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<ul><li><keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> recently made the blue tick a paid service, allowing all users to get a blue tick with <keyword id="11265742" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="twitter-blue" source="Orion">Twitter Blue</keyword>.</li><li>This has resulted in accounts impersonating celebrities and popular brands popping up.</li><li>Some of the accounts that have been spotted include accounts impersonating Mark Zuckerberg, George Bush, <keyword id="6354616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="twitter" source="Orion">Twitter</keyword>, and Rockstar Games.</li></ul>Elon <keyword id="364027" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="musk" source="Orion">Musk</keyword> recently completed the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-is-now-officially-twitters-new-owner-ending-months-of-costly-litigation/articleshow/95132480.cms">acquisition of Twitter</a>, and soon after that, he started <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-confirms-twitter-may-soon-change-280-character-limit/articleshow/95181341.cms">making changes</a> to the popular social media platform. The biggest change so far has been to the platform’s blue tick system. The Tesla co-founder has made the blue tick a part of Twitter Blue, the company’s premium subscription, which is now available for $8 globally and ₹719 (approx. $8.9) in India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is a blue tick?" comment="subhead" text="What is a blue tick?">What is a blue tick?</cmsannotation> Blue tick is Twitter’s verification process and indicates that accounts with a blue tick are real people. Earlier, blue ticks were reserved for notable accounts in the government, entertainment, news, or other categories such as sports, politics, and basically of public interest. It made it easier for other users to identify original accounts, separating them from impersonators. Now that Musk has made the blue tick a paid service, people have already started misusing it to impersonate other people and brands, making it easy to fool other users, leaving the only option to check their handles and judge based on it. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Blue tick monetization opens the doors to fakesters and scammers" comment="subhead" text="Blue tick monetization opens the doors to fakesters and scammers">Blue tick monetization opens the doors to fakesters and scammers</cmsannotation> Soon after Twitter rolled out the paid Twitter Blue subscription with the blue tick, there have been several instances where accounts with the blue tick have been impersonating others and posting misleading and incorrect information. <div type="image" title="1 (1)" msid="95446367" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A user impersonating Mark Zuckerberg&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> In one such instance, a user with the id <a href="https://twitter.com/joeahvr">@joeahvr</a> was caught impersonating Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg. The user was using the name Mark, along with Zuckerberg’s images. The account has now been suspended for “violating Twitter rules.” <div type="image" title="Bush" msid="95446382" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A user impersonating George Bush&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> In another instance, a user with the id <a href="https://twitter.com/georgewbushs">@georgewbushs</a> was impersonating former American president George Bush. The account posted a scandalous tweet saying, “I miss killing Iraqis.” This was retweeted by someone impersonating former UK prime minister Tony Blair, with the comment “same tbh.” Twitter has suspended both accounts, but instances like this are enough to cause outrage among the people who may consider the account genuine after seeing the blue tick. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="LeBron James" comment="subhead2" text="LeBron James">LeBron James</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="lebron." msid="95446407" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A user impersonating LeBron James&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> A user also impersonated LeBron James, the popular American basketball player. The account with the id @KINGJamez claimed that he is requesting a trade and leaving Lakers Nation. In addition to impersonating people, a few users have also been caught impersonating brands. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Twitter" comment="subhead2" text="Twitter">Twitter</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="twitter acc." msid="95446518" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A person impersonated Twitter and tried to scam users&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Gillian de Nooijer, a Twitter user, <a href="https://twitter.com/GillianDN/status/1590386158240165888">found</a> an account impersonating Twitter, claiming to offer free Twitter Blue to Crypto/NFT holders and sharing a link, asking them to “authenticate” their wallets. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Rockstar Games" comment="subhead2" text="Rockstar Games">Rockstar Games</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="rock." msid="95446451" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A user impersonated Rockstar Games, promising to launch the next title of the Grand Theft Auto series&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> A Twitter user also <a href="https://twitter.com/Barnacules/status/1590631467486687232/photo/1">found</a> an account impersonating Rockstar Games, the creator of the Grand Theft Auto series. While the account did not try to scam anyone, it claimed that GTA VI would be launched on November 18. These are just a few examples of people impersonating others on Twitter after getting a blue tick. Twitter has yet to reveal what steps it plans on taking to prevent such misuse, apart from banning such users after the act. The present system has made it easier for scammers to target unsuspecting users by impersonating brands and celebrities. As seen above, a user impersonated Twitter to try to get access to the crypto and NFT wallets of users by offering them free access to Twitter Blue. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/i-used-twitters-8-verification-to-impersonate-a-famous-youtuber-and-trick-their-fans-it-only-took-25-minutes-to-set-up-and-showed-me-how-dangerous-this-new-feature-will-be-/articleshow/95436802.cms">I used Twitter's $8 'verification' to impersonate a famous YouTuber and trick their fans. It only took 25 minutes to set up and showed me how dangerous this new feature will be.</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-has-worked-every-day-to-find-new-and-creative-ways-to-screw-over-the-companys-workers-attorney-suing-twitter-over-layoffs-says/articleshow/95444534.cms">Elon Musk has 'worked every day to find new and creative ways to screw over the company's workers,' attorney suing Twitter over layoffs says</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/theres-a-chrome-extension-that-reveals-whos-paid-to-be-verified-on-twitter-and-whos-actually-verified/articleshow/95436988.cms">There's a Chrome extension that reveals who's paid to be verified on Twitter and who's 'actually verified'</a>

