GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Police in Grand Island say a local man was killed when the motorcycle he was driving during a street race with another motorcycle crashed into the side of a sport utility vehicle. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports the crash happened Monday night in south Grand Island, throwing 29-year-old Mark Miller Jr. from his bike.

 Miller was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

 Police Capt. Jim Duering says investigators determined Miller and another motorcyclist were racing on Locust Street when Miller's motorcycle hit the passenger side an SUV that was turning left. 

The SUV driver was not injured. Police say the other motorcyclist left the scene before police arrived.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Police in Grand Island say a local man was killed when the motorcycle he was driving during a street race with another motorcycle crashed into the side of a sport utility vehicle. The Omaha World-Herald reports the crash happened Monday night in south Grand Island, throwing 29-year-old Mark Miller Jr. from his bike. Miller was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police Capt. Jim Duering says investigators determined Miller and another motorcyclist were racing on Locust Street when Miller's motorcycle hit the passenger side an SUV that was turning left. The SUV driver was not injured. Police say the other motorcyclist left the scene before police arrived.

Police say Grand Island man died in street racing crash

The Cybersecurity and Infastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI recommend consumers and businesses <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/08/31/cisa-and-fbi-urge-organizations-remain-vigilant-ransomware-threats-holidays" target="_blank">take steps to protect electronic devices against cyber attacks.</a>

Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence, locking 
computers and networks using file encryption software, with hackers 
demanding payment by Bitcoin or other non-traceable crypto-currency to 
release the data. The attack typically enters through a phishing email 
and then spreads to other machines on the same network.&nbsp;

BBB joins with the <a href="http://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank">National Cyber Security Alliance</a>&nbsp;in suggesting the following cyber hygiene defenses:

Businesses need to take special precautions when it comes to protecting their customers’ information. One of the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>
 is "Safeguard Privacy: Protect any data collected against mishandling 
and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the 
preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information."

&nbsp;BBB recommends the following <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23641-bbb-business-tip-cybersecurity-practices-every-small-business-needs-to-do-now" target="_blank">cybersecurity tips for U.S. small businesses</a> and <a href="https://cyber.gc.ca/en/" target="_blank">Cyber Security tips for Canada</a>

Consumers can learn more about avoiding scams and fraud at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">10 Steps to Avoid Scams</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Better Business BureauThe Cybersecurity and Infastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI recommend consumers and businesses <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/08/31/cisa-and-fbi-urge-organizations-remain-vigilant-ransomware-threats-holidays" target="_blank">take steps to protect electronic devices against cyber attacks.</a>Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence, locking 
computers and networks using file encryption software, with hackers 
demanding payment by Bitcoin or other non-traceable crypto-currency to 
release the data. The attack typically enters through a phishing email 
and then spreads to other machines on the same network.&nbsp;BBB joins with the <a href="http://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank">National Cyber Security Alliance</a>&nbsp;in suggesting the following cyber hygiene defenses:<ul>
 <li>Don’t click on links&nbsp;from unfamiliar sources. Even 
if you think you know the sender, be cautious about clicking on email 
links. When in doubt, delete it. Be especially wary of messages 
requiring you to act quickly, asking for personal information, or 
threatening you in any way.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Keep clean machines and stay up-to-date with software:&nbsp;Prevent
 infections by updating critical software as soon as patches or new 
operating system versions are available. This includes mobile and other 
internet-connected devices.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Use strong authentication, requiring more than a 
username and password to access accounts, especially critical networks, 
to prevent access through stolen or hacked credentials.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Conduct regular backups of systems:&nbsp;Systems can be restored in cases of ransomware and having current backup of all data speeds the recovery process.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Make better passwords:&nbsp;In cases where passwords are
 still used, require long, strong and unique passwords to better harden 
accounts against intrusions.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Enable popup blockers.&nbsp;Popups are regularly used by
 scammers to spread malware. Prevent them from appearing in the first 
place by adjusting your browser settings.</li>
 </ul> Businesses need to take special precautions when it comes to protecting their customers’ information. One of the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>
 is "Safeguard Privacy: Protect any data collected against mishandling 
and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the 
preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information."&nbsp;BBB recommends the following <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23641-bbb-business-tip-cybersecurity-practices-every-small-business-needs-to-do-now" target="_blank">cybersecurity tips for U.S. small businesses</a> and <a href="https://cyber.gc.ca/en/" target="_blank">Cyber Security tips for Canada</a>Consumers can learn more about avoiding scams and fraud at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">10 Steps to Avoid Scams</a>.&nbsp;

BBB Warning: Update software to help prevent ransomware

KANSAS CITY (AP)—The COVID-19 pandemic has created a nurse staffing crisis that is forcing many U.S. hospitals to pay top dollar to get the help they need to handle the crush of patients this summer.

The problem, health leaders say, is twofold: Nurses are quitting or retiring, exhausted or demoralized by the crisis. And many are leaving for lucrative temporary jobs with traveling-nurse agencies that can pay $5,000 or more a week.

It’s gotten to the point where doctors are saying, “Maybe I should quit being a doctor and go be a nurse,” said Dr. Phillip Coule, chief medical officer at Georgia’s Augusta University Medical Center, which has on occasion seen 20 to 30 resignations in a week from nurses taking traveling jobs.

“And then we have to pay premium rates to get staff from another state to come to our state,” Coule said.

The average pay for a traveling nurse has soared from roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per week before the pandemic to $3,000 to $5,000 now, said Sophia Morris, a vice president at San Diego-based health care staffing firm Aya Healthcare. She said Aya has 48,000 openings for traveling nurses to fill.

At competitor SimpliFi, President James Quick said the hospitals his company works with are seeing unprecedented levels of vacancies.

“Small to medium-sized hospitals generally have dozens of full-time openings, and the large health systems have hundreds of full-time openings,” he said.

The explosion in pay has made it hard on hospitals without deep enough pockets.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly lamented recently that the state’s hospitals risk being outbid for nurses by other states that pay a “fortune.” She said Wednesday that several hospitals, including one in Topeka, had open beds but no nurses to staff them.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Truman Medical Centers has lost about 10 nurses to travel jobs in recent days and is looking for travelers to replace them, said CEO Charlie Shields.

He said it is hard to compete with the travel agencies, which are charging hospitals $165 to $170 an hour per nurse. He said the agencies take a big cut of that, but he estimated that nurses are still clearing $70 to $90 an hour, which is two to three times what the hospital pays its staff nurses.

“I think clearly people are taking advantage of the demand that is out there,” Shields said. “I hate to use `gouged’ as a description, but we are clearly paying a premium and allowing people to have fairly high profit margins.”

In Texas, more than 6,000 travel nurses have flooded the state to help with the surge through a state-supported program. But on the same day that 19 of them went to work at a hospital in the northern part of the state, 20 other nurses at the same place gave notice that they would be leaving for a traveling contract, said Carrie Kroll, a vice president at the Texas Hospital Association.

“The nurses who haven’t left, who have stayed with their facilities, they are seeing these other people come in now who are making more money. It provides a tense working environment,” Kroll said.

The pandemic was in its early stages when Kim Davis, 36, decided to quit her job at an Arkansas hospital and become a travel nurse. She said she has roughly doubled her income in the 14 months that she has been treating patients in intensive care units in Phoenix; San Bernardino, California; and Tampa, Florida.

“Since I’ve been traveling, I’ve paid off all my debt. I paid off about $50,000 in student loans,” she said.

Davis said many of her colleagues are following the same path.

“They’re leaving to go travel because why would you do the same job for half the pay?” she said. “If they’re going to risk their lives, they should be compensated.”

Health leaders say nurses are bone-tired and frustrated from being asked to work overtime, from getting screamed at and second-guessed by members of the community, and from dealing with people who chose not to get vaccinated or wear a mask.

“Imagine going to work every day and working the hardest that you have worked and stepping out of work and what you see every day is denied in the public,” said Julie Hoff, chief nurse executive at OU Health in Oklahoma. “The death that you see every day is not honored or recognized.”

Meanwhile, hospitals are getting squeezed by the revolving door of departures and new hires from traveling agencies.

Coule cited a recent example in which his hospital in Georgia hired a respiratory therapist through an agency to replace a staff member who had decided to accept a traveling gig. The replacement came from the same hospital where his respiratory therapist had just gone to work.

“Essentially we swapped personnel but at double the cost,” he said.

Patricia Pittman, director of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at George Washington University, said many nurses still harbor resentment toward their employers from the early stages of the pandemic, in part from being forced to work without adequate protective gear.

“The nurses say, ’Hey, if I am not going to be treated with respect, I might as well go be a travel nurse,’” she said. “‘That way I can go work in a hellhole for 13 weeks, but then I can take off a couple months or three months and go do whatever.’”

