A new scam is hitting US bank accounts by starting with an unusual target – people’s photos on social media. In a warning to consumers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the scam begins with unsolicited messages on social media from someone who says they like a photo you took, and are willing to pay thousands of dollars to use it in a painting.

New Bank Scam Boosts Account Balances, Tempts Targets Into Giving Their Money Away: FTC Warning

The Federal Trade Commission announced a final review that bans buying and selling fake reviews, and opens the door to civil penalties against review vendors. Fake reviews have been a long-term and growing issue for online companies. Amazon and Google have struggled with the problem, with the companies periodically investigated by regulators keep to determine if they are doing enough to tackle the issue.

FTC Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews

The Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule to prohibit the sale or purchase of fake reviews, allowing the agency to seek civil penalties against perpetrators, the agency announced Wednesday. The rule prohibits businesses from buying reviews or testimonials, whether positive or negative, the suppression of reviews, as well as buying...

FTC finalizes rule to prohibit sale or purchase of fake reviews

NBC News

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to ban marketers from using fake reviews, like those generated with AI technology, and other misleading practices to promote their products and services. All five FTC commissioners voted to adopt the final rule, which will go into effect 60 days after it...

FTC bans fake online reviews, inflated social media influence; rule takes effect in October

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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

A lady is cautioning others about purchasing budget earrings from Amazon, Shein, and H&M, after she experienced keloid formations on her earlobes due to wearing them. On a TikTok post that has garnered more than 334,000 likes, Sailor Rozema (@sailor.rozema), a content creator, shares a warning with her community of "dangly earring girls": the inexpensive jewelry found in fast fashion can have negative impacts on your well-being.

‘I’ll never be wearing earrings for the rest of my life’: Customer warns against buying from Shein

DC News Now

The FTC says 36,757 customers of the popular retailer Hey Dude will receive PayPal payments, which should be redeemed within 30 days.

Customers of popular online shoe seller to get $1.9M in settlement payments

Use fake information on advertising sites, free Wi-Fi access pages, online surveys, forums, unpopular e-commerce sites, and free trial sign-ups to protect your privacy. Always provide accurate information on government, financial, professional, and medical websites to avoid legal issues and maintain credibility. Using fake information on the internet can often...

Don't Provide Your Real Information to These 6 Kinds of Sites

Roughly half of customers lost power yesterday. As of this morning, more than 30 percent of customers are still without service, according to power utility Luma Energy. It shows how vulnerable the US territory’s grid is after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017 and left residents without electricity for up to 11 months. In July, Puerto Rico filed a $1 billion suit against fossil fuel companies.

Puerto Rico faces widespread blackouts after Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Despite a federal investigation into the practice, Meta continues to run ads on Facebook and Instagram selling cocaine and other illicit drugs — some of which have been found to contain fentanyl, a deadly opioid linked to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths in recent years. As the Wall...

Gangster Mark Zuckerberg Running Facebook Ads for Drugs Found To Be Laced With Fentanyl

Flipboard is making good on a major fediverse promise. Late last year, at the same time it announced it would be switching user accounts to ActivityPub, Flipboard said it planned to let users follow users on federated platforms that used ActivityPub from the Flipboard app. Starting Tuesday, that feature is here, meaning that you can follow people from places like Mastodon, Threads, and Pixelfed right inside Flipboard.

Flipboard is going to let you follow fediverse accounts right inside the app

USA TODAY

Shoemaker Hey Dude has agreed to pay a $1.9 million dollar settlement to the FTC. Thousands of customers could qualify for a payout.

Popular shoemaker Hey Dude to pay $1.9 million to thousands of customers in FTC settlement

Pompano Beach, FL

Writers represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. Writers are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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Akeena

In a shocking revelation, Kings Mart, a grocery store in Pompano Beach, has been slapped with a series of severe health violations by the Florida Department of Agriculture. The inspection, carried out by Francis Odio, uncovered a disturbing range of problems that have led to the immediate closure of several sections of the store.

An inspection found bugs in the food and rodent poop on the shelves at a Florida grocery store

Colorado State

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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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

GOBankingRates

When scrolling through our social media accounts, many of us have noticed a stranger drop into our DMs. It happens every day while using the web -- and while a simple message may seem harmless,...

5 Ways Fraudsters Are Trying To Scam You on Social Media

The Motley Fool

Learn how to make money on Facebook Marketplace from successful users. Improve your listings and increase your earnings with these insider strategies.

How to Make Money on Facebook Marketplace

DoorDash is bundling Max’s $9.99 / month ad-supported plan with its annual DashPash membership in the US, which costs $96 / year. Uber One offers a similar bundle with Disney Plus in the UK.

Beyond the streaming bundle.

Scams are everywhere out there, and these days, scammers are becoming more creative. According to recent reports, it seems that there is a rise in fake WhatsApp groups. This scam involves impersonating someone you know before stealing your WhatsApp account right under your nose. So how does this scam work?...

Beware of fake WhatsApp groups that are stealing accounts!

Las Vegas, NV

Bellingham Metro News

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck areas near Las Vegas on Tuesday night, according to the United States Geological Service (USGS). The quake, which occurred at 8:06 p.m., was centered approximately 45 minutes from Las Vegas, near Indian Springs.

Magnitude 4.4 Earthquake Shakes Areas Near Las Vegas

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

NewsBreak

The FTC’s fake review crackdown begins this fall

The Federal Trade Commission has announced a final rule banning companies from creating or selling fake reviews, including AI-generated ones. Once it goes into effect, the...

The FTC’s fake review crackdown begins this fall

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