Scams

**Jimaz** · September-17-23, 09:23 AM

I just heard that the brushing scam is firing up again. They're sending seeds again. They say don't plant the seeds because they might be invasive species. Better to destroy them before throwing them out to avoid their sprouting in land fills.

Supposedly they send the seeds so they can write a positive review on your behalf for the product to generate a positive reputation for the merchant. I would think if enough negative reviews were posted it would remove the incentive to do this.

**Jimaz** · November-18-23, 06:22 PM

This recent video has some good, basic advice:

Email Scams Are Getting BETTER - What Should We Do?

At 8:25, he recommends reporting the incident to phishing@<domain_name>, where <domain_name> is the website the scammers were trying to impersonate. I'd recommend also reporting it to abuse@<domain_name>, which was the standard before phishing was prevalent.

Coincidentally I received a scam email today purportedly from xfinity.com. It was obviously fake because it consisted mostly of garbage text — a lot of it. This was a new twist. I suspect it was an attempt to exploit a buffer overflow vulnerability in some email client. Oh, and the "hidden" email address was from a carpet cleaning company in New Zealand. LOL!

**Jimaz** · November-20-23, 09:23 PM

Here’s what Superior Ambulance said about
massive surprise bills hitting Metro Detroiters

We’ve heard from hundreds of people in Metro Detroit dealing with massive, surprise ambulance bills -- so we went straight to the company to get some answers.

**Jimaz** · November-21-23, 07:13 PM

Metro Detroiters with surprise ambulance bills call

So many Metro Detroiters reached out to Help Me Hank following his interview with Superior Ambulance. The issue is the gigantic bills many are receiving. Superior set up new customer service options to work with folks, including one mom from Imlay City with a bill totaling more than $40,000.

**Jimaz** · November-22-23, 03:11 PM

The growing misbelief that artificial intelligence is infallible is being used to provide cover for scammers. Don't be dazzled by algorithms just because they're called A.I.!

Insurer Sued for Using Bad AI to Deny Claims

The lawsuit alleges the AI has a 90% error rate.

**canuck** · November-27-23, 11:52 PM

Sports Illustrated has stories written by AI pseudo journalists. Another affront to human dignity that is bound to piss a lot of readers/subscribers off. I wonder when the First fake swim suit babe is going to grace the pages of that magazine’s famed issue.

**Jimaz** · December-08-23, 08:25 AM

Residents across Metro Detroit battle shocking ambulance bills

DMC: The bill was in error. They owed nothing.

**Jimaz** · December-08-23, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

Sports Illustrated has stories written by AI pseudo journalists. Another affront to human dignity that is bound to piss a lot of readers/subscribers off. I wonder when the First fake swim suit babe is going to grace the pages of that magazine’s famed issue.

Not sure but didn't Orwell's 1984 have a division of the Ministry of Truth called Pornosec that used machines to create pornography for the proles?

That would be AI at its finest. All hail our cybernetic overlords!

**Jimaz** · December-23-23, 08:34 PM

Gas Station Near Airport Accused of Price Gouging

IIRC, that gas station has been overcharging for decades. It's become a tradition. What would have been even more newsworthy is why they hadn't been exposed before now.

**Jimaz** · January-20-24, 08:24 PM

Travelers feel the pinch as major airlines cash in on added service fees

What was once a budget airline tactic has now become common practice, as passengers face an increasing number of fees for services like checking a bag, picking a seat in advance or getting something to eat or drink. Worldwide, fees account for about 20 percent of airline revenue....