KANSAS CITY (AP)—The COVID-19 pandemic has created a nurse staffing crisis that is forcing many U.S. hospitals to pay top dollar to get the help they need to handle the crush of patients this summer.The problem, health leaders say, is twofold: Nurses are quitting or retiring, exhausted or demoralized by the crisis. And many are leaving for lucrative temporary jobs with traveling-nurse agencies that can pay $5,000 or more a week.It’s gotten to the point where doctors are saying, “Maybe I should quit being a doctor and go be a nurse,” said Dr. Phillip Coule, chief medical officer at Georgia’s Augusta University Medical Center, which has on occasion seen 20 to 30 resignations in a week from nurses taking traveling jobs.“And then we have to pay premium rates to get staff from another state to come to our state,” Coule said.The average pay for a traveling nurse has soared from roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per week before the pandemic to $3,000 to $5,000 now, said Sophia Morris, a vice president at San Diego-based health care staffing firm Aya Healthcare. She said Aya has 48,000 openings for traveling nurses to fill.At competitor SimpliFi, President James Quick said the hospitals his company works with are seeing unprecedented levels of vacancies.“Small to medium-sized hospitals generally have dozens of full-time openings, and the large health systems have hundreds of full-time openings,” he said.The explosion in pay has made it hard on hospitals without deep enough pockets.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly lamented recently that the state’s hospitals risk being outbid for nurses by other states that pay a “fortune.” She said Wednesday that several hospitals, including one in Topeka, had open beds but no nurses to staff them.In Kansas City, Missouri, Truman Medical Centers has lost about 10 nurses to travel jobs in recent days and is looking for travelers to replace them, said CEO Charlie Shields.He said it is hard to compete with the travel agencies, which are charging hospitals $165 to $170 an hour per nurse. He said the agencies take a big cut of that, but he estimated that nurses are still clearing $70 to $90 an hour, which is two to three times what the hospital pays its staff nurses.“I think clearly people are taking advantage of the demand that is out there,” Shields said. “I hate to use `gouged’ as a description, but we are clearly paying a premium and allowing people to have fairly high profit margins.”In Texas, more than 6,000 travel nurses have flooded the state to help with the surge through a state-supported program. But on the same day that 19 of them went to work at a hospital in the northern part of the state, 20 other nurses at the same place gave notice that they would be leaving for a traveling contract, said Carrie Kroll, a vice president at the Texas Hospital Association.“The nurses who haven’t left, who have stayed with their facilities, they are seeing these other people come in now who are making more money. It provides a tense working environment,” Kroll said.The pandemic was in its early stages when Kim Davis, 36, decided to quit her job at an Arkansas hospital and become a travel nurse. She said she has roughly doubled her income in the 14 months that she has been treating patients in intensive care units in Phoenix; San Bernardino, California; and Tampa, Florida.“Since I’ve been traveling, I’ve paid off all my debt. I paid off about $50,000 in student loans,” she said.Davis said many of her colleagues are following the same path.“They’re leaving to go travel because why would you do the same job for half the pay?” she said. “If they’re going to risk their lives, they should be compensated.”Health leaders say nurses are bone-tired and frustrated from being asked to work overtime, from getting screamed at and second-guessed by members of the community, and from dealing with people who chose not to get vaccinated or wear a mask.“Imagine going to work every day and working the hardest that you have worked and stepping out of work and what you see every day is denied in the public,” said Julie Hoff, chief nurse executive at OU Health in Oklahoma. “The death that you see every day is not honored or recognized.”Meanwhile, hospitals are getting squeezed by the revolving door of departures and new hires from traveling agencies.Coule cited a recent example in which his hospital in Georgia hired a respiratory therapist through an agency to replace a staff member who had decided to accept a traveling gig. The replacement came from the same hospital where his respiratory therapist had just gone to work.“Essentially we swapped personnel but at double the cost,” he said.Patricia Pittman, director of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at George Washington University, said many nurses still harbor resentment toward their employers from the early stages of the pandemic, in part from being forced to work without adequate protective gear.“The nurses say, ’Hey, if I am not going to be treated with respect, I might as well go be a travel nurse,’” she said. “‘That way I can go work in a hellhole for 13 weeks, but then I can take off a couple months or three months and go do whatever.’”___

US hospitals hit with nurse staffing crisis amid COVID

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday blasted the Supreme Court’s decision not to block a new Texas law banning most abortions in the state and directed federal agencies to do what they can to “insulate women and providers” from the impact.

Hours earlier, in the middle of the night, a deeply divided high court allowed the law to remain in force. It is the nation’s biggest curb to abortion rights since the court announced in its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that women have a constitutional right to abortion.

The court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21053670-whole-womans-health-v-jackson" target="_blank">voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal</a>&nbsp;from abortion providers and others but also suggested that their order likely wasn’t the last word and other challenges can be brought.

Biden said in a statement that his administration will launch a “whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision” and look at “what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions as protected by Roe.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department was “deeply concerned” about the Texas law and “evaluating all options to protect the constitutional rights of women, including access to an abortion.”

Biden, who has come under pressure from Democrats to expand the size of the Supreme Court, has ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-judiciary-8734750b75318ed429bf206e2a8af6d1">review of the court</a>&nbsp;that is due next month.

The Texas law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-health-abortion-government-and-politics-ba02cd7c3f02b1eb5c87094257ee4db2">signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May</a>, prohibits abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity</a>, usually around six weeks and before many women know they’re pregnant.

The law is part of a broader push by Republicans nationwide to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.

The high court’s order declining to halt the Texas law came just before midnight Wednesday. The majority said those bringing the case had not met the high burden required for a stay of the law.

“In reaching this conclusion, we stress that we do not purport to resolve definitively any jurisdictional or substantive claim in the applicants’ lawsuit. In particular, this order is not based on any conclusion about the constitutionality of Texas’s law, and in no way limits other procedurally proper challenges to the Texas law, including in Texas state courts,” the unsigned order said.

Chief Justice John Roberts dissented along with the court’s three liberal justices. Each of the four wrote a statement expressing disagreement with the majority.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday blasted the Supreme Court’s decision not to block a new Texas law banning most abortions in the state and directed federal agencies to do what they can to “insulate women and providers” from the impact.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Read My Full Statement on Supreme Court Shadow Ruling on Texas Reproductive Rights Case here: <a href="https://t.co/Qon4WtB9ax">https://t.co/Qon4WtB9ax</a>&mdash; Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1433457775581990912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hours earlier, in the middle of the night, a deeply divided high court allowed the law to remain in force. It is the nation’s biggest curb to abortion rights since the court announced in its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that women have a constitutional right to abortion.The court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21053670-whole-womans-health-v-jackson" target="_blank">voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal</a>&nbsp;from abortion providers and others but also suggested that their order likely wasn’t the last word and other challenges can be brought.Biden said in a statement that his administration will launch a “whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision” and look at “what steps the federal government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions as protected by Roe.”Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department was “deeply concerned” about the Texas law and “evaluating all options to protect the constitutional rights of women, including access to an abortion.”Biden, who has come under pressure from Democrats to expand the size of the Supreme Court, has ordered a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-judiciary-8734750b75318ed429bf206e2a8af6d1">review of the court</a>&nbsp;that is due next month.The Texas law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-health-abortion-government-and-politics-ba02cd7c3f02b1eb5c87094257ee4db2">signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May</a>, prohibits abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity</a>, usually around six weeks and before many women know they’re pregnant.The law is part of a broader push by Republicans nationwide to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.The high court’s order declining to halt the Texas law came just before midnight Wednesday. The majority said those bringing the case had not met the high burden required for a stay of the law.“In reaching this conclusion, we stress that we do not purport to resolve definitively any jurisdictional or substantive claim in the applicants’ lawsuit. In particular, this order is not based on any conclusion about the constitutionality of Texas’s law, and in no way limits other procedurally proper challenges to the Texas law, including in Texas state courts,” the unsigned order said.Chief Justice John Roberts dissented along with the court’s three liberal justices. Each of the four wrote a statement expressing disagreement with the majority.

Pres. Biden blasts Supreme Court in abortion battle

WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says it is “likely” Americans will need to get a third dose of vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Fauci spoke at a White House briefing, saying a final determination would be made by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the nation’s top infections disease expert says his professional experience leads him to believe a third dose of mRNA vaccines will be required to provide long-term protection against the coronavirus.

The U.S. is preparing for boosters for all Americans who received the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna between five and eight months after their second dose, pending approval by the FDA. The U.S. is still studying the need for a booster dose of the single-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine.

A formal determination of the third dose for “full vaccination’” would have broad implications for schools, businesses and other entities with vaccine mandates.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients says the federal government will bring the “same intensity” to encouraging Americans to get booster shots as it did for the initial vaccination campaign.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630613295183.png" alt="Dr. Fauci during Thursday's White House COVID Response Team briefing-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Fauci during Thursday's White House COVID Response Team briefing-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says it is “likely” Americans will need to get a third dose of vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19.Fauci spoke at a White House briefing, saying a final determination would be made by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the nation’s top infections disease expert says his professional experience leads him to believe a third dose of mRNA vaccines will be required to provide long-term protection against the coronavirus.The U.S. is preparing for boosters for all Americans who received the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna between five and eight months after their second dose, pending approval by the FDA. The U.S. is still studying the need for a booster dose of the single-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine.A formal determination of the third dose for “full vaccination’” would have broad implications for schools, businesses and other entities with vaccine mandates.White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients says the federal government will bring the “same intensity” to encouraging Americans to get booster shots as it did for the initial vaccination campaign.

Fauci: Americans 'likely' need 3rd dose of shots

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in Grand Island say a woman has died in a house fire. 

Television station KSNB reports that firefighters were called around 6 p.m. Wednesday to a multi-family building on Ada Street. 

Arriving crews found heavy smoke coming from the structure and flames inside a bedroom in one of the units. 

Firefighters extinguished the flames within minutes, but found the body of 71-year-old Barbara Seymour, of Grand Island, inside. 

