Columbus, OH

Kiplinger

Some businesses may receive employee retention tax credit payments as early as September.

IRS Restarts Processing of Some ERC Refunds: What to Know

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided. The Internal Revenue Service has entered into a joint effort with a number of U.S. states and stakeholders in the tax advisory industry to combat the growth of scams and schemes threatening taxpayers and tax systems. The new task force...

IRS Teams With States and Tax Industry to Fight Scams

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

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5 Major Bank Account Scams and How to Avoid Them

You may have heard people around you rejoicing over their extra money paid into their accounts for a tax refund. Whilst it seems great that people are getting an extra few £100’s in their bank accounts this is what they are owed and should have already received. These...

Why are some People Receiving Tax Refunds?

Booneville, MS

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Mississippi News Group

Written with artificial intelligence assistance. The Prentiss County Grand Jury has handed down indictments against two Booneville residents on charges of child endangerment, according to the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department.

Two Women Indicted for Child Endangerment

TheConversationAU

For many, tax time is an exciting part of the year – there’s the potential for a refund. However, it’s also an attractive time for fraudsters looking for ways to get money and deceive unsuspecting victims.

Each year Australians lose large amounts of money to scams. In 2023, Australians reported losses of more than A$2.7 billion. While this is a slight reduction from the $3.1 billion in 2022, there are still millions of victims who’ve suffered at the hands of scammers. 

Impersonation scams are one common approach. Scamwatch reports that in 2023, 70% of reports to them involved impersonation.

A large number...

It’s tax time and scammers are targeting your myGov account. Here’s how to stay safe

Tom's Guide

Scammers are calling victims on the phone impersonating their bank while an accomplice goes to their home to get the chip and PIN from their debit card.

FBI issues warning over scammers impersonating banks to steal your debit cards

With the emergence of AI and other new technologies, people have become more susceptible to scams online, especially older people. Seniors are targeted by scammers due to their little knowledge of the internet, so here are five scams that older people should look out for. If someone calls you claiming to be a government department and is asking for money, you should hang up, as that isn’t standard procedure and is likely a scam. While it may be a dream come true to receive a call telling you that you won the lottery, it is definitely a scam and you should hang up. If you receive an email that claims to be from Amazon and is asking for personal information, check the email address it comes from. Some scammers will ring you and say, “Can you hear me?” and while you may reply "yes," you should try not to, as they are recording your voice. Lastly, if you get a message from someone claiming to be a relative who is asking for money, make sure you verify the number.

5 Scams That Seniors Need To Avoid

Colorado State

David Heitz

A bill quietly introduced this spring in the Colorado legislature to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia obtained by harm reductionists has become law. As low-key as the legislation was introduced, the bill was signed into law without fanfare June 6. It garnered little to no media attention.

Colorado legalizes needles, pipes for meth and crack if obtained by harm reduction group

Senior citizens are often targets for scams, and as scams are getting more sophisticated, it’s getting easier to deceive even the most tech-savvy person. Elder fraud involves a variety of scams targeting seniors, from fake prizes to pleas for help from their “grandchildren,” resulting in an annual loss of $3 billion, according to the FBI. Seniors are often targeted due to their good credit, financial security, and trusting nature. Here are the top elderly fraud scams of the year:

Top 12 elderly fraud scams of 2024

Texas State

No further specifics were given, but these schemes typically involve fraudsters tricking employees at a company — often in finance or with access to the executive suite — into initiating a bank transfer of company funds to a bank account controlled by the fraudsters. These schemes can involve the hacking of email accounts used by executives to send fraudulent instructions to staff on their behalf, or even use deepfakes in efforts to trick unsuspecting employees into transferring funds.

Texas firm says it lost $60M in a bank wire transfer scam

Georgia State

Atlanta, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to over 28 years in prison for distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and other controlled substances to dealers in the Middle Georgia region. Authorities revealed that investigators uncovered evidence linking the drugs provided by the defendant, 40-year-old Lagary Williams, also known as "Frog," from Atlanta, to a fatal overdose.

Atlanta Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Supplying Deadly Fentanyl Linked to Fatal Overdose

Douglas, GA

A local Walmart employee was recently arrested on a misdemeanor charge after allegedly stealing over $60 worth of merchandise from the store. Additionally, she faced a felony charge after officers discovered suspected methamphetamine in her locker during the arrest.

Douglas Walmart Employee Arrested for Methamphetamine Possession and Shoplifting

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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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

Appling County, GA

A 40-year-old man from Appling County, Christopher Eric Stone, with a significant criminal history, was recently sentenced to over five years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, according to officials from the Department of Justice.

Georgia Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years for in Federal Prison for Meth Distribution

Denver, CO

Migrants enrolled in the Denver Asylum Seekers Program won’t get cash benefits after all. The council amended a contract with Haven for Hope during the Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee meeting Wednesday. Instead of Haven of Hope providing migrants with cash assistance on debit cards, it will instead provide “culturally appropriate” food.

Denver revokes cash assistance for migrants

In addition to collecting more than 8,000 used needles in the past year from Denver drug users, the Harm Reduction Action Center passed out 10,000 meth pipes and “snort kits,” according to a newsletter sent to its supporters Thursday. They also connected about 1,700 people to medical, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Denver group hands out 10K meth pipes, ‘snort kits,’ connects 1,700 to treatment annually

Apache Junction, AZ

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Suzy Jacobson Cherry

When I studied Anthropology in college, I learned that teeth have been indicators of economic status just about forever. Archaeologists look at the teeth in ancient skeletons and know who the rich were based on their tooth decay. During the Renaissance period, it became fashionable for women to blacken their teeth to look like they were better off than they were, because the royals and aristocrats, who could afford sugar and sweets, had more rotten and missing teeth than the poor.

Opinion: Stop Stereotyping Bad Teeth as a Sign of Drug Addiction

The Department of Veterans Affairs has established both a web site – VSAFE.gov – and a toll-free telephone number – 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-388-7233), to educate veterans and their families about scams targeting their benefits, and serve as a clearinghouse to report fraud or suspected fraud. Through the web...

VA Sets Up Fraud-Watch Call Center

PYMNTS

NewsBreak

IRS Targets ‘Ghost Preparers’ and Other Emerging Scams Aimed at Taxpayers

After a tax filing season that saw a growing number of scams, the IRS and several partners from the private and public sectors said they’re going...

IRS Targets ‘Ghost Preparers’ and Other Emerging Scams Aimed at Taxpayers

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