Fakers play as Musk makes people pay for a Twitter blue tick

<ul><li><keyword id="364027" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="musk" source="Orion">Musk</keyword>'s plan to charge Twitter users to get a verified account quickly prompted outrage .</li><li>This was after Twitter's new owner <keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> announced that getting a <keyword id="2425332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blue-tick" source="Orion">blue tick</keyword> on the microblogging site will cost around $8 a month.</li><li>However, the backlash did not affect Musk.</li></ul> Musk's plan to charge Twitter users to get a verified account quickly prompted outrage and disbelief among some longtime microblogging site users. However, the backlash did not affect Musk. On Wednesday morning, he took to Twitter and reaffirmed his stance on the matter at hand. "To all complainers, please continue complaining, but it will cost <keyword id="54123" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="usd" source="Orion">USD</keyword> 8," he tweeted."Totally stole idea of charging for insults &amp; arguments from Monty Python tbh," Musk later added. A day ago, Musk announced what amounted to a Twitter plus paid subscription service that will allow users to post long videos, audio and also combat "spam and scam." "Twitter's current lords &amp; peasants system for who has or doesn't have a blue checkmark is bullshit. Power to the people! Blue for USD 8/month," he tweeted. The <keyword id="11265742" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-Blue" source="Orion">Twitter Blue</keyword> subscription launched widely almost a year ago as a way to view ad-free articles from some publishers and make other tweaks to the app, such as a different color home screen icon. In April, Twitter accepted Musk's proposal to buy and take the social media service private. However, Musk soon began sowing doubt about his intentions to follow through with the agreement, alleging that the company failed to adequately disclose the number of spam and fake accounts on the service. In July, in a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk who had long been showing his interest to buy Twitter terminated the deal. The Tesla CEO did so by alleging that Twitter violated their mutual purchase agreement by misrepresenting the number of spam and fake bot accounts on its platform.After Musk put out the deal termination announcement, the market saw a sharp decline. Later, Twitter sued Musk accusing him of using bots as a pretext to exit a deal. Again, last week, Musk confirmed that he would move forward with the Twitter buyout at the originally agreed price of USD 54.20 per share. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ai-lending-platform-upstart-lays-off-7-of-employees/articleshow/95248538.cms">AI lending platform Upstart lays off 7% of employees</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indian-commercial-vehicle-sector-will-log-volume-growth-say-experts/articleshow/95248296.cms">Indian commercial vehicle sector will log volume growth say experts</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-on-track-to-become-third-largest-economy-by-2030-morgan-stanley/articleshow/95248406.cms">India on track to become third-largest economy by 2030: Morgan Stanley</a>

Continue complaining, but it will cost USD 8: Elon Musk on blue tick fee backlash

