A third of people who complain about debt-collectors who break the law say they don't even owe the money under discussion. Of the victims who complained to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about being hounded for money they don't owe, two thirds say they never owed it, and a third say they had already paid it off. Debt-collectors call wrong numbers or hassle people with names similar to those of debtors. They call them at work and at home, and use threats and obscene language when they're told they've got the wrong person. One offender, CashCall Inc, is being sued over its practices, and was separately ordered to refund $14M in debts it collected through fraudulent robo-signing.
Debt collectors illegally hound people who don't owe money
National Rifle Association files for bankruptcy, NRA will legally move from New York to Texas
RIP, NRA. Thoughts and prayers. The National Rifle Association has filed for bankruptcy, and the organization will legally move from New York to Texas, with plans to operate as a non-profit. The NRA lists assets and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million each, and its bankruptcy petition is signed by Wayne LaPierre. Here's the… READ THE REST
Unemployment claims in US jump to 965,000, highest since August
New U.S. unemployment numbers out today are bad, and it's because the pandemic is surging after the holidays. "The number of people seeking unemployment aid soared last week to 965,000, the most since late August and evidence that the resurgent virus has caused a spike in layoffs," reports AP: The latest figures for jobless claims,… READ THE REST
CISA, FBI, NSA, ODNI: The 'likely Russian in origin' attack on USA was for 'intelligence-gathering'
A joint statement "on the recent significant cyber incident involving federal government networks" was just released by @CISA, @FBI, @ODNI, and @NSA — and their phrasing suggests the attack is still ongoing. "This work indicates that an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor, likely Russian in origin, is responsible for most or all of the recently… READ THE REST
Get one of these space heaters to combat the cold of winter
With January here, it's easy to think that the worst of winter is over. Unfortunately, as recent years (like last year) have shown us, it can remain pretty steadily chilly all the way into April and May. If you've got central heating, you're going to be getting pretty sick of those bills by then. The… READ THE REST
Check out 23 vacuum deals that will clean up your 2021
It's likely that there's never been a New Year's resolution focused on vacuuming more. However, plenty of people want to clean up the clutter and tidy up their lives to start a new year. The investment in a quality vacuum and other cleaners can be a good way of ensuring that much-needed cleaning work gets… READ THE REST
2021 is the year QuickBooks can untangle your business accounting nightmares
If you've ever started a business, it probably wasn't so you could process invoices and fill out payroll checks. Yet, accounting is the absolute lifeblood of any enterprise – and unless a company is paying thousands to have a certified professional take charge of their finances, it's easy to feel like the entire accounting arena… READ THE REST