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In Maharashtra’s Thane district, police have registered a case of alleged fraud involving two construction company owners accused of deceiving a family of ₹1.2 crore. The incident came to light after a 28-year-old woman from Thane’s Rabodi area lodged a complaint against the two accused, who are brothers. The accused allegedly persuaded the woman, her mother, and her sister to invest the substantial sum in their construction company based in Mumbai’s Bandra area. Promises were made of a significant payout within five years or, alternatively, the option of acquiring two or three apartments in the city’s prime real estate zone. According to the complaint, the woman’s family entered the deal on December 31, 2022, convinced by assurances of either a return of ₹3 crore over five years or property options in Bandra. To meet the required investment amount, the family borrowed funds from various sources, entrusting their money with the accused based on the lucrative promises. The police official handling the case noted that the family, enticed by the seemingly profitable terms, had not foreseen the outcome that would follow. In May 2023, however, when the family attempted to reclaim their funds and the anticipated profit, the accused allegedly declined the request. The complainant stated that the brothers not only refused to pay but also reportedly threatened the family, citing powerful connections that would shield them from legal repercussions. This behaviour alarmed the family, leading them to seek legal recourse. The Rabodi police have filed a case against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 420 for cheating, Section 406 for criminal breach of trust, and Section 506 for criminal intimidation. Additionally, charges were filed under Section 34, indicating common intention, along with relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Protection of Interest of Depositors Act. The case highlights the dangers that investors may face when lured by high-return promises in unregulated sectors. Fraudulent schemes in real estate and construction have been known to target individuals and families looking for profitable investments, often leaving them with financial losses and emotional distress. Authorities are continuing investigations, with the Rabodi police closely monitoring the case to gather further evidence. This incident is expected to bring more attention to regulatory practices within the real estate industry and underscore the need for stricter oversight to protect potential investors from falling prey to deceitful operators. (with PTI inputs)

Thane family loses Rs 1.2 crore as they get cheated by construction company, details here

In the last two years, there has been a rapid rise in scams in India and a lot of people have lost their hard-earned money after trusting strangers for financial advice. Be it a fraudulent app, being added to a shady WhatsApp group, or receiving phone calls from strangers that sound too good to be true, many cases have come to light. Now, in a new incident, a doctor from Thane, Maharashtra, was misled by three Karnataka-based suspects who promised earnings via a municipal contract to supply medical equipment, costing him ₹3.84 crore. Despite investing over a three-year period, he saw no returns and reported the crime to the Naupada police, who have registered a case but made no arrests. Thane doctor tricked by false municipal contract According to a PTI report, a 39-year-old doctor in Thane, Maharashtra was deceived by three men from Karnataka. These fraudsters offered him lucrative returns through a supposed municipal contract for supplying medical equipment. Convinced by the promise of reliable profits, the doctor began investing heavily in December 2020, making significant contributions until March this year. The doctor’s substantial investment – totalling ₹3.84 crore – was made over multiple transactions from December 2020 and March this year, in anticipation of high returns that never materialised. Suspicion finally arose after the doctor had seen no profits despite his repeated investments. Recognising he may have been defrauded, he reached out to the Naupada police station, who registered a case under charges of cheating. While no arrests have been made so far, authorities have launched an investigation to track down the perpetrators and recover the funds if possible. A police official told PTI, "The man approached police after he did not get profits or any return on investment. We have registered a case of cheating but have not arrested anyone." Ahmedabad gynaecologist duped in <keyword id="21361161" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="stock-market-scam" source="keywords">stock market scam</keyword> In a similar incident, a gynaecologist from Ahmedabad lost ₹1.1 crore to a scam that began with a social media advertisement. Attracted by the potential for substantial stock market returns, the doctor engaged with a group promising expert tips and was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group where members shared investment insights. Through this group, he was introduced to a web link for stock and IPO investments, along with an application that required his banking details and identification documents. A PTI report revealed that the doctor’s initial investment of ₹50,000 yielded a profit of ₹10,000, which he successfully withdrew. This initial success encouraged him to make larger investments, transferring ₹1.1 crore through multiple transactions in pursuit of higher gains. When he later attempted to withdraw his funds, he was unexpectedly asked to pay 20% of his total profits. After refusing this demand, he was removed from the WhatsApp group and realised the extent of the deception. He contacted Cybercrime police in February, and after months of waiting, a formal case was registered against unknown suspects under charges of breach of trust and cheating, alongside provisions of the <keyword id="20003647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="information-technology-act" source="keywords">Information Technology Act</keyword>.

