Services Australia has identified multiple fraudulent websites appearing as advertisements online and on social media, which assert that individuals can claim this $890 bonus before the end of October.

The scam websites generally feature “clickbait” images promising a “one-off payment” or “cash relief payment” from Centrelink for pensioners, people with disabilities and low-income earners.

According to services Australia the scammers are also offering varying amounts of money, including $750 and $1800. “These payments don’t exist.” says Services Australia.

Fraudulent “clickbait” websites are targeting Australians by urging users to “check their eligibility status” for the fake $890 “cost of living bonus payment.”

To do this, individuals are prompted to enter their personal information, which includes login details for their myGov accounts.

Once scammers obtain this sensitive information, they can access the victim’s myGov account and lock them out, potentially gaining access to various government services and benefits.

The post Australian’s Alerted To $890 Cost Of Living Bonus Centrelink Scam appeared first on Tech Business News.

Key Improvements Ahead

• Enhanced Call Quality: Transitioning to a digital system will ensure clearer and higher-quality conversations.
• Increased Accessibility: More phones will be installed across Queensland’s correctional facilities, making it easier for inmates to stay connected.
• Boosted Security: The upgraded system will incorporate advanced security and intelligence features, aimed at safeguarding victims of crime and reducing the risk of reoffending via phone.

Reduced Call Rates

Another significant benefit of the upgrade is a reduction in call costs, helping inmates maintain connections:

• Local Calls: Rates will drop by 25%.
• National Calls: Costs will decrease by 20%.
• Mobile Calls: Charges will be nearly halved, reduced by 49%, and will be billed by the second, ensuring inmates only pay for the time they use.

Calls to numbers on the Common Auto Dial List, including the Queensland Ombudsman and Legal Aid Queensland, will remain free of charge.

The new local call rates are effective immediately across all correctional centres, with the rollout of reduced national and mobile call rates expected over the next 12 months.

Maintaining strong relationships with family and friends is crucial for helping prisoners turn their lives around. Regular phone calls play a significant role in this process.

Hearing the voices of their loved ones inspires inmates to make positive choices, which can lower the chances of reoffending.

In 2022 Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) launched a channel for families and friends to keep in contact with loved ones in prison.

The post Prisoner Telephone System Upgrades In Queensland Correctional Centres appeared first on Tech Business News.

The issue has left numerous passengers feeling cheated and powerless after they find themselves charged for rides they never canceled.

For many riders, this experience is becoming all too common.

Imagine the scenario: you request a ride and all of a sudden the driver calls you asking to cancel the trip because he indicated ” Its not worth it” and then to make matters worse, your account is hit with a cancellation fee, leaving you bewildered and frustrated.

Riders across the country are voicing similar complaints. Rather than holding drivers accountable for their decisions, Uber’s billing system seems to penalise passengers instead and raises questions about the company’s responsibility and the transparency of its pricing practices.

Attempting to resolve these issues has proven to be a frustrating endeavor. Many riders report hitting a dead end when reaching out to Uber’s customer service.

“I tried to use thier website to ask for my money back, but every time I tried I was stuck in an loop of unhelpful items,” said James Rodriguez, another dissatisfied rider. “I also couldent even reach a real person to explain my situation. It’s infuriating.”

In 2022 Nine News reported Uber drivers had adopted an exploitative tactic that involves pressuring passengers into paying expensive cancellation fees, an upset customer has alleged.

The post Uber Riders Left Frustrated By Cancellation Fees And Poor Customer Service appeared first on Tech Business News.

BuzzFeed denies it violated any law, but has agreed to the Settlement to avoid the uncertainties and expenses associated with continuing the lawsuit.

The $9 million BuzzFeed settlement covers anyone in the United States who, between May 16, 2021 and November 10, 2023, was a log-in account holder and/or digital newsletter subscriber to a BuzzFeed website and accessed a video through the site while a relevant tracking pixel was operational.

