Latest news with #SMS
Online Citizen
5 hours ago
- Business
- Online Citizen
Singapore police warn of 375 loan scam cases and S$2.4M losses in first five months of 2025
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force has issued a warning about a surge in loan scams that has left victims facing losses of at least S$2.4 million between January and May 2025. In a statement released on 16 July, the police disclosed that there were at least 375 cases reported during this period. The statement urged members of the public to exercise caution when approached with offers of fast cash loans. According to the Police, this scam variant typically begins with short video clips or advertisements on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook. In some instances, victims come across such content through their own online searches. Unsolicited text messages via SMS or WhatsApp are also commonly used by scammers to reach potential victims. When victims respond, believing they are securing a legitimate loan, they are asked to transfer money in advance. These transfers are often disguised as payments for 'account clearance', 'lawyer fees', or 'insurance fees'. Funds are usually transferred through internet banking, ATM deposits, PayNow, or even handed over in person. In several reported cases, scammers claim to be a branch or business partner of licensed moneylenders in Singapore. They instruct victims to obtain a genuine loan from a legitimate licensed moneylender. Once the loan is disbursed, victims are told to transfer the sum to the scammer, believing it is necessary for processing. Another tactic involves scammers directing victims to buy mobile phones, such as iPhones, with SIM cards registered in their names. Victims are then asked to pass the devices to a money mule, falsely assuring them that the loan application will only proceed if this condition is met. Victims often realise they have been scammed only when the promised loan never materialises. Police remind public that licensed moneylenders may only advertise through approved official channels The police has reminded the public that licensed moneylenders in Singapore are not permitted to advertise except through approved channels. These include business directories, official websites, or within the premises of the approved place of business. They are not allowed to solicit borrowers via text messages, phone calls, or social media. In addition, a licensed moneylender must conduct face-to-face verification at its approved place of business before granting any loan. Fully online transactions for loan disbursement are strictly prohibited. Furthermore, licensed moneylenders cannot ask for upfront payments for GST, administrative or processing fees. Only an administrative fee may be deducted from the principal loan amount upon disbursement. The police also highlighted the offence of misusing SIM cards. Reselling or giving SIM cards to others, or helping others register them, without valid reasons, is illegal. To protect against scams, the public is advised to use tools such as the ScamShield App and to enable two-factor authentication or multi-factor security for banking. They should verify any lender's licence status through the Registry of Moneylenders website. People should avoid handing over cash, phones, or sensitive personal details to strangers to secure loans. Suspicious messages, phone numbers, or websites should be verified through ScamShield. Authorities urge individuals to report scam advertisements to social media and e-commerce platforms. The police emphasised that fighting scams is a collective responsibility. The community is encouraged to ACT: Add security measures, Check legitimacy, and Tell authorities, family, and friends about scams. For more information, the public can visit or contact the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
New Indian Express
13 hours ago
- New Indian Express
AI cameras, drones to track leopards in Valparai, Manombolly
COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is taking efforts to minimise leopard attacks in the Valparai region. Two children have been killed here in the last one-and-a-half years, the latest victim being a four-year-old girl in an estate at Pachamalai last month. Officials of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) are working out a plan to overcome the current difficulties in identifying the big cat. Currently, the people are well aware of the elephant movement through early warning systems like SMS as well as Whatsapp messages and the use of high-mast lights. As per the plan, Artificial Intelligence (AI) cameras will be set up at vulnerable places on a trial basis. After the camera detects the movement of a big cat, an alert message will be sent to the range officer and the forest beat officer concerned. Subsequently, the team will be deployed in the area to trace the animal using a thermal drone. Human deaths due to wild elephant attacks have ben curbed over the last decade in the Valparai region by adopting these measures. "The plan is in the proposal stage, and it will be implemented after consultation with all the stakeholders and getting a nod from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) since the incidents of wild elephants getting killed by trains are averted with the help of AI cameras at the Madukkarai forest range in the Coimbatore forest division," said a senior official of the ATR.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TextLocate transforms the driver communication landscape
The logistics industry has long struggled with inefficient communication methods that frustrate drivers and waste valuable time for brokers and carriers. TextLocate addresses these pain points through its innovative SMS-based system. As the dominant driver communication provider in the logistics industry, TextLocate combines chat capabilities and image capture with location tracking – a powerful combination that leverages workflow automation to elevate driver visibility to unprecedented levels, all without using a mobile app. Tenstreet recently acquired TextLocate. This strategic acquisition aims to enhance driver communications with new freight visibility features while implementing automation to save time, improve transparency and reduce friction throughout the logistics network. For drivers, the benefits are immediate and substantial. Instead of being interrupted by constant check calls during breaks or driving time, drivers receive messages through TextLocate's SMS system. This allows them to relax during breaks and send their location with just a few taps on their phone while still maintaining effective communication. 