Latest news with #JasonStoogenke
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Belk confirms ‘cyber incident'
Belk Inc. has confirmed a cyber incident that disrupted its systems in May. Belk struggles with ongoing tech issues, impacting returns and in-store pickup The longtime Charlotte-based retailer said in a statement to the Charlotte Business Journal that it took immediate steps to contain and investigate the activity, enlisting third third-party experts. 'The incident has since been resolved, and we have no evidence that sensitive customer data was impacted. Belk stores remain open, and we look forward to welcoming customers to shop in-store and online as usual,' the statement reads. Customers turned to social media in early May, asking the company to address problems with its system being down. Read more on CBJ's website here. Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke says: Freeze your credit (if you haven't already). Don't wait for a data breach. That way, even if thieves steal your personal information, they'll be very limited how they can use it. You should even freeze your children's credit. Criminals can do a lot of damage with minors' personal information because, chances are, the minors won't pick up on the identity theft until they go to apply for a loan, get a credit card, or take some other action likely years down the road. Keep a close eye on your bank accounts. Request your free credit report regularly. VIDEO: The legacy of the Belk family and their major impact on the Queen City
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
How to protect biometrics data from falling into the wrong hands
When you think of identity theft, you probably think about personal information, such as Social Security Numbers, said Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke. You must now consider biometrics, as well, including using your fingerprint to unlock your phone, your face or voice for online banking, or your palm at the doctor's office. ACTION 9: Secret Service recovers multiple skimming devices in statewide EBT fraud crackdown Some companies use your biometric information to verify your identity, which is intended to make it harder for thieves to impersonate you. The idea is to prevent identity theft. However, thieves who get their hands on your biometrics may be able to access your devices, accounts, a secure building where you work, and the list goes on, Stoogenke said. The Identity Theft Resource Center released this report recently. It says 87% of the people surveyed were asked to provide a biometric identifier in the past year and 91% agreed. However, 63% still had serious concerns about it, and only 35% trust companies to protect the data well. Consumers have questions. 'How the information is being used. How it's being stored. What else you're doing with it?' ITRC's Eva Velasquez told Stoogenke. Biometrics or not, Stephanie Fountain wants as little of her information out there as possible. She says someone stole her identity. 'I freaked out, like I started bawling my eyes out,' she said. She says she went to file taxes and found out someone already did in her name. 'My credit's been ruined,' she said. 'It's just impacting me big time.' If you're worried about sharing your biometric information, read the company's privacy policy. If you don't like what the company is gathering or how they're using it, see if you can opt out or, as a last resort, do business with someone else. A red flag: If a company contacts you out of the blue, walk away. Don't share personal information, biometric or not. If you're not sure what to do, ask a nonprofit: Identity Theft Resource Center Biometrics Institute National Cyber Security Alliance If you fall victim to ID theft
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Apps may quietly track your driving and raise your car insurance rates
Apps on your phone may track you in ways you don't expect. They have nothing to do with insurance or even driving. But Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke says they could cause your car insurance to go up. Larry Johnson was shopping for car insurance which should have been a breeze since he had no wrecks and a credit score on the way up. How to save money at the pump 'The quotes I [were] getting just didn't make sense to me,' he said. Johnson's been a big fan of the Life360 app. 'We have kids that are driving that go to school, so we want to keep up where everybody is,' he said. He now knows the app was keeping track of something else: His family's driving. 'It's shocking and it feels, you know, like a violation almost,' he said. Johnson deleted Life360 and plenty of other apps on his phone. "I look for location. I look for tracking data, and I look to see what they do with that data and if I can opt out or not. And if I can't, then I don't use the app,' he said. The Texas Attorney General is taking legal action, claiming a data broker, called Arity, embedded tracking technology in popular apps without telling consumers, including Life360. The lawsuit alleges, 'When a consumer downloaded the third-party app onto their phone, they also unwittingly downloaded defendants' software.' It goes on to say, 'Defendants could monitor the consumer's location and movement in real-time.' EPIC privacy analyst Sarah Geoghegan says confusing and lengthy terms and conditions shouldn't give companies free reign with your information. 'We have no way of knowing how this is going to be used against us,' she said. 