On Oct. 3, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Gill v. Whitford, a Wisconsin case challenging the partisan way state political districts are often drawn, known as gerrymandering. Wendy K. Tam Cho, a political science professor and statistician, has long been fascinated by the redistricting process.
In recent...
You’ve heard about Newton’s laws regarding bodies at rest and bodies in motion. A 21st century corollary is to protect sensitive information when it’s at rest on your network and implement effective safeguards when it’s in motion – for example, when a customer transfers confidential data from their computer...
Consumers are reporting another government imposter scam to steal money. This time the scammers are pretending to be calling from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
According to reports, callers are telling people they’ve been selected to receive a $14,000 grant from NIH. To get it, though, callers tell...
Here at the FTC, we’re known for getting things done on behalf of regular people. Unfortunately, sometimes scammers try to take advantage of our good reputation.
The latest example: Some people have gotten an email that claims to be from Maureen Ohlhausen, the FTC’s Acting Chairman. But it’s not. The...
If you think you’re losing your hearing, consider seeing a doctor or other health professional who specializes in hearing loss. If a hearing aid is right for you, it’s a good idea to do some research. A hearing aid can be expensive. Here are a few tips to help...
The ransomware in the news now is known as WannaCry or WannaCrypt. It locks users out of their systems until they pay the crooks who installed it. This ransomware takes advantage of a security hole in Windows server software that can be closed by an update from Microsoft. Many...
“Something for nothing” sounds appealing, but often there’s a hidden cost. If the something is a site or app offering free downloads or streams of well-known movies, popular TV shows, big-league sports, and absorbing games, the hidden cost is probably malware.
Sites offering free content often hide malware that...
When your electricity goes out, you lose power in more ways than one. Daily necessities are out of reach without lights, warm water, and heat or air conditioning.
So if you get a call from someone threatening to shut off your utilities because they say you owe money, you’re going...
April 3rd marks the 100th birthday of General Edward L. Rowny. At 100 years old, Gen. Rowny hasn’t lost his drive to serve. He is the President of the American Polish Advisory Council and has been involved in many philanthropic activities, like running the Paderewski Scholarship Fund, which provides...
The Federal Trade Commission has charged a group of online marketers with deceptively luring consumers with “free” and “risk-free” trials for cooking gadgets, golf equipment, and access to related online subscription services.
According to the FTC, the defendants asked people for their credit card information to cover shipping and handling,...
