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Author: Rebecca Holland

  • ‘It’s not safe’: This Houston couple says their brand-new home in a gated community has become a mold-ridden uninhabitable nightmare — now they’re left in an ‘unfathomable’ position

    ‘It’s not safe’: This Houston couple says their brand-new home in a gated community has become a mold-ridden uninhabitable nightmare — now they’re left in an ‘unfathomable’ position

    When Angela and Terry Taylor of Houston moved into a four-story home in a gated community in 2020, they thought it would be a safe, low-maintenance environment where they could ease into retirement.

    Instead, things started to go wrong almost immediately. The Taylors noticed condensation on the windows and doors. Angela began to feel ill.

    They soon identified the problem: mold. A doctor discovered mold in Angela’s sinuses and told her it was the highest level he had seen in 32 years.

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    Then they checked out the house. Hundreds of thousands of mold spores per cubic meter, on the walls, beneath stucco finishes — even their furniture.

    "It’s not safe for anybody to be there," their attorney Ernest Freeman told KHOU 11.

    The Taylors have moved into an apartment, carrying the costs of the apartment and their new home at the same time.

    "We’re trying to retire one of these days and these are some of the most expensive days of our lives," said Terry Taylor. "It’s unfathomable that we’re in the position we’re in."

    Now they’re suing the home builder, Pelican Builders, and sharing their story to alert other people to the dangers.

    Mold takes a physical and financial toll

    "We worked hard, raised our kids and this is our time, and I’ve gotten sick," Angela said. "It’s just a nightmare."

    The couple said they initially tried to work with the builder on a solution.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Pelican Builders’ lawyer Ben Westcott said that the company offered to repair the Taylors’ home at no cost in 2022. He said the Taylors’ decision not to take the offer led to further degradation of the property.

    But Freeman and his clients note that the builders’ offer did address underlying structural issues that caused the mold growth in the first place.

    Mold grows when houses aren’t properly sealed. Warm air fills the inside of the walls, forced down from the attic. Cooler air from the other side of the wall makes condensation form, causing mold to grow rapidly.

    What you can do if your new home has serious structural issues

    If you, like the Taylors, find structural problems in a new-build home, there are several avenues you can pursue to get help.

    First, review your contract and the builder’s warranty. This type of warranty is standard for new homes, and is also enforced when any extensive remodels to your existing home take place. It covers permanent parts of your home, including concrete floors, plumbing, electrical work and the like.

    You may also have a home warranty, which covers replacements or repairs. This can include appliances or air conditioning systems, and servicing for these items.

    If your warranty covers the repairs you need, you should have no trouble enforcing the terms of your agreement with your builder.

    If the issues are not part of the warranty, but are so significant that the property is uninhabitable, your builder should also make a good faith agreement to repair the damage and underlying issues with the home.

    If your builder refuses to cooperate, you can file a complaint with your state’s contractors licensing board. The specific rules and regulations vary by state, but each board can pursue disciplinary action against a contractor who fails to uphold a reasonable standard for their work.

    Finally, you can consider hiring a lawyer. Look for a representative who has handled similar cases in the past, and can help you understand the laws in place in your state to protect homeowners.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Colorado man fights back after ‘intentionally complex’ hospital billing system leaves him with $104K bill for emergency surgery — how to ensure your hospital doesn’t try to overcharge you

    Blake Pfeifer of Colorado Springs is calling on hospitals to uphold their legal requirements for transparent pricing.

    Pfeifer underwent emergency stomach surgery at the University of Colorado Health Memorial Hospital Central in 2022 and was surprised when bills for his week-long stay just kept coming.

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    “We literally had bills scattered all over the floor and it covered the entire office,” Dawn Pfeifer, Blake’s wife, shared with NBC News.

    Pfeifer was originally charged $104,000 for his hospital stay, which was reduced to $58,124 as he would be paying out of pocket. However, more bills kept arriving, and Pfeifer’s attempts to contact the hospital for clarity on the charges reportedly went nowhere.

    “I’ve always paid my bills,” Pfeifer, 63, told NBC News. “I wanted a little better explanation.”

    A systemic issue

    Unfortunately, patient advocate groups say that Pfeifer’s experience is quite common.