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk says Twitter gave out verified blue ticks to users in a "corrupt and nonsensical" manner.</li><li>Musk also said Twitter is expected to remove all legacy blue checks in a few months.</li></ul>Elon Musk on Monday slammed how Twitter used to hand out verified blue ticks to users on the platform."The way in which they were given out was corrupt and nonsensical," Musk wrote in a <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1602407011106361362?s=20&amp;t=O-BrVnBet4vxaFZb8jHz8A">tweet</a>.Before Musk acquired Twitter in late October, the company gave out blue ticks to celebrities, government officials, journalists, and other high-profile users on the platform for free. However, this is set to change after the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-relaunches-twitter-blue-new-gold-check-marks-verification-2022-12">new Twitter Blue</a> was relaunched on Monday."In a few months, we will remove all legacy blue checks," Musk also said in the post.Musk was responding to a <a href="https://twitter.com/micsolana/status/1602405322643197953?s=20&amp;t=O-BrVnBet4vxaFZb8jHz8A">screenshot</a> shared on Twitter of a "Verified account" tab which pops up when users click the blue checkmark next to an account's name. The tab says: "This is a legacy verified account. It may or may not be notable."Musk posted another reply to the photo, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1602407130740293632?s=20&amp;t=O-BrVnBet4vxaFZb8jHz8A">saying</a>: "The wording is mine lol."Twitter didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.Musk has previously <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587498907336118274?s=20&amp;t=vLWbb5F-zMMIXPHgWWx98g">criticized</a> the company's former verification policy through which users received blue checkmarks as a "lords &amp; peasants system."He has also <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1590757322149998592?s=20&amp;t=E0y1m4gmqIe0937VnShv1Q">said</a> that "far too many corrupt Blue 'verification' checkmarks exist" so there was no choice but to remove legacy ticks.Musk has argued that the updated Twitter Blue subscription, which will charge for verification, is expected to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587512669359292419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1587512669359292419%7Ctwgr%5E17e1ff57f54bc9b96d5b28358beedb5f13528de4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fu.today%2Felon-musk-this-will-destroy-scam-bots-on-twitter" rel=" nofollow">"destroy the bots"</a> because a paid account will be suspended if it engages in spam or scams. The billionaire has laid out plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-blue-to-relaunch-higher-price-apple-after-musk-complained-2022-12">charge Twitter Blue</a> users $8 per month if they pay via the website or $11 a month if they pay on their iPhone.Twitter has faced some hiccups with the rollout of its Blue service. The company had to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-suspends-paid-verification-blue-checkmarks-sign-ups-trolling-report-2022-11">suspend Blue</a> after it was launched in November because of a surge in impersonations on the site.Blue was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-delays-twitter-blue-launch-avoid-apple-store-fees-2022-11">put on hold again</a> in late November while Musk attempted to avoid the 30% charge that Apple's App Store takes from most in-app transactions.

Elon Musk says the way that Twitter used to hand out verified blue ticks was 'corrupt and nonsensical'

Cybercriminals are profiting from X "Gold" verification badge by selling compromised accounts for phishing and scams on the dark web marketplaces and forums, a new report revealed on Thursday. According to the cybersecurity firm <keyword id="20065627" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cloudsek" source="keywords">CloudSEK</keyword>, these accounts pose a huge risk for organisations and individuals alike, as they can be used to spread disinformation, launch phishing attacks, and steal sensitive information. X Gold is a paid feature introduced by the Elon Musk-run microblogging platform, which grants accounts a gold badge alongside the blue and grey tick, signifying legitimacy and brand recognition. However, the ease of obtaining <keyword id="20065624" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="twitter-gold" source="keywords">Twitter Gold</keyword> has attracted malicious actors who are purchasing and compromising accounts to further their nefarious activities, the report noted. The researchers found that dark web marketplaces are flooded with advertisements selling X Gold accounts, with prices ranging from $35 for a basic account to $2,000 for accounts with large followings. "The advertisements on the dark web can be traced back to multiple online shops and their marketing partners, such as Facebook, <keyword id="19897633" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="telegram" source="keywords">Telegram</keyword>, etc. Some X account providers have hosted their shops successfully for over four years and used the same medium to advertise Twitter Gold accounts," said <keyword id="20065625" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rishika-desai" source="keywords">Rishika Desai</keyword>, <keyword id="20065626" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cyber-threat-researcher" source="keywords">Cyber Threat Researcher</keyword> at CloudSEK. "The amount of shops and service providers today is humongous, and most of them can be detected by running simple Google Dorks," she added. According to the report, hackers can use Twitter Gold accounts to send seemingly legitimate tweets containing malicious links that steal personal information, such as login credentials and credit card numbers. They can also spread false information and propaganda through Twitter Gold accounts, potentially impacting public opinion and causing reputational damage. In addition, hackers can use these accounts to promote fake investment opportunities, cryptocurrency scams, and other financial frauds, the report said. Researchers recommended to regularly monitor brand mentions on Twitter and implement strong password policies to protect against account compromise. Be wary of tweets from unknown accounts, especially those with the Gold badge. Do not click on suspicious links or engage with accounts that seem too good to be true. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/redmi-note-13-vs-note-13-pro-vs-note-13-pro-plus-redmi-note-13-series-compared/slidelist/106544325.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/redmi-note-13-vs-note-13-pro-vs-note-13-pro-plus-redmi-note-13-series-compared/slidelist/106544325.cms" target="_blank">Redmi Note 13 series: Base vs Pro vs Pro Plus compared</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-review-top-end-camera-centric-smartphone-with-sleek-design/articleshow/106539033.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-review-top-end-camera-centric-smartphone-with-sleek-design/articleshow/106539033.cms" target="_blank">Vivo X100 review – Top-end camera centric smartphone with sleek design</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-and-x100-pro-camera-centric-smartphones-with-up-to-5400mah-battery-hit-indian-market/articleshow/106537175.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-and-x100-pro-camera-centric-smartphones-with-up-to-5400mah-battery-hit-indian-market/articleshow/106537175.cms" target="_blank">Vivo X100 and X100 Pro camera centric smartphones with up to 5,400mAh battery hit Indian market</a>

