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☆ Sen. Blumenthal plans action against telemarketing scams masquerading as political, charitable causes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Richard Blumenthal is moving ahead with new legislative efforts to combat telemarketing scams that have raised millions of dollars while pretending to represent political and charitable causes. Blumenthal announced on Monday a new oversight and legislative fight to take on those that use telemarketing calls, online scams, and other schemes to effectively steal millions of dollars from donors. Contributors think they are donating to real causes but they're tricked into giving to fake organizations, with their leaders ending up keeping the money for themselves. The Connecticut Democrat's first step was to send letters to the chairs of the Federal Election Commission and the Federal Trade Commission as part of his larger inquiry. He wrote a similar letter to FTC chair Lina Khan.

Persons: Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal, they're, Dara Lindenbaum, Lina Khan Organizations: Connecticut Democrat's, Commission, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Connecticut

NEW YORK (AP) — Information theft is on the rise. Colleen Tressler, a senior project manager for the FTC, has tracked consumer issues including identity theft for more than three decades. “They’re imposters, so they’re going after your personal information and your financial information however they can," she said. The Federal Student Aid site provides more guidance about avoiding identity theft online. Medical ID theft and tax ID theft are also common, especially during tax season or Medicare re-enrollment periods.

Persons: Colleen Tressler, They’re, “, Tressler, Scammers, servicer, ” Tressler, —, you've, Charles Schwab Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal, Department of Education, Medicare, Social Security, “ Insurance, Bills, Associated Press, Charles, Charles Schwab Foundation, Inc, AP Locations: U.S, IdentityTheft.gov

☆ Fake Taylor Swift tickets, student loan forgiveness: 4 top scams that targeted consumers this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at SoFi Stadium on August 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. Concert and event ticket scamsFans were especially eager to see big-ticket acts like Beyonce and Taylor Swift as they toured this summer. Vacation lodging scamsVacationers who sought rentals or other services in popular destinations may have found themselves prey to fake listings. Such vacation scams meant travelers could find themselves out money as well as a place to stay. "But at the end of the day, those listings are fake listings, which puts consumers at risk," he said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Kevin Winter, Beyonce, Fabara, Rob Bonta, Letitia James, Roomster, James, Tashdique Mehtaj Ahmed Organizations: Getty, Visa, New York, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Federal Student Aid Locations: Inglewood , California, California, U.S, York

Sometimes, I've made my January mortgage payment in December to deduct the interest for that year. So heading into fall, I review my budget, income, and expenditures and target areas where I can cut back. Do an insurance reviewI check all insurance policies: homeowners insurance, renters insurance, car insurance (when I owned a car), and health. This is a great time to do a comprehensive insurance review. Bonus: Plan for an extra mortgage payment and charitable contributionsIf you can, plan to make your January mortgage payment in December.

Persons: I've, it's, TransUnion —, transpire, you'll Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ How to Help Hurricane Idalia Victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida on Wednesday, causing devastating flooding. It then moved on to bring surging water into Charleston, S.C., before heading toward North Carolina on Thursday. Volunteers and aid groups are working to help the affected communities. If you wish to help, here’s some guidance. Officials with the Federal Communications Commission have said that scammers may use phone calls, text messages, emails, post mail, and even go door to door.

Persons: Idalia Organizations: Thursday . Volunteers, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Florida, Charleston, S.C, North Carolina

This spring, Clive Kabatznik, an investor in Florida, called his local Bank of America representative to discuss a big money transfer he was planning to make. Rather, a software program had artificially generated his voice and tried to trick the banker into moving the money elsewhere. Mr. Kabatznik and his banker were the targets of a cutting-edge scam attempt that has grabbed the attention of cybersecurity experts: the use of artificial intelligence to generate voice deepfakes, or vocal renditions that mimic real people’s voices. The problem is still new enough that there is no comprehensive accounting of how often it happens. Another large voice authentication vendor, Nuance, saw its first successful deepfake attack on a financial services client late last year.

Persons: Clive Kabatznik, Kabatznik Organizations: Bank of America Locations: Florida

☆ 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

☆ 25-year-old tried 23 side hustles before launching a company that brings in $354,000 a month—his No. 1 piece of advice
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The platform, which Schwartz describes as "Etsy for software products," currently brings in roughly $354,000 per month, according to a CNBC Make It estimate. "You want to really orient yourself around a real problem that needs to be solved," Schwartz, 25, tells Make It. During high school, he and Zoub built sneaker bots, or pieces of software that nabbed limited-edition shoes faster than people who manually clicked "buy now." The company clearly solved a problem, but the co-founders didn't find the work creatively fulfilling. It solved a safety problem: Zoub patrolled online forums where people sold software, and found them rife with scammers and rip-off artists.