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities in Grand Island say a woman has died in a house fire. Television station KSNB reports that firefighters were called around 6 p.m. Wednesday to a multi-family building on Ada Street. Arriving crews found heavy smoke coming from the structure and flames inside a bedroom in one of the units. Firefighters extinguished the flames within minutes, but found the body of 71-year-old Barbara Seymour, of Grand Island, inside. The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s office is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire.

Officials say woman killed in Grand Island house fire

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha police officer accused of hitting parked cars on a street late one night this summer while he was off-duty, then leaving the scene of the accident, has been charged with four misdemeanor counts. 

And the Omaha World-Herald reports that the police sergeant sent to the crash scene is being investigated after failing to complete a DUI investigation into the crash. 

Prosecutors have charged 31-year-old Officer Humberto Herrera with providing false information, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, reckless driving and colliding with a fixed object in the June 12 crash. 

Both Herrera and the officer sent to the crash scene, Sgt. Andrew Kinsey, face internal police investigations in the crash and subsequent investigation of it.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Omaha police officer accused of hitting parked cars on a street late one night this summer while he was off-duty, then leaving the scene of the accident, has been charged with four misdemeanor counts. And the Omaha World-Herald reports that the police sergeant sent to the crash scene is being investigated after failing to complete a DUI investigation into the crash. Prosecutors have charged 31-year-old Officer Humberto Herrera with providing false information, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, reckless driving and colliding with a fixed object in the June 12 crash. Both Herrera and the officer sent to the crash scene, Sgt. Andrew Kinsey, face internal police investigations in the crash and subsequent investigation of it.

Omaha police officer accused of hitting parked cars, leaving

Today, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Richard Fairbank, CEO of Capital One Financial Corp., will <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2010065finaljudgment.pdf">pay a $637,950 civil penalty</a>
 to settle charges that his acquisition of Capital One Financial stock 
violated the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act. Fairbank’s recent 
multi-million dollar compensation package included over 100,000 Capital 
One Financial shares in 2018, which increased his holdings to $168 
million. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2010065fairbankcomplaint.pdf">complaint</a>
 alleges that Fairbank failed to report his sizable stock windfall to 
federal antitrust authorities and illegally finalized the acquisition 
before the agencies could investigate. While Fairbank is a repeat filing
 offender with wrongdoing spanning two decades, today’s FTC order is the
 first time he has been penalized.

“As the CEO of one of America’s
 largest banks, Richard Fairbank repeatedly broke the law,” said Holly 
Vedova, Acting Director of the Bureau of Competition. “There is no 
exemption for Wall Street bankers and powerful CEOs when it comes to 
complying with our country’s antitrust laws.”

The HSR Act requires
 companies and individuals to report large transactions over a certain 
threshold to the FTC and DOJ so that the federal agencies can 
investigate the deals before they close. The agencies have 30 days after
 a transaction has been reported to conduct an initial investigation and
 file a “second request” demand for additional information. It is 
generally illegal to finalize an acquisition during this investigatory 
period. The maximum civil penalty for an HSR violation is currently 
$43,792 per day.

According to the complaint, Fairbank twice failed
 to comply with the HSR Act in making filings relating to his 
multi-million dollar compensation package. In 1999 and 2004, Fairbank 
failed to file under the HSR Act prior to acquiring Capital One 
Financial voting securities. In making a corrective filing in 2008, 
Fairbank alleged that his filing failure was inadvertent, and he pledged
 to implement a system to ensure that, going forward, the required HSR 
notifications would be filed. The FTC gave Fairbank a free pass for the 
1999 and 2004 acquisitions. Fairbank did not pay a penny in penalties 
for his wrongdoing.

Despite these warnings for his failures to 
comply, as the complaint alleges, in 2018 Fairbank again violated the 
notice and waiting period requirements of the HSR Act because he did not
 file before acquiring additional Capital One Financial voting 
securities in excess of the HSR filing threshold, as adjusted. 
Specifically, Fairbank was in violation of the HSR Act from March 8, 
2018 until he made a corrective filing and observed the 30-day waiting 
period, which ended on Jan. 17, 2020.

The Commission vote to 
accept the settlement and refer the matter to the Department of Justice 
for filing was 4-0-1, with Chair Lina M. Khan not participating. The 
Department of Justice filed the complaint and proposed stipulated order 
on the FTC’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of 
Columbia on September 2, 2021.

As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/">Federal Register</a>.
 Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed 
settlement during a 60-day comment period to Maribeth Petrizzi, Special 
Attorney, United States, c/o Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 <a href="mailto:bccompliance@ftc.gov">bccompliance@ftc.gov(link sends e-mail)</a>.
 At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court
 for the District of Columbia may approve the proposed settlement upon 
finding that it is in the public interest.

The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/competition-counts/pdf-0116_competition-counts.pdf">how competition benefits consumers</a> or <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/faq/competition/report-antitrust-violation">file an antitrust complaint</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/competition-matters">read our blog</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCToday, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Richard Fairbank, CEO of Capital One Financial Corp., will <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2010065finaljudgment.pdf">pay a $637,950 civil penalty</a>
 to settle charges that his acquisition of Capital One Financial stock 
violated the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act. Fairbank’s recent 
multi-million dollar compensation package included over 100,000 Capital 
One Financial shares in 2018, which increased his holdings to $168 
million. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2010065fairbankcomplaint.pdf">complaint</a>
 alleges that Fairbank failed to report his sizable stock windfall to 
federal antitrust authorities and illegally finalized the acquisition 
before the agencies could investigate. While Fairbank is a repeat filing
 offender with wrongdoing spanning two decades, today’s FTC order is the
 first time he has been penalized.“As the CEO of one of America’s
 largest banks, Richard Fairbank repeatedly broke the law,” said Holly 
Vedova, Acting Director of the Bureau of Competition. “There is no 
exemption for Wall Street bankers and powerful CEOs when it comes to 
complying with our country’s antitrust laws.”The HSR Act requires
 companies and individuals to report large transactions over a certain 
threshold to the FTC and DOJ so that the federal agencies can 
investigate the deals before they close. The agencies have 30 days after
 a transaction has been reported to conduct an initial investigation and
 file a “second request” demand for additional information. It is 
generally illegal to finalize an acquisition during this investigatory 
period. The maximum civil penalty for an HSR violation is currently 
$43,792 per day.According to the complaint, Fairbank twice failed
 to comply with the HSR Act in making filings relating to his 
multi-million dollar compensation package. In 1999 and 2004, Fairbank 
failed to file under the HSR Act prior to acquiring Capital One 
Financial voting securities. In making a corrective filing in 2008, 
Fairbank alleged that his filing failure was inadvertent, and he pledged
 to implement a system to ensure that, going forward, the required HSR 
notifications would be filed. The FTC gave Fairbank a free pass for the 
1999 and 2004 acquisitions. Fairbank did not pay a penny in penalties 
for his wrongdoing.Despite these warnings for his failures to 
comply, as the complaint alleges, in 2018 Fairbank again violated the 
notice and waiting period requirements of the HSR Act because he did not
 file before acquiring additional Capital One Financial voting 
securities in excess of the HSR filing threshold, as adjusted. 
Specifically, Fairbank was in violation of the HSR Act from March 8, 
2018 until he made a corrective filing and observed the 30-day waiting 
period, which ended on Jan. 17, 2020.The Commission vote to 
accept the settlement and refer the matter to the Department of Justice 
for filing was 4-0-1, with Chair Lina M. Khan not participating. The 
Department of Justice filed the complaint and proposed stipulated order 
on the FTC’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of 
Columbia on September 2, 2021.As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/">Federal Register</a>.
 Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed 
settlement during a 60-day comment period to Maribeth Petrizzi, Special 
Attorney, United States, c/o Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 <a href="mailto:bccompliance@ftc.gov">bccompliance@ftc.gov(link sends e-mail)</a>.
 At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court
 for the District of Columbia may approve the proposed settlement upon 
finding that it is in the public interest.The Federal Trade Commission works to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-competition">promote competition</a>, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/attachments/competition-counts/pdf-0116_competition-counts.pdf">how competition benefits consumers</a> or <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/faq/competition/report-antitrust-violation">file an antitrust complaint</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/competition-matters">read our blog</a>.

 FTC: Capital One CEO fined for 'repeatedly violating antitrust laws'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 340,000, a pandemic low, another sign that the job market is steadily rebounding from the economic collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Jobless claims dropped by 14,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The weekly count has mostly fallen steadily since topping 900,000 in early January.

Vaccinations for COVID-19 have been supporting the job market by encouraging businesses to reopen or expand hours and consumers to return to restaurants, bars and shops. In response, employers across the country have been boosting hiring to meet a surge in consumer demand.

Still, a resurgence of cases tied to the highly contagious delta variant has clouded the economic outlook. COVID-19 cases are now surpassing 135,000 a day, up from fewer than 12,000 in early July.

The pace of weekly applications for unemployment aid is still high by historic standards. Before COVID-19 hit the United States hard in March 2020, the number averaged around 220,000 a week.

Filings for jobless aid have long been regarded as a real-time measure of the labor market’s health. But their reliability has diminished during the pandemic. In many states, the weekly figures have been inflated by fraud and by multiple filings from unemployed Americans trying to navigate bureaucratic hurdles to obtain benefits. Those complications help explain why the pace of applications remains unusually high despite strong hiring.