    “Hospitals and insurance companies alike have even hired many middle-player firms to be able to maximize their margins and profits at every single patient encounter,” Cynthia Fisher, founder of PatientRightsAdvocate.org, told NBC News. “Sometimes what we’re finding is the charges like Blake’s that are billed are far beyond even the highest rate that they have within their hospital pricing file.”

    Fisher told NBC News that hospital billing systems seem to be “intentionally complex.” NBC noted that under Colorado law, hospitals that violate the federal price transparency rule — which went into effect in 2021 — are liable to be penalized for deceptive trade practices. The law requires hospitals to clearly state pricing on their respective websites.

    However, NBC News found that a number of Pfeifer’s bills are higher than the hospital’s listed prices, including $99 for a blood culture that was listed between $8 and $61 for insured patients, and $104 apiece for a series of 10 blood tests that should cost anywhere between $6.52 and $52.89 per test, based on the hospital’s website. In fact, NBC News found that only 25% of the charges Pfeifer received were listed on the hospital’s required price list.

    “What happened to Mr. Pfeifer unfortunately repeats itself and plays out across the country thousands of times every year,” said Steve Woodrow, Pfeifer’s lawyer and a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives. “We now have a situation where people are afraid to get medical care because of the financial ramifications.”

    Dan Weaver, a spokesman for UCHealth, said in a statement shared with NBC News that the health system “does everything possible to share prices and estimates with our patients, encourage insurance coverage, assist patients in applying for Medicaid and other programs that may offer coverage.”

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Fighting a broken system

    NBC found that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had penalized only 27 hospitals for non-compliance with transparent billing practices in the last four years since the law took effect. However, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General found in 2024 that only 63 out of 100 hospitals studied were up-to-date with price transparency requirements.

    Furthermore, a study from The Commonwealth Fund found that over 45% of working-age adults in the U.S. who had insurance were charged for a health service that they thought was covered by their insurer.

    NBC also interviewed Damon Carson, a small-business owner in Colorado who was sued by a collection company after he refused to pay the additional bills that started rolling in after his outpatient endoscopy at a UCHealth hospital.

    Carson was originally quoted $1,448 for the procedure and paid upfront, out of pocket, but was later charged an additional $4,742. In mediation, his additional bills were reduced by one-third to settle the case.

    “I was surprised they caved that fast,” Carson told NBC News. “[My wife] and I could easily have paid the $4,000 and our lives gone on. But this was a principle thing.”

    “It’s driven by money”

    The American Journal of Managed Care reported on “pervasive billing errors” and “aggressive tactics” in the health care and insurance industries in 2024. Dr. Jeffrey Sippel, associate director of inpatient clinical services and associate professor of clinical medicine in the Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine Division at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said he’s been overwhelmed with denied insurance claims from Medicare Advantage plans.

    “It’s driven by money,” said Sippel in an article on The American Journal of Managed Care’s website. “It’s driven by a lack of appreciation of how dynamic these patients are, and how quickly they can change from sort of stable to doing quite poorly.”

    These overbilling practices are all the more troubling considering how much the federal government spends on health care in the United States.

    Data from the World Health Organization shows the U.S. government spends approximately double what other G7 nations spend on health care per citizen. In 2021, the U.S. spent $12,000 per person on health care while the average spend for other G7 countries was between $4,400 and $7,600. Canada, for example, reportedly spent $6,600 per person on health care, while the U.K. was at $6,200 per citizen.

    Challenging inaccurate hospital bills

    So, what can you do if you find yourself with additional bills piling up after a hospital stay? In Colorado, patients can sue a hospital for instigating debt collection proceedings against them if they believe the hospital violated price transparency laws.

    If you find yourself in a dispute over a hospital bill, advocate for yourself and insist on a clear explanation of your charges. In fact, Fisher has some strategic advice for anyone facing charges after a stay in the hospital.

    “No one should ever pay that first bill,” she told NBC News. “The onus of proof needs to be on the hospital and the insurance company to prove that they have not overcharged us.”

