Illinois State

Reader's Digest

Pop quiz: How many times has someone tried to scam you today? Beyond the spammy emails and phone calls, take a look at your texts. Chances are, there are a few scam text messages mixed in—and you weren’t sure if some of them were legitimate messages or not. As we change the way we use technology (nope, not answering an actual call!), scam texts are becoming cybercriminals’ preferred mode of attack. In fact, spam texts now surpass spam calls in frequency, and since March 2024 alone, Americans received 19.2 billion of them, according to a study by SlickText. Even worse? The FTC reports that people lost $10 billion to these so-called smishing scams in 2023.

If You Get These Texts, Delete Them Immediately

Contributors represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. They have also demonstrated their experience writing hard news for other outlets. Contributors are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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NewSantaAna

The FBI has seen a rise in scams targeting timeshare owners. In this kind of scam, criminals con these part-time property owners into shelling out hefty sums of cash, all under false pretenses related to their timeshare properties.

FBI warns that Mexican cartels are targeting Americans with timeshare scams

The US Sun

THOUSANDS of Americans need to keep an eye on their diaries as they may need to take action in days regarding a one-time payment. Over 279,063 individuals have been impacted by a data breach targeting CGM, a company based in Georgia that provides services to wireless and broadband telecommunications companies.

Americans have 6 days left to refuse $4,400 one-time payment from $1.5m pot – otherwise a receipt will get you the cash

Newark, NJ

Morristown Minute

NEWARK, N.J. – Eight individuals associated with the "793 Bloods" street gang, a subset of the national Bloods gang, have been charged for their roles in a Newark-based drug trafficking organization, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Eight '793 Bloods' Gang Members Charged in Newark Drug Network

Coffee County, GA

Community Voices represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program but not yet verified their accounts. Community Voices are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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Daily Coffee Press

Last month, more than twenty individuals were indicted on felony charges in Coffee County. Several of them have recently made local headlines, including Guillermo de la Cruz-Morales, the sole person charged in connection with the disappearance of Maria Diaz, and Cornelius Jamison, accused of cocaine trafficking.

Grand Jury Indicts Over Twenty Individuals on Felony Charges in Coffee County

TIME

Smishing is a form of phishing involving a text or phone number.

Beware of Fake USPS Text Messages

Chicago, IL

NewsByJoshua

Hey, Chicago! Brace yourselves because after a 40-year hiatus, Jack in the Box is making a grand re-entry into the Windy City. Slated to sprinkle its unique flavor throughout the Chicagoland area in 2025, this isn’t just a return—it's a full-scale invasion with eight new spots popping up across town.

A quick-serve chain is opening its first Chicago stores in 40 years

Saint Johns County, FL

Hastings, FL

Jacksonville Today

Eight people have been arrested on drug charges stemming from an undercover investigation at a convenience store in Hastings, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

8 arrested in Hastings drug and gambling bust

The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A new Illinois law says mobile home tenants can’t be evicted for not paying rent, but only if the park itself is not up on their license and fees.
                State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, carried Senate Bill 2834 in the House and explained the measure already exists in current statute but the replication in the Mobile Home Landlord and Tenants Rights Act is a way to bring greater awareness to residents that this is existing law.
     ...

New Illinois law sparks fear of possible statewide landlord registry

Florida State

NewsRadio WFLA

Criminals make up stories of grandchildren in trouble and steal money

BEWARE of Florida Grandparents Scam

Consumers lost $10 billion to fraud in 2023, according to the latest data from the Federal Trade Commission. And if you think it can’t happen to you, you’re only making yourself more susceptible to scammers. Banking scams can be tricky to spot, particularly with the rise of online...

Don’t Fall for These 10 Sneaky Banking Scams

New Jersey State

Jersey City, NJ

NEWARK, N.J. – Two Hudson County, New Jersey, men have been charged in connection with their respective roles in a Jersey City neighborhood street gang that distributed cocaine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

NJ Men Charged in Gang Drug Offenses & Weapon Charges

Multiple social media users called for President Joe Biden to use the military to “take action against Trump” or have Trump assassinated following the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding presidential immunity on Monday. Monday’s decision by the Supreme Court determined that former presidents have immunity for official acts....

Pics: Social media users call for ‘assassination’ of Trump

Bucks County Beacon

“[I]nvoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God,” the Constitution of the Confederate States of America composed by southern slaveholders in 1861 sought to “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” The authors of Project 2025, the latest playbook for restructuring the federal government in order to accomplish the policy goals of Christian Nationalists, similarly declare their manifesto will “decide America’s future” by securing their “God-given individual rights to live freely” and exercise dominion over others.

Legislating Inequality: The Christian Confederate Roots of Project 2025

WyoFile

Within hours of the sighting on Wednesday, Frank van Manen caught word that there was a grizzly sow with five cubs in tow spotted in Yellowstone National Park. Five cubs following mom is so unlikely that van Manen, who leads the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, pondered an explanation.

Five grizzly bear cubs make the largest litter in Yellowstone-area history

New York City, NY

The e-Texan

New York – As Trump anticipates his sentencing on July 11th in the New York hush money case, Florida Judge Aileen Cannon made a ruling this Monday. Despite rejecting Trump’s legal team's request to dismiss several charges in the classified documents case, she conceded on a minor point. She removed a portion of the charges that referenced an uncharged allegation, but upheld the other charges.

Legal expert says Trump should not be jailed after New York guilty verdict because he is ‘too old’

Clifton, NJ

Newark, NJ – Evangelos Megariotis, a 72-year-old orthopedic surgeon from Clifton, admitted to multiple counts of unlawfully prescribing pain medications to his patients. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced the guilty plea today.

Surgeon Guilty of Illegal Narcotic Prescriptions, Faces 20 Years

AS Walmart is set to again face a lawsuit claiming the retailer misled shoppers about prices, a court has ruled that the company cannot use a defense involving printed receipts.  The class action lawsuit, lead by plaintiff Yoram Kahn, has accused Walmart of overcharging shoppers with “bait and switch” tactics by having some prices listed […]

Walmart told their receipt defense is not OK after shopper says he fell for ‘bait and switch’ tactic and was overcharged

Ringtown, PA

The Shenandoah (PA) Sentinel

UNION TOWNSHIP – A valley man was killed Wednesday in a lawn mowing accident, firefighters...
The post Lawn mowing accident claims life of Ringtown Valley man first appeared on The Shenandoah Sentinel.

Lawn mowing accident claims life of Ringtown Valley man

NBC Chicago

NewsBreak

‘Illinois Toll way' texts claiming to be about unpaid tolls are likely a scam. What to look for

Did you receive a text from the \"Illinois Toll way\" about an unpaid toll? You might want to pay close attention. Over the Fourth of July...

Did you receive a text from the "Illinois Toll way" about an unpaid toll? You might want to pay close attention. Over the Fourth of July...

‘Illinois Toll way' texts claiming to be about unpaid tolls are likely a scam. What to look for

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