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New York Times
3 days ago
- New York Times
Pet Owner Flooded With Puzzling Calls About a Lost Cat While Hers Is Safely at Home
Starting in 2024, Natasha Lavoie began getting calls on her cellphone from people who said they had found a missing cat named Torbo. But Ms. Lavoie's cat is named Mauser, and each time a call came, her black cat was where he was supposed to be, in her home in British Columbia, Canada. This went on for a year. Finally, about two weeks ago, she handed the phone to her partner, Jonathan McCurrach, who demanded to know why one man was calling so many times late at night. The man admitted he was calling as a joke: His son had bought a shirt online that advertised a cash reward for a missing cat and listed a telephone number to call. That telephone number was Ms. Lavoie's. Her cellphone would ring in spurts. For days in a row, she'd get multiple calls, even in the middle of the night. Then two weeks would pass without calls. 'At first I was thinking, like, who did I anger?' she said. 'Who posted my number somewhere?' She contacted the American company that sold the shirts, Wisdumb, to find out why and how it chose her phone number. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Michigan AG investigates overseas online ticket scheme targeting University of Michigan venue
The University of Michigan's Hill Auditorium has been the target of an alleged overseas online ticket resale scheme, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. Nessel's office is investigating Pure Tonic Marketing Ltd., an overseas company that prosecutors believe is based in Seychelles, and the unknown operator of Ticket Squeeze. Prosecutors allege that Pure Tonic operated the website, which, while appearing to be affiliated with the university's venue, is not. The alleged scam website reportedly advertised tickets for upcoming events at Hill Auditorium and redirected users to where Nessel alleges that tickets were sold at "grossly excessive prices," while appearing to be at "cheaper" or "low" rates. University Musical Society, a nonprofit performing arts presenter affiliated with the university, first filed a complaint with Nessel's office. The nonprofit hosts performances at Hill Auditorium and sells tickets on its official website. In one instance, a customer, believing they were buying tickets from an official outlet, paid $1,263.95 for two tickets to a Berlin Philharmonic concert through the website, officials said. Those same tickets were reportedly listed for $175 apiece through the official University Musical Society website. Nessel says that while Hill Auditorium is the focus of the initial complaint, other venues may have been targeted by the alleged scheme. "Misleading customers into thinking they are purchasing tickets from a trusted source, while charging them excessively high prices is unlawful," said Nessel in a statement. "I appreciate the University Musical Society for bringing this matter to our attention. My office will continue to investigate and pursue bad actors to protect Michigan consumers from this kind of exploitation." Sara Billmann, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the University Musical Society, says the rise of ticket resellers purchasing tickets "solely for the purpose of making money off of unsuspecting customers has been a scourge in the performing arts industry." "In addition to the direct harm caused to customers by predatory secondary market pricing and absurdly high fees, nonprofit arts organizations are also seriously impacted, both financially and reputationally," Billmann said. "We are grateful to the Attorney General's office for taking these complaints seriously and for working so hard to protect consumers." The attorney general's office says that while the university won a domain dispute against Pure Tonic in 2024, which forces to redirect to the University Musical Society's official site, another website has sprouted up and is allegedly conducting the same practice. Nessel offers the following tips for consumers when buying tickets online: If you believe you are a victim of an online ticket scam, you're urged to reach out to Michigan's Consumer Protection Team at 517-335-7599. You can also fill out an online complaint form.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Green Bay Police & School District team up with Bellin to raise awareness of online sextortion scams
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Local police and the Green Bay Area School District joined Emplify Health by Bellin to raise awareness of an online scam known as 'sextortion.' According to the release, these scams often involve people who pose as members of the opposite sex, targeting teenagers and young adults. These scammers start conversations with victims before persuading them to exchange sexual content. Neil Armstrong's watch inspires $17K donation for students across northeast Wisconsin 'Do not send any images or videos to someone you do not know,' Police Commander Rick Belanger said. 'Sextortion scammers prey on trust and will threaten/intimidate to make private content public unless specific demands are met.' Superintendent Vicki Bayer added in a release that children are encouraged to reach out to a trusted adult, no matter who it may be, if they are victims of these crimes. Some cases do not make headlines, which makes the full impact of these scams hard to know; however, a recent case reportedly led to a teenager's death in Wisconsin. Green Bay man charged with harboring a felon in relation to reckless homicide charge against his son 'Sextortion scams rely on embarrassment and isolation. Predators trick victims into thinking they are alone and cannot escape,' Pediatric Psychologist Tiffany Born said. 'But you are not alone. If you or someone you know has become a victim of sextortion, please reach out to a loved one or professional.' Anybody who is in need of mental support or the crisis lifeline is urged to either call 988 or click this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Bank consultant loses Dh100,000 to WhatsApp-based online trading scam
Satish Gadde (name changed on request), an Indian bank consultant in Dubai, has filed a police complaint after losing Dh100,000 to an online trading scam — money he borrowed through a personal loan and is now repaying in Dh8,000 monthly instalments, more than half his salary. The entire scam unfolded over WhatsApp chats. Gadde was added to a group and never once spoke to or met the people who tricked him. 'Looking back, I can't believe I went through with it,' he told Khaleej Times last week. 'I trusted people I knew nothing about, not even what they sounded like. That's what eats me up the most.' Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. It all began in April, when Gadde, who hails from Andhra Pradesh and earns Dh14,000 a month, was added to a WhatsApp group called Stock Market Strategy C4. The group had 137 members and was operated by admins using Indian mobile numbers. 'At first, I ignored the messages,' he recalled. 'But then I started seeing members post screenshots of huge profits and deposit slips. It looked convincing.' What Gadde didn't realise was that the group was part of an elaborate con where scammers posed as successful investors to build credibility. 'They had people pretending to be customers, constantly thanking the admin for helping them make money. I thought I was missing out.' Eventually, he received a private message from one of the admins offering to guide him personally. Over the next few days, Gadde was encouraged to open a trading account on a platform called Following the admin's instructions, he wired Dh65,000 in two instalments to a UAE bank account. He also transferred Rs800,000 (roughly Dh35,000) from his Indian accounts to another bank account provided by the scammers. 'To be honest, I had some doubts,' he admitted. 'But they sent me what looked like official documents — a company registration from India and even a certificate that claimed to be from the US Securities and Exchange Commission. That reassured me.' These certificates later turned out to be fake. Once the funds were deposited, Gadde's account on the fake trading platform began showing steady profits. 'There were real-time charts and graphs. I would stare at the screen for hours. It felt real.' The illusion shattered when the so-called account manager messaged him claiming that an IPO had been purchased on his behalf — and unless he deposited another Dh620,000, his entire investment would be lost. 'That's when I panicked,' Gadde said. 'I tried calling, but no one answered. A week later, the website vanished.' In the days that followed, he dialed several numbers from the WhatsApp group, hoping to reach someone. 'Most were switched off. A few would ring, but the call would cut the moment I brought up my case,' he said. 'It was clear they wanted nothing to do with me once the money was gone.' Attempts by Khaleej Times to reach the numbers linked to the group and access were met with dead ends. A domain search revealed that the registrant details were redacted for privacy. 'My life's been turned upside down,' he said who filed a complaint with Al Riffa Police station last month . 'I shared my story so others don't fall into the same trap. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.' In recent months, Khaleej Times has uncovered several fraudulent trading platforms promoted via call centres in India and the UAE. These scams follow a familiar script — build trust, show fake profits, then block withdrawals once larger sums are invested. Earlier this month, the UAE Ministry of Interior issued a public alert on X, urging residents to verify the licensing status of trading platforms through the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) before investing.
