Quick Answer: A ProPublica investigation uncovered a million-dollar scheme where individuals like Toronto plastic surgeon Dr. Martin Jugenburg created fake musician personas to obtain Instagram verification badges. Jugenburg posed as “DJ Dr. 6ix” on music platforms to secure the coveted blue checkmark for his Instagram account with over 150,000 followers.by Craig Silverman and Bianca FortisTo …
Quick Answer: To avoid funeral overcharges, consumers should compare prices since median costs reach $7,848 for burial and $6,970 for cremation, with cemetery fees adding thousands more. The Federal Trade Commission requires funeral homes to disclose prices, but cemeteries remain largely unregulated despite ongoing industry review efforts.For the funeral industry, the COVID-19 pandemic has meant …
Quick Answer: Nearly $30,000 disappeared from London House HOA’s account after management company Mastino Management allegedly paid a fraudster through a compromised email invoice in 2021. Eight months later, the Denver condo association still has not recovered the funds despite the large theft.by Brittany Freeman, Rocky Mountain PBSIt was Christmastime in 2021, and Michael St. …
Quick Answer: Despite the IRS cashing Kathy Brenneman’s $108 tax payment check in March 2020, she continued receiving late notices starting in June due to processing backlogs. The agency’s struggles with administering $270 billion in COVID stimulus payments, combined with pandemic disruptions and declining funding, created widespread taxpayer paperwork delays affecting millions.Kathy Brenneman hears plenty …
Quick Answer: As many as 12 million Americans still haven’t received their $1,200 stimulus checks 217 days after Congress authorized the payments, due to IRS missteps and program complexity. Those who missed payments have until November 21 to claim the money or risk losing eligibility for future stimulus rounds. It’s been 217 days since Congress …
Quick Answer: Oportun Inc.’s lending tactics faced scrutiny after filing thousands of lawsuits against borrowers during the pandemic, prompting the company to drop “several thousand” pending cases and cap interest rates at 36%. The Silicon Valley lender’s debt collection practices in Texas and 11 other states drew criticism from consumer advocates and investigative reporting.A Silicon …
Quick Answer: Millions of Americans face stimulus check delays because tax preparation companies like H&R Block, TurboTax, and smaller firms create a complex intermediary system between the IRS and poor taxpayers. When the IRS sent payments to unfamiliar bank accounts used by these tax services, the money was returned, leaving customers without their stimulus funds. …
Quick Answer: Bill help for Americans during the pandemic varies dramatically by debt type, lender, and location, creating a confusing patchwork of aid programs. Most people have temporary legal protection from housing evictions, but federal assistance for other debts remains limited despite the $2 trillion relief bill.April has arrived. Americans, hunkered down while a pandemic …
Quick Answer: Healthcare workers are experiencing pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic as staffing companies lose revenue from reduced hospital procedures and delayed insurance claims. Alteon Health, a major staffing company, announced 20% administrative pay cuts, reduced clinical hours, and suspended benefits despite providers facing increased infection risks. Emergency room doctors and nurses many of …
Quick Answer: The U.S. Postal Service fired approximately 44,000 employees with work-related injuries over five years in a discriminatory program, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Despite the EEOC ruling, the Postal Service continues fighting the class-action complaint involving 28,000 claims over a decade later.One night in 2009, Madelaine Sattlefield lifted an 80-pound …
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