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Scammers often pose as government agents, police officers and well-known businesses

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Imposter scammers use fake caller ID information, real employee names and official-looking documents to appear legitimate.

• The FTC says no legitimate government agency will demand cryptocurrency, gold or a money transfer to resolve an unexpected problem.

• Consumers should independently contact the organization or family member involved instead of using links or phone numbers supplied by the caller.

Imposter often begin with an urgent warning from someone who appears to represent a government agency, law enforcement office or familiar company. The Federal Trade Commission is reminding consumers that appearances can be deceiving.

In a new consumer alert, the FTC explains how criminals assume false identities to obtain money, personal information or access to financial accounts.

The scammers may claim that the consumer owes taxes, missed jury duty or has an account connected to criminal activity. Others pose as employees of Amazon, Geek Squad, a package-delivery company or another recognized business.

Some criminals even impersonate the FTC itself. The agency says it will never threaten consumers, order them to transfer money for protection, or tell them to withdraw cash or purchase gold and give it to someone.

How scammers appear convincing

Imposters have several tools for making their stories seem believable. They can manipulate caller ID information so that an incoming call appears to come from a legitimate agency or business.

They also may provide an employee identification or badge number, use the name of a real government official or send documents bearing official-looking seals. In some cases, scammers invent agency names that sound authentic but do not exist.

Technology is making family-emergency more convincing as well. Criminals can use personal details gathered online and sometimes AI-generated voice cloning to pose as a child, grandchild or other relative who urgently needs money.

The common thread is pressure. Scammers typically want the victim to act immediately, before there is time to check the story or consult someone else.

Warning signs to recognize

According to the FTC, demands for unusual forms of payment are a major red flag. Consumers should never send cryptocurrency, gold or money in response to an unexpected call or message from someone they do not know.

A caller who says money must be quickly moved to another account to keep it safe is also running a scam, the agency said. Legitimate institutions do not instruct customers to transfer their savings to a so-called secure account.

Government imposters may threaten arrest over unpaid taxes, missed jury duty or an allegedly suspended Social Security number. Business imposters may send a bogus renewal invoice, offer a fake refund or claim that a computer or package-delivery problem requires immediate payment.

Job scammers sometimes pose as recruiters and tell applicants to pay for equipment, training or certifications. Prize scammers claim that fees or personal information must be provided before winnings can be released.

How consumers can protect themselves

The FTC recommends pausing and discussing the situation with someone trusted, particularly when a stranger claims the matter is urgent, involves a crime or requires secrecy.

Consumers should not click links or call numbers contained in unexpected messages. Instead, they should independently locate the organizations official website or phone number and ask whether there is a genuine problem.

The agency also reminds consumers that they retain legal rights and protections even if they owe a debt, missed jury duty or experienced identity theft. An intimidating caller cannot eliminate those protections by demanding immediate payment.

Anyone who encounters an imposter scam can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Consumers who already sent money or disclosed personal information should contact the payment provider and affected financial institutions immediately, change compromised passwords and follow the FTCs recovery guidance.

Michigan alone has reported more than 11,000 cases

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Michigan health officials have reported two deaths associated with the states Cyclospora outbreak, the first deaths reported during the nationwide surge.

• Michigan has recorded 11,234 cases and 193 hospitalizations; both people who died had significant underlying health conditions.

• Federal officials have linked one portion of the nationwide outbreak to recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, but other clusters remain under investigation.

The Cyclospora outbreak has taken a deadly turn. Two Michigan residents have died from illnesses caused by the parasite, marking the first reported deaths during this years nationwide increase in infections.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported the deaths Monday. Medical records indicated that both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been affected by cyclosporiasis and the dehydration it caused. The state did not release their names, ages or other details.

Deaths from cyclosporiasis are uncommon in the United States, and the illness is generally not considered life-threatening. However, prolonged diarrhea can cause serious dehydration, particularly among older adults and people with weakened immune systems or other medical conditions.

Michigan had recorded 11,234 cases as of Aug. 3. At least 193 patients had been hospitalized as of July 30, according to the state health department. It is not immediately clear why Michigan accounts for the majority of U.S. cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was aware of the two deaths and would update its national figures to include them.

More than 18,000 confirmed or suspected cases

The CDC had received reports of 6,707 laboratory-confirmed, domestically acquired cases in 45 states between May 1 and July 27. At least 423 patients had been hospitalized.

In addition, the agency was reviewing more than 11,500 suspected cases that had not been laboratory-confirmed or still required further investigation. Many of those reports came from Michigan and Ohio, bringing the combined number of confirmed and suspected cases nationwide to more than 18,000.

The CDC warned that case numbers are likely to continue rising because it can take about six weeks for an illness to be reported, investigated and added to federal totals. Some patients also recover without seeking medical care or being tested.

The nationwide figures include several clusters that may not share the same source.

Iceberg lettuce linked to one outbreak

Federal investigators have connected at least 1,947 illnesses in nine states to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. Those cases involved people who reported eating at Taco Bell restaurants before becoming ill. At least 98 patients in that cluster were hospitalized.