'You're opting into an app that is supposed to be about family safety. You don't understand that that means through many, like down the ecosystem, down the data chain, that that actually is your car insurance company.' You've probably never heard of Arity, but you've probably heard of its owner, Allstate. Allstate doesn't just use the data, itself. The company also sells it to other insurance companies. Allstate shared a screenshot with Channel 9's sister station in Atlanta, WSB. It says you can opt in to share your data to possibly get a better rate. But the Texas Attorney General lawsuit alleges companies are collecting and selling information on drivers who never opt in that way. When WSB reached out to Arity, they pointed WSB back to the Attorney General lawsuit. It includes an exhibit showing consumers to allow location and motion data to be shared when they sign up for Life360. And in their legal response, Arity claims, 'The Arity Companies are separate and distinct legal entities from The Allstate Corporation and its insurance company affiliates.' But when WSB reached out to Arity regarding this news report, an Allstate representative with an Allstate email responded, saying, 'Consumers who choose to share driving data through Arity-powered apps can access emergency assistance, track fuel efficiency and unlock personalized insurance rates after a clear notice and explicit opt-in process.' And how good even is that data? Tina Marie Johnson's case signed up for an actual driving app through her auto insurance, not Life360. 'Last year alone, my rates went up three times. And I have no accidents, no speeding tickets, no nothing,' she said. Johnson says the app regularly dinged her for unsafe driving for her car's automatic braking. Then there was the time she says she was using a scooter inside a grocery store. "It was reading me drive and I'm like, 'Wait a minute. What's going on here?'" she said. Federal lawmakers recently introduced a bill -- the Delete Act -- that would allow consumers to ask data brokers to delete this information and even allow you to join a 'Do Not Track' list. It's in committee. It's unclear how likely it is to pass. VIDEO: Federal lawmakers outline plan to expand digital privacy nationwide
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
‘I'm smarter than this': Watch out for Apple phishing scam
Action 9 picked up on a new phishing scam. It's like the money app ones Jason Stoogenke always warns you about, the ones where scammers pretend to be with your bank's fraud department and call you, saying you've just fallen victim to a con and that they're there to help. This version involves Apple, specifically Apple Pay, Apple credit cards, and iCloud. Kristi Fabregas says she got a message 'that somebody tried to take almost $13,000 on my Apple card and it was declined.' 'Couple minutes later, my phone rang, said it was Mr. Williams from Apple fraud support,' she told Stoogenke. She says the scammer gave her instructions, which ultimately gave him access to her account and other apps, including her bank. MORE ACTION 9: Man says scammer stole $280K from retirement account and now he has tax problems on top of huge loss 'They ended up getting my bank account number and transferring $1,400 out,' she said. She says the thief kept stealing money beyond that. 'As of right now, [$]2,200,' she said. And that's not all. 'They have all my contacts, all my pictures, for the last 20-plus years,' she said. 'Very frustrating. I'm like, 'I'm smarter than this.' I'm like, 'I know better.'' A Channel 9 employee was also targeted. A scammer texted her that someone had used her iCloud information to spend $143 using Apple Pay. In that case, the con artist wanted her to call a certain number or click a certain link to stop the bleeding. She didn't fall victim. Action 9 contacted Apple to see if it could help Fabregas and whether it had any other advice for consumers. We didn't hear back in time for this report. - Know this scam is going around. - Be suspicious if any company contacts you out of the blue, especially if they say they're with the fraud department and that you need to act fast. - If you think there's any truth to it, hang up and look up the right number for the business. - If they try to talk you out of that, take that as a red flag. VIDEO: Using a QR code to park? Ensure it's not a scam sticker
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NC bill targets corporate landlords, others
Many homeowners say corporate landlords buy so many homes in their neighborhoods that it hurts their property values. Now, North Carolina lawmakers are considering a bill that would limit how many rental homes a person or company can own. Jen asked not to use her full name. She didn't want to upset her landlord, but she did want to speak about her frustrations. 'It's just not been a great experience,' she said. She says she's had HVAC, electrical, and runaround issues. 'We were getting ready in the pitch black in showers, trying to get ready for work, for school, for everything,' she said. She says the company did knock $300 off her rent. Neighbors come together to speak out against corporate landlords A company rents the house to her. In fact, companies own a lot of the houses in her neighborhood. Some people who live in neighborhoods with a lot of corporate landlords have told Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke in the past that they worry it hurts their property values. Stoogenke asked Jen if she would be concerned if there were a ton of rentals in her neighborhood if she were a homeowner, especially if one company owned them all. 'I would because I don't think that a lot of these management companies screen properly,' she said. 'And I had an experience in a previous neighborhood that I lived in where we had a lot of renters, but the renters didn't take care of the property. They just kind of left it in disarray.' The bill lawmakers are considering would limit how many homes someone can buy to rent. N.C. Senate Bill 199 applies to counties with more than 150,000 people. It would outlaw people from buying 100 or more single-family homes to rent. The penalty would cost up to $100 per day for each home. 'I do think that's smart,' she said. 'We always want just to urge a sense of caution when you add regulations,' said Robert Dell'Osso with the National Association of Residential Property Managers. 'I just worry that a bill like this could open a Pandora's box down the road so maybe it's 100 doors per entity now, but a future legislature could shrink that to 50 or 75 or 10 or five. And then you really start to affect individuals.' 'They're not all bad, right? Some of them are actually pretty good,' he added. If the bill becomes law, it would apply to any landlords after that. Anyone with more than the limit now would be grandfathered in. VIDEO: Renter says landlord is in foreclosure and that her family's caught in the middle
