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☆ Hackers are already taking advantage of the CrowdStrike outage chaos
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Brian Fung | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CrowdStrike has issued its own guidance on what affected organizations can do in response to the issue. One example of that has been targeting Spanish-speaking CrowdStrike customers, the company said in a separate blog post. When opened, the file installs malicious software that phones home to a server the hackers control and may use to give additional instructions to the malware. “CrowdStrike Intelligence recommends that organizations ensure they are communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels and they adhere to technical guidance the CrowdStrike support teams have provided,” the company said. “Bad actors routinely try to take advantage of current events, so it’s not all surprising to see them attempting to take advantage of this one,” Callow said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, CrowdStrike, Kenn White, “, cybercriminals, Lina Khan, Azim Khodjibaev, Brett Callow, ” Callow Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland Security, Infrastructure Security Agency, CrowdStrike Intelligence, Federal Trade Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, FTC, Cisco, FTI Consulting

☆ The 'Trump trade' is on pause. Political uncertainty is now in the driver's seat
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

It didn't take long to remember what a second Donald Trump presidential term would mean for the stock market, did it? He talked about how interested he was in the stock market and that he wanted his kids to learn so they watched my show together. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade.

Persons: Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Sen, JD Vance, Mary Elizabeth Lease, Joe Biden, Biden's, Trump, Biden, let's, Kamala Harris, Doug Emhoff, —, Harris, that's, Lina Kahn, Jonathan Kanter, Vance, Mark Spitznagel, Spitznagel, Bristol Myers, ., Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Chris Kleponis Organizations: Republican, Populist Party, Democratic Party, Devices, Nvidia, Biden, White House, Democratic, White, Big Tech, Federal Trade Commission, Biden Democrat, Trump, Nasdaq, Street, Universa Investments, Yahoo, America, Microsoft, Google, Palo Alto Networks, Palo Alto, Starbucks, Apple, PepsiCo, Myers Squibb, Pepsi, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, US, Afp, Getty Locations: Ohio, China, U.S, Taiwan, idiocy, Bristol, . Horton, Washington ,, Pennsylvania

☆ A fashion influencer is suing another creator, alleging she copied her 'aesthetic.' Lawyers say the case could have big ramifications.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The two Texas-based creators met up to talk about potentially producing content together given their similar fashion niches, according to a lawsuit filed by Gifford. Lawyers told BI that if Gifford wins any or all of the counts, the case could set a new precedent for the creator economy. It could drastically change how influencers create content online and protect their rights. She said this case could spark a fire in the creator community regardless of whether Gifford wins or loses. "The audience online is really smart though, and they'll figure it who the original creator is eventually," Puri said.

Persons: —, Sydney Nicole Gifford, Alyssa Sheil, she'd, Gifford, Sheil, She's, Kameron Buckner, there's, Buckner, I've, that's, Taylor Tieman, — Gifford —, Tieman, Tiffany Ferris, Haynes Boone, Ferris, Roe, Wade, Brown, I'm, Asmita, Puri Organizations: Service, Business, Meta, Copyright, Business Insider, of Education, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Texas, TikTok, Asmita Puri

It's important to review your credit reports often to check for mistakes, and to do that you need to know how to read a credit report. Because your credit matters so much, it's important to keep a close eye on your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian — and learn how to read a credit report. How to read a credit reportMost credit reports are broken down into sections that make your information easier to understand and digest. InquiriesThe final part of your credit report, known as the inquiry section, contains a list of who has accessed your credit report in the last 24 months. Editor's Rating 4.6/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.7/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.6/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Learn more On Aura's website Learn More Learn more On IdentityForce's websiteDisputing incorrect informationUnfortunately, errors and fraud wind up on credit reports all the time.

Persons: —, Experian —, You'll, you've, You've, they're, haven't Organizations: Visa, Card, preapproved, Credit Monitoring, Chevron, Federal Trade Commission Locations: AnnualCreditReport.com

☆ The 'Trump trade' has divided health-care stocks into two camps. How to play the next moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-19 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

UNH 1M mountain UnitedHealth stock over the past month. Think Centene , Molina Healthcare , UnitedHealth and Humana , among others. Managed-care companies historically buck the broader trend of health stocks and outperform in the first year after an election, according to Raymond James. Unlike UnitedHealth, shares have fallen — down 3% — since the June debate. Raymond James sees Oscar Health , HCA Healthcare and Tenet Healthcare as beneficiaries of a victory by the left.