The affected states are Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Taylor Farms de Mexico recalled all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico on July 17. The recall included certain Marketside iceberg salad and shredded lettuce products sold at Walmart, along with products supplied to restaurants and other food-service customers.

The recalled lettuce was distributed to consumers, restaurants or retailers in at least 27 states. Taco Bell said it stopped using lettuce from the supplier on July 17.

The CDC advises consumers not to eat recalled lettuce. It should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase. Containers, countertops and other surfaces that touched it should be washed with hot, soapy water.

However, the lettuce-related outbreak represents only part of the nationwide increase. Michigan officials say lettuce or salad greens may be a source of illnesses in the state, but other foods have not been ruled out.

Symptoms can last for weeks

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite commonly spread through food or water contaminated with feces. It is not generally transmitted directly from one person to another because the parasite must spend time in the environment before becoming infectious.

The most common symptom is frequent, watery diarrhea. Other symptoms can include:

• Loss of appetite and weight loss

• Stomach cramps and bloating

• Increased gas

• Nausea

• Fatigue

• Headache, fever or body aches

Symptoms usually begin about one week after exposure but can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks or longer. Without treatment, the illness may last for weeks and can appear to improve before returning.

People with persistent diarrhea should contact a health care provider and ask about Cyclospora testing because routine stool tests do not always check for the parasite. Patients should also drink fluids to reduce the risk of dehydration. Cyclosporiasis is commonly treated with the antibiotic combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Hidden Gmail tools can eliminate email clutter in just a few clicks

• Cut inbox clutter fast. Add #sub to your Gmail URL to access Gmail's hidden Subscriptions page and unsubscribe from unwanted emails in just a few clicks.

• Let Gmail do the work. Search shortcuts, labels, filters, and the built-in Unsubscribe button can organize years of email in minutes.

• Treat your inbox like a to-do list. Archive emails you'll need later, delete what you won't, and use labels and snooze to keep important emails front and center.

From hidden Gmail tricks to powerful search tools, here's how to eliminate inbox clutter, manage subscriptions, and finally make Gmail work for you.

If checking Gmail feels like digging through a junk drawer, you're not alone. Between store promotions, newsletters, package updates, social media alerts, and marketing emails, the average inbox can become overwhelming surprisingly quickly.

The good news is that you don't need to create a new email address or spend hours deleting emails one-by-one.

Here are six powerful (but often overlooked) Gmail features that can dramatically clean-up your inbox.

1. Add #sub to your Gmail URL

Here's one of Gmail's best-kept secrets. While logged into Gmail, simply add #sub to the end of your Gmail URL and press Enter.

For example:

From:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox

To:

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#sub

This will take you to Gmails somewhat hidden Subscriptions page, where all of your recurring email subscriptions are gathered into one convenient list.

This eliminates the need to search for newsletters or company subscription emails one by one. The you can quickly see who's filling your inbox (and how often) and unsubscribe with just one click.

Pro tip: Start with the companies that send you the most emails. Unsubscribing from just five or six of those frequent senders can dramatically reduce your daily inbox clutter.

2. Use Gmail's built-in Unsubscribe button

You don't have to scroll to the tiny unsubscribe link at the bottom of every marketing email.

For many legitimate newsletters, Gmail displays an Unsubscribe button next to the sender's name at the top of the message. One click removes you from future marketing emails without ever leaving Gmail.

Important: If an email looks suspicious or appears to be phishing, don't click unsubscribe. Mark it as spam instead.

3. Find out whos flooding your inbox

Before deleting anything, identify the senders creating the most clutter.

Search Gmail for a retailer, newsletter, social network, or delivery service you frequently see. Try the company name first, then search the senders email address if the results are too broad.

You can also use searches such as:

• category:promotions

• category:social

• from:retailer@example.com

• list:newsletter@example.com

• unsubscribe

Gmails Promotions category, for example, is specifically designed for deals, offers, and marketing emails, while Updates typically holds automated confirmations, statements, and reminders. Try reviewing one category at a time and it will make the cleanup feel far less overwhelming.

Once you find a repeat offender, dont simply delete its latest email. Search for every message from that sender, unsubscribe, and then remove the backlog.

On desktop, select the checkbox above the search results. Gmail may initially select only the messages visible on that page, so look for an option to select all conversations matching the search before deleting or archiving them.

Pro tip: Start with the retailers and newsletters sending several emails per week. Removing five aggressive senders may reduce more clutter than unsubscribing from 25 occasional newsletters.

Be careful not to bulk-delete messages from banks, insurers, utilities, schools, medical providers, or tax services until youve checked whether they contain records you may need.

4. Master Gmails search shortcuts

Gmails search bar can do much more than find a senders name. It lets you quickly narrow messages by date, size, status, category, recipient, and attachment type. And you can actually combine multiple search filters in one search.

