Mississippi fugitive arrested in St. Marys

 

Mississippi fugitive arrested in St. Marys

A fugitive from justice was apprehended Wednesday morning in downtown St. Marys by multiple law enforcement agencies. Read more

Former DA Johnson in court for first time since 2021 indictment

 

Former DA Johnson in court for first time since 2021 indictment

Former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson appeared in court for the first time Wednesday after being indicted more… Read more

8 Chinese nationals indicted in massive marijuana indoor grow operation in Southeast Georgia

 8 Chinese nationals indicted in massive marijuana indoor grow operation in Southeast Georgia (actionnewsjax.com) — Eight Chinese nationals have been indicted for operating large-scale marijuana grow facilities in Southeast Georgia, including Waycross. This major bust, involving over 11,000 plants, highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to tackle illegal drug operations.

Weather

 

• Thursday: Sunny, but cooler, with a high of 57 and low of 36 degrees.
• Friday: Increasing cloudiness, temps: high: 63, low: 49.
• Saturday: Low clouds, with a high of 65 and low of 57 degrees.

 Comes from The Patch

 

Bank fraud is out of control

The scams don’t stop — and here’s another one you need to know about. Your phone rings. It’s a rep from your bank, and they’re warning your account has been compromised. You’re smart, so you immediately suspect it’s a scam.

Then, the guy on the other end reads off your Social Security number and account info. Only your bank could know that, right?

Some 300,000 people in the U.S. thought the same last year. People lost their life savings; one Virginia woman had a whopping $700,000 wired out of her Wells Fargo account, and another in Los Angeles lost $100,000 in minutes.

📈 Why banking scams are rising

Bank scams used to be a niche operation. Now, anyone can buy the tools to con you for a few bucks on the Dark Web. There are even guides to make a phone number look like it’s from your bank, including phony customer service reps to answer all your questions.

Pro scammers rely on social engineering, too. That’s the fancy name for mind games to gain your trust. They love jumping on video calls because seeing a face makes you more trusting. They’ll keep chatting with you so you miss the security alerts warning you to stop.

The big banks lost interest

Last year, the banks reimbursed scam victims at pitiful rates. JPMorgan Chase reimbursed 2% of transactions disputed as scams, while Wells Fargo reimbursed 4% of scam claims. Bank of America, meanwhile, reimbursed 24% of its scam dispute transactions.

Federal law requires banks to reimburse you only under certain circumstances, like if someone steals your phone and accesses your account. But if you’re the one to sign a wire form or agree to an online transfer and you find out it’s a scam, you’re screwed.

💰 Keep your money safe

• Slow down: If a caller claims to be from your bank or asks for your account details, hang up. Call the bank yourself. Do not Google your bank’s number; find it on their official website or the back of your card.
• Beware of transfer scams: Never send money via wire transfer, crypto or gift cards in response to unsolicited calls or emails. Your bank or the government will never ask you to transfer funds to a "safe" account.
• Don’t follow links: If you’re told to visit a website, download an app or click a link, it’s a phishing site or malware installation.
• Use a virtual phone number: I bet your real one has been leaked in a couple of data breaches this year. Use a virtual number tied to your finances scammers don’t know.
• Set up alerts: In your banking app, you can turn on alerts for transactions over a certain amount or made in a foreign country, as well as notifications about suspicious activity like attempted logins from a new browser. I have all this set up. Some banks let you set transaction limits on withdrawals or purchases, too.

🫡 This is serious stuff. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but if I can save one person from losing their life savings, I’m doing my job. Share this important intel using the icons below with someone you know who needs this warning. You can make a difference.

Story comes from Kim Komando

Black hole paradox that stumped Stephen Hawking may have a solution, new paper claims

 Black hole paradox that stumped Stephen Hawking may have a solution, new paper claims

As black holes slowly vanish through Hawking radiation, their information may be preserved in subtle space-time ripples, a new theory suggests.

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Possible stolen credit card

 1811 S Georgia Pkwy W, Waycross, GA 31503

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