Persons: Raymond James, Chris Meekins, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, quieted, Biden, Meekins, Centene, Trump, Bernstein, Jefferies, David Windley, UnitedHealth, Ben Hendrix, Optum, John Ransom, Piper Sandler, Ransom, Lance Wilkes, Oscar, — Ransom, Oscar's Organizations: Affordable, Trump, UnitedHealth, Republican, Biden, GOP, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, ACA, Medicare, Molina Healthcare, RBC Capital Markets, CVS Health, RBC Capital, DOJ, Humana, Healthcare, GoodRx Holdings, Democratic, Oscar Health, Tenet Healthcare, Aetna Locations: Molina, UnitedHealth, U.S, Thursday's, Florida, Texas

Why scammers target student loan borrowersStudent loan scams are common, especially as confusion remains over student loan forgiveness. There are currently forgiveness programs in place for federal student loans, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and accommodating repayment options, like Income-Driven Repayment Plans. What are the real student loan forgiveness programs? Real student loan forgiveness programs include Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness, teacher forgiveness, etc. Student loan scams: ConclusionDon't let scammers profit off your student debt.

Persons: Scammers, Biden, I've, you've Organizations: Public, of Education, Social, Federal, Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Education, Chevron, Real

☆ Donald Trump says he wouldn’t fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Don’t hold your breath
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would not fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if the former president wins the election in November, according to a Bloomberg interview published Tuesday. Powell, a registered Republican, was first tapped to helm the central bank by Trump in 2017. That still wouldn’t stop Trump from pushing to oust Powell before the Fed head’s term concludes in 2026. “He sued for reinstatement and even though he died while the litigation was pending, the Supreme Court still took up his case. It answers to Congress, not the US president, according to the law that established the central bank.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jerome Powell, he’d, Powell, Trump, “, he’s, reappoint Powell, Powell isn’t, William Humphrey, Franklin Roosevelt, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, Bloomberg, Trump, Fed, Democratic, House, Federal Trade Commission, Brookings Institution, Fed’s, Governors

☆ J.D. Vance’s A.I. Agenda: Reduce Regulation
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Cecilia Kang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Vance, Republican of Ohio, is a strong skeptic of regulating artificial intelligence. He’s also in favor of reining in Big Tech, companies he says have grown so powerful that they stymie smaller companies’ ability to succeed. That seeming contradiction could play a role in shaping the Trump administration’s stance on A.I. And he has strong ties with some of the tech industry’s most powerful backers, many of whom fund smaller A.I. Last week, during a committee hearing on privacy and A.I., Mr. Vance accused Big Tech companies of predicting that A.I.

Persons: J.D, Vance, He’s, Donald J, Trump, Vance —, —, Lina Khan Organizations: Republican, reining, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech Locations: Ohio, Big Tech

☆ JD Vance's history shows how he splits from Republicans on some key issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Monday, former President Donald Trump selected the Republican senator from Ohio to serve as his running mate. He went from a "Never Trump Republican" to Trump's pick for vice president, and he supports a range of conservative issues, from increased tariffs to opposing abortion rights. When it comes to raising taxes, Vance also hasn't ruled out that possibility. Related storiesStill, on other issues like trade, abortion, and education, Vance has stayed behind Trump's policies. He also aligns with his party on issues like gun control, rejecting Democratic efforts for stricter gun laws.

Persons: JD Vance, Donald Trump, Vance, Trump, Hitler, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, He's, Warren, Biden, Lina Khan, Khan, hasn't Organizations: Service, Corporate America, Republican, Business, GOP, Democratic, Trump, Biden, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech Locations: Ohio, Silicon

☆ Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and David Sacks personally lobbied Trump to pick Vance: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTesla billionaire Elon Musk, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and venture capitalist David Sacks personally lobbied Donald Trump to select JD Vance as his running mate, according to Axios. Axios said that a secret lobbying campaign continued into Monday morning, led by key figures such as Musk, Carlson, and Sacks. Tucker Carlson praised JD Vance after he was announced as Trump's VP nominee. Advertisement"When the Twin Towers came down, JD Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps, gung-ho to exact justice on America's enemies," Sacks wrote on X. Representatives for Donald Trump, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and David Sacks did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, David Sacks, Donald Trump, Vance, Trump, Mike Allen, Doug Burgum, Sen, Marco Rubio —, Axios, Carlson, Sacks, Carlson's, Rupert Murdoch, doesn't, JD Vance, Ivan Apfel, JD, America's Hitler, Sean Hannity Organizations: Service, Fox News, GOP, Business, Truth, CNN, — North Dakota Gov, Trump, Politico, Federal Trade, Big Tech, Marine Corps Locations: Ohio, United States, —, Ukraine, Israel, Europe, American