Persons: Steven Schwartz, Cameron Zoub, Schwartz, Jack Sharkey —, Mark Cuban, Cuban, Todd Wagner, Zoub, didn't, Whop, it's, Warren Buffett Organizations: Tesla, CNBC, Indiana University, Yahoo Locations: Whop

☆ I'm a smug 30-year-old who thought only Luddites like my mom fall for 'smishing' scams. Then it happened to me.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm a smug 30-year-old journalist who grew-up (mostly) computer literate. It wasn't enough to stop me from giving my credit card information to a USPS smishing scam. Haven Orecchio-EgresitzWhen my (non-biological) grandmother moved to Norway, I sent her a small package with some art my 1-year-old made. I then opened it on my laptop so I could click around and make sure it was actually the USPS. You know, that sassy department that sends you scathing emails warning you not to fall for phishing attempts.

Persons: Ellen DeGeneres, she's, Ellen, hasn't, Haven, Mommo, I'm Organizations: United States Postal Service, USPS Locations: Norway

☆ Tourists call a restaurant in Greece 'cheaters and thieves' after accusing it of charging them $776 for a cocktail, 3 glasses of OJ, and some squid and shrimp
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Tripadvisor reviewer claimed they were charged $776 for a cocktail, 3 OJs, and some seafood in Greece. They called the restaurant "cheaters and thieves" and told other visitors to "never stop there." Other reviewers have called the restaurant a "scam" and said they weren't able to see prices before they ordered. "They are the biggest cheaters and thieves of Mykonos," the reviewer, from Italy, wrote. TripadvisorDK Oyster has an average 2.0-star rating on TripAdvisor based on 1,878 reviews, and is the lowest-ranked restaurant in Platys Gialos.

Persons: cheaters, Mykonos, Dom Pérignon Organizations: Service, Facebook, New York Post Locations: Greece, Wall, Silicon, Gialos, Italy, Platys Gialos

The case is the latest example of the Federal Trade Commission cracking down on deceptive e-commerce consultancies that target consumers and fledgling online businesses. The Cresto brothers also took 35% of any profits from their "partners'" e-commerce stores, the complaint says. The suspensions left Empire's clients deeply in debt, the FTC alleged, "because Empire typically had its clients pay for inventory on credit cards." The scheme is ongoing and defrauding consumers of tens of thousands of dollars, according to the FTC. Amazon and Walmart did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment.

Persons: John, Roman Cresto, Ecommerce Organizations: Amazon, Walmart, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Southern, Southern District of Locations: U.S, Southern District, Southern District of California, Italy

☆ Some Instacart customers are losing hundreds of dollars to scammers after connecting bank accounts or Paypal to the app
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Customers who link their bank accounts to Instacart are at particular risk, per a cybersecurity expert. "Just like you can get a bad Uber driver, you can get a bad Instacart shopper," Hatter said. Instacart told Insider that it runs background checks on its shoppers. Instacart shoppers have had to contend with declining earnings lately. Are you an Instacart shopper or customer with a story to share?

Persons: Dave Hatter, Hatter, Instacart, Kroger, KDFW Organizations: Shoppers, Service, Paypal, Kroger, KDFW Locations: Wall, Silicon, Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Instacart, Texas, Ohio

☆ 2 companies scammed student-loan borrowers out of $8.8 million in 'illegal' fees over 'phony promises of loan forgiveness and lower monthly payments,' a federal watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The FTC accused two companies of scamming student-loan borrowers out of $8.8 million. The FTC said they pocketed "illegal" fees for debt relief services that are normally free. A federal court halted the operations of the companies last week, and it will determine whether they violated the law. Biden's administration has previously warned borrowers to keep an eye out for scams, especially with confusion surrounding the debt relief conversation. Nearly a year ago, the Education Department announced up to $20,000 in debt relief for federal borrowers.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Samuel Levine, Pell Grant Organizations: FTC, Service, Federal Trade Commission, Intercontinental Solutions, Joe Biden's Education Department, Education Department, FTC's Bureau, Consumer Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Latin Americans fall prey to more online scams as cybersecurity lags
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Carolina Pulice | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Online scams in Brazil jumped 65% last year to over 200,000, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook published last month. And across Latin America, online frauds and cyberattacks are at an "all-time high," says cybersecurity company Tenable, posing an urgent problem for a well-connected region. "Latin America is a priority target because it has a very connected population, which means that they are always exposed," said Claudio Martinelli, managing director for Latin America for Kaspersky. In a ranking of 93 countries on cyberthreat risks compiled by fraud prevention software SEON, nine of the 10 Latin American countries were ranked in the bottom half. Three Latin American countries - Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela - were seen among the 10 countries with the highest risks for cyberthreats.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gabriella Batalha didn't, Batalha, Kerry, Ann Barrett, Barrett, Claudio Martinelli, SEON, Tenable, Ransomware, Marcos Simplicio, Carolina Pulice, Brendan O'Boyle, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, YouTube, Brazilian Public Security, International Telecommunication Union, Organization of American States, America, Kaspersky, Costa, University of Sao, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Instagram, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, America, Latin America, Caribbean, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, University of Sao Paulo

