Quincy, IL

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NewsNinja

"They accidentally gave us 2 washers and a dryer when we only ordered 1 of each". Last month, Lowe’s experienced a glitch that lowered the price of its $2,300 Midea jumbo capacity refrigerator to just $169.

‘Lowe’s messed up’: Shopper says they got $2,300 fridge at Lowe’s for just $169

Douglas, GA

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Daily Coffee Press

A man out on probation for drug charges less than a year ago and a woman from Douglas were recently arrested following a search at a local apartment. On August 7, 2024, at around 1:00 PM, Detectives from the Coffee County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit were conducting a proactive narcotics patrol in Douglas. During their patrol, a detective spotted 30-year-old Christopher Lamar Hawkins, who had outstanding warrants for fleeing police and methamphetamine possession, driving a white 2021 Kia Sorento. Hawkins was stopped in front of apartment 203/204 on N Wheeler Ave, where two detectives approached him. Breanna Henderson, 33, then came out of apartment 203 to "investigate what was going on with Hawkins" and appeared to whisper with Hawkins during his arrest. The report states that Henderson, who temporarily lived with Hawkins, began whispering with him "presumably about nefarious activities due to Hawkins's previous history with drug distribution and evading law enforcement."

Douglas Man and Woman Arrested Following Drug Bust and Search at Apartment

TheConversationAU

We often think of fraudsters as people on the opposite side of the world. They will manipulate and exploit victims through words on a computer screen, or loving messages through the phone. But romance fraud can also happen in person, with the fraudster sleeping in the bed beside you.

This was the circumstance Australian writer Stephanie Wood found herself in. It’s also the basis for the new television series Fake, currently screening on Paramount+. A dramatisation of Wood’s powerful memoir by the same name, the series outlines the many lies and betrayals of an intimate relationship.

It’s a brutal insight into the...

Romance fraud doesn’t only happen online – it can turn into real-world deception

Wise up to the criminals who want to part you with your hard-earned cash. Phone scams are on the rise, and they’re getting more sophisticated. The statistics are dizzying. On imposter scammers alone, the FTC reports that US consumers lost $2.7 billion in 2023, and the numbers are increasing each year. These are only the reported losses, too — many people who’ve been caught out are embarrassed and don’t want to admit they fell for such a ploy.

12 common phone scams and how to avoid them

USA TODAY

Billion of records may have been affected by the recent data breach. Here's how to check if it includes your information.

Don't get tricked: How to check if your Social Security number was part of data breach

Georgia State

Swainsboro, GA

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has arrested and charged former Soperton Police Department officer Kenneth Bishop, 60, of Swainsboro, Georgia, with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of terroristic threats and acts.

Georgia Police Officer Arrested on Charges of Aggravated Assault and More

Parking tickets are the latest vector for scammers to empty out bank accounts from New York to Southern California. Calgary became the latest North American city to address the growing trend of fake tickets on Tuesday. The Canadian city’s parking authority advised drivers to destroy fake tickets that are cropping on windshields and not to attempt to pay those fines.

Bank accounts are being emptied thanks to scammers using fake parking tickets

Trailer Empire

In a high-stakes ruling, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has mandated over $12 million in refunds for victims of a fraudulent real estate scheme involving prominent HGTV personalities Christina Hall and Tarek El Moussa. The landmark decision highlights the growing scrutiny on celebrity-endorsed ventures and the impact of misleading investment schemes.

Federal Trade Commission Orders $12M Refunds for Victims of HGTV Stars' Real Estate Scheme

Bad actors leverage premium-rate phone numbers and bots to steal billions of dollars from businesses. In this Help Net Security video, Frank Teruel, CFO at Arkose Labs, discusses how to spot and stop them.

The attack with many names: SMS Toll Fraud

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Today

A historic marker could be erected to honor the victims of the racist mass shooting at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood nearly a year ago. If approved by the Jacksonville City Council, a marker would be installed at Kings Road and Canal Street on Aug. 25, a day before the first anniversary of the shooting, when a white gunman took the lives of three Black people.