☆ Trump's VP pick Vance could have a market impact if they win—Beware Meta and Alphabet
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

At a February event, Vance raised concerns about Alphabet and Meta Platforms , saying that the technology behemoths have hurt tech innovation and pose potential risks to democracy. Trump would completely delegate the tech policy agenda to anyone given his personal interest in that space," Gallant wrote. "But we believe Sen. Vance would be a very important voice — perhaps decisive on some matters — in view of experience in the tech sector ... and of tech policy." Cryptocurrencies Many Wall Street analysts also expect Vance to maintain a favorable stance toward digital assets under a Trump White House. These stocks should fare well given Trump's favorable view toward digital assets, Boltansky said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, J.D, Vance, Peter Thiel, Stifel's Brian Gardner, Sen, Vance's, it's, Research's Blair Levin, Isaac Boltansky, Boltansky, TD Cowen's Paul Gallant, Lina Khan, Pres, Gallant, Raymond James, Ed Mills, Cryptocurrencies, Elizabeth Warren, Stifel's Gardner, Wolfe Research's Tobin Marcus Organizations: Ohio, Yale Law School, Republican Party, GOP, Technology, Twitter, Federal Trade, Street, Trump White House, Trump, Banking, Visa, Mastercard, U.S, Republican Locations: Washington

☆ Google is close to making its biggest acquisition ever
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Matt Egan | Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Google owner Alphabet is in advanced discussions to buy fast-growing cybersecurity startup Wiz for roughly $23 billion, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN. A takeover of Wiz, which makes cybersecurity software for cloud computing, would represent a major bet by Google on cybersecurity, marking the tech giant’s biggest-ever acquisition. Discussions between Google and Wiz began after the startup raised $1 billion from venture capital investors earlier this year, the source said. Google Cloud is central to the company’s efforts to diversity revenue beyond its core search advertising business. Notable customers include BMW, Slack and Salesforce, and it works with major cloud companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

Persons: Wiz, Dan Ives, Biden, Trump, Ives, — Assaf Rappaport, Ami Luttwak, Yinon Costica, Roy Reznik, Slack Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, CNN, Wiz, Wall Street, Motorola, Microsoft, Wedbush, White, Federal Trade Commission, Big Tech, Israel Defense Forces, Fortune, BMW, Amazon Locations: New York, New York City

☆ Amazon sellers lose coveted buy box ahead of Prime Day after Target discount snafu
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Even though Fishman is the owner of the VitaCup brand, he said he lost the buy box to a reseller of his coffee products. That meant it was indexed by Amazon's pricing algorithms, Fishman said, causing him to lose the buy box. Angus Mordant | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesWinning the buy box is paramount to a seller's success on Amazon. Nearly 98% of sales made on Amazon go through the buy box button, the FTC alleged in its suit. "The only way to get back the Amazon buy box is to lower our price on Amazon," Arnold said.

Persons: Tom Williams, Brandon Fishman, Fishman, I've, David Zapolsky, Amazon's, Target, Angus Mordant, Mason Arnold's, Arnold, Sunwink, we're Organizations: Washington , D.C, Cq, Inc, Target, Amazon, Walmart, Federal Trade Commission, JPMorgan, Bloomberg, Getty, FTC Locations: Washington ,, Harriman , New York

☆ Antitrust Regulator Tells Chains: Back Off Your Franchisees
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Lydia Depillis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the long-simmering conflict between franchisers and franchisees, the federal government has weighed in on behalf of the smaller guys. In a business relationship that has become fundamental to American commerce, franchisers — brands like McDonald’s and Jiffy Lube — license the right to operate their concept to individual entrepreneurs, who provide start-up capital and may own one location or many. On Friday, the Federal Trade Commission issued a policy statement and staff guidance that cautioned franchisers not to restrict their franchisees’ ability to speak to government officials or to tack on fees that weren’t disclosed in documents provided to prospective franchise buyers. In a news release, the commission said it was acting amid “growing concern about unfair and deceptive practices by franchisers — to ensure that the franchise business model remains a ladder of opportunity to owning a business for honest small business owners.”

