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☆ Putin doesn't even trust his own bodyguards and gives them fake travel plans, says former guard who defected
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vitaly Brizhaty, a former member of Putin's protection service, says the Russian leader "fears for his life." Putin makes multiple fake travel plans to keep even his own officers in the dark, he said. Brizhaty, who fled to Ecuador, said Putin is a war criminal and condemned the invasion of Ukraine. FSO staff are also cut off from communicating with anyone in the EU, the US, or Ukrainian relatives, as well as anyone who opposes the war, Brizhaty said. Brizhaty was reported as decrying the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying Putin is a war criminal.

Persons: Vitaly Brizhaty, Putin, Brizhaty, Vladimir Putin's, Gleb Karakulov, Karakulov, — Organizations: Service, Federal Protection Service, FSO, Radio Free, Center Locations: Ecuador, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Crimea, Radio Free Europe, Oliva, EU, Russia

☆ DocGo Used Unregistered Guards at Migrant Hotels, N.Y. Officials Charge
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Jay Root | More About Jay Root | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More than 50 security guards hired to protect asylum seekers bused upstate from New York City by a troubled migrant contractor are working without proper authorization, a New York Department of State investigation found. The department on Friday notified the two security companies that hired the guards — Trace Assets Protection Service L.L.C. and Wawanda Investigations and Security Company L.L.C. In some cases, it was not even clear if the guards were employees of the two security firms. “Please take notice that the continued employment of the above individuals, unless properly registered with the Department, is a continued and willful violation of law,” Ms. Clark wrote.

Persons: Whitney A, Clark, ” Ms Organizations: New York Department of State, Wawanda Investigations, Security Company, The New York Times, State, Business Development, Department Locations: New York City, New York, Erie County, Albany County

CrowdStrike shares rose as much as 10.2% to $164.41 on Thursday and was last trading at $162, up 8.59%. Okta's shares rose 17.6% to $86.50, their highest level since May. Other cybersecurity firms were also trading higher, buoyed by CrowdStrike and Okta. Multiple analysts raised their price target for the shares of CrowdStrike and Okta in reaction to the news. Austin, Texas-based CrowdStrike delivers cloud-based cybersecurity protection through its Falcon platform that is used by many large U.S. companies.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, CrowdStrike, Okta, Chibuike Oguh, Lance Tupper, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, CrowdStrike Holdings, Okta Inc, Wall, Zscaler Inc, Nasdaq, Palo Alto Networks, Thomson Locations: CrowdStrike, Austin , Texas, U.S, San Francisco, New York

That's because the Federal Reserve has been hiking interest rates since March 2022 in an effort to cool inflation. So the question remains: When will we finally see interest rates start to come down? CNBC Select asked three experts to give their take on what lies ahead for interest rates. What we'll coverWhen will interest rates come back down? Existing loans with a variable rate may also start charging less interest as the Fed lowers interest rates.

Persons: Amy Hubble, hasn't, Preston Caldwell, Caldwell, Hubble, Elliot Eisenberg, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, CNBC, Federal, Market, Morningstar Research Services, Ally Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, Jumbo, Navy Federal Credit, PNC Bank, PNC Bank Mortgage, Savings, Axos Bank, FDIC, CNBC Select's, Facebook, Twitter Locations: U.S

☆ Wildfires rage across the Mediterranean destroying land and claiming lives
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau Hamdi Alkhshali Martin Goillandeau Isa Soares Sugam Pokharel Elinda Labropoulou Chris Liakos Hande Atay Alam Laura Paddison | Barbie Latza Nadeau | Hamdi Alkhshali | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

More than 8,000 firefighters have been deployed to control the blazes as residents living near forested areas were evacuated, according to EPTV. Nasri Elyas/APThe Algerian Ministry of the Interior announced at least 34 deaths in multiple forest fires across the country. A 98-year-old man died as flames reached his home in the coastal city of Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, according to ANSA. Flames burn a tree in Vati village, on the Aegean Sea island of Rhodes, southeastern Greece, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty ImagesIn Turkey, forest wildfires ignited Monday night in the southern Mediterranean province of Antalya, according to Antalya Municipality’s statement.