    The CMS also advises patients to shop around for their health care and compare prices and price transparency practices between hospitals to avoid higher-than-necessary bills. Finally, it’s best to keep your primary care physician involved in the process, as they may be able to help advocate for you and offer additional information on finding accessible health care.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘It’s very upsetting’: Pennsylvania woman allegedly stole $50K after telling tenants she was helping her mother collect their rent — but now it’s not clear who’ll end up paying the price

    ‘It’s very upsetting’: Pennsylvania woman allegedly stole $50K after telling tenants she was helping her mother collect their rent — but now it’s not clear who’ll end up paying the price

    Annette Anderson of York County Pennsylviania is accused of theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking after allegedly scamming the tenants of the 23 rental properties into giving her their rent payments each month.

    News station 21 News reports that Anderson began assisting her elderly mother in 2024 by collecting rent payments for the 23 rental properties her mother managed. However, her mother was not the owner of the properties — she was simply overseeing them on behalf of a separate landlord.

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    By October of that year, Anderson had allegedly stopped handing over the rent money to her mother, instead claiming she was keeping it safe at home. In April 2025, Anderson’s mother told the property owner that she hadn’t received payments in months. Officials said that the owner then attempted to contact Anderson directly several times before finally involving the police.

    While the police were able to contact Anderson at the time, she has allegedly gone on the run.

    Tenants outraged

    Tenants of Anderson’s mother’s units reacted with shock when they learned of Anderson’s charges.

    “Knowing a person like that took money from people like us, and, you know, us trusting her and sending out payments like that, yeah it’s upsetting, it’s very upsetting," said renter Annette Martinez, who is not related to Anderson.

    The York City Police Department found that several tenants had not only paid rent to Anderson, but also their fees for sewage and trash. They also found that she had asked them to pay their rent by Venmo or CashApp in addition to the usual cashier’s check or cash.

    The situation has many in the neighborhood worried, as some tenants say they’re now at risk of losing their homes. “People going in the street, a lot of people are going homeless because the rent is going too high,” said Gilberto Rivera in an interview with local news station 21 News.

    The police told 21 News that Anderson said she was “ashamed” of her actions when they contacted her about the investigation. She said she was involved in gambling at a local casino.

    According to the report, she assured police she would be able to pay the money by April 28, and was looking to get help for her gambling problem. However, she has been unreachable since that time, and police say her whereabouts are unknown.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Tenants may still owe rent despite paying

    It’s unclear right now how the building owner plans to deal with the theft. Martinez told 21 News that the owners of the properties Anderson’s mother managed have hired new personnel to collect rents, and have issued letters that state their intention to “work this out.”

    In a similar case in Tennessee in 2023, tenants were told by their rental company that the theft of their rent payments wasn’t their fault, but they were still expected to pay the company again for the stolen amounts. With a record of all payments, tenants can report to the police and have a strong case to retain a lawyer to contest the demand for additional rent payments.

    In the case of Anderson’s mother, she may be on the hook for the payments collected by her daughter, especially if the checks issued by tenants were not tampered with and are correctly made out to her.

    How to protect yourself from rental scams

    If you are a victim of this type of crime, you can contact your state’s rental board. Some states, like New York, have a Housing and Tenant Protection Unit (HTPU), which is a branch of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

    In cases like this, tenants are advised to ensure they have a paper trail for all rent paid. This allows the police to accurately assess how much was stolen, and also for the tenant to prove to the management company and building owner that they paid their rent in good faith.

    Law firm Kimball, Tirey and St. John advises landlords and property managers on their blog to avoid the possibility of theft by upgrading to more modern and secure methods of collecting rents, including accepting online payments, or taking payments by machine at the office during business hours. Property owners can also demand that managers only accept payments by secure means in their contract agreements, and include other provisions on how rents are collected and paid to protect their interests in the buildings they own.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • A Detroit retail crime blitz just led to 23 arrested, merchandise worth thousands of dollars seized — is America facing a shoplifting crisis?

    A Detroit retail crime blitz just led to 23 arrested, merchandise worth thousands of dollars seized — is America facing a shoplifting crisis?

    A crackdown on shoplifting in Canton, a western suburb of Detroit, Michigan, in early June has led to the recovery of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods.

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    Local news station WXYZ-TV Detroit reports that officers from the local Canton police department, alongside Northville and Plymouth Township police, arrested 23 people during a sting operation conducted over a two-day period at 36 stores.