Thane doctor gets cheated of ₹3.84 crore, was promised high financial returns by 3 men

Stock market trading is something that needs expert guidance and has its own set of risks associated. This is why, people generally consult experts before investing in stocks. However, one needs to be careful who they are seeking advice from when it comes to financial matters. In a recent case, a 63-year-old man from Hyderabad lost Rs 50 lakh after falling for a fraudulent stock trading scheme shared through a <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> group. This is just one example of how fraudsters are increasingly using messaging platforms to lure in victims with false promises of easy profits. <h2>How the scam unfolded </h2> The scam began when the victim received an invitation to join a WhatsApp group called Stock Discussion Group. According to a Times Now report, the group was led by a man named <keyword id="23828130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kunal-singh" source="keywords">Kunal Singh</keyword>, who introduced himself as a financial advisor with extensive experience in the stock market. Singh claimed that his past clients had earned significant profits, boasting of returns as high as 500% by following his stock trading advice. Intrigued by these promises, the victim enrolled in online classes that were promoted within the group. These sessions, held through private links shared on WhatsApp, promised to teach participants how to make money by investing in the stock market. Singh continued to assure group members that his expertise would guide them to financial success. The victim, trusting his guidance, began to invest small amounts of money on a platform called Skyrim Capital, which Singh claimed was a legitimate trading platform. At first, the victim saw some returns on his investment, which only encouraged him to invest more. The initial success built his confidence, and over time, he transferred a total of Rs 50 lakh into multiple investments, believing that he was making wise financial decisions. However, when the victim attempted to withdraw his funds, he was unable to do so. The platform blocked his attempts, and when he tried to contact Singh, he received no response. The truth behind the scam The victim soon realised that he had been scammed. The platform, Skyrim Capital, turned out to be nothing more than a front for fraudulent activity, and Singh had disappeared with the man’s money. The scam had been carefully designed to build trust initially, only to betray the victim when he tried to cash out. The fraudsters used the lure of high returns and expert advice to convince the victim to keep investing larger sums, ultimately draining his finances. This scam is just one of many that have been reported in India, with cybercriminals exploiting the convenience and popularity of platforms like WhatsApp to reach potential victims. These scams often rely on false promises and fake personas, with fraudsters creating elaborate stories to convince their targets that they are legitimate financial advisors.

63-year-old Hyderabad man loses ₹50 lakh after joining WhatsApp group for stock market investment advice

Gandhinagar: The <keyword id="19895344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Enforcement-Directorate" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Enforcement Directorate" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Enforcement Directorate">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> on Thursday conducted multi-city searches in Gujarat in connection with a <keyword id="19899231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="money-laundering" source="keywords">money laundering</keyword> case linked to a GST "fraud" in which eight people, including a journalist, were arrested recently by the state police, official sources said. About 23 premises in cities of Rajkot, Junagadh, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Veraval were being raided by the federal agency after a case was filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. Premises linked to arrested journalist <keyword id="23517167" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahesh-Langa" source="keywords">Mahesh Langa</keyword>, who works with <keyword id="21256671" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Hindu" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="The Hindu" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="The Hindu">The Hindu</keyword> newspaper, were also being covered. The money laundering case stems from an FIR of the Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch. The city Crime Branch registered the FIR against several persons and entities after getting a complaint from the Central GST over an alleged scam involving shell firms set up to defraud the government through <keyword id="23577822" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bogus-input-tax-credits" source="keywords">bogus input tax credits</keyword> and fraudulent transactions. Langa along with seven others was arrested after the Central GST found some suspicious transactions in bogus firms floated in the name of his wife and father using forged documents. After the registration of the FIR, the Crime Branch and Gujarat's Economic Offences Wing raided 14 locations across the state, including in Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Surat, Kheda and Bhavnagar. According to the Crime Branch, more than 200 fraudulently created firms worked across the country in an organised manner to defraud the government exchequer by availing bogus input tax credits and forged documents and identities were used to create these firms for tax evasion.