Persons: Nasri Elyas, Billel, Nello Musumeci, ”, Alberto Lo Bianco, Fabrizio Villa, Maria Feggou, ” Feggou, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Petros Giannakouris, Angelos Tzortzinis, Muhittin Bocek, “, ” Bocek Organizations: CNN, EPTV, Reuters, Algerian Ministry of, Interior, ANSA, Civil, Twitter, Residents, Hellenic Red Cross, Greek Air Force, Getty, Anadolu Locations: Italy, Greece, Algeria, North, Bourbatache, Sicily, Calabria, Abruzzo, Puglia, Reggio Calabria, Palermo, Capaci, Catania, Rhodes, Corfu, Evia, Crete, Vati, AFP, Turkey, Antalya, Antalya’s Kemer, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Croatian

Certain forms of identity theft, like synthetic identity theft or child identity theft, are harder to detect. You can also enroll in an identity theft protection service that can monitor the dark web for your information and provide identity theft insurance, usually up to $1 million. The best identity theft protection services will also provide you with personalized expert assistance if you experience more identity theft. While credit-related identity theft is more common, "identity theft can occur in other areas, including medical records, tax filings, social media accounts, employment history, and even criminal records," says Josh Amishav, founder and CEO of Breachsense, a data breach monitoring platform. Identity theft recovery frequently asked questionsCan you fully recover from identity theft?

Persons: you'll, David Burroughs, IdentityTheft.gov, You'll, Burroughs, you've, Equifax, Allen, Michael Bruemmer, haven't, Josh Amishav Organizations: FTC, Federal Trade Commission, Social, FBI, Social Security, Services, Social Security Administration Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com, Atlanta, Allen , TX, Chester ,

WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - Partnering with Coinbase Global (COIN.O) may hinder rather than help Nasdaq's (NDAQ.O) bid to win regulatory approval for a bitcoin exchange-traded-fund it wants to launch with BlackRock (BLK.N). The SEC has denied previous spot bitcoin ETF proposals on the basis that they would be vulnerable to manipulation. The SEC last month sued Coinbase, escalating SEC chair Gary Gensler's crackdown on the crypto industry. And with roughly 56% of U.S. dollar bitcoin trading, according to Nasdaq's filing, Coinbase is integral to the U.S. bitcoin market. All told, the SEC has 240 days after it accepts the bitcoin ETF filing applications to make a decision.

Persons: Larry Fink, Bitcoin, Coinbase, Gary Gensler's, John Reed Stark, Sui Chung, Gensler, Joseph Silvia, Dickinson Wright, Silvia, Chung, Richard Marshall, Katten, Marshall, Michelle Price, John McCrank, Hannah Lang, Will Dunham Organizations: Coinbase, BlackRock, Nasdaq, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Cboe Global, Fidelity, FOX Business, Internet Enforcement, BlackRock's, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BlackRock, U.S

You can enroll in an identity theft protection service so you don't fall victim to theft. There are many companies out there that solely focus on identity protection — you can read our guide to the best identity theft protection services — but you may be able to enroll in an identity theft protection service through your credit card provider. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Covers up to 10 children under 18 at no extra cost Check mark icon A check mark. With services comparable to some of the best identity theft protection services at a competitive price, this is an appealing option to Discover cardholders.

Persons: Capital One's CreditWise, David McMillin David McMillin, Guy, David, he's Organizations: Social, Federal Trade Commission, Research, Express, American Express, Chase, Credit, Business, Capital, Mastercard, Theft Locations: cardholders, Experian, AnnualCreditReport.com, Chicago, Alaska , Utah , Oklahoma, Vermont

24/7 phone support Check mark icon A check mark. Perks such as roadside assistance, ID theft aid, cell phone protection, and more Check mark icon A check mark. Earn up to $30 per month in out-of-network ATM refunds, depending on tier level Check mark icon A check mark. No monthly fee for the first 12 months, with recurring monthly deposits of $25 Check mark icon A check mark. Mobile check deposit Check mark icon A check mark.