The job market has been rebounding since the pandemic paralyzed economic activity last year and employers slashed more than 22 million jobs in March and April 2020. The nation has since recovered 16.7 million of the jobs, and economists have estimated that Friday’s jobs report for August will show that employers added 750,000 more last month. Posted job openings — a record 10.1 million in June — have been rising faster than applicants have lined up to fill them.

A $300-a-week federal benefit, which was made available to the unemployed on top of their regular state jobless aid after the pandemic hit, will expire Monday. When it does, more than 11 million people in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will lose at least some benefits, estimates Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. Of those, 8.9 million will lose all their jobless aid; 2.1 million will lose the $300-a-week federal check but will continue to receive state unemployment aid.

Twenty-five states, seeking to push the jobless back to work, had already halted the federal aid for an additional 3.5 million people, Daco said.

In a report last week, economists Peter McCrory and Daniel Silver of J.P. Morgan found “zero correlation″ between job growth and state decisions to drop the federal unemployment aid, at least so far. They warn that the loss of income from a cutoff of unemployment checks “could itself lead to job losses, potentially offsetting any gain″ from encouraging more people to go back to work.

More than 2.7 million people were receiving traditional jobless benefits in the week of Aug. 21, down from 2.9 million the previous week and the lowest level since the pandemic struck.

Including federal benefits, nearly 12.2 million were receiving some type of unemployment benefits in the week of Aug. 14, down dramatically from 29.7 million a year earlier.

That drop is a result, in part, of the increased number of people working and no longer receiving jobless aid. But it also reflects the cancellation in many states of a federal unemployment aid program for the self-employed and a separate program for the long-term jobless.

AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630587686455.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 340,000, a pandemic low, another sign that the job market is steadily rebounding from the economic collapse caused by the coronavirus pandemic.Jobless claims dropped by 14,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The weekly count has mostly fallen steadily since topping 900,000 in early January.Vaccinations for COVID-19 have been supporting the job market by encouraging businesses to reopen or expand hours and consumers to return to restaurants, bars and shops. In response, employers across the country have been boosting hiring to meet a surge in consumer demand.Still, a resurgence of cases tied to the highly contagious delta variant has clouded the economic outlook. COVID-19 cases are now surpassing 135,000 a day, up from fewer than 12,000 in early July.The pace of weekly applications for unemployment aid is still high by historic standards. Before COVID-19 hit the United States hard in March 2020, the number averaged around 220,000 a week.Filings for jobless aid have long been regarded as a real-time measure of the labor market’s health. But their reliability has diminished during the pandemic. In many states, the weekly figures have been inflated by fraud and by multiple filings from unemployed Americans trying to navigate bureaucratic hurdles to obtain benefits. Those complications help explain why the pace of applications remains unusually high despite strong hiring.The job market has been rebounding since the pandemic paralyzed economic activity last year and employers slashed more than 22 million jobs in March and April 2020. The nation has since recovered 16.7 million of the jobs, and economists have estimated that Friday’s jobs report for August will show that employers added 750,000 more last month. Posted job openings — a record 10.1 million in June — have been rising faster than applicants have lined up to fill them.A $300-a-week federal benefit, which was made available to the unemployed on top of their regular state jobless aid after the pandemic hit, will expire Monday. When it does, more than 11 million people in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will lose at least some benefits, estimates Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. Of those, 8.9 million will lose all their jobless aid; 2.1 million will lose the $300-a-week federal check but will continue to receive state unemployment aid.Twenty-five states, seeking to push the jobless back to work, had already halted the federal aid for an additional 3.5 million people, Daco said.In a report last week, economists Peter McCrory and Daniel Silver of J.P. Morgan found “zero correlation″ between job growth and state decisions to drop the federal unemployment aid, at least so far. They warn that the loss of income from a cutoff of unemployment checks “could itself lead to job losses, potentially offsetting any gain″ from encouraging more people to go back to work.More than 2.7 million people were receiving traditional jobless benefits in the week of Aug. 21, down from 2.9 million the previous week and the lowest level since the pandemic struck.Including federal benefits, nearly 12.2 million were receiving some type of unemployment benefits in the week of Aug. 14, down dramatically from 29.7 million a year earlier.That drop is a result, in part, of the increased number of people working and no longer receiving jobless aid. But it also reflects the cancellation in many states of a federal unemployment aid program for the self-employed and a separate program for the long-term jobless.___AP Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report.

US jobless claims reach a pandemic low as hiring strengthens

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deeply divided Supreme Court is allowing a Texas law that bans most abortions to remain in force, for now stripping most women of the right to an abortion in the nation’s second-largest state.

The court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21053670-whole-womans-health-v-jackson" target="_blank">voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal</a>&nbsp;from abortion providers and others that sought to block enforcement of the law that went into effect Wednesday. But the justices also suggested that their order likely isn’t the last word on whether the law can stand because other challenges to it can still be brought.

It is the strictest law against abortion rights in the United States since the high court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 and part of a broader push by Republicans nationwide to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.

Chief Justice John Roberts dissented along with the court’s three liberal justices. Each of the four dissenting justices wrote separate statements expressing their disagreement with the majority.

Roberts noted that while the majority denied the request for emergency relief “the Court’s order is emphatic in making clear that it cannot be understood as sustaining the constitutionality of the law at issue.”

The vote in the case underscores the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ruth-bader-ginsburg-voting-rights-politics-joe-biden-elections-bf6704fa6e900967a705054c801a5495">the death of the liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>&nbsp;last year and then-president Donald Trump’s replacement of her with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07">conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett</a>. Had Ginsburg remained on the court there would have been five votes to halt the Texas law.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor called her conservative colleagues’ decision “stunning.” “Presented with an application to enjoin a flagrantly unconstitutional law engineered to prohibit women from exercising their constitutional rights and evade judicial scrutiny, a majority of Justices have opted to bury their heads in the sand,” she wrote.

Texas lawmakers wrote the law to evade federal court review by allowing private citizens to bring civil lawsuits in state court against anyone involved in an abortion, other than the patient. Other abortion laws are enforced by state and local officials, with criminal sanctions possible.

In contrast, Texas’ law allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in facilitating abortions. Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion. Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.

In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan called the law “patently unconstitutional,” saying it allows “private parties to carry out unconstitutional restrictions on the State’s behalf.” And Justice Stephen Breyer said a “woman has a federal constitutional right to obtain an abortion during” the first stage of pregnancy.

After a federal appeals court refused to allow a prompt review of the law before it took effect, the measure’s opponents sought Supreme Court review.

In a statement early Thursday after the high court’s action, Nancy Northup, the head of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents abortion providers challenging the law, vowed to “keep fighting this ban until abortion access is restored in Texas.”

“We are devastated that the Supreme Court has refused to block a law that blatantly violates Roe v. Wade. Right now, people seeking abortion across Texas are panicking — they have no idea where or when they will be able to get an abortion, if ever. Texas politicians have succeeded for the moment in making a mockery of the rule of law, upending abortion care in Texas, and forcing patients to leave the state — if they have the means — to get constitutionally protected healthcare. This should send chills down the spine of everyone in this country who cares about the constitution,” she said.

Texas has long had some of the nation’s toughest abortion restrictions, including a sweeping law passed in 2013. The Supreme Court eventually struck down that law, but not before more than half of the state’s 40-plus clinics closed.

Even before the Texas case arrived at the high court the justices had planned to tackle the issue of abortion rights in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-15-week-ban-5d066a9dc0030a4f8297711f341c9f5a">major case after the court begins hearing arguments again in the fall</a>. That case involves the state of Mississippi, which is asking to be allowed to enforce an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deeply divided Supreme Court is allowing a Texas law that bans most abortions to remain in force, for now stripping most women of the right to an abortion in the nation’s second-largest state.The court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21053670-whole-womans-health-v-jackson" target="_blank">voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal</a>&nbsp;from abortion providers and others that sought to block enforcement of the law that went into effect Wednesday. But the justices also suggested that their order likely isn’t the last word on whether the law can stand because other challenges to it can still be brought.The Texas law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-health-abortion-government-and-politics-ba02cd7c3f02b1eb5c87094257ee4db2">signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May</a>, prohibits abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity</a>, usually around six weeks and before many women know they’re pregnant.It is the strictest law against abortion rights in the United States since the high court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 and part of a broader push by Republicans nationwide to impose new restrictions on abortion. At least 12 other states have enacted bans early in pregnancy, but all have been blocked from going into effect.The high court’s order declining to halt the Texas law came just before midnight Wednesday. The majority said those bringing the case had not met the high burden required for a stay of the law.“In reaching this conclusion, we stress that we do not purport to resolve definitively any jurisdictional or substantive claim in the applicants’ lawsuit. In particular, this order is not based on any conclusion about the constitutionality of Texas’s law, and in no way limits other procedurally proper challenges to the Texas law, including in Texas state courts,” the unsigned order said.Chief Justice John Roberts dissented along with the court’s three liberal justices. Each of the four dissenting justices wrote separate statements expressing their disagreement with the majority.Roberts noted that while the majority denied the request for emergency relief “the Court’s order is emphatic in making clear that it cannot be understood as sustaining the constitutionality of the law at issue.”The vote in the case underscores the impact of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ruth-bader-ginsburg-voting-rights-politics-joe-biden-elections-bf6704fa6e900967a705054c801a5495">the death of the liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg</a>&nbsp;last year and then-president Donald Trump’s replacement of her with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07">conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett</a>. Had Ginsburg remained on the court there would have been five votes to halt the Texas law.Justice Sonia Sotomayor called her conservative colleagues’ decision “stunning.” “Presented with an application to enjoin a flagrantly unconstitutional law engineered to prohibit women from exercising their constitutional rights and evade judicial scrutiny, a majority of Justices have opted to bury their heads in the sand,” she wrote.Texas lawmakers wrote the law to evade federal court review by allowing private citizens to bring civil lawsuits in state court against anyone involved in an abortion, other than the patient. Other abortion laws are enforced by state and local officials, with criminal sanctions possible.In contrast, Texas’ law allows private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone involved in facilitating abortions. Among other situations, that would include anyone who drives a woman to a clinic to get an abortion. Under the law, anyone who successfully sues another person would be entitled to at least $10,000.In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan called the law “patently unconstitutional,” saying it allows “private parties to carry out unconstitutional restrictions on the State’s behalf.” And Justice Stephen Breyer said a “woman has a federal constitutional right to obtain an abortion during” the first stage of pregnancy.After a federal appeals court refused to allow a prompt review of the law before it took effect, the measure’s opponents sought Supreme Court review.In a statement early Thursday after the high court’s action, Nancy Northup, the head of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents abortion providers challenging the law, vowed to “keep fighting this ban until abortion access is restored in Texas.”“We are devastated that the Supreme Court has refused to block a law that blatantly violates Roe v. Wade. Right now, people seeking abortion across Texas are panicking — they have no idea where or when they will be able to get an abortion, if ever. Texas politicians have succeeded for the moment in making a mockery of the rule of law, upending abortion care in Texas, and forcing patients to leave the state — if they have the means — to get constitutionally protected healthcare. This should send chills down the spine of everyone in this country who cares about the constitution,” she said.Texas has long had some of the nation’s toughest abortion restrictions, including a sweeping law passed in 2013. The Supreme Court eventually struck down that law, but not before more than half of the state’s 40-plus clinics closed.Even before the Texas case arrived at the high court the justices had planned to tackle the issue of abortion rights in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-15-week-ban-5d066a9dc0030a4f8297711f341c9f5a">major case after the court begins hearing arguments again in the fall</a>. That case involves the state of Mississippi, which is asking to be allowed to enforce an abortion ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy.___

