Latest news with #Berens
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Charlie Berens warns of scammers pretending to be him on Facebook, Instagram
If a Facebook or Instagram account claiming to be Charlie Berens messages you out of the blue, odds are it's not actually the Wisconsin comedian. It's probably an imposter who may try to scam you. "When it happens, you think: This person that I follow, I enjoy their content. Now they're privately messaging me," Berens explained to the Journal Sentinel in a recent phone interview. "You kind of allow the excitement to maybe take over a little bit." "Before you know it," he said, the scammer tries to get gift cards or personal information out of you. While this problem has popped up over the years, it's going on increasingly more often, Berens said. He's noticed that it's happening on Facebook and Instagram the most, especially with older adults who are newer to social media and often the target of scams. But, other platforms and people aren't immune. When Berens' name is searched for on a social media site, his real account isn't the only one to pop up. While we were on the phone with Berens, he looked up his name on Instagram and found a handful of phonies on the spot. "It's kind of a game of Whack-a-Mole," Berens said. "You can report an account and then it can get removed. But then someone else can just do the same thing. There's not really a great system to combat that stuff." At one of Berens' comedy shows in California, a fan brought him a gift she said they had previously discussed and informed him that they had been messaging each other online for months, the comedian said. This was news to Berens. The person the woman had been talking to? Not him. The imposter even went as far as to mail the woman a photo of Berens with a forged autograph on it, Berens said. Scammers often "do something that builds trust with people," he said, which can be "a dangerous game." "As an entertainer or public figure in whatever case, you try to build a lot of trust with your audience," he said. "Then, you have these people eroding that trust just because they want to make a quick buck. It's sad." "Be very suspicious of any interaction with anybody online. Period," Berens said, especially when it's with someone claiming to be a public figure without being verified. If there isn't a blue checkmark next to Berens' username on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok — the checkmark indicates that the account has been verified by the platform — that's a red flag. In case you ever need to double-check, Berens' real accounts on those platforms, as well as his Patreon — where he sometimes does giveaways — are: Facebook: Charlie Berens, found at Instagram: charlieberens, found at TikTok: charlieberens, found at Patreon: Berens noted that with X, formerly Twitter, people can get a blue checkmark by simply purchasing an active subscription to X Premium. While he doesn't do that, his main account on there is: @CharlieBerens. Berens also has social media accounts for several of his ventures, including his comedic news report series, his podcast and his brandy. Official accounts for those, include: "Manitowoc Minute": Facebook, Instagram and X. "The Cripes Podcast": Facebook, Instagram and X. Berens Old Fashioned Brandy: Facebook and Instagram. If Berens ever uses social media to give away tickets or discuss a donation request, he or someone from his team will converse strictly through his official accounts. During those conversations, Berens or his team may provide an email address for further correspondence if necessary. If someone thinks a Berens imposter is reaching out to them, the comedian's advice: "Don't reply" — just like you'd hang up if you got a robocall. "The more time we can spend away from our phones, the better. And, I say that as somebody who obviously would benefit with people spending more time on their phones," Berens said. "It's very easy to get sucked in and lost in an algorithm. And, that can lead you to sort of think something is real when it's not. I think just enjoying life in the real world is kind of a thing we can all — myself included — try to do more of." A USA TODAY report shared these tips from Chase to help people identity potential scams or fraud: Demands for urgent action and sharing of personal information. Scammers will usually have a sense of urgency, and you may be threatened with losing money or access to your accounts or even arrest if you don't comply. New, sudden relationships that take an interest in your money. Financial abuse often happens from a person known to the victim. It might be a caretaker or a newly found friendship. Be careful of any new friends who approach you with investment opportunities or take an interest in your finances. Unusual financial activity. If you see withdrawals or changes to your accounts, or if you see your loved one suddenly making changes to financial accounts, contact the financial institution. Wrong number. Some scammers will text or call someone, hoping you'll answer, saying it's the wrong number. Then they'll try to get friendly with you to get your defenses down. Contact authorities and your financial institutions as soon as possible. Don't be ashamed about what happened and seek help. The quicker a financial institution knows there is a problem, the better the chances are that some of the lost money might be recoverable. But liability for the fraud does vary for each case and often if the consumer has willingly transferred the money to a scammer, it could prove difficult to recover. If you realize you're in the middle of being scammed, disengage from contact. Berens, who grew up in Elm Grove and New Berlin, is a comedian, New York Times best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist. He's well-known for his hilarious videos about all things life in the Midwest. He also wrote "The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink and Eat ... Everything with Ranch," hosts "The Cripescast Podcast" and has several other endeavors, including Berens Old Fashioned Brandy. In the "Green and Gold" movie, which played in theaters earlier this year, Berens portrayed a radio host on a Door County station. In our recent interview, Berens shared that he recently filmed a standup special. He has a slew of shows coming up in Wisconsin in September. And, in November, he'll be hitting the road for "The Lost & Found Tour." More information, including dates and locations can be found here. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Charlie Berens warns of Facebook, Instagram scammers impersonating him
Business Insider
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
AstraZeneca (AZN) Receives a Buy from Leerink Partners