    Shoplifting and organized retail crime is a major issue in Canton, local law enforcement told WXYZ. Lt. Michael Andes of the Canton police department said, "It’s in the billions nationwide, but it’s millions just here in Canton Township alone. So, our large stores like Walmart and Meijer and Sam’s Club, they’re losing millions of dollars each year.”

    The National Retail Federation reported that $112.1 billion was lost to theft at retailers across the country in 2022.

    The “booster” and “fence” system

    Lt. Andes told WXYZ that shoplifters or “boosters” sell their stolen items to “fences” or stores that buy stolen goods for pennies on the dollar for resale. A lot of the boosters are drug addicts and the fences are often small stores like gas stations, liquor stores, or pawn shops, according to Andes.

    "Our motto is to disrupt and dismantle. We disrupt by arresting these boosters, and then we dismantle by going after the fence, and that is always the goal to go after the fence, the people who are funding this operation, funding the drug addicts, we target them," he said.

    Loss prevention investigators from 16 different retailers worked with the officers in the sting operation. They kept tabs on suspicious shoppers and relayed information to the cops waiting outside.

    How theft may affect you

    One arrest outside of a Kohl’s store captured on camera illustrated how the sting worked. Once the shopper left the store, the officers moved in to apprehend them.

    "She went in and out of changing rooms, taking clothing with her and had a device to defeat the security tag that we found in her purse, and she was prying at those security tags off, and she ultimately stole several hundred dollars’ worth of clothing," said Lt. Andes to WXYZ.

    While a few hundred dollars may not seem like much, the cumulative effect is big for the industry, and major retailers including hardware stores are feeling the hit.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Lt. Andes also described how he believes this affects regular consumers.

    "Ultimately, we’re all paying extra for our items, and the prices continue to go up, and we’re here to combat that problem as well as bringing these addicts into our communities that are committing crimes, and that’s what we don’t want to have here," he said.

    Some of the other potential effects of shoplifting are loss of jobs and tax revenue if stores are forced to close and increased workload for law enforcement and the judicial system, according to retail security company InVue.

    Is shoplifting on the rise?

    The Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), a nonpartisan research group, looked at crime data through 2024 from 25 American cities and found the average reported shoplifting rate in 2024 was 14% higher than in 2023. Across the sample cities, the 2024 shoplifting rate was about 1% higher than in 2019.

    "Reported incidents of shoplifting, a crime that has received enormous attention in state capitols, Congress, and the media, dropped abruptly early in the pandemic as stores closed during COVID lockdowns, but have now increased back to 2019 levels," said the report.

    However, data collected through the fall of 2024 suggested that shoplifting levels were higher than pre-2020 rates in the country’s three largest cities — Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. “Chicago, in particular, experienced notably elevated rates of reported shoplifting through the first 10 months of this year. In 2023, rates were 10% lower in Chicago, 87% higher in Los Angeles, and 55% higher in New York than in 2019,” said the CCJ.

    The chart for the shoplifting rate in Detroit shows a spike in 2023 and 2024. Detroit as a city is still in recovery from economic collapse. While there are many positive indicators that it is on the upswing, including recording the first population growth since the 1950s last year, and also seeing a record low in violent crimes, the city’s bankruptcy in 2013 and the foreclosure crisis in the same era may have made it difficult for many residents to make ends meet.

    In June 2024, the National Retail Federation did a survey of senior loss prevention and security executives in mid-size to large retailers. It says retailers reported a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2023 versus 2019 and a 90% increase in dollar loss due to shoplifting over the same time period

    A focus on shoplifting as a trend has seen at least 8 states pass new laws targeting retail theft in 2024, reported the Daily Montanan citing the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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  • I’m 45 with 5 children to support and my breadwinning husband died unexpectedly. I only get $1.5K/month from disability and still have a $220K mortgage — how do I secure our financial future?

    I’m 45 with 5 children to support and my breadwinning husband died unexpectedly. I only get $1.5K/month from disability and still have a $220K mortgage — how do I secure our financial future?

    The death of a spouse is devastating under any circumstances. But, what happens if your spouse who passed away was also the breadwinner for your family of seven, including five children?

    When this type of tragic incident occurs, survivors left behind can find their whole life changed.