Hackers selling X Gold accounts on dark web for phishing, scams: Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Twitter could start charging for blue verification badges as early as next week, per Bloomberg.</li><li>It will be part of a subscription plan that costs $8 each month.</li></ul>Twitter is planning to begin charging for blue verification badges as early as next week, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-02/musk-to-begin-charging-for-twitter-verification-as-soon-as-monday">Bloomberg</a> reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the plans.The badges — a scallop-edged round blue icon with a white tick in the center — will be part of a subscription plan that costs $8 monthly, Bloomberg reported. Twitter users who are already verified will have months to start paying for the status or lose it, the news outlet added.Since Elon Musk finalized his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, he has moved quickly to find <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-elon-musks-plans-to-increase-revenue-at-twitter-2022-11">ways to generate revenue at the social media platform</a>. The move to charge for blue verification badges - if implemented —would come less a month after Musk's acquisition.Other than charging for verification, Twitter is also working on a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-paid-video-feature-paywalled-employees-risky-2022-11">new feature</a> that will allow content creators to charge viewers for videos, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/01/elon-musk-twitter-paywalled-video/">The Washington Post reported</a> on Tuesday.Some current verified users, including bestselling author <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-stephen-king-twitter-quit-pay-bills-users-verification-2022-11">Stephen King,</a> have spoken out against Twitter's plan to charge for the status. But Musk — whose Twitter bio currently reads "Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator" — has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-users-complain-pay-blue-tick-verification-fee-2022-11">doubled down on his stance,</a> saying Twitter needs to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587312517679878144?s=20&amp;t=lNoPKZypFpPJahkdZoRNqA">"pay the bills somehow!"</a> On Wednesday, Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587894226695884800">tweeted a meme</a> featuring a person grinning at an $8 price tag on a Starbucks coffee, but crying when seeing the same price tag on a Twitter verification badge. Musk also framed the current user verification policy as one that divides <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587498907336118274">"lords &amp; peasants."</a> He argued that the new system to charge for verification will <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1587512669359292419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1587512669359292419%7Ctwgr%5E17e1ff57f54bc9b96d5b28358beedb5f13528de4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fu.today%2Felon-musk-this-will-destroy-scam-bots-on-twitter">"destroy the bots,"</a> as a paid account will be suspended if it engages in spam or scam.On Wednesday, <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1587647032457449473">Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> was the latest to be shut down by Musk for hitting out at Twitter's planned subscription program. She mocked Musk for being "a billionaire earnestly trying to sell people on the idea that "free speech" is actually a $8/mo subscription plan."Musk tweeted that he appreciated AOC's feedback, but she would still have to pay $8 for her verified status.Other than charging for verification, Twitter also plans to open up its edit function to all Twitter users for free, Bloomberg reported. It's now available to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/twitter-blue">Twitter Blue</a> users who pay $4.99 a month. The change could be come this week, per Bloomberg.Twitter Blue is only available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand right now.Twitter did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment sent outside regular business hours.

