Latest news with #DavidHanson
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers and Celtic fans warned over online ticket scams as fraudsters target clubs
The Glasgow giants are among the UK clubs most targeted by fraudsters who market non-existent briefs for sale on social media. Rangers and Celtic fans have been warned to look out for ticketing scams this season as new data reveals an estimated £2.5 million has been lost to football ticket fraud over the past two years. The Glasgow giants are among the UK clubs most targeted by fraudsters who market non-existent briefs for sale on social media sites such as Facebook and X. More than 2,400 cases of football ticket fraud were reported by Lloyds customers over the past two seasons, with total losses topping £500,000. The bank estimates there are likely to have been at least 12,000 victims across the UK since the start of the 2023/24 season, with over £2.5 million stolen by fraudsters. The UK Government has now joined forces with Lloyds to issue a warning to supporters as part of its Stop! Think Fraud campaign. Led by the Home Office, the campaign aims to better inform supporters and small businesses about the risks of buying dodgy briefs. Supporters of Liverpool are most likely to be targeted by fraudsters, followed by fans of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. But cases have also involved fans of Celtic and Rangers, while Wrexham featured in the data after racing back to the second tier of the English football pyramid for the first time in more than 40 years. Fans aged 25–34 were the most common victims, making up 28 per cent of all cases, closely followed by 18-24 year olds. More than three-quarters of football ticket fraud cases last season started on social media, underlining the need for tech firms to do more to stop the fraudsters operating on their platforms. Fraudsters typically try purchase scams where people are tricked into paying for goods or services that don't exist. This involves scammers posting fake adverts or listings on social media, offering tickets at discounted prices or for sold-out games. Victims are then asked to pay upfront – usually by bank transfer – but the tickets never arrive and the fraudster disappears. Anti-fraud experts are urging fans to stick to official sources and only buy tickets directly from official club websites, ticket offices or their authorised partners. Deals advertised on social media should not be trusted. Liz Ziegler, Lloyds fraud prevention director, said: "It's easy to get swept up in the buzz of a new season – but scammers are banking on that excitement. With demand for tickets often outstripping supply, fraudsters know they can trick fans into paying for tickets that simply don't exist. "Social media is the main breeding ground for ticket scams and it's time these firms cracked down on the fraudsters lurking on their platforms." David Hanson, minister for fraud at the Home Office, said: "As the nation gears up for the new football season, so too do fraudsters, waiting to take advantage of loyal fans searching for tickets. "That's why we urge all football supporters hunting for tickets to Stop! Think Fraud. Stay alert and only buy directly from the clubs, their official partners and legitimate resale outlets. None of us want to miss a big game, but that will feel ten times worse if you've also handed hundreds of pounds to a fraudster for a ticket you'll never see."
CBS News
02-08-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Arlington's Decorators Warehouse braces for impact amid rising import costs
As new U.S. tariffs are set to take effect next week — raising rates as high as 40% for dozens of trading partners — small businesses across Texas are preparing for the fallout. Among them is Decorators Warehouse, a long-running holiday décor destination in Arlington. Inside the store, customers are greeted by an explosion of ornaments, wreaths, and festive displays. "It's fabulous. I'm like a kid in a candy store," one shopper said, echoing the sentiment of many who visit the store year-round. But behind the sparkle and cheer, owner David Hanson is facing a growing challenge. "The uncertainty around that has been very, very hard," Hanson told CBS News Texas. He said tariffs touch every corner of his business, which sources nearly all of its products from overseas. "Almost all of it comes from every country in the world," Hanson said. "We get it out of the Far East, we get it out of Europe, comes out of the Philippines, China—you name it." The financial impact is already being felt. "This container of lights cost me $150,000. Now I add a 30% tariff to that—I'm immediately paying $45,000 more than I ever paid," Hanson explained. "I hear it all the time: 'Well, I'm not paying the tariffs, China is.' They are not paying the tariff. I am paying the tariff. As soon as it hits the United States, I pay the tariff." Hanson said the burden doesn't stop with business owners. "You do. I do. Our families do," Hanson said. "And there's no way around that. At some point, you simply can't eat it all." Carletta Wilson, a designer from Arkansas and a frequent customer, said the uncertainty is affecting more than just retailers. "This is my happy place. This is where I spend hours," she said. Wilson worries about the broader economic impact. "The thing that's going to be extra devastating is the job loss that's happening all over," she said. "If customers cannot afford our items, no matter how much we price them at, that's where it's going to be devastating even more to all of us." "As the tariffs increase, our costs increase. People are losing their jobs. It's going to be a choice whether to pick it up or not. Because people are worried." To get ahead of the uncertainty, Hanson placed orders for this year's holiday season last September. For now, he said, Decorators Warehouse will not pass along tariff-related price hikes to customers. "We have people that are nervous. They're a little uncertain," Hanson said. "We're here to help them have a good year. So that's our approach to everything." Still, Hanson knows the relief may be temporary. "I deal with the uncertainty to give you the holiday cheer," he said. "That's a good way to put it. I like that a lot."