Supreme Court decides to leave controversial abortion law in place

On Wednesday,
 the Federal Trade Commission banned SpyFone and its CEO Scott Zuckerman
 from the surveillance business over allegations that the stalkerware 
app company secretly harvested and shared data on people’s physical 
movements, phone use, and online activities through a hidden device 
hack. The company’s apps sold real-time access to their secret 
surveillance, allowing stalkers and domestic abusers to stealthily track
 the potential targets of their violence. SpyFone’s lack of basic 
security also exposed device owners to hackers, identity thieves, and 
other cyber threats. In addition to imposing the surveillance-business 
ban, the FTC’s order requires SpyFone to delete the illegally harvested 
information and notify device owners that the app had been secretly 
installed.

&nbsp;“SpyFone is a brazen brand name for a 
surveillance business that helped stalkers steal private information,” 
said Samuel Levine, Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer 
Protection. “The stalkerware was hidden from device owners, but was 
fully exposed to hackers who exploited the company’s slipshod security. 
This case is an important reminder that surveillance-based businesses 
pose a significant threat to our safety and security. We will be 
aggressive about seeking surveillance bans when companies and their 
executives egregiously invade our privacy.”

This is the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/10/ftc-brings-first-case-against-developers-stalking-apps">second case</a> the FTC has brought against stalkerware apps, and the first where the FTC is obtaining a ban. In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_complaint.pdf">complaint</a>,
 the FTC alleged that Support King, LLC, which did business as 
SpyFone.com, and its CEO sold stalkerware apps that allowed purchasers 
to surreptitiously monitor photos, text messages, web histories, GPS 
locations, and other personal information of the phone on which the app 
was installed without the device owner’s knowledge. &nbsp;

To install 
its software, SpyFone required purchasers who used the apps on Android 
devices to bypass many of the phone’s restrictions. The stalkerware 
company also provided instructions on how to hide the app so that the 
device user was unaware the device was being monitored, the FTC alleged.
 In order to use some functions, such as monitoring email, purchasers 
had to “root” a phone on which the app is installed, which also could 
void warranties and expose the device to security risks. 

The 
illegal secret surveillance provided by the apps made it easy for 
stalkers and abusers to monitor their potential targets and steal 
sensitive information about their physical movements, phone use, and 
online activities. For example, some of the products allowed a purchaser
 to see the device’s live location and view the device user’s emails and
 video chats.&nbsp; 

The stalkerware app company not only illegally 
harvested and shared people’s private information, it also failed to 
keep it secure. The FTC alleges that SpyFone did not put in place basic 
security measures despite promising that it took “reasonable precautions
 to safeguard” the information it illegally harvested. The stalkerware 
apps’ security deficiencies include not encrypting personal information 
it stored, including photos and text messages; failing to ensure that 
only authorized users could access personal information; and 
transmitting purchasers’ passwords in plain text.

Moreover, after a
 hacker accessed the company’s server and obtained personal data of 
about 2,200 consumers in August 2018, the company promised purchasers 
that it would work with an outside data security firm and law 
enforcement authorities to investigate the incident. The FTC, however, 
alleges that the company failed to follow through on this promise.

In
 addition to banning Support King and Zuckerman from offering, 
promoting, selling, or advertising any surveillance app, service, or 
business, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_agreement_and_order_without_signatures_0.pdf">the proposed settlement&nbsp;</a>requires
 them to delete any information illegally collected from their 
stalkerware apps. It also orders them to notify owners of devices on 
which SpyFone’s apps were installed that their devices might have been 
monitored and the devices might not be secure.

The Commission 
voted 5-0 to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept 
the consent order with the company. Commissioner Rohit Chopra issued a 
separate <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/2021/09/statement-commissioner-rohit-chopra-matter-spyfone">statement</a>.

The
 FTC will publish a description of the package&nbsp;in the Federal Register 
soon. The proposed order will be subject to public comment for 30 days 
after publication in the Federal Register after which the Commission 
will decide whether to make the proposal final. Instructions for filing 
comments will appear in the published notice. Once processed, comments 
will be posted on Regulations.gov.

NOTE: The 
Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to 
believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to 
the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the 
Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force
 of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order 
may result in a civil penalty of up to $43,280.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FTCOn Wednesday,
 the Federal Trade Commission banned SpyFone and its CEO Scott Zuckerman
 from the surveillance business over allegations that the stalkerware 
app company secretly harvested and shared data on people’s physical 
movements, phone use, and online activities through a hidden device 
hack. The company’s apps sold real-time access to their secret 
surveillance, allowing stalkers and domestic abusers to stealthily track
 the potential targets of their violence. SpyFone’s lack of basic 
security also exposed device owners to hackers, identity thieves, and 
other cyber threats. In addition to imposing the surveillance-business 
ban, the FTC’s order requires SpyFone to delete the illegally harvested 
information and notify device owners that the app had been secretly 
installed.&nbsp;“SpyFone is a brazen brand name for a 
surveillance business that helped stalkers steal private information,” 
said Samuel Levine, Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer 
Protection. “The stalkerware was hidden from device owners, but was 
fully exposed to hackers who exploited the company’s slipshod security. 
This case is an important reminder that surveillance-based businesses 
pose a significant threat to our safety and security. We will be 
aggressive about seeking surveillance bans when companies and their 
executives egregiously invade our privacy.”This is the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/10/ftc-brings-first-case-against-developers-stalking-apps">second case</a> the FTC has brought against stalkerware apps, and the first where the FTC is obtaining a ban. In a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_complaint.pdf">complaint</a>,
 the FTC alleged that Support King, LLC, which did business as 
SpyFone.com, and its CEO sold stalkerware apps that allowed purchasers 
to surreptitiously monitor photos, text messages, web histories, GPS 
locations, and other personal information of the phone on which the app 
was installed without the device owner’s knowledge. &nbsp;To install 
its software, SpyFone required purchasers who used the apps on Android 
devices to bypass many of the phone’s restrictions. The stalkerware 
company also provided instructions on how to hide the app so that the 
device user was unaware the device was being monitored, the FTC alleged.
 In order to use some functions, such as monitoring email, purchasers 
had to “root” a phone on which the app is installed, which also could 
void warranties and expose the device to security risks. The 
illegal secret surveillance provided by the apps made it easy for 
stalkers and abusers to monitor their potential targets and steal 
sensitive information about their physical movements, phone use, and 
online activities. For example, some of the products allowed a purchaser
 to see the device’s live location and view the device user’s emails and
 video chats.&nbsp; The stalkerware app company not only illegally 
harvested and shared people’s private information, it also failed to 
keep it secure. The FTC alleges that SpyFone did not put in place basic 
security measures despite promising that it took “reasonable precautions
 to safeguard” the information it illegally harvested. The stalkerware 
apps’ security deficiencies include not encrypting personal information 
it stored, including photos and text messages; failing to ensure that 
only authorized users could access personal information; and 
transmitting purchasers’ passwords in plain text.Moreover, after a
 hacker accessed the company’s server and obtained personal data of 
about 2,200 consumers in August 2018, the company promised purchasers 
that it would work with an outside data security firm and law 
enforcement authorities to investigate the incident. The FTC, however, 
alleges that the company failed to follow through on this promise.In
 addition to banning Support King and Zuckerman from offering, 
promoting, selling, or advertising any surveillance app, service, or 
business, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_agreement_and_order_without_signatures_0.pdf">the proposed settlement&nbsp;</a>requires
 them to delete any information illegally collected from their 
stalkerware apps. It also orders them to notify owners of devices on 
which SpyFone’s apps were installed that their devices might have been 
monitored and the devices might not be secure.The Commission 
voted 5-0 to issue the proposed administrative complaint and to accept 
the consent order with the company. Commissioner Rohit Chopra issued a 
separate <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/public-statements/2021/09/statement-commissioner-rohit-chopra-matter-spyfone">statement</a>.The
 FTC will publish a description of the package&nbsp;in the Federal Register 
soon. The proposed order will be subject to public comment for 30 days 
after publication in the Federal Register after which the Commission 
will decide whether to make the proposal final. Instructions for filing 
comments will appear in the published notice. Once processed, comments 
will be posted on Regulations.gov.NOTE: The 
Commission issues an administrative complaint when it has “reason to 
believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to 
the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. When the 
Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries the force
 of law with respect to future actions. Each violation of such an order 
may result in a civil penalty of up to $43,280.