Persons: franchisers, weren’t, franchisers —, ” Organizations: Federal Trade Commission

☆ Stop & Shop is closing 32 locations. Here’s where
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Stop & Shop is closing 32 underperforming grocery stores across the US northeast as part of the company’s efforts to improve its financial performance. Shoppers are also being squeezed by higher prices at the grocery store, with food prices experiencing modest upticks last month, according to the newest inflation report. Ahold Delhaize, the chain’s Dutch parent company, revealed the locations Friday adding that they will close in early November. Stop & Shop said it “remains committed to serving its communities through other store locations, online shopping and home delivery services.” Employees impacted by the closures will be offered other opportunities in the company. In addition to operating Stop & Shop, Ahold Delhaize owns Food Lion and Giant grocery stores in the US.

Persons: ”, Gordon Reid, Ahold Delhaize, Albertson’s, “, Delhaize, Newton, Jackson, Johnston, Pittman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Aldi, Kroger, Federal Trade Commission, ” Employees, Food, Here’s, St, Stamford, Plymouth St, Needham St, Highway, Boston Turnpike, Cooley St, Paterson, Edison, Howell, Phillipsburg, Fulton, Sanford, West Haverstraw Rhode, Pittman St Locations: New York, Dutch, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ansonia, Danbury, Bridgeport, Milford, High, Torrington Massachusetts, North Montello St, Brockton, Plymouth, Halifax, Needham, St, Pembroke, Raynham, Shrewsbury, Cooley, Springfield, Lincoln St . Worcester New Jersey, Franklin Township, County, Piscataway, Richmond, Pleasant Beach, Ringwood New York, Brooklyn, Hempstead Turnpike, East, ., Hempstead, Mt, Vernon, West Haverstraw, Providence, Eastside

☆ Microsoft's decision to give up OpenAI board observer seat doesn't quell key concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella (R) speaks as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (L) looks on during the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco on Nov. 6, 2023. Microsoft has given up its observer seat on OpenAI's board. Apple , which was reportedly expected to take a similar observer position, will no longer pursue one, according to the Financial Times. "The timing of this move matters," Kak wrote in a message to CNBC. Kak told CNBC that regulators' pursuits are helping to get answers and deliver transparency.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, aren't, Amba Kak, Kak, Lina Khan Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Financial Times, CNBC, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Justice Department, Nvidia Locations: San Francisco

☆ Federal Trade Commission to sue drug middlemen over prices of medications including insulin, source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino Mary Catherine Wellons | Annika Kim Constantino | Mary Catherine Wellons | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Joe Raedle | Getty ImagesAn Express Scripts spokesperson said the "prices of insulin and other medicines are set by their manufacturers, who have raised list prices repeatedly." They also create lists of medications — or formularies — that are covered by insurance and reimburse pharmacies for prescriptions. The investigation into insulin prices also examines drugmakers, but it is unclear whether they will be named in the upcoming lawsuits, Politico reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Eli Lilly , French drugmaker Sanofi and Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk control roughly 90% of the U.S. insulin market. Pharmacist Thomas Jensen looks over a prescription drug at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 9, 2019.

Persons: Lina Khan, Tom Williams, Joe Raedle, PBMs, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Thomas Jensen, George Frey Organizations: Trade, Financial Services, General Government, CQ, Inc, Getty, Federal Trade Commission, CNBC, UnitedHealth, CVS, FTC, Politico, Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy Locations: Miami, U.S, Danish, Provo , Utah

☆ Illegal Eviction Complaints Rise As Police Fail to Enforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Cecilia Reyes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +44 min

The nature of illegal lockouts means they are hard to track directly. One of the responding officers calls a sergeant over, who says there's nothing else they can do. While only 14% of lockout calls led to a police report, 86% of calls about shoplifting did. As they walk over, one of the officers tells the other to look up "illegal lockout" on his phone. A 2006 bill that would have defined illegal lockouts for all Illinois residents was defeated.