ED conducts raids in Gujarat in GST fraud case

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US Supreme Court heard Nvidia's arguments against a class action securities fraud lawsuit.</li><li>Nvidia is accused of misleading shareholders about cryptocurrency mining-related sales.</li></ul>The US Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in a case in which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-ceo-ai-employees-workers-2024-11">Nvidia</a> is trying to dodge a securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders. But some of the justices expressed concern over the chip giant's assertions.Nvidia petitioned the nation's highest court after a lower court permitted a 2018 class action lawsuit alleging that the company and its CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-huang-softbank-masayoshi-son-tech-stock-buyout-ai-microchips-2024-11">Jensen Huang</a> misled investors about its cryptocurrency mining-related sales to move ahead.Attorneys for Nvidia argue that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, led by a Swedish investment management firm, have not met the stricter pleading standards laid out by the 1995 Private Securities Litigation Reform Act.The decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to allow the lawsuit to proceed "creates an easy road map for plaintiffs to evade the Reform Act," Nvidia attorney Neal Katyal argued before the justices.The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act or PSLRA was designed, in part, to curtail frivolous securities lawsuits."When a stock drops, all they have to do is find an expert with numbers that contradict the company's public statements, then allege the company keeps records that executives look at, and then argue those records would have matched the hired expert's numbers," said Katyal, who argued that the plaintiff's complaint relies on expert opinion and lacks company documents.When asked by Justice Clarence Thomas what the plaintiff's complaint would look like in order to comply with the PSLRA, Katyal said it would have to answer "what did the CEO know" and "when did he know it.""I guess my concern is that you appear to be requiring for plaintiffs to actually have the evidence in order to plead their case," said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, adding, "part of my concern is that you seem to be wanting a bright line that says the contents of the documents are necessary."Justice Sonia Sotomayer said that she was "concerned" by Nvidia's petition to the court and told Katyal, "We often don't grant cert to error correct.""I'm not actually sure what rule we could articulate that would be clearer than our cases already say," Sotomayer said.Chief Justice John Roberts said the aspect that concerned him about both sides' arguments was that it was "a little black and white.""If I think that the positions on both sides are a little too absolute, how do you find sort of the sweet spot in terms of when the PSLRA is satisfied?" Roberts asked."It can't be just a little bit of direct evidence because that statute was intended to do something," Roberts said. "On the other hand, it seems to me, you can't insist on only the direct evidence before a complaint goes forward. So if I don't think it's black and white, how do I decide where the balance is?"A Nvidia spokesperson told BI the company "appreciated the opportunity to answer the Court's detailed questions this morning. We brought this case to the Supreme Court to protect shareholders and the economy from groundless lawsuits, and look forward to the Court's resolution of this matter."In his arguments, Deepak Gupta, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said the PSLRA "demands particularity.""Everyone agrees you can't circumvent the statute with conclusory allegations or unsubstantiated expert opinions," Gupta said."But that's not what happened here," said Gupta. "On falsity, the Court of Appeals holding expressly rested on a combination of facts showing that a substantial part of gaming revenues came from crypto."This included accounts from former employees, detailed accounts of internal data and meetings, expert analysis, and "Huang's eventual acknowledgment of the crypto hangover, which sent the stock tumbling 28%," said Gupta.A district court previously dismissed the plaintiffs' class action lawsuit and the Ninth Circuit reversed that decision.The plaintiffs allege in their brief to the Supreme Court that in 2017 when Nvidia's sales of graphic processing units (GPUs) were surging, the company and Huang "knew those record sales were due in substantial part to demand from cryptocurrency miners.""But for more than a year, Huang denied that mining-related sales were driving NVIDIA's revenue growth because he knew that the securities market looked askew at GPU sales to miners, which are notoriously cyclical," the brief says."Huang's strategy fell apart in late 2018, when cryptocurrency prices collapsed, GPU purchases by miners withered, and demand for GeForce GPUs shrank dramatically," the brief says. "NVIDIA then finally admitted that — contrary to Huang's previous denials—its record revenue growth had been largely due to mining-related demand for GeForce GPUs."Nvidia's attorneys argued in its petition to the Supreme Court that on public calls with investors, company executives "made clear that they believed crypto miners were buying both GeForce GPUs and Crypto SKUs.""This case aptly demonstrates the danger of allowing plaintiffs to guess at the pleading stage what internal company reports could have said," the petition says. "Plaintiffs speculate that internal NVIDIA sales reports would have reflected the amount of gaming segment revenue driven by sales to miners rather than to gamers."It adds, "But there is no basis in Plaintiffs' allegations to assume that this information was available to NVIDIA."In 2022, Nvidia agreed to pay the Securities and Exchange Commission $5.5 million to settle charges for "inadequate disclosures" regarding the impact of crypto mining on the company's gaming business. Nvidia agreed to pay the penalty without admitting or denying the SEC's findings.A decision from the Supreme Court is expected by June.