Belfast Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
PSNI to be given powers to seize electronic devices to combat immigration crime
Under the proposed Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently progressing through Parliament authorities will have new tools to combat criminal gangs. Speaking on the legislation, Minister of State at the Home Office, Lord David Hanson, described it as a "turbocharge" to current enforcement capabilities. 'Our Borders Bill will turbocharge efforts to combat irregular migration and organised immigration crime,' he said. 'It will equip law enforcement across the UK with new tools to better identify, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks behind this vile trade.' Among the key measures is the expansion of powers to seize electronic devices such as mobile phones believed to contain intelligence on people-smuggling operations. These powers will be extended to police forces across the UK, including the PSNI, and are inspired by counterterrorism protocols. Lord Hanson highlighted that the enhanced authority will 'provide critical insights into the operations of smuggling gangs'. 'This change will deliver greater intelligence on these people smuggling gangs, enhancing investigations and strengthening the collective response to bring criminals to justice,' he added. The Bill draws directly from counterterrorism strategies, allowing earlier interventions in smuggling networks. It includes provisions to criminalise the supply or possession of materials suspected to be used in illegal crossings, such as parts for small boats, bringing immigration enforcement more in line with anti-terror practices. The proposed powers come in response to a recent report from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), which welcomed the potential for electronic device seizures to yield valuable information on criminal activity. However, officials have stressed that any device seizure, retention, or data extraction will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and subject to strict oversight and safeguards. The measures are part of the Government's broader 'Plan for Change' strategy, which aims to restore order to the UK's asylum and immigration systems. Law enforcement agencies are said to be working 'round the clock' to dismantle smuggling operations. Last month, a major Home Office operation in Northern Ireland targeting people-smuggling networks led to more than 30 arrests and the seizure of assets worth £160,000. Simultaneously, the newly formed Border Security Command is working to 'deepen international collaboration in the fight against irregular migration'. The Government's efforts have also been underpinned by a substantial financial commitment. On June 11, the Chancellor announced up to £280m per year in funding for the Border Security Command. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is scheduled to enter Committee Stage in the House of Lords next week.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘My Robot Sophia': An Unsettling Look Into the Soul of a Machine
In 2017, a robot named Sophia was granted Saudi Arabian citizenship, a dubious move on many fronts. Real human women had only earned the right to drive a car in the country a month earlier, and robot citizenship was also, somewhat transparently, a publicity stunt. Sophia, which is humanoid and powered by a proprietary artificial intelligence engine created by Hanson Robotics, has participated in a number of stunts since then, including appearances on 'The Tonight Show' and at a lucrative sale of its art during the 2021 NFT boom. All of these events and more appear in the new documentary 'My Robot Sophia' (on digital platforms), but the film skirts gimmicks to go in a more tricky and unsettling direction. It's an almost soulful portrait of the artist under capitalism, rather than another exposé on robotics and artificial intelligence. It's a bit parallel to Alex Garland's fictional film 'Ex Machina.' And in the Frankensteinian tradition, the robot's creator is not uncomplicated. The title of the film implies that Sophia belongs to someone. That someone is David Hanson, the chief executive of Hanson Robotics. A loner and an artist from a young age, he became fascinated with creating lifelike masks. His lab is crowded with them, rubber faces on little pedestals that seem, in the background of many shots, to be staring upward in open-mouthed wonder, or terror. That kind of image adds subtext, and it's all the more astounding because it's nonfiction. 'My Robot Sophia' is littered with visual tells, and if you're not actually watching with your eyes, you might miss what they're saying. The two directors have experience telling these sorts of sprawling stories that require a lot of patience, time and observation — Jon Kasbe with 'When Lambs Become Lions' and Crystal Moselle with 'Skate Kitchen' and 'The Wolfpack.' You see what they see. The film follows Hanson for years as he develops Sophia, tries to convince investors to stay on board, experiences some glory but more nail-biting failure at public appearances and, barely, weathers the pandemic. Atmospherically, it's dreamy — Kasbe and Moselle often catch Hanson as he's thinking, or as his face tries to mask some hurt or panic or, occasionally, joy. Hanson's human emotion provides an unnerving juxtaposition with Sophia, which cannot feel but, Hanson thinks, will some day. Or will at least be able to pretend it does, to the point that we won't know the difference. One could read the film as a sort of praise song to Hanson as misunderstood genius. But while 'My Robot Sophia' sets us up with that kind of surface analysis, it becomes pretty clear that there's a lot of dramatic irony at work. Hanson's ambition and drive are endless, but whether he's right — whether Sophia is the marvelous advance, the 'new art form' that will change humanity that he insists the robot is — seems dubious most of the time. Shooting ended in 2022, and the film leaves us watching Sophia plug itself into its own charger. It's hard not to muse on how even a basic chatbot a couple of years later can do these things, some of them seemingly better. Whether that's good or bad — well, 'My Robot Sophia' isn't going to tell us that.
