Oct 21, 2021 | Blog, Consumer Protection
Amazon Impersonators Target Consumers, Take Advantage Of Amazon’s Name – Thousands Have Been Targeted In A “Runaway Favorite For Scammers”
The FTC recently reported that “Amazon tops [the] list of impersonated businesses.” According to the FTC, reports to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel point to Amazon as a runaway favorite for scammers. From July 2020 through June 2021, about one in three people who reported a business impersonator said the scammer claimed to be Amazon. About 96,000 people reported being targeted, and nearly 6,000 said they lost money. Reported losses totaled more than $27 million, and the reported median individual loss was $1,000.
These impersonators, according to the FTC, get your attention with messages to call about suspicious activity or unauthorized purchases on your Amazon account. When you call the number, a phony Amazon representative tricks you into giving them remote access to your computer or phone to supposedly fix the problem and give you a refund. But then—whoops—a couple of extra zeros are keyed in and too much money is (supposedly) refunded. They tell you to return the difference. In fact, some people have reported that the “representative” even begged for help, saying Amazon would fire them if the money wasn’t returned.
To make their lies about refunding that so-called overpayment more believable, scammers, reportedly, have accessed people’s online banking. Scammers, according to the FTC, move money from one account to another—say, from savings to checking. Then, when people see a large deposit in their checking account, they think it’s the refund, but it’s all fake. If they send money, as requested, they end up sending their own (very real) money.
Scammers also tell people to buy gift cards and send pictures of the numbers on the back. The scammers may call these numbers “blocking codes” or “security codes,” and explain that sharing them can block the hackers who, supposedly, took over the Amazon account in question. But the only thing those numbers are good for is getting (or stealing) the money on the card. After people send pictures of the gift cards, they often report getting texts confirming a supposed account credit in the amount of each gift card purchase. That’s just another trick scammers use to get their targets to buy more cards.
Another scam involves text messages saying you won a raffle for a free product from Amazon. Consumers who click the link to claim their free prize then have to enter credit card information to pay for “shipping.” Before long, they see charges to which they never agreed.
The FTC reports that the data suggests that Amazon impersonation scams may be disproportionately harming older adults. Over the past year, people ages 60 and older were over four times more likely than younger people to report losing money to an Amazon impersonator. Older adults also reported losing more money—their median reported loss was $1,500, compared to $814 for people under age 60.
The FTC has provided the following guidance to avoid some common tricks business impersonators use:
- Never call phone numbers given in unexpected calls, texts, emails, or messages on social media. And don’t click any links. Those are scams.
- If you’re worried, check it out. Go directly to the company’s website to find out how to reach them. Don’t trust the phone numbers or links that come up in search results.
- Never give anyone remote access to your devices unless you contacted the company first (using its real number). If someone tells you to give remote access to get a refund, it’s a scam.
- Never pay by gift card. Nobody legit will ever require you to. And never send pictures of gift cards. If someone tells you they need the numbers on the back of a gift card, it’s a scam.
- Talk about it. If you’re getting these messages, so are people you know. Help them avoid the scam by sharing what you know.
Source: FTC.gov
Oct 20, 2021 | Filed Securities Cases
Purchasers Of Gaotu Techedu Inc. Securities Between March 22, 2021 And March 29, 2021 Are Encouraged To Contact Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.
Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating whether Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (“Goldman Sachs”) and Morgan Stanley (“Morgan Stanley”) violated federal securities laws.
On October 20, 2021, a class action lawsuit was filed against Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, based, according to the complaint, on the alleged, unlawful use of material non-public information by Defendants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
According to the class action complaint, “Defendants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley avoided billions in losses by selling shares of Gaotu Techedu Inc., formerly known as GSX Techedu Inc. (‘Gaotu’ or the ‘Company’) [NYSE: GOTU] . . . to the Plaintiff and other unsuspecting and unwitting shareholders, after [confidentially] learning that Archegos Capital Management (‘Archegos’), a family office with $10 billion under management, failed (or was likely to fail) to meet a margin call, requiring it to fully liquidate its position in [Gaotu].” [Emphasis in original and supplied.]
The class action complaint alleges that the Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley “. . . Defendants sold a large chunk of Gaotu shares during the week of March 22, 2021 while in possession of material, non-public information. According to subsequent media reports, the Defendants unloaded large block trades consisting of shares of Archegos’ doomed bets, including billions worth of Gaotu securities, late Thursday, March 25, 2021, before the Archegos story reached the public, sending Gaotu’s stock into a complete tailspin . . ..”
GAOTU TECHEDU INVESTORS WHO PURCHASED, OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRED, THE COMPANY’S SHARES BETWEEN MARCH 22, 2021 AND MARCH 29, 2021 (THE “CLASS PERIOD”) WHO WISH TO DISCUSS KEHOE LAW FIRM’S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE KEHOE LAW FIRM’S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION QUESTIONNAIRE OR CONTACT EITHER JOHN KEHOE, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 801, [email protected], OR MICHAEL YARNOFF, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 804, [email protected], [email protected].