Some Supreme Court justices scrutinized Nvidia's attempt to dodge a securities fraud lawsuit

In the last few months, there have been ample cases where innocent <keyword id="20452560" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-aspirants" source="keywords">job aspirants</keyword> were duped of their hard-earned money by <keyword id="20013464" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fraudsters" source="keywords">fraudsters</keyword> on pretext of getting a new job. A recent case from <keyword id="19932272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Navi-Mumbai" source="keywords">Navi Mumbai</keyword> has now come to light where aspirants were robed off Rs 1.3 crore in total. The authorities in Navi Mumbai have registered a case against six people, accused of defrauding job seekers of Rs 1.31 crore, according to officials from Kharghar police station. The accused allegedly promised clerical positions in the <keyword id="19909154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Railways" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Railways" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Railways">Indian Railways</keyword> to 20 victims, collecting the funds through digital payments and cash between September 2022 and April 2023. <h2>The Scam: False promises of Railway jobs </h2> The six people, as per a PTI report, contacted the victims with guarantees of securing clerical roles in the Indian Railways. Over the course of several months, the accused collected a total of Rs 1.31 crore from the job aspirants, giving false assurances about placements. However, when the victims, all residents of the Kharghar area, began asking about their job status, the accused stopped responding and failed to return the money. One of the six accused people allegedly misappropriated the funds, using the collected money for personal purposes. It was reported that this person used the victims’ money to finance the construction of a house in Kolhapur, adding another layer of betrayal to the scam. <h2>Legal action and investigation </h2> Realising they had been duped, the victims filed a complaint with the Kharghar police. Following this, the police registered an FIR against the six accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 34 (acts done by several persons with common intention). The police are currently working to locate and apprehend the individuals involved. The case highlights the ongoing risk of job-related scams, where fraudsters prey on the aspirations of job seekers, especially in sectors like the Indian Railways, known for secure government jobs. (With PTI inputs)

Navi Mumbai job aspirants robbed of Rs 1.31 crore on pretext of Indian Railways job, 6 accused booked