'The amount of phone calls going unanswered today is astronomical. There is so much spam,' said TextLocate CEO Ryan Rogers. While drivers are often annoyed by phone calls, they have also historically been hesitant to embrace other tools. This is especially true of app-based solutions that require extensive set-up. TextLocate effectively removes this friction. 'We caught on super fast because what the drivers love is this: There is no interruption,' Rogers said. 'They don't have to download an app. They don't have to put in a username. They don't have to put in their password. We've taken the speedbumps and the complexity out of simple communication.' This simplicity extends to other essential tasks. TextLocate makes it as straightforward as sending a text for drivers to provide proof of delivery (POD) or report equipment issues. Everything is associated with a driver's phone number and load ID, creating a streamlined process that eliminates traditional friction points. For brokers and carriers, TextLocate transforms daily operations. By eliminating time-consuming check calls, brokers can redirect that time to make more sales calls, creating additional opportunities to close deals. The system ensures precise location data, reducing errors and miscommunication that plague traditional methods. 'The value add for companies is having automated messaging and two-way communication all via text,' Rogers states. 'We only work in logistics. We have built everything we have around traditional base text messaging, and we have built it from a logistics perspective.' The accuracy provided by TextLocate helps brokers make better decisions and provide reliable updates to clients, enhancing overall freight management capabilities. Brokers can even share these updates with customers directly through TextLocate's email forwarding tool, adding another layer of service and transparency. Integration with Tenstreet's other services This acquisition will bolster Tenstreet's extensive line of driver-centric efficiency and logistics tools. TextLocate will integrate with the Driver Pulse app, used by millions of drivers each year to manage both their daily work and broader careers. The combined offering will also join forces with TruckMap, Tenstreet's trucking-specific navigation platform, and True Load Time, its detention-management service. With TextLocate's proven driver fraud deterrence capabilities and Tenstreet's established commitment to privacy, compliance and security, both companies share a dedication to protecting driver data and identity. This ensures that drivers, brokers and carriers can operate with confidence in the system's integrity. 'With its driver-first focus, TextLocate is a natural fit for Tenstreet. The combined functionality will augment communications throughout the supply chain, improving relationships and adding new efficiencies – two things we constantly strive for in product development and in our own strategic growth,' Tim Crawford, CEO of Tenstreet, said. The acquisition represents a significant development in the evolution of logistics communication. TextLocate launched in 2021 with the explicit goal of streamlining logistics management and better connecting logistics providers and drivers. Rogers shared his motivation for creating TextLocate and his vision for the future under Tenstreet. 'The inefficiencies of traditional communication methods are what drove me to create a solution that actually facilitates communication, simplifies your day, and makes it easy for drivers. I'm beyond excited to work alongside the Tenstreet team to continue revolutionizing logistics and communications for the entire industry,' Rogers said. The combined capabilities of both companies promise to address long-standing challenges in the industry through technology that prioritizes driver experience while delivering improved operational outcomes. Click here to learn more about TextLocate. The post TextLocate transforms the driver communication landscape appeared first on FreightWaves. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
India Today
a day ago
- Science
- India Today
As AI gets smarter, study says humans are starting to sound and talk more like ChatGPT
When SMS first came, it changed the way we talk. Unlike writing paragraph length responses, we started talking in just a few words due to the character limit. This led many of us to develop a habit of speaking with fewer words, and it continued from there. Now, according to researchers, a similar shift is occurring, this time due to AI chatbots. According to a recent study, while humans are feeding AI models, it turns out that we are not just teaching robots, we are also copying from them. advertisementA study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany reveals that there has been a measurable shift in the way humans speak. They found that people are beginning to adapt to how AI chatbots like ChatGPT speak and write and communicate. The study analysed over 360,000 YouTube videos and 770,000 podcast episodes released before and after the launch of ChatGPT. In the analysis, the study discovered a sharp rise in the habit of humans using words typically generated by AI. These include words like meticulous, boast, and realm, as noted by a report in the Verge. The researchers call these "GPT words" and suggest that humans are memorising them and using them in everyday speech more than ever before. 'We detect a measurable and abrupt increase in the use of words preferentially generated by ChatGPT,' the study noted. The study also points to a kind of linguistic feedback loop, where machines trained on human speech are now subtly reshaping it in return. 'This marks the beginning of a closed cultural feedback loop,' the authors in the study published in the preprint server arXiv. One word in particular that stood out in the study is delve. Study co-author Hiromu Yakura referred to it as a linguistic watermark, stating that it signals AI's growing influence on human language. ''Delve' is only the tip of the iceberg,' Yakura explained, suggesting that this marks just the beginning of a broader transformation in human this isn't the first time researchers have observed the influence of AI on human expression. Earlier studies have focused on impact on written language. But this new study in particular focuses on the significant shift humans are experiencing in spoken communication. According to Levin Brinkmann, another co-author, 'It's natural for humans to imitate one another but we're now imitating machines.'The study highlights that the influence of AI is not just on the vocabulary. The researchers believe the tone and structure of language are also starting to change. Humans are now using longer, more formal sentences, with less emotion and a more polished delivery. 'We internalise this virtual vocabulary into daily communication,' said Yakura, who sees this trend across lectures, podcasts, and online also raise concerns of the wider implication of the change in human communication style based on AI. They highlight that the AI is not just changing the word choices. According to scholars like Mor Naaman of Cornell Tech, the change is not just making us lose the linguistic diversity, but a deeper human touch, vulnerability, spontaneity, and personality. 'Instead of articulating our own thoughts,' Naaman warns, 'we articulate whatever AI helps us to articulate we become more persuaded.'Researchers acknowledge that while AI is helping humans to improve efficiency and even encourage more positive social exchanges, like autocorrect or smart replies, it is also making people more dependent on it. Now rather than trusting their own words and feelings, humans are depending more on AI in all sorts of conversations. - Ends