Elon Musk snipes back at AOC on Twitter after she questions his intentions for blue tick fee: 'Your feedback is appreciated, now pay $8'

<ul><li><keyword id="6354616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="twitter" source="Orion">Twitter</keyword> users on desktops were logged out from their accounts globally.</li><li>The micro-blogging platform reportedly experienced a bug.</li><li>The <keyword id="3191286" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="downdetector" source="Orion">Downdetector</keyword> website also showed a sharp increase in user complaints about the website.</li></ul><keyword id="6358777" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-delhi" source="Orion">New Delhi</keyword>, Twitter users on desktops were logged out from their accounts globally early on Tuesday after the micro-blogging platform reportedly experienced a bug. Several users took to Twitter (via mobiles) to complain they were randomly logged out from their desktop accounts. The Downdetector website also showed a sharp increase in user complaints about the website. Some Twitter users claimed they were logged out repeatedly. Twitter was yet to acknowledge the issue. On Monday, legacy <keyword id="6380502" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="blue" source="Orion">Blue</keyword> tick owners on Twitter were in for a surprise when a minor edit in their bio resulted in getting their Blue badge back, albeit briefly. A bug in Twitter resulted in legacy blue check holders briefly getting their Blue badge back after they updated their bio. However, once they refreshed the page, the Blue tick disappeared. Last month, the platform faced a similar problem with its desktop version. "We know some of you may have experienced issues replying to tweets on the web. Things should be working normally now. Sorry for the trouble!" The company had tweeted. In March, Twitter went down for millions as users reported several issues with the platform -- from links not opening to images stopped loading and more -- as there was only one person handling the platform's application programming interface (API). SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-are-vishing-scams-that-start-with-a-namaste-and-end-with-monetary-losses/articleshow/99762900.cms">What are ‘vishing scams’ that start with a Namaste and end with monetary losses</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/sony-wh-ch720n-headphones-review-featherweight-comfort-and-impressive-sound/articleshow/99911412.cms">Sony WH-CH720N headphones review: Featherweight comfort and impressive sound</a>