The Star
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
UK to ban 'sim farms' used by scammers to send mass fraud messages
The government said the devices are used by criminals to hold multiple SIM cards, which as well as allowing scammers to send out thousands of messages to people at the same time, can also be used to create verified accounts on social media and other platforms in large volumes. — Designed by freepik LONDON: SIM farm devices capable of holding multiple SIM cards enabling scammers to send thousands of scam text messages at once are to be banned under UK government plans to crack down on fraud. The ban, the first of its kind in Europe, will make the possession or supply of the devices without good reason illegal, with unlimited fines in England and Wales and a £5,000 (RM29,098 or US$6,600) fine in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The government said the devices are used by criminals to hold multiple SIM cards, which as well as allowing scammers to send out thousands of messages to people at the same time, can also be used to create verified accounts on social media and other platforms in large volumes. The UK Home Office said recent data showed fraud had increased last year by 19%, and now accounts for more than 40% of all reported crime in England and Wales. UK Fraud Minister David Hanson said: "Fraud devastates lives, and I am determined to take the decisive action necessary to protect the public from these shameful criminals. "Two-thirds of British adults say they've received a suspicious message on their phone – equivalent to more than 35 million people – which is why cracking down on SIM farms is so vital to protecting the public. "This marks a leap forward in our fight against fraud and will provide law enforcement and industry partners with the clarity they need to protect the public from this shameful crime. "This Government will continue to take robust action to protect the public from fraud and deliver security and resilience through the Plan for Change." Nick Sharp, deputy director for fraud at the National Crime Agency (NCA), said: "Fraud is the crime we are all most likely to experience, and one that causes victims significant emotional and financial harm. "We know that fraud at scale is being facilitated by SIM farms, which give criminals a means and an opportunity to contact victims at scale with relative ease. "The ban announced today is very welcome. It will give us a vital tool to step up our fight against fraudsters, target the services they rely on, and better protect the public." The government said the new ban will come into effect six months after the Crime and Policing Bill receives royal assent. Scam text messages have become an increasingly common problem in recent years, with mobile operators regularly introducing new technology to help spot and block them before they reach the public. Rachel Andrews, head of corporate security at Vodafone UK, said the ban on SIM farms was an "important step" in preventing fraud. "Vodafone UK is committed to protecting all our customers from fraud, including activity enabled by SIM farms," she said. "So far this year we have blocked over 38.5 million suspected scam messages, and in 2024 that figure reached over 73.5 million for the year. "As an industry, UK telecoms operators have blocked more than one billion suspected scam messages since 2023. "However, we cannot fully tackle fraud in isolation; collaboration between industry and government is crucial. "This is a really important step taken by the Home Office and we fully support the inclusion of SIM farms in the upcoming legislation. "We look forward to working together on this issue." Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "We welcome this move but let's not pretend Labour led the charge. This builds directly on the work the Conservatives did last year to crack down on SIM farms through the Criminal Justice Bill. "These devices are the weapon of choice for fraudsters. We acted to close that loophole, and it's right that Labour are finally scrambling to catch up. "Enforcement is now key, as criminals will always look for new ways to abuse the system. Ministers must ensure this legislation is watertight, or it risks being a ban in name only." – dpa