    Now, imagine that you are the surviving spouse. You have a disability, with a $1,500 monthly benefit and you own a home that you owe $220,000 on. And, your basic monthly bills (not including expenses like food, transportation and health care) are $3,320.

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    You’d probably be panicking about your financial future in this situation, and rightly so. The big question is, what can you do to ensure that you and your children are provided for and the bills get paid?

    Take stock of your situation

    The first thing to do in this situation is to determine what your finances look like based on what your spouse left behind.

    Look to see if your husband has a will, and take account of any assets you may have, such as your spouse’s workplace 401(k), life insurance policies, bank accounts and investment accounts.

    Hopefully, you and your spouse communicated about these issues, and you know where to look. If not, you may have to contact financial institutions, look at your spouse’s computer history and email to see if you can find statements and use the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) life insurance policy locator.

    In most cases, the estate will need to go through probate to officially transfer certain property and assets. A legal aid attorney may be able to help you through this process if you can’t afford a lawyer otherwise. If you were a joint owner on any assets, though, you should be able to access those right away.

    With luck, your spouse left something behind that can help you to make ends meet in this difficult situation. Depending on the equity in your home, you may also be able to downsize to something less expensive while freeing up cash you can invest to produce income to live on.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Claim available benefits

    If your spouse left behind limited resources, the next step is to try to claim any benefits that may be available to you.

    This can include survivor benefits from Social Security. These benefits are available to surviving spouses who are raising minor children, as well as to kids under the age of 17 or kids under the age of 19 if they are still in school. If any of the children have a disability, these benefits can be available at any age.

    With your limited financial resources, you will likely be eligible for other government benefits as well. These can include:

    • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
    • Medicaid health insurance coverage.

    Other benefits, such as utility assistance programs and reduced property taxes, may also be on offer. Check Benefits.gov and search your state’s assistance programs to see what is available. These benefits can help you to make ends meet.

    Consider working in some capacity

    After the death of a breadwinning spouse, it normally would make sense for you to go back to work. However, that may not be the case if you have a disability, because earning too much money could affect your eligibility for disability and other benefits.

    Of course, if you could earn enough to support yourself and your family despite your disability, doing so would be a good idea. If your condition prevents you from doing that, though, then you could end up worse off if you earn too much to get benefits but not enough to meet your needs.

    Still, you can check with the benefits programs you participate in to see how much you are allowed to earn before losing benefits, and check out programs that help with job training and searches for people with a disability.

    Take care of yourself in all aspects of your life

    Finally, you need to think about creating more stability for yourself in your future — including emotional and financial stability.

    Taking steps to become more financially stable, like trying to build an emergency fund and savings, can be a good first step.

    You should also make sure to get the emotional support you need after a devastating loss. Check with your local community center, health center, faith group or hospital for support groups that may be available for you and your kids.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Ohio trio arrested after allegedly stealing more than $600K from SNAP to buy thousands worth of candy, Red Bull and other junk foods — how this type of fraud may be eating into your benefits

    Ohio trio arrested after allegedly stealing more than $600K from SNAP to buy thousands worth of candy, Red Bull and other junk foods — how this type of fraud may be eating into your benefits

    A trio in Columbus, Ohio, are awaiting their chance to enter a plea to fraud charges after allegedly bilking more than $600,000 from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit program.

    It’s not yet known how the group’s scheme worked, but the sweet tooths have been collaborating since July 2024, using stolen SNAP benefit cards to buy thousands of dollars worth of candy, soda, Red Bull and other junk food.

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    Ionut Bizga, Doina Maria Bacelan, and Juan Carlos Pagan Hernandez are charged with several counts of criminal activities described as a "pattern of corrupt activity and food stamp fraud," according to an Ohio Department of Public Safety spokesperson, in an interview with WHIO-TV.

    The stolen goods were placed in Columbus storage units before being shipped out of state, according to Newsweek. Investigators seized card skimmers, cloned gift cards, credit cards, laptops and cell phones. They are also working to identify further suspects in the case.

    While Ohio government officials are working hard to crack down on SNAP fraud, one question remains: Are professional scammers stealing your tax dollars from the program?