What Websites Qualify for the BuzzFeed VPPA Settlement?

Websites covered by the BuzzFeed class action settlement include, but are not limited to, BuzzFeed.com, HuffPost.com, Tasty.com and Complex.com.

BuzzFeed privacy lawsuit—Peters v. BuzzFeed Inc

The BuzzFeed privacy lawsuit—Peters v. BuzzFeed Inc., CACE-24-004380—claimed that when subscribers visited a BuzzFeed-owned website, their personal data and the titles of videos they viewed were collected and shared with Facebook, without their knowledge or consent, via a hidden tracking pixel.

According to the allegations, this practice is a violation of the VPPA, a federal law that prohibits any “video tape service provider” from disclosing a consumer’s personally identifiable information—in this case, the videos they watched—to third parties without prior written authorisation.

In recent years, VPPA-related lawsuits have surged, primarily targeting companies that provide video content through websites and mobile apps.

The post Proposed $9 Million Buzzfeed Class Action Settlement appeared first on Tech Business News.

The burns can only be conducted when environmental conditions—such as wind, temperature, humidity, and vegetation state—are perfectly aligned. However, finding these optimal conditions can be rare, with suitable days potentially spaced out over several years.

Compounding the difficulty is the fact that monitoring these conditions in remote areas has traditionally been a logistical challenge. On-site assessments, which are crucial for determining when to schedule burns, have been limited by accessibility and frequency.

Enter the Internet of Things (IoT). In a groundbreaking partnership between NPWS, IoT technology company Meshed, and the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, IoT technology has been harnessed to revolutionise the way hazard reduction burns are scheduled.

By deploying a network of sensors that continuously monitor environmental parameters, this project is providing real-time data to identify optimal ‘windows’ for burns, drastically improving the efficiency and safety of the process.

This innovative project, which began in December 2022, was recognised as a finalist in the 2024 IoT Awards by IoT Alliance Australia, showcasing its significant impact on bushfire management.

The collaboration was initiated under the NSW Office of Chief Scientist’s Bushfire Response R&D Mission, part of the broader Bushfire Technology Pilots Program designed to establish NSW as a global leader in bushfire-related research and innovation.

The post Meshed Leverages IoT to Enhance Bushfire Risk Mitigation for NSW Parks & Wildlife Service appeared first on Tech Business News.

As a precautionary measure, commuters are advised by the Public Transport Users Association to register their myki cards to safeguard against such fraud.

Currently, PTV facilitates card registration through online platforms or by phone using the unique 15-digit number printed on each myki card.

Mr. Bowen says registering a myki card seems to thwart scammers from exploiting the vulnerability. While only a handful of cases have been reported thus far, he stressed the urgency for government intervention before the problem escalates.

Trials scheduled for this year aim to enable the use of debit and credit cards on Victoria’s public transport network, marking a transition away from myki cards anticipated to span two years.

“A lot of people who use myki don’t register their cards, and it appears that this may leave them vulnerable to this scam,” says Mr Bowen

“The scam appears to happen when scammers work out that cards are unregistered, and register it to their name and claim a refund.” he says.

The post Scammers Exploit Myki Cards, Stealing From Victorian Commuters appeared first on Tech Business News.

The Singapore Airlines flight, carrying 229 people, plummeted 7,000 feet in six minutes while flying over the west coast of Burma.

The Boeing 777-300ER, which departed from Heathrow shortly after 10 p.m. yesterday, experienced the turbulence 11 hours into its 13-hour journey. At least 30 others were injured, prompting the aircraft to divert to Bangkok, where ambulances awaited.

Singapore Airlines said, “Flight #SQ321 from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 20 May 2024 encountered severe turbulence en route. We can confirm injuries and one fatality on board,”

Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We are working with local authorities in Thailand to provide necessary medical assistance and are sending a team to Bangkok for additional support.”