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
A law to settle disputes, if neglectful to power, can sustain the inequalities it seeks to remedy
And don't you forget that you're being recorded On Monday, the Supreme Court in 'Vibhor Garg v. Neha' ruled that a husband's secretly-recorded phone calls with his wife are admissible evidence in a divorce litigation. Justice B V Nagarathna, writing for a 2-judge bench, invoked the exception under Section 122, Indian Evidence Act, which permits disclosure of communication between spouses in marital suits. The court reasoned that such recordings advance the constitutional right to a fair trial, and can override marital privacy. With that single move, the court reiterated a boundary that has long kept domestic surveillance at least technically suspect. It is now law that a spouse may listen in first and justify later, so long as the marriage is on the rocks. The judgment demands close scrutiny, as it fails to consider the power imbalances underlying privacy breaches. Snooping as coercive control: The court treats clandestine recordings as a mere effect of marital breakdown, not a cause. However, this reasoning ignores the phenomenon of coercive control. Call-recording apps installed without consent, insistence on shared passwords and unlocked phones, and forced access to WhatsApp chats and UPI SMS alerts are scenarios Indian counsellors routinely hear from survivors of domestic abuse, primarily women. Most times, surveillance precedes, and often precipitates, marital discord. Women's rights activists and family lawyers reiterate that domestic surveillance is an intrusive and all-consuming method of gendered domination. By holding that secret clips, however obtained, are presumptively admissible, the judgment incentivises spying - especially for the spouse who enjoys economic leverage or technological literacy. Courts could have insisted on a proportionality filter: admit only material that could not be gathered by less-intrusive means, and weigh whether the act of snooping itself constituted a form of abuse. Instead, the ruling raises the stakes for many wives already monitored by their husbands or in-laws, and sharpens the pressure to 'behave' under watch. Sanctity v. privacy: To justify this outcome, the bench reaches back to the Victorian rationale of Section 122. Shielding privileged communication between spouses protects the 'sanctity of marriage'. The court now says that once marital harmony is eroded, so must the privilege; privacy plays no independent role. This reasoning justifies a 200-year-old outdated rationale, instead of subjecting it to the latest constitutional tests of privacy. Since the authoritative 9-judge bench 2017 judgment in the 'Justice K S Puttaswamy' case, informational privacy has been declared a part of Article 21 of the Constitution. Every statutory limit on this must pass a proportionality test. State infringement of privacy must be: Be proportionate to the need for such interference. Have procedural guarantees against abuse of power. The spirit of Puttaswamy ideally should be followed here, even when the breach is by a private party. A blanket licence for covert recordings, which ignores the means of recording and their centrality to the litigation at hand, would fail the proportionality test's requirement of necessity and minimal court's refusal to run Section 122 through the 'Puttaswamy filter' echoes the logic that once kept marital rape outside the penal code. Marriage was said to confer perpetual consent to sexual acts between spouses. For several decades, this rationale was unquestioningly accepted as legitimate. Constitutional adjudication should do the opposite in all these cases - interrogate inherited rationales, not inherit them rights activists have long argued that privacy cannot shield domestic violence. The state should step into the home when there's abuse. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 is rooted in that insight. Yet, women's rights also insist that intrusions on privacy be evaluated through the lens of power and vulnerability.'Vibhor Garg' ignores this safeguard. It allows the spouse with the tech tools to trample upon privacy, even when the surveillance itself may be a form of abuse. A rights-sensitive approach should perhaps ask: was the recording coerced? Was it a tool of clandestine control? Admitting such evidence without that inquiry risks turning the courtroom into an extension of the abusive household, where such control is legitimised through Supreme Court has shown that it can balance public interest with personal liberty. In 'Selvi v. State of Karnataka' (2010), it permitted narco-analysis only when the accused gives consent and strict procedural safeguards are observed. In 'Vibhor Garg', however, it reads the Evidence Act mechanically and only weighs privacy against marital far richer constitutional values of autonomy, dignity and equality hardly make an appearance. The exception in Section 122 should be subjected to a proportionality inquiry. Until then, 'Vibhor Garg' stands as a cautionary tale: a law framed to settle disputes, if inattentive to power, can perpetuate the very inequalities it seeks to remedy. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Rumblings at the top of Ola Electric The hybrid vs. EV rivalry: Why Maruti and Mahindra pull in different directions. What's best? How Safexpress bootstrapped its way to build India's largest PTL Express business Zee promoters have a new challenge to navigate. And it's not about funding or Sebi probe. Newton vs. industry: Inside new norms that want your car to be more fuel-efficient Stock Radar: UltraTech Cements hit a fresh record high in July; what should investors do – book profits or buy the dip? 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