    A year-long investigation

    Bizga first became known to Columbus Police in July 2024 when they cited him for crashing into a city fire hydrant. He was rushed to the hospital, where it was learned that he had no identification. He had Texas plates on his minivan, and an additional set of plates for Virginia was found in the trunk. Bizga was found guilty of driving without a licence and fined $300.

    One month later, the Ohio Investigative Unit investigated a tip about stolen SNAP benefits and fake electronic benefit transfer (EBT) transactions were received.

    Bizga appeared in court again in May 2025, but the case was postponed until Bizga and Bacelan could be provided with a Romanian interpreter. Bizga is also subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold — meaning he was held for an additional 48 hours past his release — according to reports from his initial court appearance.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    How widespread is SNAP fraud?

    The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services told ABC News 6 On Your Side that more than $17 million in SNAP benefits have been stolen in the state since summer 2023.

    The most recent federal-level study of SNAP found that between 2015 and 2017, benefit trafficking amounted to approximately $1.27 billion in lost funds. The U.S. Government Accountability Office reported that $10.5 billion of the SNAP program’s overall $90.1 billion budget for 2023 was paid improperly, meaning that people received more benefits than they qualified for.

    Theft of the program’s EBT cards is the biggest issue for regulators. Between 2023 and 2024, states were directed to use $150 million of federal tax dollars to reimburse SNAP recipients who were victims of skimming, card cloning and other types of fraud.

    The situation has caught the attention of Tristan Rader, the representative of the 13th District in the Ohio House of Representatives.

    "Tens of thousands of Ohio families have had their SNAP benefits stolen, leaving them without food and putting more pressure on food banks,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I am working to stop this fraud and make sure help gets to those who need it — because no one should go hungry due to a broken system."

    Preventing SNAP fraud

    The USDA is in the process of upgrading swipe cards with chipped ones to prevent EBT card theft.

    In 2023, the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing fraud, found that SNAP benefits theft accounted for 11% of all government benefits fraud in identity theft cases.

    Software company Propel surveyed 1,700 victims of EBT theft and found that half of the victims didn’t know their benefits were stolen. Additionally, 44% of those reported that they had to borrow money or go into debt to buy food after their benefits were gone.

    In addition to upgrading to more secure EBT cards, the USDA has also released the [SNAP Fraud Framework] to establish best practices for detecting potential fraud. This framework will likely come under more scrutiny as charges were laid in a landmark fraud and bribery scheme involving a longtime USDA employee in May.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Irvine police arrest 5 believed to be linked to ‘transnational organized crime ring’ after security footage shows them posing as Amazon delivery drivers to rob Southern California homes

    Irvine police arrest 5 believed to be linked to ‘transnational organized crime ring’ after security footage shows them posing as Amazon delivery drivers to rob Southern California homes

    A residential break-in on Easter Sunday in Irvine, California has led to the arrest of five people that police say are part of a transnational organized burglary crew.

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    Police say they have been able to link the members, who have ties to Colombia, to other burglaries throughout Southern California.

    Security camera footage released shows them posing as Amazon delivery and food delivery drivers and knocking or ringing the doorbell before entering. Police told KTLA 5 the burglars were trying to blend in to the communities they were targeting.

    Now the five suspects are charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, and narcotics possession.

    If you’re worried about thieves gaining access to your home by adopting these or other tactics, there are a few things you can do to protect your property.

    The operation

    On April 20, a resident in Irvine reported that his surveillance cameras showed multiple people unknown to him in his home while he was away. The people were dressed as Amazon delivery drivers. By the time the police arrived, the burglars had already left, taking with them designer purses, shoes and jewelry.

    However, an officer spotted a suspicious vehicle leaving the area and stopped it. The driver, Jhon Osorioarias, a 24-year-old Fontana resident, said he was delivering food to a customer, but he could not provide the address where he delivered it. Police found suspicious items in the vehicle, and he was arrested for being unlicensed.

    After an “exhaustive investigation” of Osorioarias, they determined he was part of an organized burglary crew and identified his associates as well.

    With the help of the department’s drone team, the investigators were able to coordinate a successful operation that culminated in the arrests of the five suspects in May.

    “The investigation is ongoing, and more charges could be added as detectives sort through the evidence,” the police said in the press release.

