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Reston firm warns robocall tax scams are getting more sophisticated 04/01/2024 12:50pm • It is tax season, and the robocall tax scams are in full swing. Reston, Virginia-based Transaction Network Services, which regularly analyzes more than 1.5 billion daily call events across hundreds of carrier networks to identify robocall trends, said residents in the D.C. metro have already rece In Taiwan, a group is battling fake news one conversation at a time — with a focus on seniors 04/01/2024 04:10am • TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Their days often began at the crack of dawn. They’d head out to a church, a temple, a park and set up a stall. They’d seek out seniors in particular, those who are perhaps the most vulnerable citizens of the information-saturated society that has enveloped them. To get pe In Taiwan, a group is battling fake news one conversation at a time — with a focus on seniors 04/01/2024 04:09am • TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Their days often began at the crack of dawn. They’d head out to a church, a temple, a park and set up a stall. They’d seek out seniors in particular, those who are perhaps the most vulnerable citizens of the information-saturated society that has enveloped them. To get pe Blumhouse partners with AMC Theatres for inaugural Halfway to Halloween Film Festival 03/29/2024 02:39pm • You've heard of Christmas in July, but how about Halloween in March and April? Blumhouse is partnering with AMC Theatres for the first-ever Halfway to Halloween Film Festival, a five-day multiplex event that launches this weekend in over 40 cities across the U.S. "We're very excited about Scammer claimed to be a psychic, witch and Irish heiress, victims say as she faces extradition to UK 03/26/2024 12:09am • BOSTON (AP) — She has crisscrossed the country saying she's an Irish heiress, a psychic and good friends with a movie star in order to run scores of scams, her victims say. But now Marianne Smyth is in a Maine jail awaiting a hearing next month that will decide whether she can be extradited to th How to Find a Reputable Tax Preparer Near You 03/24/2024 08:00pm • For some people, annual taxes are easy to do on their own. But for those who have started a business, taken on freelance work or received unemployment benefits, it can be much more complicated. That's where a qualified, local tax preparer can help. However, finding a tax specialist isn't always easy Double-swiping the rewards card led to free gas for months — and a felony theft charge 03/12/2024 12:31pm • LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska woman allegedly found a lucrative quirk at a gas station pump — double-swipe the rewards card and get free gas! Unfortunately for her, you can't do that, prosecutors said. The 45-year-old woman was arrested March 6 and faces felony theft charges accusing her of a Being aware of scams while paying your credit card debt 03/11/2024 08:48pm • Credit card debt may be taking over your savings. But experts said before you turn to a debt relief program to help you pay it off, watch out for scammers. The Federal Trade Commission said there are plenty of offers that may sound like a perfect solution, but not all of them are legitimate. Fairfax Co. police: Scammers continue to rip people off using crypto ATMs, oftentimes stealing $10K 03/10/2024 03:24pm • Fraudsters continue to rip people off using scam calls, gift cards and bitcoin ATMs. Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are warning residents to avoid callers that ask for money and immediately report any scams they come across. "They're taking advantage of people's fear," said Sgt. Jacob Pearce Fairfax Co. police warns about driveway-paving scams 03/08/2024 08:50pm • As the warm weather approaches, Fairfax County, Virginia, police are issuing a warning about a scam that usually pops up in the springtime. Driveway-paving scammers, the department said, typically look to exploit homeowners. Sgt. Jacob Pearce, a public information officer with the department, 16 Best Apps for Buying and Selling Used Stuff 03/03/2024 07:00pm • If you're trying to clear out your closet or scrounge up some extra cash, you might consider selling used stuff to bring in additional income. From old gift cards to your wedding dress, there are marketplaces designed to sell all kinds of items. "When it comes to buying and selling pre-owned items, How a WTOP reporter almost got swindled by a scammer over the phone 02/27/2024 08:11pm • Scam phone calls have become more prevalent and in some cases more convincing these days as thieves try to steal victims' money and personal or financial information. Montgomery County Police say among the most common scams are phone calls in which the caller impersonates law enforcement or a gov This week's cellphone outage makes it clear: In the United States, landlines are languishing 02/23/2024 11:59am • NEW YORK (AP) — When her cellphone's service went down this week because of an AT&T network outage, Bernice Hudson didn't panic. She just called the people she wanted to talk to the old-fashioned way — on her landline telephone, the kind she grew up with and refuses to get rid of even though What to Know About Kids' Bank Accounts 02/13/2024 07:00pm • A savings account for youngsters can introduce them to the idea of putting money away and even help them learn about concepts like compound interest. They can deposit money from birthdays, holidays, chores, allowances and eventually part-time jobs. Banks and credit unions offer special accounts gear AI-generated voices in robocalls can deceive voters. The FCC just made them illegal 02/08/2024 01:42pm • NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday outlawed robocalls that contain voices generated by artificial intelligence, a decision that sends a clear message that exploiting the technology to scam people and mislead voters won’t be tolerated. The unanimous ruling targets r