Several Twitter users logged out from desktop accounts globally

I've spent the past couple of years gently correcting the people in my life that, despite their frustrations with the economy, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/are-we-in-a-recession">we are not in a recession</a>. Yes, prices are higher, but workers' pay is, too — and the sticker shock <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hate-spending-consumers-economic-sentiment-retail-sales-inflation-gdp-growth-2024-4">has not stopped consumers from spending a ton</a>. Blue-collar workers in particular have seen solid gains, and as much as there's chatter about a white-collar recession, the unemployment rate for college-educated workers remains low.But lately I've had a harder time painting such a rosy picture. The economy's not bad, but the overall situation is increasingly frustrating. As much as the inflation rate has fallen, 2019 prices aren't coming back. The Federal Reserve is going to start to cut interest rates soon and deliver some relief, but if you're considering buying a new house or car, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-housing-market-mortgage-buying-car-interest-rates-new-jobs-2024-3">you're probably still better off waiting</a>. The same goes for switching jobs — given the state of the labor market, it's best to stay where you are, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-slump-professional-white-collar-jobs-recession-high-salary-2024-4">especially for the white-collar crowd</a>.For months and months it's felt like the other shoe on the economy is about to drop. I mean, in October 2022, Bloomberg's economic model was saying there was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-17/forecast-for-us-recession-within-year-hits-100-in-blow-to-biden">a 100% chance of a recession over the next year</a>. That recession didn't happen, but the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vibecession-recession-hiring-outlook-american-economic-sentiment-rising-prices-recovery-2022-8">vibecession</a> did. Now, economic indicators aren't flashing red, but they're not flashing green either. We're in wait-and-see mode."There's a little bit of collective breath-holding," said Allison Shrivastava, an associate economist at Indeed. "Are we going to stick this landing, or are things going to continue in a downward trend? We expected there to be a cooling labor market — that's kind of the goal — and it's always just, you know, how cool?"The economic uncertainty is exhausting, and it's being compounded by the coming election."We have a lot of consumers who are telling us they're reserving judgment about what's happening until the election is resolved," said Joanne Hsu, the director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan. "They're saying there's just no way to tell.""It's so over" has become a bit of an annoying internet trope as of late. It signals a downward turn of events, things not going your way — the opposite of "we're so back," when things are on the upswing. That being said, when it comes to the labor market … <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jobs-report-labor-market-hiring-layoffs-quits-recession-sahm-rule-2024-8">it is, in fact, so over</a>. The jobs boom the US was seeing in 2021 and 2022 is well in the past, and there are clear signs of slowing.The economy added 142,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate ticked down slightly, to 4.2%. That's an improvement over July's 4.3% unemployment rate, but overall, the jobs market in the US is cooling off. Job openings in July were back at 2021 levels. The rates of hires and quits ticked up for the month, but they're back at pre-pandemic levels, though layoffs remain low. What that means is that if you have a job, you're likely to be able to hold on to it, but if you want to move around or are unemployed and looking for work, you might be in for a tough time.Much of this is to be expected — part of the reason the Fed raised interest rates was to slow down the economy, including the labor market. It's not reasonable to expect the economy to add jobs at the clip it was in the immediate wake of the pandemic."If you imagine a labor market like a bathtub, the bathtub is full," said Dana Peterson, the chief economist at the Conference Board. "So you don't need to run the water, don't need to run the faucet hard anymore."Still, the end of a party is never particularly fun. Now, even just the knowledge that the labor market is on shakier ground is anxiety-inducing — average monthly job gains are dropping consistently, and there's no telling what will make that drop stop. Some of the story varies by sector — if you work in tech, it might be a trickier time to find a job than if you were looking for something in healthcare or construction. Some workers feel like they missed the boat on all the job hopping over the past couple of years, and now it seems like the opportunity to participate has passed. Despite the strong labor market, they're sending endless résumés into the ether without getting any bites, and they don't understand why. Jaime-Alexis Fowler, the founder of Empower Work, a nonprofit that provides a text hotline for workers, said she'd heard a lot of frustration from workers searching for good jobs and being unable to find them. That's led some of them to fall for scams and has fostered animosity among those who work in person but want to work from home."People were feeling there was just this dissonance between their direct experience and what they were hearing was happening with the economy," she said. "And so it felt like there was something wrong with them. 'I'm not hearing back.'"For a lot of people, the current environment just feels a little blech. There are so many unknowns that make it hard to figure out what's the right move.Do I buy the house now and pay a higher mortgage rate, or do I wait and risk home prices getting even higher six months from now? Do I try to leave this stupid job, or do I stick it out because at least maybe the higher-ups will feel a slight pang before laying me off? Do I hire someone new at my small business or just keep staffing as is? Is this the stock-market dip I should buy, or should I continue to hold out because The Big One is finally coming? Or maybe I should just buy and sell at random, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gambling-young-men-sports-betting-crypto-meme-stock-market-addiction-2024-4">because everything is kind of a casino anyway, right</a>?Hsu said consumer sentiment is better than it was at its mid-2022 low, but it's still below its historical average. There are also some serious disparities in how different groups view the economy."People in the lower part of the income distribution don't actually feel all that much better than they did two years ago," Hsu said, "whereas higher-income and wealthier people feel much, much better."Even if the labor market isn't as awesome for them, those at the higher end of the income distribution are enjoying the stock market's recent gains and the appreciation of their home values. Those on the lower end, on the other hand, aren't really benefiting from what's happening in the markets, and higher housing prices are making them poorer, because they're renters. Some economic trends that are positive in the long term aren't delivering instant effects. Michael Madowitz, the principal economist at the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank, pointed out that worker productivity — an economic measure looking at how much output workers create in the hours they're on the job — is something that gets economic nerds excited, but not so much the workers doing the producing. "Productivity growth is a marathon," he said. "Vibes are a sprint."The uncertainty around the outcome of the 2024 election really does hang over everything. Hsu said consumers were incorporating who they expect to win the election into their views of the economy. If X candidate comes out ahead in November, some will say that things will be great, and others will say that things will be terrible; if Y comes out ahead, they'll flip. The race is very tight, adding to the uncertainty and unease around the economy. Even though the election won't immediately change the country's economic course, it will change how people feel about it."With interest rates falling and getting past the election, people probably will feel better," Peterson said. (As long as we don't have a 2020-esque situation where we don't know the outcome for days and one of the candidates refuses to accept the results.)Not to sound like a broken record here, but the economy is decent. The labor market is OK, if slipping a little. Consumer spending is strong, and incomes are higher than they were before the pandemic. GDP growth is probably slowing, but it doesn't seem like it will fall into recession territory anytime soon. There are reasons for concern — pandemic savings have dried up, and credit-card delinquencies are rising — but there's no need to declare disaster yet.Things are just kind of slowing down and stalling out, and after a few years of strong momentum, that's making people nervous. Even a slight deterioration is uncomfortable for everybody, and for some people, it can feel dire. We're stuck in limbo, and that limbo is just not a fun place to be.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/emily-stewart">Emily Stewart</a> is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

