Latest news with #ABC13News
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Houston man's ‘funny' license plate was illegally duped — leaving him paying for another driver's tolls
Jason Sung thought it was all fun and games when he bought a custom license plate "5.0 GPA" for his white Ford Mustang. "I'm not a good student, or I don't have a good grade, but I just thought it's a funny plate," Sung told ABC13 News. "I really liked it." But what started as a lighthearted joke turned into a frustrating financial headache. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Sung noticed his Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) account auto-replenished unexpectedly, even though he rarely uses toll roads. Diving deeper into his account, Sung was shocked to find dozens of toll charges, many racked up during a period when he was out of the country and his white Ford Mustang was parked safely in his garage. Someone had a duplicate plate, down to the exact phrase, and had slapped it on a black Ford Mustang. Sung found toll charges dating back to at least January that he knows he is not responsible for. "It's just pretty much every day," he said. When he contacted HCTRA for answers, he said the toll authority checked transaction photos. A representative asked him if his vehicle was black with yellow lightning bolts on the back, but Sung's response was immediate: 'No, my car is completely white.' The photo HCTRA sent him showed a different vehicle altogether, but it had the same "5.0 GPA" license plate. "Even a person who doesn't even have a driver's license can tell you that's not a Texas plate," Sung said. The photo included the other driver's Instagram handle. ABC13 tracked down the individual behind the duplicate plate via social media. The driver admitted that the plate was a fake, ordered online from Arizona. He told reporters that he had no idea the plate phrase was officially registered and said he had been pulled over multiple times for the bogus tag. When asked if he would consider obtaining a legal plate, he instead asked if Sung might change his. Eventually, the driver said he would remove the fake plate from his vehicle. Meanwhile, Sung filed a report with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. Authorities told ABC13 the case is still under investigation. As for the wrongful charges, HCTRA confirmed to the news channel that they are reviewing all the transactions linked to Sung's account and will issue him a credit for tolls incurred by the other driver. For Sung, it's an expensive lesson in how a vanity plate can make you stand out, even to the wrong people. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it License plate cloning is becoming a growing problem in the U.S., where criminals copy legitimate license plates to commit illegal activities, leaving innocent vehicle owners, like Sung, on the hook for fines, tolls and even criminal offenses. In New York City, the police impounded more than 4,000 vehicles with fake plates in the 12 months after a task force was established in March 2024, while nationwide scams, like one in Tampa involving more than 1,000 cloned cars, have racked up losses exceeding $25 million, according to the FBI. States like Virginia and Texas are seeing rising thefts and enforcement efforts, with automated license plate readers (ALPRs) recovering hundreds of stolen vehicles. Victims of license plate cloning may have to deal with problems like toll charges, parking and traffic fines, wrongful administrative fees, and in severe cases, the issues can impact credit scores. So, what can you do to protect your vehicle from cloning? Here are some strategies you can use: Regularly monitor toll accounts. Log into toll authority portals, like TxTag and E-ZPass, monthly to review trip logs and check for unauthorized trips. Use antitheft screws. Install tamper-resistant screws to make it harder for thieves to remove your plates. Don't overshare online. Don't post images of your license plate on social media or public forums. Be careful where you park. Choose well-lit areas with security cameras to help avoid theft. Use plate-monitoring services. Consider services that alert you if your plate appears in enforcement databases or is flagged. Regular monitoring and taking proactive steps like these can help protect you from the financial and legal repercussions of license plate cloning. If you do run into a stolen plate, report it to authorities immediately. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
American Military News
09-05-2025
- American Military News
Fmr. NFL player sentenced for murdering girlfriend
Kevin Ware Jr., a former National Football League (NFL) player, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the murder of his ex-girlfriend in 2021. According to Harris County court documents obtained by Fox 26 Houston, Ware Jr. pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of murder and tampering with evidence as part of a 30-year prison sentence plea deal. The outlet noted that the 41-year-old former NFL player was indicted in June of 2022 for the death of Taylor Pomanski, his 29-year-old ex-girlfriend, after Pomanski's remains were found in 2021 and identified in April of 2022. NBC Houston reported that Pomaski's last known location was at a party in her Houston home on April 25, 2021. The outlet noted that Pomaki disappeared under suspicious circumstances. According to ABC 13 News, Ware Jr. was pulled over for driving 115 miles per hour in Montgomery County just days before Pomaski's mysterious disappearance. The outlet reported that law enforcement officials found multiple guns, including a loaded AK-47 rifle, cocaine, and methamphetamine in Ware Jr.'s vehicle during the traffic stop. READ MORE: Viral Video: Fmr. NFL star arrested after anti-MAGA protest Following the traffic stop, the former NFL player was charged with the possession of a firearm by a felon and for possession with intent to deliver/manufacture a controlled substance, according to ABC 13 News. While Ware Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in prison, he was released on bond before Pomaski disappeared. According to The New York Post, Pomaski's remains were later found in a ditch in Harris County in December of 2021. The outlet cited court documents that claimed the former NFL player had 'cut her with a knife, hit her with a blunt object, strangled her and then burned her corpse.' Eric Zuleger, Pomaski's ex-boyfriend, told KHOU 11 News that he believed the 29-year-old was trapped in an abusive relationship at the time of her mysterious disappearance. 'Taylor reached out to me many times throughout the month of April,' Zuleger said. 'We were talking about her getting out of there, getting back on her feet, getting herself set and stabilized.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Officials share heartbreaking image of endangered whale: 'A slow and painful death'
An upsetting photo circulated by ABC 13 News reveals a North Atlantic right whale entangled in a fishing net off the East Coast, concerning environmentalists as the species nears extinction. There are fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales, whose numbers have decreased exponentially due to the fishing industry. Complications include ship collisions and gear entanglements. The whale was spotted via aerial view entangled in the net and "has not been seen again," according to Melanie White, who is the North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation Project Manager and a research biologist. This was the third of the endangered whales to be found entangled in fishing gear in the span of one week in December 2024. According to ABC 13 News, "Right whales' population fell about 25% from 2010 to 2020." Conservationists have said that the animals need new protections from commercial fishing to help mitigate their population decline. Once numerous off the East Coast, the whales were "devastated during the commercial whaling era" and have been a protected species for decades. Hundreds of thousands of marine animals are impacted by commercial fishing each year through overfishing or bycatching, which is the indirect fishing of animals usually compounded by commercial fishing waste. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, a global nonprofit advocating for animal safety in the face of the changing climate, told the harrowing truth about what happens to these whales caught in commercial fishing waste "For these whales, entanglements typically lead to a slow and painful death caused by either starvation, infected lacerations, increased susceptibility to disease, extreme stress, or drowning," IFAW wrote in a post on the effects of bycatching. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The whales have been a protected species for decades. They are also protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Nevertheless, they are impacted by the commercial fishing industry, which is notorious for environmental degradation. It causes about 50% to 100% of plastic debris found in some parts of the ocean, according to the Marine Pollution Bulletin. Accordingly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has adopted measures to reduce harm to right whales. They include efforts to reduce vessel strikes, reduce entanglements, and address ocean noises. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