Persons: Alfred Perry, He'd, Perry, Dan Wright, Perry didn't, Wright, Bridget Bennett, Dan hadn't, I'd, he'd, Charlie Bliss, Matthew Desmond, Lockouts, Jersey City's, haven't, he's, David Leibowitz, Leibowitz, —, Pretium —, Kristi DesJarlais, Siegel, Sean Thueson , , Thueson, Blackstone, lockouts, Pretium, Katherine Kelly, RealPage, Jennifer Bowcock, William Prosser ,, they're, Donna Rossi, Sara Heymann, Meghan Aguilar, Misty Skinner, Skinner, Levi Wilhelm, It's, hasn't, I've, Wilhelm, they'd, Jeffrey Uno, Deirdre Orange, isn't, Daniel Benavidez, Jenny Chavez, criminalizing, Rob Bonta, Eric Carter, John Bartlett, Carter, Fred Fuchs, Steve Cohen, Michael Bennet, Sarah Saadian, Douglas Farrar, Kelly, Fuchs, Heymann, who've Organizations: Labor, Chrysler, Social Security, Business, North Las Vegas Police Department, Child Protective Services, Las Vegas Justice, Atlanta Legal, Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta, Supreme, Department of Housing, Los Angeles Police Department, Houston —, Arizona, Housing Association, Invitation Homes, Siegel, Siegel Group, Blackstone ., Progress, Homes, Union, city's Housing Department, Miami, Police, Houston, Houston Police Department, Phoenix, Criminal, Chicago, Chicago Department, LAPD, Records, Jersey City, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police, Legal, Foundation of Los, Phoenix Police Department, Fulton County Marshal's Department, Avondale Police Department, Avondale Police, Metropolitan Tenants Organization, Texas Justice Court, Court Training Center, Illinois, National Weather Service, Democratic, Senate, Income Housing Coalition, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, AGs Locations: Las Vegas, Detroit, Vegas, United States, Perry's, Princeton, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, South Chicago, Phoenix, Jersey, New Jersey, Jersey City, Houston, Nevada, . Texas, Harris County, Texas, Arizona, Washington, city's, Atlanta , Miami, California, New York City, Spring Valley, Spring Valley , Nevada, Las, Foundation of Los Angeles, Avondale , Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia , Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, In Connecticut , Massachusetts, Minnesota , New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Illinois

Joe Raedle | Getty ImagesAn Express Scripts spokesperson said "the prices of insulin and other medicines are set by their manufacturers, who have raised list prices repeatedly." The FTC's investigation into insulin prices also examines drugmakers, but it is unclear whether they will be named in the upcoming lawsuits, Politico reported, citing sources. Eli Lilly , French drugmaker Sanofi and Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk control roughly 90% of the U.S. insulin market. They also create lists of medications – or formularies – that are covered by insurance and reimburse pharmacies for prescriptions. Pharmacist Thomas Jensen looks over a prescription drug at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 9, 2019.

Persons: Lina Khan, Tom Williams, Joe Raedle, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Thomas Jensen, George Frey Organizations: Trade, Financial Services, General Government, CQ, Inc, Getty, Federal Trade Commission, CNBC, UnitedHealth, CVS, Politico, Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy Locations: Miami , Florida, Danish, U.S, Provo , Utah

☆ F.T.C. Says Middlemen Appear to Be Driving Up Drug Prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Reed Abelson | Rebecca Robbins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday sharply criticized pharmacy benefit managers, saying in a scathing 71-page report that “these powerful middlemen may be profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies.”The regulator’s study signals a significant ramping up of its scrutiny of benefit managers under the agency’s chair, Lina Khan. It represents a remarkable turnabout for an agency that has long taken a hands-off approach to policing these companies. has so far stopped short of bringing a lawsuit or other enforcement action against a benefit manager. But the industry fears that the report could lead to a formal investigation into its practices or to a lawsuit accusing benefit managers of anticompetitive conduct. The agency’s findings could also fuel legislative efforts in Congress and in the states to impose limits on the industry.

Persons: Lina Khan Organizations: Federal Trade Commission

☆ Popular app banned from hosting young teens in a groundbreaking settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The regulators wrote that the app billed itself as a “safe space” for teens but, in reality, preyed on them. The app, known as NGL, had been downloaded millions of times, according to the complaint. NGL deceptively hooked teens into subscribing to its premium service by sending them fake, anonymous messages and then promising to reveal the sender after they paid, said the complaint. Highlighting the groundbreaking nature of the NGL settlement, FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson described Tuesday’s action as a “novel” use of the agency’s legal powers. But, he argued, the public should not interpret the lawsuit to mean that it is illegal in general to market any anonymous messaging app to teens.

