While you may feel yourself slowing down as the days grow longer and the temperatures go up, summer is the busiest time of the year for movers. Millions of us are likely to pack up and move house between June and September. But moving is a fraught proposition; it can be hard to tell the difference between a legitimate outfit that will properly bring you your stuff, and one that will steal from you or extort you for cash. [More]
Crime & Fraud
Beware Scams Promising Payouts From Tobacco Settlement
By 6.15.17
If you’ve seen ads promising to set you up with payments from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement — a Nov. 1998 accord that requires tobacco companies to pay $10 billion annually to 46 states and Washington, D.C. — don’t fall for it. These ads are just a big, fat scam. [More]
The Very Quick Guide To Writing An Effective Complaint Letter
By 6.15.17
When the battery on your new phone blows up in your back pocket, or the hood of your car just flies up while you’re driving down the highway, or you find out your bank has opened three credit card accounts in your name, or you get bumped from your flight to make room for an airline employee… you’ve got every right to complain. But if you want your complaint to be heard, there are some best practices for presenting your case. [More]
Wells Fargo Accused Of Adding Years To Modified Mortgages Without Telling Borrowers
By 6.15.17
As the country tried to crawl out of the last recession, homeowners all across America sought mortgage modifications to make their home loans more manageable. However, some homeowners say that Wells Fargo not only modified their loans without asking, but that this lower rate added years — perhaps decades — to the terms of their mortgages. [More]
The Feds Once Arrested A Rooster Statue Made Out Of Solid Gold
By 6.14.17
Every now and then, a story reminds us that history is weirder than we can possibly imagine. For example: That time in 1960 when U.S. marshals arrested a nine-inch, 14-pound statue of a rooster and put it on trial. [More]
Police Catch Suspects Trying, Failing To Cram $1M In Meth-Laced Candy Into Car
By 6.14.17
When Houston police showed up to investigate a report of a home burglary, they likely weren’t expecting to find two people attempting to flee the scene in a car overstuffed with 600 pounds of methamphetamine-laced lollipops. [More]
Malware Being Spread Through Fake Android Antivirus Apps
By 6.14.17
Given the increasing number of cyber attacks on web-connected devices, it makes sense to have quality anti-malware protections on your phone. However, some “antivirus” apps lurking in the crowded app marketplace are really just fakes waiting to infect your device. [More]
Please Don’t Call 9-1-1 If Your Chicken McNugget Order Takes Too Long
By 6.13.17
There are a number of completely adequate and understandable reactions to have when your fast food doesn’t arrive, well, fast: ask for a refund, talk to a manager, or wait patiently. One thing that’s not acceptable? Calling 9-1-1 to complain. Yet, that’s exactly what a Texas woman recently did at McDonald’s. [More]
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Asked Congress To Let Him Prosecute Medical Marijuana
By 6.13.17
Recently, Congress once again extended a ban on the Department of Justice using its funds to prosecute legitimate medical marijuana operations in states that have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes. However, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked lawmakers to end this prohibition and allow his prosecutors to go after medical cannabis. [More]
Supreme Court: Protections Against Debt Collectors Don’t Apply To Banks That Purchase Defaulted Loans
By 6.12.17
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from a number of annoying and aggressive practices, like calling late at night to hassle folks about their debt or publicly outing people as debtors. However, this morning — in Justice Neil Gorsuch’s first opinion — the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that this law doesn’t apply to banks that purchase defaulted loans with the intention of collecting on them. [More]
Russian Hackers Use Britney Spears’ Instagram Account To Hide Messages
By 6.9.17
Instagram is a massive platform, with roughly a billion people all over the world using it to share photos. The most popular users’ images attract thousands or even hundreds of thousands of comments each… which makes them the perfect place to hide a string of text — like, say, malware-activating code — that looks meaningless to most people. [More]
Angry About Onions In Your Food? Please Keep Your Pants On
By 6.8.17
Is it upsetting to receive an ingredient in your food that you do not like? Sure. But please, the next time your meal isn’t satisfactory, just remember to keep your pants on: Police in Pittsburgh say a man who was angry about the onions in his food on Monday returned to express his displeasure on Tuesday — and showed employees a bit more than they wanted to see. [More]
The Russians Are After Our Chocolate And Slot Machines
By 6.8.17
When you think of mobsters involved in trafficking stolen goods, perhaps you drugs, cigarettes, and guns come to mind. But the more than 30 people associated with an alleged Russian crime syndicate in New York arrested this week are also accused of dealing in something a bit sweeter — 10,000 pounds of pilfered chocolate. [More]
Video Game Studio Says Upcoming Game Files Being Held For Ransom
June 8, 2017
The video game studio behind the popular Witcher series of games says that files for an upcoming release have been stolen and are being held for ransom. [More]
Trump Administration Will Allow Nursing Homes To Strip Residents Of Legal Rights
June 7, 2017
The Trump administration has proposed revising a rule that hasn’t even gone into effect yet, with the goal of making sure that nursing home residents and their loved ones can not sue these long-term care facilities in the event that something horrible happens. [More]
How To Avoid Falling For Ticket Scams
By 6.6.17
It’s that time of the year again: Both the NBA and NHL finals are near, and all your favorite bands are on tour — which means tickets might be scarce. Scammers know you might be desperate for a good deal, however, so be prepared to do battle. [More]
Dish Network Ordered To Pay Record $280 Million For Illegal Telemarketing Calls
By 6.6.17
Sure, we say all the time that robocalls are annoying, and agencies like the FTC and FCC talk all the time about how some of them are illegal. But how much trouble does a big company get in these days for actually getting caught making the illegal calls? About $280 million, it turns out. [More]
Your Car Could Be The Next Ransomware Target
By 6.5.17 — Updated: 6.6.17
The recent “WannaCry” ransomware attack that crippled computer systems around the globe has highlighted the digital vulnerabilities in our daily lives. [More]