Severe turbulence can cause abrupt changes in altitude, making the aircraft temporarily uncontrollable. According to the US National Weather Service, extreme turbulence can violently toss an aircraft and make it nearly impossible to control. Turbulence is not always visible to pilots and may not be detected by radar.

The aircraft, registered 9V-SWM, descended from 38,000 feet to 31,000 feet over Meinmadaung on Burma’s west coast, according to flight tracker Flightradar24. There were 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board. The plane landed at 3:45 p.m. local time (8 a.m. GMT).

The post Singapore Airlines Flight Plunged 7,000ft In Just Six Minutes After Severe Turbulence. appeared first on Tech Business News.

But it’s not just about tasty treats. This powder could shake up the whole beef industry, making it even more valuable. By using more of the animal, we’re not only reducing waste but also creating new opportunities to enjoy beef in different forms. Who knows, maybe soon we’ll see meaty energy drinks hitting the shelves!

Dr Aarti Tobin, animal protein lead for CSIRO’s Future Protein Mission, said the powder can be used as-is or as an ingredient in a wide range of products.  

“The advantage of a meat-based protein is that it naturally contains all essential amino acids, as well as high iron, zinc and magnesium,” Dr Tobin said.

“It’s mild in flavour and highly soluble so we’ve easily added it to snacks like sweet protein balls in our product development kitchen, with promising results to take to product trials.

“We’re looking at new protein products to meet changing consumer preferences and which will play a big role in feeding a growing world population that’s set to reach 9.7 billion by 2050.” 

Developed with support from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), the innovative product aims to bring the nutritional benefits of meat to places where refrigeration and transportation are tricky.

The post CSIRO Turns Red Meat Into Nutritious Powder For Use In Protein Products appeared first on Tech Business News.

On August 26, 2022, Dalke solicited $85,000 from what he believed to be a Russian contact in exchange for sensitive information.

The DOJ reported that Dalke sent excerpts from the documents via an encrypted email service, described only as foreign and legitimate.

Following the agreed terms, Dalke rendezvoused with the purported Russian operative at Union Station in downtown Denver, carrying a laptop.

Allegedly, Dalke handed over four documents marked Top Secret NDI, containing highly classified national defense information. Shortly thereafter, Dalke was apprehended by authorities.

Prior to his employment with the NSA, Dalke served in the U.S. Army from 2015 to 2018. Court documents revealed that he initiated the exchange by providing the undercover FBI agent with a cryptocurrency address for payment.

Furthermore, he deposited a comparable amount to the crypto exchange Kraken under his real identity. However, Dalke’s actions weren’t just misguided; they were easily traceable.

The post NSA Employee Sentenced To 22 Years Behind Bars for Trying to Leak Top Secret Info to Russia appeared first on Tech Business News.

In 2024, reports indicate a surge despite efforts by telecommunications companies to combat SMS scams. The deceptive messages continue to proliferate, raising concerns among consumers.

More than 300,000 Australian motorists have reported receiving texts by scammers posing as toll road giant Linkt, claiming the recipient has unpaid toll fees. However, many mobile phone users have reported they don’t have a car, or a license.

Linkt Branded SMS Scams – Ongoing throughout 2023 and 2024

Often, the text claims you will receive fines, penalties, or fees if you do not pay immediately. These are not real Linkt or Transurban communications.

A statement on the Linkt website says, “We’re aware of multiple scam SMS claiming to be from Linkt, urging you to pay for tolls, or warning of overdue or unpaid bills,”

“The SMS claims that toll payments are overdue and includes a link, asking you to use the link to payment, or to verify the unpaid bill. Often, the text claims you will recieve fines, penalties, or fees if you do not pay immediately,”

“These are not real Linkt or Transurban communications. Do not click the links, call the number, or reply to the sender,”

The post Linkt Toll Road Scams On The Rise Despite Telco SMS Filtering Measures appeared first on Tech Business News.