Useful cleanup searches include:

• older_than:2y give you messages older than two years

• category:promotions older_than:6m older marketing emails

• is:unread older_than:1y long-ignored unread messages

• larger:10M messages larger than 10 megabytes

• has:attachment larger:5M large messages with attachments

• filename:pdf older_than:3y older PDF attachments

• from:example.com older_than:1y older messages from one company

• before:2025/01/01 anything received before a specific date

• has:drive messages containing Google Drive links

Once you narrow down your search, you can then start organizing the emails that you want to keep.

5. Know when to archive, delete, snooze, or mute

These four Gmail actions solve different problems, but many people use only Delete.

• Archive removes a message from the inbox while keeping it in your account. It remains searchable, and if someone replies to the conversation, it returns to the inbox.
  
  Archive the following:

  • Receipts you may need later

  • Travel confirmations from completed trips

  • Work conversations that are finished

  • Warranty information

  • Financial notices worth retaining

• Delete messages that have no future value, such as expired promotions, duplicate shipping alerts, and outdated newsletters.

• Snooze messages that matter but dont require your attention today. Gmail will temporarily remove them and return them to the inbox at the date and time that you choose.

• Mute long group threads you no longer need to follow. Future replies generally skip the inbox and go directly to the archive, although Gmail will bring them back if someone directly addresses you.

Pro tip: Treat your inbox as a to-do list, not as permanent storage. When a message no longer needs your attention, consider archiving it or deleting it.

6. Use a small, practical label system

Labels can help, but creating dozens of them may simply replace inbox clutter with label clutter.

Unlike traditional folders, Gmail labels can overlap. One message can carry several labels for example, Travel, Receipts, and Taxes without requiring multiple copies. Google allows users to create labels, nest them, apply more than one to a message, and combine them with filters.

Start with a short list of labels based on the emails you retrieve regularly.

In my experience, here are the labels worth creating:

• Action required

• Bills

• Receipts

• Travel

• Taxes

• Medical

• School

• Work

• Warranties

Definitely try to avoid labels for every retailer, acquaintance, or temporary project, as you end up with too many. Using Gmail search to find those emails is usually a better solution.

Pro tip: Consider setting a personal inbox limit to keep things under control. This could be something like 25 or 50 emails. Then when the total rises above your number, spend a few minutes archiving and deleting until youre back under control.

The anti-theft technology is expanding but so are privacy concerns

• The technology compares shoppers' faces against watchlists of people suspected of theft, fraud, or violence.

• Privacy advocates warn that everyone entering the store is scanned, and facial recognition isn't always accurate.

• California shoppers can request information about and in some cases deletion of their biometric data under state privacy laws.

Several Grocery Outlet stores in the San Francisco Bay Area have begun using facial recognition technology at their entrances, raising new questions about privacy and how retailers are using technology to combat shoplifting.

According to reporting by SFist and Mission Local, four stores in San Francisco neighborhoods are among those using a system called SAFR Guard, which scans the faces of people entering the store and compares them against a watchlist of individuals suspected of theft, fraud, violence, or other criminal activity.

Small signs posted near store entrances notify shoppers that "Face Matching software" is in use.

How does it work?

SAFR Guard uses security cameras to capture facial images as customers enter the store. Those images are compared against a retailer watchlist compiled from previous security incidents. If the system believes it has identified someone on the list, store employees may receive an alert.

According to the company, the technology is designed for security purposes and is intended to identify people "reasonably suspected" of unlawful activity rather than monitor every shopper.

Why are privacy advocates concerned?

Privacy advocates make the argument that the system scans everyone who walks through the door, including shoppers who have done nothing wrong.

They also point out that facial recognition technology is not perfect. Experts say factors such as lighting, camera angles, and image quality can lead to false matches. Previous studies have also found that some facial recognition systems have higher error rates for certain demographic groups.

Those concerns aren't just theoretical. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibited Rite Aid from using facial recognition technology for five years after concluding the company's system repeatedly misidentified innocent customers as shoplifters.

What rights do California shoppers have?

California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives residents important rights over personal information collected by businesses.

If a retailer collects biometric information such as facial images, consumers can generally:

• Request to know what personal information has been collected.

• Ask that eligible personal information be deleted.

• Request that certain personal information not be sold or shared.

People who believe they have been placed on SAFR's watchlist can also request that their biometric information be deleted through the company.

One limitation, however, is that your image may already have been collected before you have the opportunity to make those requests.

What if you don't live in California?

Privacy protections vary widely from state to state.

While a growing number of states have enacted comprehensive consumer privacy laws, many do not specifically regulate facial recognition in retail settings. In many areas, retailers can legally use facial recognition as long as they provide any required notices and comply with applicable state laws.

If you're concerned about biometric privacy:

• Look for signs near store entrances indicating facial recognition is in use.

• Review the retailer's privacy policy before shopping.

• Ask customer service how facial images are stored, shared, and how long they're retained.

Also, dont be afraid to ask whether you can request deletion of your data under your state's privacy laws.