    According to KTLA 5, police said hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen property has been recovered from the suspects, including cash, jewelry, designed handbags and four guns, and they are in the process of tracing the owners.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    How to protect your home from break-ins

    The good news is data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reveals reports of burglaries have fallen sharply since 2011.

    The agency says that residential properties account for most burglaries, and in 2019, the average dollar loss per burglary offense was $2,661.

    To protect yourself from this crime, you can take some simple precautions.

    A survey of victims in Charlotte revealed that most burglaries happen during the day, between noon and 4 pm. This is prime time for most individuals to be out of the home, whether they’re working or running errands. So even if you’re just taking a quick trip to the store, be sure to lock all your doors and windows, and enable your security system during these hours. Also be extra-aware of potential burglars posing as delivery drivers around your neighborhood and scouting homes to hit.

    Cameras and security systems are more accessible than ever, and can help to deter thieves who may try to enter your home. One study by the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice (SCJ) in Newark found that “installed burglar alarm makes a dwelling less attractive to the would-be and active intruders and protects the home without displacing burglaries to nearby homes.”

    Clear signage, as provided by your security company, and a camera placed in a prominent location near your front door can be enough to scare away anyone attempting to enter your home.

    The Justice Department has found that renters are more likely to be the targets of theft than those who own their homes. In 2011, the rate of completed burglary was 18.3 per 1,000 households that owned the property and 32.7 per 1,000 households that rented.

    “If you’re a renter, you’re at high risk for a home break-in,” says Safewise. “Read your lease and talk to your landlord about any security concerns you have. Ask if you can upgrade the lock in your apartment, or add a compact all-in-one security system like the Abode Iota or Canary.”

    Finally, it’s critical to have either renters or homeowners insurance. In the case of a break-in, your landlord or property management company is not liable for any damages or items stolen.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘It’s very upsetting’: Pennsylvania woman allegedly stole $50K after telling tenants she was helping her mother collect their rent — but now it’s not clear who’ll end up paying the price

    ‘It’s very upsetting’: Pennsylvania woman allegedly stole $50K after telling tenants she was helping her mother collect their rent — but now it’s not clear who’ll end up paying the price

    Annette Anderson of York County Pennsylviania is accused of theft by deception and theft by unlawful taking after allegedly scamming the tenants of the 23 rental properties into giving her their rent payments each month.

    News station 21 News reports that Anderson began assisting her elderly mother in 2024 by collecting rent payments for the 23 rental properties her mother managed. However, her mother was not the owner of the properties — she was simply overseeing them on behalf of a separate landlord.

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    By October of that year, Anderson had allegedly stopped handing over the rent money to her mother, instead claiming she was keeping it safe at home. In April 2025, Anderson’s mother told the property owner that she hadn’t received payments in months. Officials said that the owner then attempted to contact Anderson directly several times before finally involving the police.

    While the police were able to contact Anderson at the time, she has allegedly gone on the run.

    Tenants outraged

    Tenants of Anderson’s mother’s units reacted with shock when they learned of Anderson’s charges.

    “Knowing a person like that took money from people like us, and, you know, us trusting her and sending out payments like that, yeah it’s upsetting, it’s very upsetting," said renter Annette Martinez, who is not related to Anderson.

    The York City Police Department found that several tenants had not only paid rent to Anderson, but also their fees for sewage and trash. They also found that she had asked them to pay their rent by Venmo or CashApp in addition to the usual cashier’s check or cash.

    The situation has many in the neighborhood worried, as some tenants say they’re now at risk of losing their homes. “People going in the street, a lot of people are going homeless because the rent is going too high,” said Gilberto Rivera in an interview with local news station 21 News.

    The police told 21 News that Anderson said she was “ashamed” of her actions when they contacted her about the investigation. She said she was involved in gambling at a local casino.

    According to the report, she assured police she would be able to pay the money by April 28, and was looking to get help for her gambling problem. However, she has been unreachable since that time, and police say her whereabouts are unknown.

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    Tenants may still owe rent despite paying

    It’s unclear right now how the building owner plans to deal with the theft. Martinez told 21 News that the owners of the properties Anderson’s mother managed have hired new personnel to collect rents, and have issued letters that state their intention to “work this out.”