☆ Sextortion investigation: 2 Nigerian men accused of running a global ring linked to a teen's suicide have been extradited to US, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Josh Campbell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Alleged members of a global sextortion operation that targeted more than 100 victims and led to the death of a 17-year-old boy were extradited to the United States on Sunday to face federal criminal charges, authorities said. That charge stems from an alleged online encounter that investigators say resulted in the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, who died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scam. According to prosecutors, Samuel Ogoshi used a hacked social media account to make contact with DeMay while pretending to be a young woman. DeMay paid Ogoshi $300, but Ogoshi demanded more, authorities said. The alleged sextortion ring was disrupted by tracking victim payments through financial entities, Kowalski said.

Persons: CNN —, Samuel Ogoshi, Samson Ogoshi, Mark Totten, Jordan DeMay, Ezekiel Ejehem Robert, DeMay, Ogoshi, ” Totten, “, ”, Devin Kowalski, Kowalski, Totten Organizations: CNN, FBI, Nigeria’s, Financial, Federal Locations: United States, Lagos, Nigeria, Michigan, Southeast Asia

☆ Fake goods are everywhere online, experts say. Here's how to spot them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

New technology and the rise of online shopping has made it easier for scammers to sell fakes. These are the top tips to avoid buying a fake online. The rise of online shopping, particularly during the pandemic, fueled the market for counterfeit products. Here are six tips from experts on what to watch out for when you're shopping online:1. If you see any of these warning signs, the product very well could be fake," the IACC warns online.

Persons: Joe Simone, DK Lee, Jen Hanks, Lee, It's, Ben T, Smith IV, Kearney, Simone, Bob Barchiesi, Insider's Hillary Hoffower, Smith, it's Organizations: Service, Economic Co, Trade, eBay, Walmart, American Apparel & Footwear Association, Amazon, International Anticounterfeiting Coalition Locations: Wall, Silicon, Hong Kong

☆ Here’s How to Help Victims of the Hawaii Wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Derrick Bryson Taylor | More About Derrick Bryson Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui this week have upended communities and forced thousands of residents to evacuate. Volunteers and aid groups have mobilized to help feed and shelter those who have been affected. Officials with the Federal Communications Commission have said that scammers may use phone calls, text messages, emails, post mail, and even go door to door. The Federal Trade Commission has tips on how to spot a fraudulent charity or fund-raiser. “In moments of crisis, we all must be extra vigilant against bad actors who try to take advantage of people’s good will.”

Persons: ”, Anne Lopez, “ Organizations: Volunteers, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission Locations: Maui

☆ Russia accuses Ukraine of orchestrating a phone scam scheme to trick elderly Russians into setting military recruitment offices on fire amid string of arson attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia accused Ukraine of inciting elderly Russians into attacks on military recruitment offices. Russia offered no evidence of the alleged phone scam scheme and Ukraine has not yet responded to the allegations. Several attacks on Russian recruitment centers have been documented since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Russian state media reported that use of the scheme has exploded in just the last week, tying Ukraine's alleged arson attempts to Russian military gains in Ukraine. The government noted that arson attacks carry up to 20 years in jail.

Persons: general's Organizations: Ukrainian, Service, General's, Russia, Russia's Federal Security Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russian, St . Petersburg

Titles from a handful of trusted brands appeared near the top of the page: Rick Steves, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet. Also among the top search results was the highly rated “France Travel Guide,” by Mike Steves, who, according to an Amazon author page, is a renowned travel writer. “I was immediately drawn by all the amazing reviews,” said Ms. Kolsky, 53, referring to what she saw at that time: universal raves and more than 100 five-star ratings. Its price tag — $16.99, compared with $25.49 for Rick Steves’s book on France — also caught Ms. Kolsky’s attention. When it arrived, Ms. Kolsky was disappointed by its vague descriptions, repetitive text and lack of itineraries.

Persons: Amy Kolsky, Rick Steves, Mike Steves, “, ”, Kolsky, Rick Steves’s, France —, Amazon’s Locations: France, Bucks County, Pa

☆ The FCC just fined an international network of robocallers nearly $300 million for making 5 billion calls in a three month span
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The FCC just fined a group of scammers a record-breaking $299,970,000. The commission said the fraudsters made 5 billion auto warranty-related scam calls in three months. Two of the men charged, Roy M. Cox and Aaron Michael Jones, had already previously been banned from making telemarketing calls. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Additionally, Insider reported that the prevalence of COVID-related phone scams have risen in 2023, three years after the virus shut down the country.