Memorial considered to honor Dollar General victims

One striking example is Barry Heitin, a 76-year-old retired lawyer from Arlington, Virginia. He lost $740,000 of his retirement savings to a sophisticated scam. Unfortunately, Barry's story is not unique. Scammers target those over 60. Elderly individuals face a rising threat - online fraud. Scammers target those over 60, exploiting...

Online Elder Fraud and Scams Targeting Seniors: Introducing Scammer Payback

Kansas State

Elkhart, KS

Ex-Bank CEO Sentenced to Over 24 Years for $47 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud. Shan Hanes, former CEO of a bank, has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison after embezzling $47 million in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme. Shan Hanes, the former CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank, was reportedly ensnared in a “pig butchering” scam, where he was deceived into purchasing cryptocurrency to unlock supposed returns on investments that never materialized.

Former Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes jailed for stealing $47 million in crypto scheme

With the growing convenience of smartphones, many users have become accustomed to storing sensitive information such as credit and debit card numbers, as well as social security numbers, directly on their devices. However, security experts are warning against this practice due to the risk of exposing personal information to unauthorized parties.

Never store credit cards or Social Security Numbers on your phone

Massachusetts State

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Dianna Carney

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue in Massachusetts, has recently introduced a tiny six-pound dog named Alistair who is looking for his forever home. At only one year old, this little boy is a sweet dog who is thought to be a Maltese, "but we can’t make any guarantees that he would be suitable for those with allergies," explains the nonprofit animal rescue.

Meet The Tiny 6lb Dog Looking For Love

GOBankingRates

You can't be too protective of your money and personal information. Financial scams are running rampant.  According to our recent "Keep Your Money Safe" survey, when victims of financial scams...

7 Red Flags That Will Help You Avoid Financial Scammers

Montana State

Bozeman, MT

Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy greets supporters outside of a rally in Bozeman on Aug. 9, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan) Have you ever met someone who calls themselves a “successful businessman,” but lost his company $77 million, is being sued by former employees for allegedly stiffing them out of their pay, fraudulently certified his company as a socially disadvantaged business to try to win government contracts, prompted his biggest investor to cash out of the company and abandon their stake in it, and has had multiple board members resign from his company on his watch – all while paying himself fat multimillion-dollar bonuses?

I take on fraudsters and scammers for a living. Take it from me: Tim Sheehy is one of them.

Maine State

Sagadahoc County, ME

Lewiston, ME

The Maine Monitor

Editor’s note: This story contains references to suicide. When a bill to strengthen Maine’s yellow flag law went into effect earlier this month, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said he felt a sense of relief.

Law enforcement officers can now get a warrant to take someone into protective custody

Denver, CO

Aurora, CO

David Heitz

Aurora, Colo. -- Angry Aurorans on social media poked fun at the local news media Friday as more information came out about Venezuelan gangs on the Front Range. Mike Coffman, Aurora mayor, posted on Facebook that the city will use court orders to shut down additional apartment complexes that have been infiltrated by the gangs. It contradicted comments made by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who told the New York Post the gang problem was a figment of Aurora council member Danielle Jurinsky’s imagination.

Migrant gang crisis underrated? Denver media criticized

Scams and cybercrimes have continued their upward trajectory in Singapore, with scammers opting to reach their victims through messaging and social media platforms. Meta's trinity of platforms -- Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp -- are of particular concern, alongside Telegram, the latter of which is used in 45% of scam cases, according to the latest stats from Singapore Police Force (SPF).

Scammers are increasingly using messaging and social media apps to attack

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NewsBreak

Fraudsters may target young adults to exploit clean credit record

QUINCY — If you have a college student who just started classes, now’s a good time to talk about avoiding fraud while they’re on campus. One...

Fraudsters may target young adults to exploit clean credit record

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