FTC: 'Stalkerware app' maker ordered to delete secretly stolen user data

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy  keeps operating at a healthy pace in nine Midwest and Plains states, but supply delays and shortages of workers are limiting growth in the region. 

The overall economic index for the region slipped to 68.9 from July’s surging 73.1, but it still indicates strong growth.

 Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth.

 Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said strong job growth continued but businesses are having trouble finding workers to hire. 

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy keeps operating at a healthy pace in nine Midwest and Plains states, but supply delays and shortages of workers are limiting growth in the region. The overall economic index for the region slipped to 68.9 from July’s surging 73.1, but it still indicates strong growth. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said strong job growth continued but businesses are having trouble finding workers to hire. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Economy grows at healthy pace in nine Midwest, Plains states

NEW YORK (AP) —The NFL Players Association has launched an investigation following Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer’s admission that vaccination status factored into the team’s roster decisions.

NFLPA spokesman George Atallah confirmed the union’s action in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday night, hours after Meyer told reporters: “Everyone was considered. That was part of the production, let’s start talking about this and also, ‘Is he vaccinated or not?’ Can I say that that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration.”

The NFL hasn’t mandated COVID-19 vaccines but has incorporated strict protocols for players who aren’t fully vaccinated.

Meyer pointed to defensive end Josh Allen missing one week because of protocols. Allen, who is not vaccinated, was activated from the COVID-19 list Monday.

“Well, Josh Allen’s never had (COVID),” Meyer said. “He’s not played in two weeks. So he’s never had COVID. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that, but he’s never had COVID. So that’s pretty punitive.”

The Patriots released Cam Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, in a surprise move to pave the way for rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Newton is not vaccinated and missed practice last week due to the protocols.

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman raised his eyebrows when asked about Meyer’s comments and if the team made similar decisions.

“We cut the roster based on the 53 best guys that we thought could help our football team,” Roseman said. “And then going forward, when we look at guys, we’re going to look at them based on their ability, how they fit our system, what their background is, to make sure we’re bringing in the right people into this building. That’s really how all our discussions have been about.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578051322956.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The NFL Players Association has launched an investigation following Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer’s admission that vaccination status factored into the team’s roster decisions.NFLPA spokesman George Atallah confirmed the union’s action in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday night, hours after Meyer told reporters: “Everyone was considered. That was part of the production, let’s start talking about this and also, ‘Is he vaccinated or not?’ Can I say that that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration.”The NFL hasn’t mandated COVID-19 vaccines but has incorporated strict protocols for players who aren’t fully vaccinated.Meyer pointed to defensive end Josh Allen missing one week because of protocols. Allen, who is not vaccinated, was activated from the COVID-19 list Monday.“Well, Josh Allen’s never had (COVID),” Meyer said. “He’s not played in two weeks. So he’s never had COVID. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that, but he’s never had COVID. So that’s pretty punitive.”The Patriots released Cam Newton, the 2015 NFL MVP, in a surprise move to pave the way for rookie quarterback Mac Jones. Newton is not vaccinated and missed practice last week due to the protocols.Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman raised his eyebrows when asked about Meyer’s comments and if the team made similar decisions.“We cut the roster based on the 53 best guys that we thought could help our football team,” Roseman said. “And then going forward, when we look at guys, we’re going to look at them based on their ability, how they fit our system, what their background is, to make sure we’re bringing in the right people into this building. That’s really how all our discussions have been about.”___

NFLPA investigates: Vaccine status, team roster cuts

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has fined companies in Iowa and Nebraska for tampering with emission controls in vehicles.

 The EPA announced Tuesday that diesel repair shop Midwest Truck Products of Cantril, Iowa, will pay a $75,000 penalty. 

South Central Diesel Inc. of Holdrege, Nebraska, will pay a $50,954 fine.

 The EPA said the companies either tampered with vehicle engines or sold devices that removed emissions controls for hundreds of customers. 

The companies also certified they have stopped disabling vehicle emission controls. 

The EPA says tampering with the emission devices contributes to air pollution.

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has fined companies in Iowa and Nebraska for tampering with emission controls in vehicles. The EPA announced Tuesday that diesel repair shop Midwest Truck Products of Cantril, Iowa, will pay a $75,000 penalty. South Central Diesel Inc. of Holdrege, Nebraska, will pay a $50,954 fine. The EPA said the companies either tampered with vehicle engines or sold devices that removed emissions controls for hundreds of customers. The companies also certified they have stopped disabling vehicle emission controls. The EPA says tampering with the emission devices contributes to air pollution.

Nebraska, Iowa companies fined for diesel emission tampering

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The COVID-19 surge is stretching oxygen supplies and sending hospitals scrambling for more ventilators, even as there are signs of hope that the spread of the virus is slowing down in pockets of the U.S.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a hospital recently called 911 after coming within just a few hours of running out of oxygen because they needed an emergency transfer for a patient on high-flow oxygen. The hospital got a shipment later that day, but the experience was a warning to other hospitals, said Dr. Jeffrey Goodloe, the chief medical officer for the EMS system that serves Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

“If it can happen to one hospital, it can happen to any hospital,” Goodloe said. “There is no, ‘that is happening over there.’ There is here in a heartbeat.”

The oxygen shortages are yet another sign of the toll that the summer COVID-19 resurgence has taken on the nation’s hospital system. A handful of states including Florida, Oregon, Hawaii, Mississippi and Louisiana have set pandemic records for the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and many hospitals are dangerously short of staff and intensive care unit beds.

The country is averaging 155,000 new infections a day, but the caseload trajectory has slowed down dramatically from earlier in August.

Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi had slight declines in cases over last two weeks. Florida has seen a dip in COVID-19 admissions in recent days, as have hospitals in Springfield, Missouri, an early epicenter of the delta variant-driven surge.

Vaccination numbers are also up, and White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients credited vaccine mandates that have been implemented across the country, including restaurants, workplaces, sports stadiums and schools.

“Importantly, we’ve accelerated the pace of first shots. In August, we got over 14 million. That’s almost 4 million more first shots in August compared to the prior month in July,” Zients said Tuesday.

But the numbers haven’t budged much in the one week since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to Pfizer for its vaccine after reviewing six months of safety data. The seven-day average for vaccine doses administered across the U.S. rose to 898,000 on Monday, up from 853,000 one week earlier.

Deaths are also on the rise, averaging more than 1,300 a day, in what health officials have predicted would happen as result of the massive rise in cases and hospitalizations over the last month.

Georgia and Oklahoma have emerged as new spots where hospital and state leaders are sounding alarm about the lack of capacity and supplies.

COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the cusp of surpassing January peaks in Georgia as hospitals fretted Monday that the delta variant of the respiratory illness threatens to suck some Georgia hospitals dry of medical oxygen, a key treatment for people struggling to breathe.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order calling up as many as another 1,500 National Guard soldiers to help short-staffed hospitals with nonmedical jobs, on top of the 1,000 previously authorized.

Augusta University Medical Center has ordered 12 more ventilators to deal with the surge. The hospital was treating 122 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, pushing its overall hospital census to a record of 501 patients.

The numbers of COVID-19 patients remains about 20 less than winter surge levels, but the hospital has been turning away transfers because it also is working through a backlog of patients who put off care at the height of the pandemic, said Dr. Phillip Coule, chief medical officer.

“We are watching our ventilator use very closely,” he said, noting that more of its patients are needing high-flow oxygen and other treatments that sometimes lead up to them being put on ventilators. “We are concerned about it.”

With oxygen supplies, part of the issue is that hospitals have found success in treating coronavirus patients with high-flow oxygen tubes. But the method uses up to three times more oxygen than treatment methods used earlier in the pandemic, said Andy Brailo, chief customer officer for Premier, a group supply purchaser for hospitals.

Couple that with troubles finding enough drivers with the requisite hazardous material certifications to deliver oxygen to hard-hit hospitals, and supplies are running tighter than ever. Some hospitals have come within a day or two of running out. Others have resorted to using backup tanks that are normally only used when their main tank is being refilled.

In Orlando, residents have been asked to stop watering their lawns and washing cars because of oxygen shortages. That’s because Orlando treats city water with liquid oxygen and supplied that typically go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals.

Brailo said the oxygen issue has been particularly acute in Florida. He said he has recently heard of problems in Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas as well.

“Hospitals have started thinking if we are out, what are the options we are going to have to take?” Brailo said. “In some cases that may mean having to move patients. And that may mean going to much more invasive ways to make sure those patients are oxygenated.”