The agonizing uncertainty of America's so-so economy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Peter Gray, 35, from the UK, was jailed in February after scamming three women out of over $100,000.</li><li>The man met his victims on Tinder and took out loans in their names without their knowledge.</li></ul>The victims of a romance scammer who defrauded women he met on Tinder out of over $100,000 have spoken out about being targeted.Peter Gray, 35, from Yorkshire, UK, found his victims on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/what-is-tinder">Tinder</a> and won their trust, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-68942415">BBC News reported</a>. He was sentenced to 56 months in prison in February.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/romance-scams-booming-billions-facebook-instagram-pandemic-isolation-online-dating-2023-3">Romance scams</a> have boomed since the onset of the pandemic, with Americans losing over $1.3 billion to the practice in 2022, up 164% from 2019, Business Insider previously reported. Some 70,000 people in the US reported being a victim of a romance scam in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission.In the UK, over £92 million (about $115 million) was lost to romance scams in the same year, according to data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.<h2>Gray used information from driving licenses to scam Tinder dates</h2>"It was shocking," a sister of one of Gray's victims told BBC News. "You see these things happening on TV. You never believe it's going to happen to you, but believe me, it can."Gray engaged in this behavior for several years. In 2018, he matched with a woman BBC News identified as Jessica. On their third date, Jessica went to Gray's apartment and used the bathroom.She told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hvf0v4">BBC News</a>: "I left my bag on his dining table, he went in my bag and took pictures of my driving license and both my bank cards,"A few weeks later, Jessica found out Gray had taken out £1,000 ($1,250) from her bank account and a £9,000 loan (about $11,000).Something similar happened to a woman identified only as Hannah, who had only been seeing Gray for a week when she realized a loan for £20,000 (about $25,000) had been taken out in her name.When Gray showered her with gifts and love declarations — in what has echoes of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/sex-relationships/love-bomb">love bombing</a> — the two got back together.Hannah ended up falling pregnant with Gray's baby without knowing his history. Hannah learned more about Gray when her sister tracked down of his ex-partners and had a conversation with her."There's no way that I'm going to let a child be brought up anywhere near such a vile human," Hannah said. "My world had just literally broken apart in front of my eyes in that half an hour conversation."The third victim, identified as Elizabeth, began dating Gray in 2020.Gray sent her flowers despite her never telling him her address, and she later found out that he had taken a loan out for £10,000 (over $12,000) using information he obtained from her driver's license."You question yourself and your judgment, and it's like, why didn't I listen to my gut?" Elizabeth said. "He was just so good at being the person that you wanted him to be."In an article on its website, Tinder shares tips on how users can protect themselves from romance scammers, including using reverse image search to check if matches are genuine, never sending money online, and making sure that people have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tinder-id-requirement-verified-drivers-license-passport-video-selfie-2024-2">verified their identity</a> — a new tool the app recently introduced in an attempt to clamp down on scams.In a statement to Business Insider, a Tinder spokesperson said: "The unfortunate reality is that scammers may pull on the heartstrings and prey on those looking for love or connection — not just on dating apps but on all online platforms."The spokesperson added that Tinder acts to help prevent and warn users of potential scams or fraud by using AI tools to detect words and phrases and proactively intervene, and that the platform has implemented various ways to warn users of potential scams or fraud, from in-app features to popup messages and education. "We encourage our users to look for the 'blue tick,' which indicates that the user's age and likeness have been verified through our Photo and ID Verification programs, which require users to submit an official document (either passport or driving license). All users can request that their match be photo-verified prior to messaging. We also partner with NGOs and local authorities to promote awareness of online fraud," the statement said.