Oct 20, 2021 | Blog
Securities Class Action Investigation On Behalf Of Investors Of Höegh LNG Partners LP
Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating whether Höegh LNG Partners LP (“Höegh” or the “Company”) (NYSE: HMLP) violated federal securities laws.
The investigation concerns whether Höegh made false and/or misleading statements to investors about its financial condition.
On July 27, 2021, Höegh “. . . announced that its Board of Directors . . . reduced [Höegh’s] quarterly cash distribution to $0.01 per common unit, down from a distribution of $0.44 per common unit in the first quarter of 2021, commencing with the distribution for the second quarter of 2021 payable on August 13, 2021 to common unitholders of record as of the close of business on August 6, 2021.”
The Company stated that it “. . . needs to conserve its internally generated cash flows to resolve issues related to the ongoing refinancing of the PGN FSRU Lampung credit facility as described below. [Höegh] thereafter expects to use its internally generated cash flow to reduce debt levels and strengthen its balance sheet.”
Höegh also reported that it “. . . received notice from Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd that the revolving credit line of $85 million will not be extended when it matures on January 1, 2023, and that Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd will have very limited capacity to extend any additional advances to [Höegh] beyond what is currently drawn under the facility. In addition, following the consummation of an amalgamation by Höegh LNG Holdings Ltd which closed on May 4, 2021, some provisions of the omnibus agreement entered into in connection with the IPO, terminated in accordance with their terms. With these recent changes, [Höegh’s] liquidity and financial flexibility will be reduced. In light of these factors, as well as current conditions in the FSRU market, which may heighten re-contracting risk, the Board of Directors believes that [Höegh] should use its internally generated cash flow to reduce debt levels and strengthen its balance sheet.” [Emphasis added.]
On this news, Höegh’s stock price dropped $11.57 per share, or approximately 65%, thereby injuring investors.
IF YOU INVESTED IN HÖEGH LNG PARTNERS LP AND WISH TO DISCUSS KEHOE LAW FIRM’S CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS, PLEASE COMPLETE KEHOE LAW FIRM’S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION QUESTIONNAIRE OR CONTACT EITHER JOHN KEHOE, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 801, [email protected], OR MICHAEL YARNOFF, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 804, [email protected], [email protected].
Oct 19, 2021 | Data Breach
California Assembly Bill No. 825, Chapter 527, Now Specifies That Personal Information Includes Genetic Data
Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is making consumers aware that on October 18, 2021, “The National Law Review” reported (“California Broadens Security and Breach Laws, Includes Genetic Data”) that “California recently updated both its data security and breach notice laws to include genetic data. With the passage of AB 825, the data security law now includes in the definition of ‘personal information’ genetic data. The information needs to be ‘reasonably protected.’ While many other states have similar ‘reasonable protection’ requirements in their data security laws, California is one of a handful to specifically list genetic information.”
According to Assembly Bill 825:
. . . ‘genetic data’ means any data, regardless of its format, that results from the analysis of a biological sample of an individual, or from another source enabling equivalent information to be obtained, and concerns genetic material. Genetic material includes, but is not limited to, deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), ribonucleic acids (RNA), genes, chromosomes, alleles, genomes, alterations or modifications to DNA or RNA, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), uninterpreted data that results from analysis of the biological sample or other source, and any information extrapolated, derived, or inferred therefrom. [Emphasis added.]
Have You Been Impacted by A Data Breach?
If so, please contact Michael Yarnoff, Esq., (215) 792-6676, Ext. 804, [email protected], complete the form on the right or e-mail [email protected] for a free, no-obligation case evaluation of your facts to determine whether your privacy rights have been violated and discuss potential legal claims.
Examples of the type of relief sought by data privacy class actions, include, but are not limited to, reimbursement of identity theft losses and of out-of-pocket costs paid by data breach victims for protective measures such as credit monitoring services, credit reports, and credit freezes; compensation for time spent responding to the breach; imposition of credit monitoring services and identity theft insurance, paid for by the defendant company; and improvements to the defendant company’s data security systems.
Data privacy class actions are brought on a contingent-fee basis; thus, plaintiffs and the class members do not pay out-of-pocket attorney’s fees or litigation costs. Subject to court approval, attorney’s fees and litigation costs are derived from the recovery obtained for the class.
Oct 18, 2021 | Filed Securities Cases
Purchasers Of Tencent Music Entertainment Group Securities Between March 22, 2021 And March 29, 2021 Are Encouraged To Contact Kehoe Law Firm, P.C.
Kehoe Law Firm, P.C. is investigating whether Tencent Music Entertainment Group (“Tencent Music” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TME) violated federal securities laws.
TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP INVESTORS WHO PURCHASED, OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRED, THE COMPANY’S SECURITIES BETWEEN MARCH 22, 2021 AND MARCH 29, 2021 ARE ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE KEHOE LAW FIRM’S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION QUESTIONNAIRE.
INVESTORS WHO WISH TO DISCUSS KEHOE LAW FIRM’S SECURITIES CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION OR HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL CLAIMS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT EITHER JOHN KEHOE, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, Ext. 801, [email protected], OR MICHAEL YARNOFF, ESQ., (215) 792-6676, EXT. 804, [email protected], [email protected].