Persons: —, you've, Wells, Banks, Foster, Ally, you’ll, Charles Schwab, Chase, Wells Fargo Organizations: Service, Bank of America, Credit Union, Chevron, Alliant Credit Union, Express, American Express, FDIC, Reading Chevron, Axos, Axos Bank, Blue Federal, Blue Foundation, NOVA, Capital, Schwab, Savings, Chase Bank, Overdraft, Chase, locator.chase.com, Green, Banking, The Bancorp Bank, Stride Bank, N.A, CIT Bank, Bank, FDIC CIT Bank, CIT, Connect, Citi, Member FDIC Citi, BBB, Consumers Credit, Credit, Consumers Credit Union, Delta Community Credit, Community Credit, Utah Free, Discover, Discover Bank, FDIC Discover, Falcon International, International, Falcon International Bank, International Bank of Commerce, American, Laredo Federal Credit Union, Latino Community Development Center, North Carolina, Community Credit Union, Latino Community Credit, Navy Federal Free, Federal Free, NCUA Navy Federal Free, Navy Federal Credit Union, Department of Defense, Premier, LifeGreen, Regions Bank, City Federal Credit, River City Federal Credit, Federal Credit, City Federal Credit Union, Employees Credit, NCUA, State Employees Credit Union, Member, Service Credit Union, American Consumer, Security, Security Service, UT, Stripes, Security Service Credit Union, The Security, Synchrony Bank, . Bank, U.S, Bank's Locations: Chevron, Colorado and Wyoming, NY, LA, TX, VA, NJ, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, CA, CT, FL, Chicago , Illinois, eDocuments, Metro Atlanta , Georgia, Kentucky , Texas, Georgia, Texas, AZ, Arizona , California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Laredo, North Carolina, Charlotte, Piedmont Triad, North, American, City, River City, River, San Antonio , Texas, Bexar County, Europe, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Colorado , Texas, Utah

The best identity theft protection service is one that meets your needs at the price you're willing to pay. Here's how we rate identity theft protection services. How we rate identity theft protection servicesIdentity theft protection services are rated on a scale from 1-5 stars, with five being the best. Some credit card companies have identity theft protection services that are only available to their cardholders, such as American Express CreditSecure. What to know about identity theft protection service ratingsOur system for rating identity theft protection services balances the price of the service with the features that the service provides.

Persons: you'll, It's, Price Organizations: Express, Costco

A Social Security number (SSN) allows the government and other entities to track personal information like employment history, tax contributions, and Social Security benefits. Qualifying reasons for new social security numberThe SSA outlines legitimate reasons to request a new Social Security number. Drawbacks of changing your Social Security numberA Social Security number change doesn't erase your financial history. New Social Security number frequently asked questionsCan you get a new Social Security number if your identity is stolen? Knowingly maintaining two Social Security numbers can result in a Social Security fraud charge, which can result in a maximum of five years in prison.

Persons: Nilsa Henriquez, Henriquez, —, TransUnion, It's, you've Organizations: Social Security, Social, SSA, Social Security Administration, New Social

☆ MOVEit hack claims Calpers and Genworth as millions more victims impacted
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

News reports said information from more than 700,000 Calpers members and retirees was taken. The MOVEit software is widely-used by organisations around the world to share sensitive data. Genworth Financial was harder hit, saying personal information of nearly 2.5 million to 2.7 million of its customers was breached. "The personal information of a significant number of insurance policyholders or other customers of its life insurance businesses was unlawfully accessed," Genworth said. The MOVEit hack has hit several state and federal agencies.

