Latest news with #Fox26
India Today
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
US gamer struck by lightning during livestream. Video goes viral
A US-based gamer was struck by lightning while livestreaming on Twitch. The shocking moment, later shared on X under the handle 'chrispymate', quickly went the video, Christian Howard, known online as 'chrispymate', is seen reacting in disbelief as a lightning bolt strikes during his stream. "Bro, I just got struck by lightning, I'm going to stop the stream," Howard says. He adds, 'I was sitting here with my earbuds in, and a big bolt of lightning hit. I felt it go through my earbuds. I'm not dead, so it's fine.'advertisementWatch the video here:How much aura did I lose from this Chrispymate (@chrispymate) July 20, 2025Social media users reacted with a mix of shock and relief. 'Well, I'm just thankful that you didn't get any burns,' one user wrote. Another commented, 'Oh, you weren't kidding. Hope you're good now.''Glad you're okay! That's scary,' read another to Fox26, Howard described the incident: "Imagine you're in the front row of a heavy metal concert, and the drummer hits one perfect beat with the bass hitting hard. Now imagine that in both your ears. And then someone hands you one of those gum-stick gag toys, and you get a little zap. Now imagine both of those happening at once."Howard later said to Fox26 that he was doing fine and suffered no serious injuries. He continues to post gaming content regularly across his social media platforms.- Ends
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Undocumented El Salvador migrants arrested in sting: Police posed as teen girls online; flagged for deportation
Representational image Three men from El Salvador, currently in the US without legal status, were arrested in Houston, Texas, after being caught in a police sting targeting online predators. Officers from the Houston police department posed as teenage girls on the dating app Jaumo. Over the last ten days, they arrested Abner Ruiz, 37, Erick Menjivar, 30, and Carlos Gomez, 33, on charges of online solicitation of a minor. All three are now in custody at Harris County Jail with immigration detainers placed against them. Court records say two of the men believed they were meeting a 14-year-old girl, while the third thought he was talking to a 16-year-old. Police confirmed the sting operation did not specifically focus on undocumented immigrants. Carlos Gomez had previously been deported to El Salvador in 2020 after entering the US illegally in 2012, ICE told Fox 26. At some point, he re-entered the country without being detected. He was arrested on 17 July during the sting, after fleeing the meeting spot, running stop signs, crashing into a gate, and injuring a pedestrian. He also faces charges for failing to stop and provide help. Abner Ruiz was also caught in the July 17 operation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Harry Potter Actors Who Grew Up Stunningly. The Noodle Box Read More Undo ICE could not confirm when he entered the country. This arrest is his first recorded interaction with US law enforcement. Erick Menjivar crossed into the US near San Ysidro, California, in 2018. He was detained and released three days later. His immigration case was dismissed in 2024 under prosecutorial discretion. He was arrested on 18 July. Jaumo, the dating app used in the sting, allows users to message others nearby without requiring a match. The platform prohibits users under 18.
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Three illegal Salvadorans using dating app to meet teen girls nabbed in Houston sting operation: authorities
Three illegal migrants from El Salvador who were allegedly using a dating app to prey on teen girls more than half their age instead found themselves snagged in a sting operation in Texas, authorities said. Houston Police Department officers posed as underage girls on the dating app Jaumo and arrested three adult men who are now being held on immigration detainer at the Harris County Jail, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said earlier this week, according to Fox 26. Abner Ruiz, 37; Erick Menjivar, 30; and Carlos Gomez, 33, were arrested in separate incidents within the past 10 days, and each is charged with online solicitation of a minor, the station reported, citing court records. Advertisement 4 Carlos Gomez is one of three illegal migrants that allegedly used a dating app to prey on teen girls. FOX 26 Two of the sickos believed they were meeting a 14-year-old girl while the third attempted to meet up with a 16-year-old, according to those records. Cops said the ongoing sting did not specifically target illegal immigrants. Advertisement Gomez first entered the country illegally on Oct. 19, 2012, and was removed to El Salvador in 2020, ICE told Fox 26. He returned to the US illegally at an unknown time and remained undetected until he was busted in HPD's covert operation on July 17. He fled in his vehicle after realizing the supposed teenager he was meeting was a cop — running stop signs, crashing into a gate and injuring a pedestrian in his failed dash for freedom, the report stated. 4 The sting operation on July 17 was Abner Ruiz's first run-in with law enforcement. FOX 26 Advertisement 4 Erick Menjivar entered the US illegally near San Ysidro, Calif., on July 25, 2018. FOX 26 Gomez, the father of a child under 18, also faces charges of failure to stop and render aid. He was convicted of violently assaulting a family member in 2015, per Fox 26. Immigration officials do not know when Martinez Ruiz crossed into the US illegally, so the sting operation on July 17 was his first run-in with law enforcement, Fox 26 reported, citing ICE. Advertisement Menjivar entered the US illegally near San Ysidro, Calif., on July 25, 2018, and was arrested that same day by immigration officials who released him into the country three days later. 4 Jaumo lets users message each other even if they don't match. dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images He had his immigration case dismissed in 2024 after the federal government exercised prosecutorial discretion, according to ICE. He was nabbed on July 18, officials said. Jaumo bills itself as 'the first community-based dating app' and allows users to match with people in their area, according to its website. Children under the age of 18 are not permitted on the platform. Unlike more popular dating apps, users can message each other without previously matching, according to Fox 29.