In a report released on May 21, Andrew Berens from Leerink Partners maintained a Buy rating on AstraZeneca (AZN – Research Report). The company's shares closed yesterday at $70.41. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Berens covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Incyte, Arvinas Holding Company, and AstraZeneca. According to TipRanks, Berens has an average return of -6.7% and a 36.16% success rate on recommended stocks. Currently, the analyst consensus on AstraZeneca is a Strong Buy with an average price target of $87.34. The company has a one-year high of $87.68 and a one-year low of $61.24. Currently, AstraZeneca has an average volume of 6.03M.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spring cleaning brings more donations to Furniture Mission
SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO) — The Furniture Mission in Sioux Falls is hoping the public will be as generous as ever this year when it comes to donating furniture for people in-need. The faith-based non-profit is waiting to see what kind of impact, if any, a new round of tariffs could have on donations. Lee Berens is dropping off a trailer full of office furniture at the Furniture Mission. 'If somebody's got a need for it, it's better to have them take it instead of throwing it in the dumpster, I guess,' Berens said. 3% value cap isn't for individual homes in SD Spring cleaning projects bring in more donations to the Furniture Mission at this time of year. 'Spring cleaning is the height of donation season for the organization. So, yes, we definitely see a lot more during that spring cleaning season,' Furniture Mission CEO Janean Michalov said. Mattresses and box springs are always in high demand at the Furniture Mission. This area of their warehouse was full this morning. By mid-afternoon, it's nearly empty. 'Sioux Falls continues to kind of be on that top places to live list throughout the country. And so as people are migrating here, sometimes they're leaving everything behind just to get to Sioux Falls and set up a household. So we're here to help give them that additional uplift by providing furniture to those families,' Michalov said. President Trump's tariffs could make items like new furniture more expensive to purchase. But the Furniture Mission says they haven't seen any signs so far that people are reluctant to donate because they want to hang onto the furniture they have. 'I'm assuming just like everything else, it could be a potential for us. But God is faithful and the Furniture Mission is a Christian-based organization, so we know that His plans are greater than any tariff that could be put on any organization,' Michalov said. The Furniture Mission set a record last year for the number of families it served at more than 2-thousand households. And with uncertain economic times ahead, people in the community want to do their part to help even more families this year. 'Because everything is so expensive, so I mean, the need to donate now is better than ever,' Berens said. The Furniture Mission will be hosting its annual Chairity Gala on April 15th where people can bid on selected items that have been donated over the past year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Impersonation scam; Comedian Charlie Berens reacts, frustrated
The Brief A Glendale woman says a scammer impersonating Charlie Berens tried to steal hundreds of dollars from her in exchange for backstage tickets. Berens is aware of impersonation accounts in his name on social media. He says trying to remove them is like "whack-a-mole." The BBB says this is a combination of the "impersonation scam" and "friendship scam." The scammer quickly tried to develop a personal relationship with the victim. GLENDALE, Wis. - A comedian known for his viral videos about "Midwestern nice" is reacting to a scam attempt in his name. One woman tells Contact 6 she nearly lost hundreds of dollars. What we know Charlie Berens is a stand-up performer who also racks up millions of clicks online for his videos playfully showcasing life in Wisconsin. His comic persona might ask you for a brandy old-fashioned or a lift to a Culver's. However, Berens says he'd never ask for money outside the legitimate ticketing website for his comedy shows. "If you get a DM from me asking for your favorite fishing spot, that could be legitimate," Berens told Contact 6. "Aside from that, it's not me." FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Berens finds no humor in his fans being scammed. What we know In early March, a 60-year-old Glendale woman thought she got a message from Berens on TikTok. When she asked about his upcoming shows, the scammer offered to get her tickets. Then, the scammer suggested they move the conversation off TikTok. The woman was told she needed a 'fan card' to get backstage access. To get one, she had to put $500 on an e-gift card at Walmart. "I have a lot of empathy for people because it's getting harder and harder to decipher what is true and is not true online," said Berens. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Before Contact 6 reached out to Berens, he was aware of impersonation accounts in his name. "It's like whack-a-mole. As soon as you get down one, you get ten more," said Berens. Why you should care One red flag in this case? The scammer's TikTok name was CharlieBerens127. Beren's official account is CharlieBerens. "If there's any numbers behind @CharlieBerens on any of these things, that's a no-go," said Berens. The victim became skeptical before losing money. She says the scammer got too friendly, calling her "my dear" and saying, "I guess I've been around and waiting for you." She eventually wrote back, "why in the world would famous Charlie Berens reach out to a complete strange and sweet talk?" What we know The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says this is an impersonation scam combined with a friendship scam. Friendships scams, alongside romance scams, ranked number three on the BBB's riskiest consumer scams in 2024. Friendship/romance scams also rank number one for amount of money lost. "I think the thing with celebrity impersonation scams is people want them to be true," said Lisa Schiller of the BBB Serving Wisconsin. "They're going to ask for payment in an untraceable method such as a gift card, or a reloadable card, or wire transfer or cryptocurrency." What they're saying Berens worries the impersonation scams will only get worse as more fraudsters embrace AI. "The lack of regulation around AI, there's more regulation on a bratwurst than there is artificial intelligence," said Berens. It's unclear whether AI was involved in this scam. Berens says he's heard about social media impersonators for years. To make sure a page is verified, look for the blue check mark. More information on imposter scams and AI: How to avoid impostor scams Celebrity impersonations get more sophisticated with AI technology The Source Information for this report comes from an interview with Charlie Berens, the BBB, the victim and her messaging history with the scammer.
