scams

A virtual philanthropic conference, touting a star-studded guest list including George Clooney and Matthew McConaughey turned out to be a sham, according to the PR firm initially promoting the event. Earlier this week, Wunderlich Kaplan Communications blasted out emails publicizing Thrive Philanthropy’s two-day digital Connect Summit on June 23 and 24, where, “Attendees will have …

Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli pleaded guilty Friday to bribing their daughters’ way into the University of Southern California as part of the massive college admissions scandal. The California couple copped to conspiracy charges — during an oftentimes glitchy video conference — after hammering out plea deals with federal prosecutors. “What say you …

A star on VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” allegedly scammed the federal government’s coronavirus loan program out of more than $2 million — and blew much of the cash on jewelry and child support payments, authorities said Wednesday. Maurice “Mo” Fayne — who appeared in the reality-TV show’s eighth season — made his first …

With over 20 million having recently lost work, scammers could swallow lots of stimulus checks. They tell you that there’s a wonderful job waiting for you. Just fill out a form and send money. Often there’s no real job. Phony offers snag thousands, regulators and employment pros warn. “These scams are everywhere. Job scams are …

At the height of Beatlemania in 1964, the Beetles arrived to screaming fans at the Buenos Aires airport. But the moptops weren’t the British pop group — just four guys from Florida. An Argentine impresario had booked the look-alike band when he saw them at a Miami club. Known as the Ardells, Tom, Vic, Bill …

Countless Facebook users have been sharing photos of their high school graduations in solidarity with this year’s senior class, which is completing its final year at home because of the coronavirus crisis. But a report from the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit consumer advocacy and market research organization, says that crooks can social engineer sensitive …

Shameless scammers will try to steal coronavirus stimulus checks, according to federal officials, who say common sense precautions can stop them in their tracks. Officials say con artists will try a wide range of schemes to bilk Americans out of the $1,200 payments the Trump administration has started delivering to help people shore up their …

An alleged scammer tried to profit from the coronavirus crisis by offering the federal government millions of face masks that didn’t exist, authorities say. Christopher Parris of Atlanta faces a wire fraud charge for trying to sell the Department of Veterans Affairs 125 million masks and other protective gear for more than $750 million — …

Merchants hawking medical masks have flooded Instagram during the coronavirus crisis to capitalize on surging demand, researchers say. At least 10,450 Instagram accounts have popped up over the last four months selling masks used around the world to protect people from the deadly virus, according to a report from social-media research firm Ghost Data. The …