New York Post
7 days ago
- New York Post
Top Georgia commit Chace Calicut arrested after alleged road rage incident
Georgia football commit Chace Calicut was arrested after his alleged involvement in a violent driving incident earlier this month — just days after he committed to play football for the Bulldogs. Calicut and a fellow 17-year-old have been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to the July 6 incident, according to records viewed by The Post. Fox 26 in Houston reported the arrest. Chace Calicut (22) against Tucson Turf during the OT7 Championships football tournament on Sunday, June 9, 2024 in Tampa, Fla. AP The four-star cornerback recruit officially committed to Georgia on June 27 and is the No. 114 player overall in the 2026 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. The alleged incident occurred in Houston, where Calicut hails from and plays for North Shore High School. Fox 26 reported, citing court documents, that Calicut allegedly drove in front of an unidentified male teen driver, who had an unnamed female passenger in the vehicle, and hit his brakes to force the male to slam on his own brakes to avoid crashing into Calicut's car. The male teen then attempted to drive around Calicut's car to get away, but the football player allegedly pulled up next to him and drove erratically in front of and next to the unnamed teen driver. Chace Calicut was arrested for an alleged violent driving incident. Chace Calicut/Instagram The teen said Calicut's passenger — identified as 17-year-old Isaiah Brice Phillip — then held a handgun out and was pointing it toward the other vehicle. It was also alleged that the teen had heard several gunshots after he was able to elude Calicut's car and that another friend had seen Phillip shooting out of the car window. Calicut and the teen in the other car know each other from school, with the latter alleging that the football star had been threatening him at school and over FaceTime over several months, according to Fox 26. It's the second Georgia football commit to find himself on the wrong end of the law this month. A defensive line commit — Seven Cloud — was charged with domestic battery in Kansas related to an incident that occurred in April. The Georgia football program has had a slew of driving-related arrests the past few years, with head coach Kirby Smart addressing the topic before the start of the 2024 season. 'The incidents that we've had off the field are not something that we condone,' Smart said last July. 'It's very unfortunate, disappointing I guess is the best word. I always talk about process and outcomes. I talked about that with wins and losses that we try not to base things on the outcomes with wins and losses. 'In this situation, the outcomes are very disappointing.'
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Houston man loses $20K after 'fraud alert' — handing over his bank card to someone posing as Wells Fargo agent
You wouldn't hand over your bank card to a complete stranger on your doorstep — or would you? Imposter scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it may be easier to fall victim than you might realize. Scott Merkovitch was one such victim who lost $20,000 after he got a call on May 16 from what he thought was his bank. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) 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 Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it 'They told me that there was fraud alerts on my account on a couple of charges that they didn't feel like were mine,' he told Fox 26 Houston in a story published July 1. The caller was also able to tell Merkovitch about valid transactions in his account 'which, again, is what gave me the kind of assurance that I was talking to a real person,' he said. Merkovitch was told a security representative from Wells Fargo would soon show up at his home. Footage captured by Merovitch's football camera and shared with the broadcaster appears to show a woman walking up to his front door. Merovitch says she identified herself and gave him a code that the caller had shared with him. Believing her to be a legitimate employee from Wells Fargo, Merovitch says he gave her his card. She then cut it in half with a pair of scissors, sealed the pieces in an envelope and drove off. An hour and a half later, over $20,000 had been withdrawn from Merovitch's account from ATMs a few miles from home, he says. Merovitch filed a police report, per Fox 26, and a few days after the incident he received a notice from Wells Fargo — this one was legitimate. 'They basically accused me of transferring the money into the accounts and then authorizing the charges,' he said. He thinks blaming him 'is just the easy way out for a gigantic organization.' Wells Fargo told Fox 26 the bank would take another look at Merovitch's case. Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. The broadcaster reports Merovitch's case is similar to another pair of Wells Fargo customers who fell victim to a similar scheme earlier this year. Imposter scams can involve the transfer of cash and even gold bars, and initial contact with victims comes in many forms, such as messages claiming to be from federal agents or phone calls from seemingly legitimate authority figures. As scams become increasingly elaborate, more Americans are becoming victims of fraud. In 2024, consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud — a 25% increase over 2023 — according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In total, 2.6 million consumers filed fraud reports in 2024, according to the FTC, with 38% of those victims saying they lost money because of it. Imposter scams were the most reported category, followed by online shopping, job, investment and Internet services scams. If you've never heard of the scam Merovitch fell victim to, it's not surprising because 'scammers' tactics are constantly evolving,' Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a news release. So, what can you do about it, especially as scams are changing? Wells Fargo told Fox 26 that it would never ask you to hand over or mail your physical card or PIN to prevent fraud. The FTC adds you should never send money, cryptocurrency or gold in response to an unexpected call or message. Don't believe anyone who urges you to quickly move your money for protection. Never click on links or call phone numbers in unexpected messages — those can lead you directly to scammers. Even if your phone's caller ID shows you're getting a call from the bank, remember that scammers can spoof legitimate phone numbers. Instead, contact the organization yourself — a staffer should be able to verify if the institute needs to contact you. Being defrauded can be financially painful — and you may not have any recourse once the money has disappeared from your account. The same advice holds true today as it always has: never hand over cash (or your credit card, gold bars or anything of value) to a stranger in your doorway. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Money doesn't have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
