Tag Archives: Crime

Foreign Affairs: Haiti – A Violent & Broken Country

FRANCE 24 (April 5, 2023) – The security situation in Haiti has spiralled out of control since the shock assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, with the country increasingly beset by violence. Today, unrest has reached such levels that the United Nations is being urged to intervene and there has been a total breakdown of governance.

Haiti country profile - BBC News

 The country is increasingly at the mercy of criminal gangs and half of the population struggles to find food. FRANCE 24’s team travelled to Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, before gangs took full control of the city. They met a writer, a street vendor and a food importer, as well as residents trying to flee abroad.

Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east. Though it’s still recovering from a 2010 earthquake, many of Haiti’s landmarks dating to the early 19th century remain intact. These include Citadelle la Ferrière, a mountaintop fortress, and the nearby ruins of Sans-Souci Palace, the baroque former royal home of King Henry I. 

Advertisement

Ransomware: Its Rise And How The U.S. Is Fighting It

Ransomware attacks are increasing in frequency, victim losses are skyrocketing, and hackers are shifting their targets. WSJ’s Dustin Volz explains why these attacks are on the rise and what the U.S. can do to fight them. Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann

News: Top 5 Stories For June 8, 2021 (Reuters)

Five stories to know for June 8: Colonial Pipeline, Guatemala, shooting of 6-year-old, truck attack and hi-tech sting

1. The Justice Department recovered some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom paid by Colonial Pipeline, cracking down on hackers who launched the most disruptive U.S. cyberattack on record.

2. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said she had “robust” talks with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on the need to fight corruption to help deter undocumented immigration from Central America to the United States.

3. Authorities in California said they had arrested two people expected to be charged with murder over the death of 6-year-old Aiden Leos, whose shooting in a suspected road rage incident on the way to school had caused an outpouring of public grief.

4. A man accused of killing four members of a Canadian Muslim family by running them over in his pickup truck targeted them in an attack motivated by hate, police said.

5. Global law enforcement agencies hacked into an app used by criminals and read millions of encrypted messages, leading to hundreds of arrests of organized crime figures in 18 countries, officials said.

Morning News: Criminal Justice Reform, Mali Coup, Japanese Anime Popularity

Piecemeal criminal-justice reforms following last year’s protests are coming up against hard numbers: violent crime is up. We ask what can, and should, be done. 

The man who led a coup in Mali last year has done it again; our correspondent considers how the tumult affects the wider, regional fight against jihadism. And the global spread of Japan’s beloved anime. 

News: Five Top Stories For April 19, 2021 (Reuters)

Five stories to know for April 19: Shooting in Louisiana, Shooting in Austin, Texas, Derek Chauvin trial, Alexei Navalny and UEFA statement on the breakaway Super League.

1. Five people were hospitalized after being shot and injured in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the third multiple shooting reported in the United States with 24 hours.

2. After an Austin, Texas shooting, police searched for a former deputy sheriff believed to be the suspected gunman. Three people died.

3. Derek Chauvin trial: jurors will hear closing arguments before they begin deliberating on whether the way former Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of a dying George Floyd in last year’s arrest was second-degree murder.

4. An ally of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said she was braced for bad news on the health of the hunger-striking opposition politician when his lawyers see him again, after they were kept away over the weekend.

5. European soccer’s governing body UEFA will hold a crisis meeting, hours after 12 of the continent’s leading clubs shocked the football world by announcing the formation of a breakaway Super League.

Analysis: ‘Why Credit Card Fraud Is Rising’ (Video)

In 2019, payment card fraud losses reached nearly $28 billion worldwide. The United States alone is responsible for more than a third of the total global loss making America the most card fraud-prone country in the world. The economic cost of credit card fraud goes far beyond the cost of illegally purchased merchandise; businesses often spend millions to protect themselves from fraud, buying software and hiring security experts to monitor transactions. Experts say there aren’t enough regulations to help protect the U.S. economy, especially small businesses from card fraud.

Anaylysis: ‘How A Pro-Trump Mob Overran The Capitol Police’ (WSJ Video)

The Wall Street Journal analyzed hours of video and audio from the Capitol riot to better understand how a mob of thousands overran police and attacked the U.S. Capitol. Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann

Crime: Delivery Scams Imitating Amazon, UPS, FedEX & DHL On The Rise

As online shopping sees its biggest holiday season ever, hackers are sending fake delivery notices impersonating Amazon, UPS and FedEx, with scams up 72% from last year and 440% from October to November. Clicking a fake shipping notification link can launch ransomware or launch a counterfeit branded site to trick users into entering credit card and personal information to “reroute” a package that never existed.

History Podcasts: 100 Years Ago Charles Ponzi And His “Scheme” Were Arrested (Podcast)

Nearly 100 years ago, Charles Ponzi stumbled across a loophole in the international postal system and turned it into one of the most infamous scams of all time. This time on Sidedoor, we follow Ponzi from his early days until his epic downfall, and hear from a postal investigator trained to catch swindlers like Ponzi who continue to use the U.S. mail for nefarious purposes.

Smithsonian Podcasts

Website

Crime: “Social Security Administration Scams” Are #1 Fraud Reported To FTC

From an FTC online release:

FTC LogoThe Social Security Administration (SSA) scam is the number one scam reported to the FTC right now.

As soon as a caller threatens you, or demands you pay them with a gift card or by wiring money.  It’s a scam. Even if the caller ID tells you otherwise.

If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, hang up the phone and remember:

  • Your Social Security number is not about to be suspended.
  • The real Social Security Administration will never call to threaten your benefits.
  • The real SSA will never tell you to wire money, send cash, or put money on a gift card.

 

To read more: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/12/getting-bombarded-scam-calls-youre-not-alone?utm_source=govdelivery