Dr. Ryan Stanton, an emergency room physician in Lexington, Kentucky, who has treated scores of COVID-19 patients, said doctors began discussing whether multiple people could be placed on a single ventilator over the past few days in private Facebook groups. He said that so far, no doctors have said they were attempting it.

“It is just a sign that you are getting at that critical breaking point,” he said of the discussion.

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The COVID-19 surge is stretching oxygen supplies and sending hospitals scrambling for more ventilators, even as there are signs of hope that the spread of the virus is slowing down in pockets of the U.S.In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a hospital recently called 911 after coming within just a few hours of running out of oxygen because they needed an emergency transfer for a patient on high-flow oxygen. The hospital got a shipment later that day, but the experience was a warning to other hospitals, said Dr. Jeffrey Goodloe, the chief medical officer for the EMS system that serves Tulsa and Oklahoma City.“If it can happen to one hospital, it can happen to any hospital,” Goodloe said. “There is no, ‘that is happening over there.’ There is here in a heartbeat.”The oxygen shortages are yet another sign of the toll that the summer COVID-19 resurgence has taken on the nation’s hospital system. A handful of states including Florida, Oregon, Hawaii, Mississippi and Louisiana have set pandemic records for the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and many hospitals are dangerously short of staff and intensive care unit beds.There is some good news, however.The country is averaging 155,000 new infections a day, but the caseload trajectory has slowed down dramatically from earlier in August.Florida, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi had slight declines in cases over last two weeks. Florida has seen a dip in COVID-19 admissions in recent days, as have hospitals in Springfield, Missouri, an early epicenter of the delta variant-driven surge.Vaccination numbers are also up, and White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients credited vaccine mandates that have been implemented across the country, including restaurants, workplaces, sports stadiums and schools.“Importantly, we’ve accelerated the pace of first shots. In August, we got over 14 million. That’s almost 4 million more first shots in August compared to the prior month in July,” Zients said Tuesday.But the numbers haven’t budged much in the one week since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to Pfizer for its vaccine after reviewing six months of safety data. The seven-day average for vaccine doses administered across the U.S. rose to 898,000 on Monday, up from 853,000 one week earlier.Deaths are also on the rise, averaging more than 1,300 a day, in what health officials have predicted would happen as result of the massive rise in cases and hospitalizations over the last month.Georgia and Oklahoma have emerged as new spots where hospital and state leaders are sounding alarm about the lack of capacity and supplies.COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are on the cusp of surpassing January peaks in Georgia as hospitals fretted Monday that the delta variant of the respiratory illness threatens to suck some Georgia hospitals dry of medical oxygen, a key treatment for people struggling to breathe.Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order calling up as many as another 1,500 National Guard soldiers to help short-staffed hospitals with nonmedical jobs, on top of the 1,000 previously authorized.Augusta University Medical Center has ordered 12 more ventilators to deal with the surge. The hospital was treating 122 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, pushing its overall hospital census to a record of 501 patients.The numbers of COVID-19 patients remains about 20 less than winter surge levels, but the hospital has been turning away transfers because it also is working through a backlog of patients who put off care at the height of the pandemic, said Dr. Phillip Coule, chief medical officer.“We are watching our ventilator use very closely,” he said, noting that more of its patients are needing high-flow oxygen and other treatments that sometimes lead up to them being put on ventilators. “We are concerned about it.”With oxygen supplies, part of the issue is that hospitals have found success in treating coronavirus patients with high-flow oxygen tubes. But the method uses up to three times more oxygen than treatment methods used earlier in the pandemic, said Andy Brailo, chief customer officer for Premier, a group supply purchaser for hospitals.Couple that with troubles finding enough drivers with the requisite hazardous material certifications to deliver oxygen to hard-hit hospitals, and supplies are running tighter than ever. Some hospitals have come within a day or two of running out. Others have resorted to using backup tanks that are normally only used when their main tank is being refilled.In Orlando, residents have been asked to stop watering their lawns and washing cars because of oxygen shortages. That’s because Orlando treats city water with liquid oxygen and supplied that typically go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals.Brailo said the oxygen issue has been particularly acute in Florida. He said he has recently heard of problems in Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas as well.“Hospitals have started thinking if we are out, what are the options we are going to have to take?” Brailo said. “In some cases that may mean having to move patients. And that may mean going to much more invasive ways to make sure those patients are oxygenated.”Dr. Ryan Stanton, an emergency room physician in Lexington, Kentucky, who has treated scores of COVID-19 patients, said doctors began discussing whether multiple people could be placed on a single ventilator over the past few days in private Facebook groups. He said that so far, no doctors have said they were attempting it.“It is just a sign that you are getting at that critical breaking point,” he said of the discussion.

Oxygen supplies grow precarious amid COVID surge

Better Business Bureau <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/the-cdc-eviction-moratorium-has-ended-learn-your-options/" target="_blank">The eviction moratorium</a> was struck down by the Supreme Court, but some state and local governments are still issuing their own <a href="https://evictionlab.org/covid-eviction-policies/" target="_blank">eviction policies.</a> Scammers are ready to take advantage of the confustion and stress that renters may be experiencing. With <a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVICTFOR" target="_blank">millions in the United States behind on their rent</a>, the moratorium’s end is a perfect hook. &nbsp;

Watch out for scammers offering loans, peddling credit repair 
services, or promoting government programs. These cons are a way to 
trick desperate people out of money they don’t have. &nbsp;

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has seen numerous reports of phony “pandemic relief” grants or 
government programs that allegedly provide funding to people impacted by
 the pandemic. Once you “qualify for the grant,” the scammer will ask 
you to pay a processing or delivery fee to receive your funds. Of 
course, the grant doesn’t exist, and if you pay upfront, you just gave 
money to scammers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16919-bbb-tip-advance-fee-loan-scams" target="_blank">Advance fee loans</a>, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/23372-bbb-tip-credit-repair-and-debt-relief-scams" target="_blank">debt relief and credit repair scams</a>
 work in a similar way. They promise a loan – or to repair your credit –
 for an upfront fee. No matter how much you may need it, don’t be 
tempted by “guaranteed loans” or impossible services, such as removing 
late payments or a bankruptcy, from your credit report.

This recent BBB Scam Tracker report describes a situation more people
 will likely encounter as the eviction moratorium nears. “I'd been in a 
desperate financial situation for a few weeks now, so I had been looking
 for loans and being denied left and right,” the scam victim told BBB. 
The victim received a call from a loan provider, saying their loan 
application had finally been accepted. There was just one catch: before 
the company could release the money, the borrow had to increase their 
credit score. Fortunately, this company had a way to help. “The way they
 would do that is they would send money to my account and then all I 
would have to do is send it back and that would boost my score.” Of 
course, the scammers never actually transfered the money. When the 
victim "sent back" the funds, they transferred $1,000 into the hands of 
scammers and overdrafted their account.&nbsp;

Get further insight by reading&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14101-bbb-tip-loans" target="_blank">BBB’s tip on loans</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14106-tip-credit-repair-and-debt-relief-services" target="_blank">credit repair services</a>. Learn more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22776-government-impostors-press-release" target="_blank">government impostor scams during COVID-19</a>.&nbsp;

If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Better Business Bureau <a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/the-cdc-eviction-moratorium-has-ended-learn-your-options/" target="_blank">The eviction moratorium</a> was struck down by the Supreme Court, but some state and local governments are still issuing their own <a href="https://evictionlab.org/covid-eviction-policies/" target="_blank">eviction policies.</a> Scammers are ready to take advantage of the confustion and stress that renters may be experiencing. With <a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVICTFOR" target="_blank">millions in the United States behind on their rent</a>, the moratorium’s end is a perfect hook. &nbsp;<h2>How the Scam Works</h2>Watch out for scammers offering loans, peddling credit repair 
services, or promoting government programs. These cons are a way to 
trick desperate people out of money they don’t have. &nbsp;For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has seen numerous reports of phony “pandemic relief” grants or 
government programs that allegedly provide funding to people impacted by
 the pandemic. Once you “qualify for the grant,” the scammer will ask 
you to pay a processing or delivery fee to receive your funds. Of 
course, the grant doesn’t exist, and if you pay upfront, you just gave 
money to scammers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16919-bbb-tip-advance-fee-loan-scams" target="_blank">Advance fee loans</a>, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/23372-bbb-tip-credit-repair-and-debt-relief-scams" target="_blank">debt relief and credit repair scams</a>
 work in a similar way. They promise a loan – or to repair your credit –
 for an upfront fee. No matter how much you may need it, don’t be 
tempted by “guaranteed loans” or impossible services, such as removing 
late payments or a bankruptcy, from your credit report.This recent BBB Scam Tracker report describes a situation more people
 will likely encounter as the eviction moratorium nears. “I'd been in a 
desperate financial situation for a few weeks now, so I had been looking
 for loans and being denied left and right,” the scam victim told BBB. 
The victim received a call from a loan provider, saying their loan 
application had finally been accepted. There was just one catch: before 
the company could release the money, the borrow had to increase their 
credit score. Fortunately, this company had a way to help. “The way they
 would do that is they would send money to my account and then all I 
would have to do is send it back and that would boost my score.” Of 
course, the scammers never actually transfered the money. When the 
victim "sent back" the funds, they transferred $1,000 into the hands of 
scammers and overdrafted their account.&nbsp;<h2>Protect yourself from this&nbsp;scam:</h2><ul>
 <li>Double check any government program before you sign up. If
 an organization is offering you a grant or relief funds, get to know 
them before you agree to anything. Take a close look at their website 
and read reviews. If you think you might be dealing with an impostor, 
find the official contact information and call the company to make sure 
the offer is legitimate. </li><li>Be wary of out-of-the-blue calls, emails or text message claiming to be from the&nbsp;government. In general, the government will not contact you using these methods, unless you granted permission. </li><li>Think something seems suspicious? Reach out to the agency directly. If
 you doubt that a government representative is legitimate, hang up the 
phone or stop emailing. Then, report the suspicious calls or messages. 
Make sure the agency is real. Scammers often make up names of agencies 
and/or grants. </li><li>Do not pay any money for a "free"&nbsp;government grant or program.&nbsp;It
 is not really free if there is a fee involved. A real government agency
 will not ask for an advanced processing fee. Instead, find out if the 
grant is legitimate by checking <a href="https://www.grants.gov/" target="_blank">grants.gov</a>. </li><li>Advance fees are a concern. Not
 all businesses promising to help you repair bad credit are scams, but 
if you are asked to pay in advance, that’s a big red flag. In both the 
U.S. and Canada, credit repair and debt relief companies can only 
collect their fee after they perform the services promised. </li><li>Avoid guarantees and unusual payment methods. Real
 lenders never guarantee a loan in advance. They will check your credit 
score and other documents before providing an interest rate and/or loan 
amount and will not ask you to pay an upfront fee. Fees are never paid 
via gift cards, CashApp, or prepaid debit card. Unusual payment methods 
and payments to an individual are a big tip off.</li>
 </ul><h2>For more information:</h2>Get further insight by reading&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14101-bbb-tip-loans" target="_blank">BBB’s tip on loans</a> and <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14106-tip-credit-repair-and-debt-relief-services" target="_blank">credit repair services</a>. Learn more about <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22776-government-impostors-press-release" target="_blank">government impostor scams during COVID-19</a>.&nbsp;If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/ScamTracker">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">BBB.org/AvoidScams</a>.