Actor <keyword id="19915080" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shilpa-Shetty" source="keywords">Shilpa Shetty</keyword> and her businessman husband <keyword id="19895826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raj-Kundra" source="keywords">Raj Kundra</keyword> have moved the <keyword id="19905533" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bombay-High-Court" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bombay High Court" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bombay High Court">Bombay High Court</keyword> challenging ED's notices directing them to vacate their house in Mumbai's <keyword id="19933318" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Juhu" source="keywords">Juhu</keyword> area and a farmhouse in Pune in connection with a money-laundering case. The pleas came up for hearing on Wednesday before a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan. The court issued notice to the <keyword id="19895344" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Enforcement-Directorate" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Enforcement Directorate" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Enforcement Directorate">Enforcement Directorate</keyword> (ED) and posted the matter for hearing on Thursday. Their petitions challenge ED notices dated September 27 issued to Shetty and Kundra directing them to evict their residential premises here and a farmhouse in Pune within ten days in connection with a money-laundering case linked to an alleged <keyword id="23486542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bitcoin-fraud" source="keywords">Bitcoin fraud</keyword>. The couple's advocate Prashant Patil said that Shetty and Kundra received the <keyword id="20675198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="eviction-notices" source="keywords">eviction notices</keyword> only on October 3. He termed the notices arbitrary and illegal and sought them to be quashed. According to the pleas, there is no grave urgency for the petitioners to vacate their premises and that the issuance of such eviction notices was uncalled for. "The petitioners are also seeking relief on humanitarian grounds as the premise in question is their residential premise in which they have been staying with their family of six members for almost two decades," the petitions said. The pleas also sought HC to stay the effect of the eviction notices. As per the pleas, the ED had in 2018 lodged a complaint against one <keyword id="21346793" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amit-bhardwaj" source="keywords">Amit Bhardwaj</keyword> and others for an alleged Bitcoin fraud and on charges of <keyword id="19899231" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="money-laundering" source="keywords">money laundering</keyword>. Both Shetty and her husband have not been named as accused in the case. The ED, during its probe, had summoned Kundra for questioning on several occasions. Kundra had appeared before the agency after each summons, the pleas said. In April 2024, Shetty and Kundra received a notice based on an order passed by the ED provisionally attaching their assets including their residential premise in Juhu that had been purchased by Kundra's father in 2009. Both Shetty and Kundra submitted their response to the notice. "However, in contravention to the provisions of law, the adjudicating authority confirmed the provisional attachment order on September 18, 2024. This order clearly states that the attachment is confirmed only till the conclusion of trial and is subject to its outcome," the pleas said. "The petitioners (Shetty and Kundra) on October 3 received two notices dated September 27, 2024, directing them to vacate their residential premises and the farmhouse," the petitions said. The petitions said no eviction order/notice can be issued prior to conviction. The pleas added that their residential premise has no connection with the scheduled offence or any proceeds of crime. The petitions further claimed that Kundra had absolutely no connection with the alleged fraud.

Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra's money laundering case takes new turn as they challenge the ED's eviction notices

Cupertino based tech giant <keyword id="6354427" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="apple" source="Orion">Apple</keyword> is known for its reliability and has the trust of millions of people across the world. Apple offers warranty on all of its products and getting a claim is usually a hassle-free process in case something goes wrong with your product. However, two men living in the US took advantage of Apple’s warranty programme and duped the company of nearly $2.5 million, according to a New York Post report. <h2>Two men scam Apple</h2>The report added that federal authorities described the scam as “sophisticated” and it involved shipping thousands of fake phones to the tech giant under the guise of legitimate warranty claims. <keyword id="23471889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haotian-Sun" source="keywords">Haotian Sun</keyword>, 33, and Pengfei Xue, also 33, both originally from China but residing in Maryland, US, masterminded the two-year con that swindled Apple out of an estimated $2.5 million. The Justice Department revealed on Thursday that the men managed to convince Apple that their counterfeit phones were the real deal, running the scam from 2017 to 2019. Sun received 57 months behind bars and was ordered to pay Apple over $1 million in restitution. Xue, on the other hand, will serve 54 months and owes nearly $400,000 to the company. <h2>How the scam unfolded</h2> According to the New York Post report, Sun and Xue orchestrated a steady flow of fake iPhones from Hong Kong into the U.S. They used spoofed serial numbers to trick Apple and its authorised service providers into believing the devices were still under warranty. Under Apple’s standard one-year warranty, customers can have their iPhones repaired or replaced if something goes wrong. Sun and Xue, however, sent in phones that were either no longer covered or entirely counterfeit. But that didn’t stop Apple from regularly swapping out the bogus phones for new, genuine ones. The company was replacing dozens of fraudulent devices in single shipments, unwittingly playing right into the scammers’ hands. To avoid getting caught, the duo used multiple aliases, fake identities, and set up new mailboxes, all in an effort to make their scam look as legit as possible. They hoped that by sending phones from different “people,” Apple wouldn’t connect the dots. It worked—for a while. <h2>How they got caught</h2> The report added that the elaborate scam began to unravel when Apple, suspecting foul play, tipped off federal authorities. A tipster alerted the feds, setting off a series of investigations that eventually lead to Sun and Xue’s downfall. Postal inspector Stephen Cohen detailed how law enforcement started intercepting packages linked to the duo and quickly realised thousands of <keyword id="20672052" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="counterfeit-iPhones" source="keywords">counterfeit iPhones</keyword> were flowing into the country. In a clever move, agents didn’t arrest the men immediately. Instead, they allowed the intercepted packages to continue to their intended destinations, while they quietly documented serial numbers of every single phone. With this evidence in hand, they worked with Apple to trace the shipments and identify the culprits. Once they had enough proof, the hammer dropped, and the scheme was over.