Persons: PBI, Calpers, Genworth, Niket, Chris Sanders, Maju Samuel, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Genworth, PBI Research Services, U.S . Department of Energy, Washington DC, Thomson Locations: Calpers, Burlington , Massachusetts, Russia, Bengaluru, Washington

☆ World Cup: Software using AI finds almost 20,000 abusive social media posts were sent during Qatar 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Monitoring software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) found almost 20,000 abusive social media posts were aimed at players, officials and coaches during the Qatar World Cup, according to a new report released by FIFA. In total, 20 million posts and comments were analyzed across all major social media platforms, successfully verifying the identity of 306 account owners that sent abusive messages. In total, 434,000 posts were flagged by AI and reviewed by humans, the report said, with the abusive messages coming from 12,600 different accounts. It hurts our families.”Of the abusive messages, 38% came from Europe, 36% from South America, 10% from Asia, 8% from Africa and 8% from North and Central America. When grouped together by country – all players, teams and official member association social media handles – France received the most abuse, with England in second and Brazil third.

Persons: –, FIFPro –, “, Mark, Anthony Kaye, It’s, Harry Kane, Kellyn Acosta Organizations: CNN, Monitoring, Qatar, FIFA, Canada Men’s National Team, England, France, Men’s National Locations: Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, North, Central America, France, Brazil, England

☆ Attack on Vienna's pride parade prevented, security services say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VIENNA, June 18 (Reuters) - Austrian security services said on Sunday they had thwarted a planned attack on Saturday's pride parade in the capital. "Through the successful and also timely intervention, we managed to defuse the moment of danger for Vienna Pride and to ensure the safety of all participants," said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, Austria's domestic intelligence chief. He did not give details of what the attack would have consisted of, but said items prohibited under Austria's weapons law were seized in searches carried out at the suspects' homes. Vienna police and Austria's state protection service were involved in the operation. The three suspects - Austrian citizens with Bosnian and Chechen roots - sympathise with the Islamic State militant group, Haijawi-Pirchner said.

Persons: Omar Haijawi, Pirchner, Noele, Frances Kerry Organizations: Vienna Pride, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Austrian, Vienna, Bosnian, Chechen

☆ Brazil's Mura people report threats amid pressure to approve Amazon potash mine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Ana Mano | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sergio, a Mura leader, said false information began to circulate after Funai showed up, including that the agency would "take away farmers' land." Potassio do Brasil, a unit of Toronto-based Brazil Potash, has previously denied any coercion and said it has followed the consultation protocol strictly. Federal prosecutor Fernando Soave said ongoing court-supervised Mura consultations have not been "free" or "in good faith," citing threats against the Mura since the company began trying to approve the mine project. The prosecutor reiterated that the Mura consultations should be suspended because demarcation studies have not concluded. Potassio do Brasil needs three years to build the installations for the mine and aimed to start potash production there in 2026.

☆ A new wave of robocallers are trying to scam crypto users — here's how the scam works and how to stop it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Robocallers are beginning to target cryptocurrency investors, spoofing calls from Coinbase. These scams are particularly risky for crypto investors, as reclaiming lost assets is difficult. Doug Shadel, the managing director of Fraud Prevention Strategies who works alongside Nomorobo, told Insider he's noticed several different types of scams from robocallers trying to bilk crypto investors. He said cryptocurrency scams have often become like a new-age version of gift card scams. Staying secureInsider spoke to representatives from both hardware wallet Ledger and cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase whose users were targeted by robocallers.

"We have found widespread bullying, discrimination, institutional homophobia, misogyny and racism," the report said, adding "women and children do not get the protection and support they deserve". [1/4] A Metropolitan Police officer stands on duty in Westminster, London, Britain, October 1, 2021. The review said the biggest barrier was the Met's culture of defensiveness and denial about the scale of its problems. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley, Britain's most senior police officer, told reporters: "We've let Londoners down and we've let our own frontline down ... The 360-page report listed strong leadership, a women's protection service, and a new children's strategy as some of its recommendations.

☆ 3 ways to easily check if your bank account is FDIC insured
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Jason Stauffer | Elizabeth Gravier | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Nearly all banks are insured by the FDIC, which protects your deposits up to $250,000 (per person, bank, and account type). CNBC Select explains how to check if your bank is an FDIC member, as well as what you need to know about the types of bank accounts the FDIC protects. 3 ways to check if your bank is FDIC insuredThe FDIC makes it easy to check if your bank is insured. Check online You can easily discover if your bank is FDIC insured using the BankFind Suite tool. Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Online Savings Learn More Goldman Sachs Bank USA is a Member FDIC.