How a romance scammer defrauded 3 Tinder dates out of over $100,000

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk said Twitter users must have good customer service, and that he was working on it.</li><li>Customers of his other companies have said they're disappointed at the lack of customer service.</li></ul>Elon Musk on Tuesday said he was working on Twitter's customer service now that some users pay for the platform. But customer support at his other companies has angered some clientele."Of course, you need to have good customer service for money," Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1640567359307145217?s=20">tweeted</a>, adding he was "working on it."The billionaire's post comes after Twitter announced <a href="https://twitter.com/verified/status/1639029459557679104?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">plans</a> to scrap legacy verified blue checkmarks from users' accounts, starting on April 1. The only way users can remain verified and keep a blue tick next to their name is to pay between $7 and $8 a month for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-elon-musks-chaotic-twitter-blue-verification-rollout-2022-11" rel="">Twitter Blue</a>. For companies, organizations, and government institutions, it costs <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-say-elon-musk-plan-charge-twitter-checkmark-outlandish-2023-3">$1,000 a month</a>.One Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/captain_jojo17/status/1640568599059496960?s=20">replied</a> to Musk's tweet on Tuesday, saying customer service at Tesla and SpaceX's Starlink needed to be improved, and not getting a reply for weeks was unacceptable.Although Tesla is valued at more than <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsla-stock">$600 billion</a> and as of January, SpaceX was valued at <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/elon-musk-spacex-valuation-a167-andreessen-horowitz-funding--tesla-twitter-2023-1">$137 billion</a>, experts previously told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-customer-service-tesla-spacex-prioritize-aggressive-growth-2022-2">Insider</a> that customers' complaints could tarnish the reputation of his businesses.SpaceX, Musk's aerospace manufacturer, operates Starlink, a satellite internet constellation, which offers broadband for between <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starlink-users-nervous-spacex-hike-prices-may-quit-internet-musk-2023-2">$90 and $120</a> a month, depending on users' locations, and a one-off $600 for the kit.Jackie Fann, who lives in Michigan, told Insider she got fed up after waiting over a year and a half for Starlink and requested a refund of her $100 deposit in October. She said on Tuesday she still hadn't got her money back."They have been giving me the runaround," Fann said.Other Starlink users have complained to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starlink-customer-service-non-existent-satellite-internet-deposit-contact-2022-1">Insider</a> about the company's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starlink-customers-angry-service-contact-order-update-internet-2021-9">lack of customer support</a>. One user in Northern California said customer service had been non-existent, while another <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-starlink-customers-frustrated-price-hikes-deposits-customer-services-2022-4">user</a> said they felt scammed.Last year, SpaceX <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-apologizes-falling-behind-starlink-customer-support-internet-2022-4">apologized</a> to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/uczety/yea_but_its_still_been_a_week_spacex/">customers</a> for falling behind on their "normal response time," saying "this is not the level of support we aim to provide." At Tesla, complaints have rolled in from customers about fixing repairs, lack of contact, and long wait times, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-owners-reveal-cars-pros-cons-features-elon-musk-2023-2">Insider's Tim Levin</a> reported in February. One Tesla owner described the company's customer support as "lousy."Twelve Tesla owners previously spoke to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/some-tesla-customers-experience-service-problems-2018-8">Insider</a> about problems with their vehicles. Some commented on how slow and unresponsive Tesla's customer service was, while others said it was quick and easy.One Tesla owner said he spoke to an "arrogant" employee about an issue with his Model 3. After dropping the vehicle off at a service center for a repair, he told Insider that customer service didn't tell him what the company was doing to his car to fix it.Twitter, SpaceX, and Tesla didn't respond to Insider's request for comment.Are you a Starlink user or Tesla owner who is disappointed with the company's customer service? Get in touch with this reporter via email kduffy@insider.com or <a href="https://twitter.com/kate__duffy">Twitter</a>.

Elon Musk says he's working on Twitter's customer service — but some Tesla and Starlink customers haven't been impressed when trying to receive support

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