Apple was scammed of $2.5 million by two men, here is what happened

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russian influence actors created a fake Georgia voter fraud video, according to US intel officials.</li><li>The video falsely shows Haitian nationals illegally voting for Kamala Harris in Georgia.</li></ul>Russian influence actors were behind the fake Georgia voter fraud video that's been circulating online, US intelligence officials said.In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/press-releases-2024/4014-pr-28-24">joint statement released</a> on Friday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said Russia made a false video purporting to show non-US citizens from Haiti illegally voting in multiple counties in Georgia.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DominicScali/status/1852267380334039440">In the video</a>, a man claims that he and an unknown number of other people came to the US from Haiti six months ago, obtained US citizenship and licenses, and voted for Kamala Harris in Georgia's Gwinnett County and Fulton County. He holds up what appears to be fake licenses — all with the same ID picture — and invites "all Haitians to come to America and bring families."The video spread across multiple social media sites, including X, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DominicScali/status/1852267380334039440">users calling out voter fraud in favor of Harris</a>.But it's all fake, and the result of Russian interference, the US intel group says."This Russian activity is part of Moscow's broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the US election and stoke divisions among Americans, as detailed in prior ODNI election updates," the ODNI, FBI, and CISA said in their joint statement.The intelligence group said they made their judgement based on "information available" to them and on "prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities."Prior to the statement, Georgia's Secretary of State <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GaSecofState/status/1852140776882315763">Brad Raffensperger posted on X</a> on Thursday calling out the video as "obviously fake" and likely "a production of Russian troll farms."In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GaSecofState/status/1852159394382786789">statement posted on X</a>, Raffensperger urges "Elon Musk and the leadership of other social media platforms to take this down."More disinformation is likely to crop up before Election Day and beyond, the US intel group warned."In the lead up to election day and in the weeks and months after, the IC expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans," the group said in its statement, referring to itself as the "intelligence community" or "IC."Russia has a long history of running disinformation campaigns in the US.A NewsGuard audit over the summer found that leading <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-chatbots-russian-propaganda-fuel-conspiracy-theories-ahead-election-2024-6">AI chatbots were falsely citing Moscow-funded</a> fake news sources as fact more than 30% of the time. And a 2023 US intelligence assessment found that Russia uses spies, social media, and state-sanctioned media to denigrate and sow distrust in democratic elections around the world, Business Insider previously reported.Meta wrote in a recent report that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-russia-misinformation-ai-generated-news-stories-us-election-2024-8">Russia is the top source of misinformation</a> in the world, warning that the country will focus on influencing the US election and gaining support for its widely criticized war in Ukraine.

US intel says Russian actors made the fake Georgia voter fraud video — and expects more to come