BBB Scam Alert: Watch out for false promises as eviction moratoriums end

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sharp shock of the coronavirus recession pushed Social Security a year closer to insolvency but left Medicare’s exhaustion date unchanged, the government reported Tuesday in a counterintuitive assessment that deepens the uncertainty around the nation’s bedrock retirement programs.

The new projections in the annual Social Security and Medicare trustees reports indicate that Social Security’s massive trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits in 2034 instead of last year’s estimated exhaustion date of 2035. For the first time in 39 years the cost of delivering benefits will exceed the program’s total income from payroll tax collections and interest during this year. From here on, Social Security will be tapping its savings to pay full benefits.

The depletion date for Medicare’s trust fund for inpatient care remained unchanged from last year, estimated in 2026.

In the 1980s, financial warnings about Social Security prompted then-President Ronald Reagan and lawmakers of both parties in Congress to collaborate on a long-term solvency plan, but such action is unlikely in today’s bitter political climate. Democrats who control the White House and Congress offered assurances they would protect both programs.

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to safeguarding these programs and ensuring they continue to deliver economic security and health care to older Americans,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

The latest estimates reflected the push and pull of many factors flowing from the pandemic, and the full impact may take years to sort out. The deep but relatively short recession slashed revenue from payroll taxes. But the death toll from COVID-19, concentrated among older people, reduced future Social Security benefit payouts. Hospitals were stressed by the influx of COVID patients, but Medicare didn’t have to pay for as many knee surgeries, colonoscopies and other more routine procedures. Birth rates and immigration, which tend to bolster the two programs, both fell.

For Social Security, the loss of payroll tax revenue outweighed any savings from what the program would have paid out to people whose lives were lost in the pandemic. The report noted that employment, earnings, interest rates and economic growth plummeted in the second quarter of 2020 after the pandemic hit the United States.

“The finances of both programs have been significantly affected by the pandemic and the recession of 2020,” the trustees said. But “given the unprecedented level of uncertainty” there was no consensus on what the long-lasting effects of the pandemic would be. A looming question for Medicare: Will the population of beneficiaries who survived the pandemic be healthier on the whole, or will a high number suffer from new conditions like long COVID?

Social Security pays benefits to more than 65 million Americans, mainly retirees but also disabled people and survivors of deceased workers. Medicare covers more than 60 million older and disabled people. Together, both programs account for more than 40% of the federal budget, and act as stabilizer not only for families, but for the national economy.

While long-term projections are sobering, in the short run there was some good news for Social Security recipients.

Government economic experts who prepared the Social Security report estimated recent increases in inflation mean the cost-of-living adjustment for 2022 will approach 6%, a whopping jump from the 1.3% COLA awarded for this year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sharp shock of the coronavirus recession pushed Social Security a year closer to insolvency but left Medicare’s exhaustion date unchanged, the government reported Tuesday in a counterintuitive assessment that deepens the uncertainty around the nation’s bedrock retirement programs.The new projections in the annual Social Security and Medicare trustees reports indicate that Social Security’s massive trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits in 2034 instead of last year’s estimated exhaustion date of 2035. For the first time in 39 years the cost of delivering benefits will exceed the program’s total income from payroll tax collections and interest during this year. From here on, Social Security will be tapping its savings to pay full benefits.The depletion date for Medicare’s trust fund for inpatient care remained unchanged from last year, estimated in 2026.In the 1980s, financial warnings about Social Security prompted then-President Ronald Reagan and lawmakers of both parties in Congress to collaborate on a long-term solvency plan, but such action is unlikely in today’s bitter political climate. Democrats who control the White House and Congress offered assurances they would protect both programs.“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to safeguarding these programs and ensuring they continue to deliver economic security and health care to older Americans,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.The latest estimates reflected the push and pull of many factors flowing from the pandemic, and the full impact may take years to sort out. The deep but relatively short recession slashed revenue from payroll taxes. But the death toll from COVID-19, concentrated among older people, reduced future Social Security benefit payouts. Hospitals were stressed by the influx of COVID patients, but Medicare didn’t have to pay for as many knee surgeries, colonoscopies and other more routine procedures. Birth rates and immigration, which tend to bolster the two programs, both fell.For Social Security, the loss of payroll tax revenue outweighed any savings from what the program would have paid out to people whose lives were lost in the pandemic. The report noted that employment, earnings, interest rates and economic growth plummeted in the second quarter of 2020 after the pandemic hit the United States.“The finances of both programs have been significantly affected by the pandemic and the recession of 2020,” the trustees said. But “given the unprecedented level of uncertainty” there was no consensus on what the long-lasting effects of the pandemic would be. A looming question for Medicare: Will the population of beneficiaries who survived the pandemic be healthier on the whole, or will a high number suffer from new conditions like long COVID?Social Security pays benefits to more than 65 million Americans, mainly retirees but also disabled people and survivors of deceased workers. Medicare covers more than 60 million older and disabled people. Together, both programs account for more than 40% of the federal budget, and act as stabilizer not only for families, but for the national economy.While long-term projections are sobering, in the short run there was some good news for Social Security recipients.Government economic experts who prepared the Social Security report estimated recent increases in inflation mean the cost-of-living adjustment for 2022 will approach 6%, a whopping jump from the 1.3% COLA awarded for this year.Some of that may go for higher Medicare costs. The Medicare “Part B” premium for outpatient coverage was projected to rise by $10 a month in 2022, to $158.50 under the report’s intermediate assumptions. The official number won’t be released until later this year.Social Security and Medicare remain under intense financial pressure with the retirement of millions of baby boomers, who are living longer than previous generations.When the Social Security trust fund is depleted the government will be able to pay 78% of scheduled benefits, the report said. When Medicare’s trust fund for inpatient care runs short, it will be able to pay only 91% of expected costs, mainly hospital bills.Because reductions of that magnitude would cause a political uproar, it is likely that a future Congress would find ways to recover the lost benefits, either by hiking the payroll taxes paid by current workers or by increasing government borrowing to cover the shortfall. With Medicare, lawmakers could also raise premiums paid by beneficiaries.It’s unclear how the Medicare projections will affect the debate on Capitol Hill about authorizing the program to negotiate prescription drug prices and then using projected savings to provide new Medicare coverage for dental, vision and hearing services. Republicans have argued that any savings should go to shore up the underlying program, not expand benefits.The Medicare report steered clear of making any projections about the new Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, which has a list price of $55,000. Most of the 6 million Americans dealing with Alzheimer’s are covered by the program, though not all would be candidates for the medication.The trustees’ reports, which have been delayed for months, represent the government’s effort to assess the impact of last year’s pandemic and recession on Social Security and Medicare.The U.S. economy lost a staggering 22.4 million jobs in March and April 2020 as the pandemic forced businesses to close or cut their hours and the economy went into recession.But the recession turned out to be brief and hiring has bounced back as economic growth has resumed. Employers have brought back 16.7 million jobs since April 2020 but that gain still leaves the labor force 5.7 million jobs below where it was before the pandemic hit.The trustees of Social Security and Medicare include the secretaries of Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor, as well as the Social Security commissioner. They are supposed to be joined by two “public trustees,” knowledgeable private citizens who act as the eyes and ears of taxpayers and beneficiaries. But those posts have been vacant since July 2015 — before the end of the Obama administration. And this year there’s no Social Security commissioner either, since President Joe Biden fired Andrew Saul, a holdover appointee from the Trump administration.