Chicago Tribune
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Hot diggity dog! Wienermobile rolls through Region, spreading whistles, cheer wherever it goes
It's not every day a 27-foot-long hot dog zips down U.S. 41, but when it does, it spreads a special kind of joy, said 'hotdogger' Bridget 'BBQ' Berens. The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile rolled through the Region, stopping at Strack & Van Til in St. John on Friday afternoon. It returned Sunday to the Strack & Van Til stores in Lowell and Cedar Lake before baring east to Ohio. Berens and her co-pilot, Cooper 'CoopDawg' Albert, traveled through 25 states before crossing into Northwest Indiana on the annual Wienermobile tour, where a fleet of giant hot dog trucks hit the nation's highways through early summer. The tradition, while seemingly silly, stems from a time marked by struggle and harsh circumstances, according to Oscar Mayer history. 'The Wienermobile was created during the Great Depression, to bring some cheer and levity to people during a hard time. And now 89 years later we're still out here doing this, it's all a part of that tradition,' Berens said. In 1936, Carl Mayer, nephew of Oscar Mayer, had an outlandish dream: creating a 13-foot-long hot dog car. The car was in a parade through Chicago, where it cemented its legendary status. History was re-lived on Saturday when the Wienermobile donned green streamers to be in Chicago's St. Patrick's Day Parade. 'Everyone has some story about the Wienermobile,' Berens said. 'It's a special moment, whether it's their first time seeing it or hearing people talk about seeing it 30 years ago when they were kids. Today alone I've heard so many stories from people.' Berens said when it comes to the coveted 'Wiener Whistle,' she discovered it has become an heirloom of sorts to Midwesterners. 'People have told me they still have their grandma or grandpa's whistle,' Berens said. 'It's a tradition from generation to generation, and to be a part of that is amazing.' Grace Kleine, of Merrillville, said when she was a child, her grandma told her about getting a Wiener Whistle and taught her the Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle. On Friday, Kleine got a whistle of her own and brought along her two rescue pugs, Cici and Ivan – all three dressed as condiments. Tiny T-shirts on the pugs packaged them as ketchup and mustard, with Kleine being the relish of the trio, prompting people to flock to them for photos. Kleine said she had the outfits from last Halloween and figured she'd add to the Oscar Mayer festivities. 'Everyone is so happy to see them,' Kleine said. 'How can you not smile while looking at the Wienermobile? I told my friends, 'You've got to come out and see it, it's a part of American history.'' The Wienermobile itself has gone through many transformations throughout the decades, all while retaining its original hot dog form. The 1952 version of the vehicle is in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and iterations since have included Ford Thunderbird tail lights, microwave ovens, refrigerators, car phones, big screen TVs and stereo systems that play 21 versions of the Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle. Different versions of the Wienermobile have also marked the epochs of time. In 2015, The Wiener Rover, an all-terrain, off-roading hot dog on wheels was created, and 2016 saw the invention of the motorhome-hotdog combo called the Wienie-Bago, according to Oscar Mayer history. In 2017, the world welcomed the WienerDrone, an unmanned hotdog-carrying aircraft, and the WienerCycle, a three-wheeled moped. The moped had a sidecar that doubled as a hot dog warming station. Finally, 2018 saw the creation of the Super Hotdogger, a person in a jetpack wearing a utility belt lined with hot dog carrying cases. Today, the Wienermobile fleet travels an average of 500 miles per week. 'People say we're celebrities, but we're not,' Albert said. 'We're just driving around the celebrity.' Each vehicle is manned by two 'hotdoggers' who compete with thousands of applicants in a four-month-long interview process that will come down to just 12 hired individuals. Albert is from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and Berens is from Elm Grove, Wisconsin. Now, they're reaching near the end of their travels in June. 'We've been through 25 states, and I feel like I met the soul of America,' Albert said. 'Seeing people united in kindness and joy over giant hot dogs. We're in a new city every week. It's been an amazing adventure.'
