December 6, 2022

Ordinary Investors Who Jumped Into Crypto Are Saying: Now What? (New York Times)

New York Times: Ordinary Investors Who Jumped Into Crypto Are Saying: Now What?. “In early November, Adrian Butkus, a 43-year-old father of two, put $600,000 — much of his life savings — into an account at BlockFi, a cryptocurrency trading firm. BlockFi had marketed the account as risk free, yielding 6.5 percent interest, more than Mr. Butkus could get anywhere else. Just days later, as the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX shook the entire crypto industry, Mr. Butkus asked BlockFi for his money back. But the firm had suspended customer withdrawals, citing its close financial ties to FTX.”

Tweaks & Updates 0
November 20, 2022

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Using CFPB complaint data to help cities and counties protect the public

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Using CFPB complaint data to help cities and counties protect the public. “We wanted to increase the impact of our complaint data by sharing it with cities and counties so they can increase their efforts to protect consumers at the local level. Engaging with local governments is a win-win for consumers and the CFPB. It helps protect as many consumers as possible from predatory lending, barriers to credit, and other consumer harms.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
November 17, 2022

First on CNN: ‘Greed and deception.’ Elizabeth Warren demands Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX turn over trove of records (CNN)

CNN: First on CNN: ‘Greed and deception.’ Elizabeth Warren demands Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX turn over trove of records. “Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin are demanding FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried hand over a trove of documents that will shed light on the extraordinary and swift downfall of his crypto exchange.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
November 7, 2022

Better Business Bureau: BBB Institute partners with Amazon and Capital One to fight scams

Better Business Bureau: BBB Institute partners with Amazon and Capital One to fight scams. “The BBB Scam Tracker makes it easier for consumers to report scams via mobile or desktop. It includes a new guided questionnaire that makes it quick and easy to report a scam. Consumers can now review and edit their reports before submission, and then share the report with friends and family via social media or email. They also have the option to receive updates about the constantly evolving tactics that scammers use. In addition, an upgraded search function enables consumers to search scams in the tool by URL, email address, phone number and more.”

New Resources 0
October 20, 2022

FBI: FBI Warns Public to Beware of Tech Support Scammers Targeting Financial Accounts Using Remote Desktop Software

FBI: FBI Warns Public to Beware of Tech Support Scammers Targeting Financial Accounts Using Remote Desktop Software. “The Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning that as tech support fraud evolves, the number of people falling victim to the crime is on the rise, and so are financial losses. Investigators are seeing an emerging trend in which tech support scammers are convincing victims that their financial accounts have been compromised and their funds need to be moved so the fraudsters can gain control over the victims’ computers and finances.”

Security & Legal Issues 0
October 18, 2022

CNET: Americans’ Satisfaction With Internet Service Providers Falls, Study Shows

CNET: Americans’ Satisfaction With Internet Service Providers Falls, Study Shows. “When the American Customer Satisfaction Index in June announced its numbers for the broadband industry, we noted that internet service providers landed at the very bottom of all industries surveyed. Well, the news isn’t much better with the release last week of a study from J.D. Power.”

Research & Opinion 0
October 18, 2022

WIRED: Stadia Is Dying. Here’s What’s in Your Refund and How to Get It

WIRED: Stadia Is Dying. Here’s What’s in Your Refund and How to Get It. “IT TOOK LONGER than skeptics might’ve guessed, but Google Stadia is finally shutting down. On January 18, 2023, anyone who bought games on the streaming service will lose access to their library. To compensate people who invested in the ecosystem, Google will be giving Stadia users a full refund—quite an unprecedented move. If you bought a game on Stadia at any point since its launch, you might have questions. Here’s how it’s all going to play out.”

Useful Stuff 0
October 11, 2022

From GameStop to crypto: how to protect yourself from meme stock mania (The Conversation)

The Conversation: From GameStop to crypto: how to protect yourself from meme stock mania. “Recent rallies in stocks popularised on social media have attracted increasing numbers of investors looking to these so-called ‘meme stocks’ for quick returns. But while it might look like a fun game, there are real risks to investing in stocks and other financial products popularised on social media. And with recessions looming around the world, the danger is becoming even more acute.”

Useful Stuff 0
October 4, 2022

CNBC: Treasury’s financial stability watchdog warns cryptocurrencies could threaten safety of U.S. economy

CNBC: Treasury’s financial stability watchdog warns cryptocurrencies could threaten safety of U.S. economy. “The Treasury Department warned Monday that unregulated cryptocurrencies could pose a risk to the U.S. financial system. The warning was a part of the first major public report released by the Treasury’s Financial Stability Oversight Council on digital assets. The council identified digital or ‘crypto’ assets such as stablecoins as well as lending and borrowing on the industry’s trading platforms as an ‘important emerging vulnerability.’”

Security & Legal Issues 0
October 3, 2022

Smash texting scams: How to avoid smishing attacks (Mashable)

Mashable: Smash texting scams: How to avoid smishing attacks. “If you’ve recently received a bunch of suspicious texts from unknown numbers claiming to be USPS, your bank, or another major company asking you to resolve some sort of urgent issue, you’re not alone. Hopefully these bizarre missives tripped your shadiness alarms and you kept your link-clicking fingers at bay, because those texts aren’t legit…. But since even the savviest among us have off days or unfocused moments when a smishing scam could slip by undetected, we’ve put together a primer on how to spot and avoid them.”

Useful Stuff 0
October 3, 2022

Clemson News: Clemson to work with the University at Buffalo to help older adults recognize online scams and disinformation through $5 million-grant

Clemson News: Clemson to work with the University at Buffalo to help older adults recognize online scams and disinformation through $5 million-grant. “Clemson University, alongside four universities across the nation, has formed a task force of researchers to create digital tools that help older adults better recognize and protect themselves from online deceptions and other forms of disinformation. The team was awarded a two-year, $5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator phase 2 cooperative agreement.”

Research & Opinion 0

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