Persons: ”, Lina Khan, ” NGL, NGL, Joao Figueiredo, ” Figueiredo, “ I’ve, Figueiredo, Khan, Andrew Ferguson, ” Ferguson, Kristin Bride, Bride, Carson, Fairplay Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Los Angeles, Attorney’s, US, Court, Central, Central District of, FTC, Meta, Epic Games, Facebook Locations: Central District, Central District of California, New York, Arkansas, Florida , Louisiana

☆ Job scams surged 118% in 2023, aided by AI. Here's how to stop them
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Ridvan_celik | E+ | Getty ImagesEmployment scams surged last year, as criminals leveraged artificial intelligence to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting job seekers, experts said. Consumer reports of job scams jumped 118% in 2023 from the prior year, according to a recent report by the Identity Theft Resource Center. How job scams can rip you offCon artists will "push you for money" during the hiring process, the FTC said. Job seekers should not expect to have to hand over personal information until after they've received and accepted a job offer, Velasquez said. How to protect yourself from job scams

Persons: ITRC, Eva Velasquez, Velasquez, Con, Robert Rodriguez, they've Organizations: Getty, Theft Resource Center, Social, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Google, Craigslist, Facebook, Finance, New York

☆ Saks Fifth Avenue is buying Neiman Marcus with Amazon’s help
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus are merging to create a luxury department store empire. “We’re thrilled to take this step in bringing together these iconic luxury names, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman,” said HBC CEO Richard Baker in a release. Saks has 39 stores, while Neiman Marcus, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020, has 36 stores. Neiman Marcus also owns Bergdorf Goodman. Both of them will report to Baker, who becomes the executive chairman of Saks Global.

Persons: New York CNN —, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, “ We’re, ”, Richard Baker, Marc Metrick, Ian Putnam, Baker, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, ” Neil Saunders, “, Amazon, Saunders Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Saks Fifth, Saks, HBC, Saks Fifth, Saks Global, HBC Properties, Canadian, Brands, Neiman, Capri, GlobalData, Federal Trade Commission, FTC Locations: New York, Hudson’s, Glendale , California, Columbus , Ohio

☆ A global tax war is looming. It could hit Big Tech hard
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —A stalemate in Washington could destroy a landmark tax deal that was painstakingly hammered out among 140 countries over the better part of a decade. Some analysts say that the United States’ inability to ratify the deal could lead to a tax war among the richest nations that would hit tech behemoths like Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon particularly hard. Canada recently implemented a local tax on the world’s largest tech companies, something the OECD treaty had sought to avoid. New Zealand has also said it will implement its own digital services tax on large multinational companies beginning in 2025. The FTC also said that documents showed that competing mattress suppliers would lose access to its most important retail channel.

Persons: Donald Trump, he’s, Manal Corwin, ”, Megan Funkhouser, won’t, Alicia Wallace, Economists, Ramishah Maruf, Tempur Sealy, —, Foster Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Apple, Meta, Economic Co, Development, OECD, Biden, Republicans, Finance, OECD’s, Tax, Administration, Information Technology Industry Council, CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics ’, Labor, Labor Statistics, Federal Trade Commission, United, FTC, Pedic, Sealy Locations: New York, Washington, United States, Canada, Zealand, New Zealand, Stearns

☆ Judge Backs Challenge to F.T.C.’s Noncompete Ban, at Least for Now
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Danielle Kaye | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A federal judge on Wednesday backed an initial legal challenge to the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete agreements, which is scheduled to take effect in September. Judge Ada Brown granted an injunction requested by several plaintiffs, saying the ban cannot be enforced against them pending a final ruling. But while the ruling is preliminary, she said that the F.T.C. lacked “substantive rule-making authority” with respect to unfair methods of competition and that the plaintiffs were “likely to succeed on the merits” of their challenge. Judge Brown, of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, said she expected to issue a final decision by the end of August.

Persons: Judge Ada Brown, Judge Brown Organizations: Federal Trade, Northern, Northern District of Locations: U.S, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

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