming, he quickly became a fan favorite, calm and sensible. Once the show aired and Jen Shah developed a fan base, her behavior became more dramatic, Johnson said.

☆ 'Real Housewife' Jen Shah should get 10 years in prison following guilty plea for wire fraud, feds say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Smith also pleaded not guilty to the charges in April 2021, but later changed his plea to guilty in November 2021, court records show. Another victim with several serious health conditions said she became homeless after being pushed into nearly $30,000 debt through Shah’s scheme. Shah starred on the show since its first season, which premiered in 2020; the third season is currently airing. "For that, I am genuinely sorry, and I will work for the rest of my life to make it right." Shah also claimed in that statement that she joined "The Real Housewives" to "escape the coaching business" and "have a platform to launch my fashion and beauty business."

Incoming calls on your Android phone that inexplicably go straight to voicemail without ringing is a mundane — yet frustrating — issue. How to troubleshoot your Android when incoming calls go straight to voicemailHere are six things to troubleshoot when your calls go straight to voicemail — and the one thing you should do when nothing else works. Make sure the toggles in the Incoming calls section – All incoming calls and All incoming calls when roaming – are turned off. Turn off "All incoming calls" and "All incoming calls when roaming." If your coverage is very weak, incoming calls can go straight to voicemail.

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