Below, CNBC Select breaks down what you need to know if choosing between high-yield savings accounts, CDs and treasury bills. High-yield savings accounts let you earn a higher interest rate on your balance compared to what you'd earn through traditional savings accounts. The Marcus by Goldman Sachs High Yield Online Savings Account is one savings account option that doesn't charge any excessive withdrawal fees. Like high-yield savings accounts, certificate of deposit accounts (CDs) allow you to deposit money into an account to earn interest on your balance. How to choose between a high-yield savings account, a CD and treasury billsUltimately, deciding between a high-yield savings account, a CD and treasury bills will come down to what the money will be used for.

Homeowners typically make their normal monthly mortgage payments and expect to pay off their homes over 30 years. One of the best mortgage lenders for refinancing is Rocket Mortgage due to its flexible loan repayment terms, fast approval process and lower credit score requirements. There are three primary methods for making extra payments – pay extra each month, make a lump sum payment or switch to bi-weekly payments. The first two methods require you to pay extra manually, but this one locks you into a quicker mortgage payoff. These strategies help borrowers pay off their homes faster and reduce the interest they'll pay.

Americans can access free credit reports from the credit bureaus every week until the end of 2023. However, since April 2020, Americans have been allowed to check their credit reports for free once per week. A Consumer Reports survey found that 34% of consumers have found an error on at least one of their credit reports. Weekly credit reports frequently asked questions (FAQ)Will checking my credit report every week lower my credit score? Because consumers can request their credit reports every week, credit monitoring services aren't nearly as necessary as they were pre-pandemic.

While rates can fluctuate over time, high-yield savings accounts generally offer APYs over 10 times greater than the national average on savings accounts. To determine which high-yield savings accounts are the best overall, CNBC Select analyzed and compared dozens of savings accounts offered by online and brick-and-mortar banks, including large credit unions. (See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best high-yield savings accounts.) Find the best savings account for you: Help your money grow by finding the savings account that offers the best rates and features for you. Our methodologyTo determine which high-yield savings accounts offer the best return on your money, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of U.S. savings accounts offered by online and brick-and-mortar banks, including large credit unions.

☆ Don't forget to take advantage of these 4 'free money' benefits, says financial expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Elizabeth Gravier | Jason Stauffer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Maximize your credit card rewards Credit card rewards programs let you earn cash-back (or other perks) on money you were going to spend anyway. For example, with a cash rewards credit card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you can earn 2% cash rewards on all eligible purchases with no annual fee. Transfer your cash to a high-yield savings account In this rising-rate environment, now is the time to open a high-yield savings account and earn more interest than you would in a traditional savings account. You're essentially collecting "free" money by parking your cash in a savings account — especially one with an above-average APY. Bask Bank Interest Savings Account Learn More Bask Bank and BankDirect are divisions of Texas Capital Bank, Member FDIC.

Checking your credit score and your credit report will not impact your credit score. Understanding credit score checksChecking your own credit score does not hurt it. This may be when you make monthly credit card payments, as many credit card companies show you your credit score. Using too much credit: Your credit utilization ratio is the amount of credit you're currently using on your revolving credit accounts compared to your total available credit. "Your credit card balance should not exceed 30% of the available limit on a credit card," Haywood explains.

☆ 8 reasons why you need an EIN for your business and how to apply for one
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Lee Huffman | Elizabeth Gravier | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Below, CNBC Select explains how to apply for an EIN for your business and eight reasons why you need one. An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal identification number for your business. These are a few of the most common reasons why you need to apply for an EIN. You cannot open a business bank account for most forms of business without an EIN.. You cannot open a business bank account for most forms of business without an EIN. Best small business resourcesOnce you have your EIN, it will be easier to separate personal and business expenses and take advantage of various small business resources, such as business credit cards, business checking accounts, business savings accounts, business loans and business expense trackers.

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