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Scammers are targeting voters with fake registrations, surveys, and donation requests.</li><li>The scams often involve pressure tactics and requests for personal financial information.</li></ul>It's almost time for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-15-days-swing-states-polling-2024-10">2024 presidential election</a>, and scammers are out in force.The three most common scams around elections are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-avoid-election-scams-stay-safe-from-voter-registration-fraud-2024-8">voter registration scams</a>, fake surveys and polls, and political donation scams, experts say.In all of these scams, the National Association of Secretaries of State says that scammers generally contact potential victims by phone or email, pretending to be a legitimate entity, like a political action committee or a state agency.The best way to spot an election scam in any of these instances is to stop and see if the person reaching out to you is asking for personal financial information. If they are, it's likely a scam.Other signs that a donation request from a PAC could be fake are if they push you to donate quickly or if the website doesn't provide any contact information, NASS says.According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers commonly use "pressure" to get victims into uncomfortable situations. They will use phrases such as "act now!" to introduce a time element so that you don't have time to think about your actions."Pressuring you to act now is always a sign of a scam," the FTC says.Fake surveys and polls that prey on people's heightened emotions during election seasons are also common, NASS says. Signs that a survey or poll could be fake are if they offer compensation or prizes for participation or if they ask about controversial topics "to rile you up."To spot a fake voter registration message, check to make sure that the information you are receiving is coming from your official state or local election official, the agency says. Another common sign that a voter registration message could be a scam is if the messenger says you must pay to complete your voter registration.The FTC recommends reporting any unsolicited texts or calls from someone who says they need your Social Security Number or financial information to register you to vote. If you think you may be the victim of a scam, you can visit the <a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/identity-theft">FTC's identity theft recovery page</a> to report the fraud.To register to vote, or to find out if your Social Security Number is required for voter registration in your state, the FTC says to contact your local election office or check the US Election Assistance Commission's National Voter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/eac_assets/1/6/Federal_Voter_Registration_ENG.pdf">Registration Form</a>.

Here are the most common election scams and how to keep yourself safe

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Car owners in California said a bear caused interior damage to their luxury vehicles.</li><li>The California Department of Insurance said the "bear" was actually a person in a costume.</li></ul>Four Californians said a bear damaged their luxury car, but insurers have accused them of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insurance-fraud-artificial-intelligence-detection-2023-10">insurance fraud</a> involving someone dressed in a bear costume.The California Department of Insurance <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2024/release056-2024.cfm">said in a press release</a> Wednesday that four Los Angeles-area residents — Ruben Tamrazian, Ararat Chirkinian, Vahe Muradkhanyan, and Alfiya Zuckerman — had been charged with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-student-convinced-friend-amputate-legs-insurance-scam-prosecutors-2024-3">insurance fraud</a> and conspiracy.The department said the suspects claimed in January that a bear had entered and damaged their 2010 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rolls-royce-nyc-private-office-custom-ultra-expensive-cars-2024-10">Rolls-Royce</a> Ghost, a vehicle that typically sells for about $100,000 used, while it was parked in Lake Arrowhead, California.They provided <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://vimeo.com/1029340693/2294a5bc86">video footage</a> to their insurance company, purportedly showing a bear entering the vehicle.Images of the interior showed scratches on the leather seats and on the doors, which looked like claw marks.However, CDI investigators determined that the "bear" in the footage was actually a person wearing a bear costume, the press release said.It added that detectives also uncovered two additional insurance claims involving a 2015 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-benz-hybrid-g550-g63-photos-details-2024-3">Mercedes G63 AMG</a> and a 2022 Mercedes E350, with the suspects submitting similar evidence to substantiate those claims.The CDI said the department sought advice from a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist, who reviewed the footage and concluded that it showed a person in a bear costume.A search warrant led detectives to a bear costume in the suspects' home, according to the CDI.The CDI said insurance companies were defrauded out of $141,839. The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.Insurance fraud is a major issue in the US. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://insurancefraud.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Impact-of-Insurance-Fraud-on-the-U.S.-Economy-Report-2022-8.26.2022.pdf">According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud</a>, it costs the country over $300 billion annually.Schemes involving car payouts are on the rise in California, New York, and Florida, Mark Friedlander, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/auto-insurance-fraud-rise-us-staged-accidents-more-brazen-than-before">told Fox Business</a> last month.Friedlander said these kinds of accidents, which often involve staged car crashes, are costing insurers tens of billions and are adding hundreds of dollars to insurance premiums.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SETE?output_view=data">According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/soaring-home-car-insurance-rates-hurting-americans-finances-us-economy-2023-11">cost of motor vehicle insurance</a> in US cities is up about 14% in 2024, from the previous year.

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