Say a quick prayer for this family

August 16, 2024

Say a quick prayer for this family: A Pennsylvania father helped the FBI track down the scammers responsible for his son’s suicide. Nigerian fraudsters posed as a woman online, got the boy to send nude photos and then demanded $1,000. Just three minutes after he told them he didn’t have the money, he took his own life. His dad later found the email and phone number linking the criminals to the crime.

Tags: family, father, phone, photos

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National Public Data breach: How to protect yourself and your SSN

National Public Data, a company that collects information from nonpublic sources without consent, according to a class-action lawsuit (paywall link), has been hit by a massive data breach. The company makes money by selling personal data to employers, private investigators and anyone conducting background checks.

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The latest class-action lawsuits

From big banks to canned tuna, companies are paying out huge money to settle some pretty fishy business. I’ve rounded up a few of the biggest class-action lawsuits and how to grab your slice of the pie.

This is your reminder I’m not a lawyer, this is not legal advice and a company paying out a settlement doesn’t mean they’re admitting, “Yeah, we messed up.”

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It took radio 38 years to reach an audience of 50 million and just 13 years for television to hit that mark. How long did it take Facebook to reach 50 million users? Was it … A.) 6 months, B.) 1.5 years, C.) 3 years or D.) 5 years?

Find the answer here! →

44 and 60 years old

When our bodies go through dramatic aging. Researchers tracked the molecules and microbes of 108 people over seven years. Most didn’t age gradually but did so in big bursts in their mid-40s and early 60s. Yup, age is an issue of mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

1,329 more steps a day

For people who use health apps and smart devices. A new study shows that people do 55 minutes more exercise per week, eat 20% more fruits and veggies, and sleep better.

$230,000 made at auction

For a factory-sealed Super Mario Bros. game. The owner of Just Press Play, a game and collectibles company, is putting the money into a 22,000-square-foot space in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Wahoo! (Did you read that in Mario’s voice?)

$1,370 raised

On GoFundMe for goldfish living in a sidewalk puddle near a leaky fire hydrant in Brooklyn. After noticing the leak, a guy went to the pet store and got 100 goldfish for $16. Neighbors (and the internet) are loving it and trying to make their makeshift home permanent.

60 miles

Swimming in the wrong direction. A long-distance swimmer attempting 80 miles across Lake Michigan had to call it quits after his GPS watch died and he got way off course. Stinks it ended this way for 60-year-old Jim Dryer, aka “The Shark.”

700 miles per charge

For the new breed of EVs known as extended-range electric vehicles. The catch: You’ll have to gas up every now and then (paywall link). EREVs have a small combustion engine that’s there to charge the electric battery as you drive.

40,000 steps

Reported by Target workers on a single day. That was during an especially busy time: Target Circle Week. The typical store is about 125,000 square feet, and workers took to Reddit to share how far they walked each day.