Persons: Roy M, Cox, Aaron Michael Jones, Jones Organizations: FCC, Service, Federal Communications Commission, State of, Federal Trade Commission, Medicare, Medicaid Services Locations: Wall, Silicon, State, State of Texas

☆ UAE crypto scammer sentenced to 8 years in prison for multimillion dollar fraud scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A United Arab Emirates resident and Nigerian citizen was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud scheme that victimized businesses across the U.S., Illinois federal prosecutors said. Ponle worked with a network of scammers to masquerade as corporate entities using phishing emails. Ponle will forfeit those items, collectively valued at over $1 million, and pay more than $8 million in restitution to victim companies. Ponle was prosecuted despite the lack of an extradition treaty between the UAE and the United States. Federal officials at the DOJ'S Office of International Affairs worked with their UAE counterparties to secure Ponle's rendition.

Persons: Olaekan Jacob Ponle, Ponle, Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Organizations: Jumeirah, United, United Arab Emirates, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Justice Department, Royce, UAE, Federal, DOJ'S, International Affairs, UAE counterparties Locations: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, United Arab, U.S, , Illinois, UAE, Nigeria, Nigerian, United States

☆ A Twitter user found scam numbers for major airlines on Google Maps. Google is working to fix it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Google is working to fix false contact information for some major airlines on Google Maps after a Twitter user found a phone number actually connected callers to scammers. Phone numbers appeared to be altered on Google Maps listings for multiple airlines’ locations at John F Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York. Impacted airlines included Delta, American, Southwest and Qantas, the user claimed in a widely viewed post. The Twitter user detailed his experience trying to contact Delta after a canceled flight left him googling for a help line to rebook. Impacted businesses like airlines are able to flag concerns to both Google and law enforcement over suspected scammers.

Persons: John F Kennedy, ” Shmuli Evers, Evers, “, Delta Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, LaGuardia, Southwest, Qantas, Delta, CNN, “ Locations: New York, Delta, Newark

☆ Powerball's jackpot prize is now $875 million—4 things you should do if you win
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Powerball's projected jackpot is $875 million — the third-highest ever – ahead of Saturday's draw. While most ticket holders daydream about defying the odds and winning the prize, many don't know what steps they should take immediately after winning all that money. Until you claim the prize, the ticket will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, which will make you a target for scammers. "Not to mention the risk to your family's personal safety." Keep the ticket secureKeep your winning ticket in a secure location, preferably in a safety deposit box at your bank, or in a personal safe.

Persons: Amy Hubble, it's Locations: Oklahoma City

☆ Elon Musk's scheme to pay big Twitter accounts is rewarding his favorite trolls but probably won't entice major creators
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Twitter announced Thursday it would start sharing ad revenue with some creators. Elon Musk has started sharing Twitter's ad revenue with a handful of accounts, hoping to incentivize the best creators to put their content on his platform. Twitter announced Thursday that creators would now be eligible to some of the company's ad revenue, "to help people earn a living directly" on the platform. But on the rare occasion Donaldson reveals how much ad revenue he makes, it is surprisingly little. Ad revenue traditionally aids smaller accounts who don't have their own brand deals — YouTube monetization is open to anyone with 1,000 subscribers.

Persons: Twitter, Elon Musk, Taylor Lorenz, Andrew Tate, Ian Miles Cheong, Rogan O'Handley, Tate, Wokeness, He's, It's, Linette Lopez, Paul, — Jimmy Donaldson, MrBeast —, Donaldson, Honey Organizations: Morning, Twitter, Washington Post, YouTube, CSGO Lotto Locations: Romania, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter's

☆ Amazon seller consultant avoids jail in employee bribery scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Rosenberg, 48, is a well-known figure in the world of Amazon third-party sellers. The case provides an unfiltered glimpse into the cottage industry of consultants and brokers that has flourished alongside the growth of Amazon's third-party marketplace. A former Amazon employee was sentenced last year to 10 months in prison, while a consultant who also sold products on Amazon is serving 20 months in prison. In one case, Rosenberg made 33 different PayPal payments worth $18,650 to an Amazon employee in Seattle in exchange for confidential information about third-party seller accounts. He later admitted he made false statements about the case and admitted to bribing Amazon employees in a public apology posted online.

Persons: Ephraim, Ed, Rosenberg, it's, scammers, Joe Nilsen, Sellers, Nilsen, Rosenberg's, Jacob Laufer Organizations: Facebook, Amazon, Street Journal, Prosecutors, Seattle, Bloomberg, CNBC Locations: Brooklyn, China, Seattle

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