logo
US senator wants Musk to block use of Starlink by financial fraud groups in Southeast Asia

US senator wants Musk to block use of Starlink by financial fraud groups in Southeast Asia

Reutersa day ago
WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - A Democratic senator on Monday urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to block transnational criminal groups in Southeast Asia for using Starlink satellite internet service to commit fraud against Americans.
Senator Maggie Hassan cited recent reports that Starlink is being used to facilitate fraud against Americans by a broad range of transnational criminal organizations operating "scam compounds" in Southeast Asia. The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said these groups defrauded Americans out of billions of dollars, she added. "Scam
networks in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, however, have apparently continued to use Starlink despite service rules permitting SpaceX to terminate access for fraudulent activity," Hassan wrote.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

DWP latest on powers that will allow bank accounts to be 'monitored'
DWP latest on powers that will allow bank accounts to be 'monitored'

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

DWP latest on powers that will allow bank accounts to be 'monitored'

The DWP is set to be given new powers as part of its Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill which forms a central part of its plans to crackdown on benefit fraud Labour's new Fraud, Error and Debt Bill represents a key element of DWP strategies to tackle benefit fraud and will grant fresh powers to the department to seek information from claimants' bank accounts. The Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill has been confirmed to take effect from 2026, with the provisions being rolled out to safeguard a total of £1.5billion of taxpayers' money over the subsequent five years. ‌ The legislation is designed to target benefit fraudsters. The fresh powers have been brought in as part of a series of measures Labour claims will constitute the "biggest fraud crackdown in a generation." Further details have now been provided on the proposals for the DWP to monitor people's bank accounts closely, ‌ ‌ READ MORE: BT warning for anyone who still has UK landline in their home ‌ Under the changes, benefit cheats could face driving bans for periods of up to two years if they reject all chances to repay the money they owe. Currently under discussion in the House of Lords, additional details on how these powers will operate have been disclosed by Baroness Maeve Sherlock, a minister of state for the DWP. The primary power that will allow the DWP to request banks to share financial information with its agents is termed the Eligibility Verification Measure, reports the Liverpool Echo. ‌ The DWP will be able to collect information from additional third-party organisations such as airlines to verify if people are claiming benefits from abroad and potentially breaching eligibility rules. The financial department will not have direct access to the bank accounts of millions of people on means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance. The Department for Work and Pensions will identify individuals who may have exceeded the eligibility criteria for means-tested benefits, such as the £16,000 income threshold for Universal Credit. If a person is identified, the department will then investigate that claimant to prevent possible overpayments and potential cases of fraud. The legislation only permits banks and other financial institutions to share limited data and excludes the sharing of transaction data. This means DWP will not be able to see what people are spending money on. ‌ A DWP factsheet states: "Any information shared through the Eligibility Verification Measure will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence. Banks and other financial institutions could receive a penalty for oversharing information, such as transaction information." ‌ Baroness Sherlock explains that the information the institution can be asked to share includes details about the account holder, including their name and date of birth. Agents can also request the bank account's sort code and account number, as well as details about how the account meets eligibility. Ministers claim the government is bringing in these powers to establish whether someone qualifies for a benefit they are receiving or have requested based on their financial circumstances. Baroness Sherlock said the measures will be rolled out over 12 months, using a "phased approach" and working with a limited number of banks at first. Drawing on its use by HMRC and the Child Maintenance Service, Baroness Sherlock says DWP anticipates it will issue between 5,000 and 20,000 Direct Deduction Orders annually. A DWP spokesperson told The Independent: "Our Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill includes an Eligibility Verification Measure which will require banks to share limited data on claimants who may wrongly be receiving benefits – such as those on Universal Credit with savings over £16,000. "As well as tackling fraud, the new powers will also help us find genuine claim errors sooner, stopping people building up unmanageable debt. This measure does not give DWP access to any benefit claimants' bank accounts."

Trump briefed on NYC shooting and lauds NYPD officer ‘who made the ultimate sacrifice'
Trump briefed on NYC shooting and lauds NYPD officer ‘who made the ultimate sacrifice'

The Independent

time3 hours ago

  • The Independent

Trump briefed on NYC shooting and lauds NYPD officer ‘who made the ultimate sacrifice'

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.

Microsoft in advanced talks for continued access to OpenAI tech, Bloomberg News reports
Microsoft in advanced talks for continued access to OpenAI tech, Bloomberg News reports

Reuters

time4 hours ago

  • Reuters

Microsoft in advanced talks for continued access to OpenAI tech, Bloomberg News reports

July 29 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab is in advanced talks for a deal that would give the Windows maker continued access to critical OpenAI technology in the future, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the negotiations. The companies have discussed new terms that would allow Microsoft to use OpenAI's latest models and technology even if the ChatGPT maker declares it has achieved artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI that surpasses human intelligence, the report said. A clause in OpenAI's current contract with Microsoft will shut the software giant out of some rights to the startup's advanced technology when it achieves AGI. Negotiators have been meeting regularly, and an agreement could come together in a matter of weeks, Bloomberg News reported. Microsoft and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. OpenAI needs Microsoft's approval to complete its transition into a public-benefit corporation. The two have been in negotiations for months to revise the terms of their investment, including the future equity stake Microsoft will hold in OpenAI. Last month, The Information reported that Microsoft and OpenAI were at odds over the AGI clause. OpenAI is also facing a lawsuit from Elon Musk, who co-founded the company with Sam Altman in 2015 but left before it surged in popularity, accusing OpenAI of straying from its founding mission — to develop AI for the good of humanity, not corporate profit. Microsoft is set to report June quarter earnings on Wednesday, with its relationship with OpenAI in the spotlight, as the startup turns to rivals Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, Oracle and CoreWeave (CRWV.O), opens new tab for cloud capacity.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store