    In a similar case in Tennessee in 2023, tenants were told by their rental company that the theft of their rent payments wasn’t their fault, but they were still expected to pay the company again for the stolen amounts. With a record of all payments, tenants can report to the police and have a strong case to retain a lawyer to contest the demand for additional rent payments.

    In the case of Anderson’s mother, she may be on the hook for the payments collected by her daughter, especially if the checks issued by tenants were not tampered with and are correctly made out to her.

    How to protect yourself from rental scams

    If you are a victim of this type of crime, you can contact your state’s rental board. Some states, like New York, have a Housing and Tenant Protection Unit (HTPU), which is a branch of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

    In cases like this, tenants are advised to ensure they have a paper trail for all rent paid. This allows the police to accurately assess how much was stolen, and also for the tenant to prove to the management company and building owner that they paid their rent in good faith.

    Law firm Kimball, Tirey and St. John advises landlords and property managers on their blog to avoid the possibility of theft by upgrading to more modern and secure methods of collecting rents, including accepting online payments, or taking payments by machine at the office during business hours. Property owners can also demand that managers only accept payments by secure means in their contract agreements, and include other provisions on how rents are collected and paid to protect their interests in the buildings they own.

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘End the excuses’: California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on cities to ban homeless encampments as he escalates crackdown — but here’s why critics are calling it ‘backwards’

    ‘End the excuses’: California Gov. Gavin Newsom calls on cities to ban homeless encampments as he escalates crackdown — but here’s why critics are calling it ‘backwards’

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom has introduced a model ordinance, calling on state municipalities to ban tent encampments on public property.

    “There’s nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets,” Newsom said in a press release on May 12. “Now, we’re giving [local leaders] a model they can put to work immediately, with urgency and with humanity, to resolve encampments and connect people to shelter, housing and care.”

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    Following the model ordinance would make it illegal “to construct, place or maintain on public property any semi-permanent structure.” Furthermore, it would be unlawful to “sit, sleep, lie or camp on any public street, road or bike path, or on any sidewalk in a manner that impedes passage.” Unhoused Californians are also restricted from camping in the same spot on public property for more than three days or nights in a row.

    In addition, prior to any enforcement, officials would be required to provide notice and “make every reasonable effort to identify and offer shelter” and “offer supportive services” to persons living in the encampment.

    The effort will in part be backed by $3.3 billion in new funding available to communities for housing and treatment options for the most seriously ill and homeless in California.

    Homelessness in the Golden State

    As the largest state by population, California also has the largest unhoused population. According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 187,000 people were estimated to be homeless in California on a single night last year — accounting for nearly one quarter (24%) of the national total. Two-thirds of the state’s homeless were also unsheltered.

    On the bright side, the amount of homeless in California only increased 3% between 2023 and 2024, while it grew 18% across the country in the same time period.

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    Despite the high number of homeless in the state, California remains one of the richest in the U.S. Median household income in the state was an estimated to be $95,521 in 2023, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from the American Community Survey, compared to $77,719 nationwide. But the high cost of living, including real estate and rental prices in major cities, has kept many low-income earners from securing affordable housing in California. The state’s minimum wage is $16.50 per hour, while Zillow reports the average rent price for a one-bedroom unit to be $2,144 per month as of June 8.

    Newsom can’t force municipalities to adopt the new model ordinance, however, some local leaders may be on board. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie previously vowed to clean up city streets, while San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan has proposed arresting homeless people who refuse housing.

    Criticisms of Newsom’s plan

    Some officials are skeptical of the initiative and have accused the government of exaggerating the state’s funding of programs to tackle homelessness. In the governor’s press release, it’s stated that Newsom had provided communities $27 billion to address the crisis.

    “That’s just not true. More than half of it went to housing, not homelessness,” Jeff Griffiths, Inyo County Supervisor and California State Association of Counties President, said in a statement. “How much of that housing has actually been built?”

    Jesse Rabinowitz, Campaign and Communications Director for the National Homelessness Law Center, called the approach “backwards” and told The New York Times “we will continue to push for real solutions to homelessness, like housing and services.”

    Newsom did not mince words when he placed the responsibility at the feet of local authorities.

    “The state has changed, and so too now must the cities and counties,” Newsom said during a press conference. “It is time to take back the streets. It’s time to take back the sidewalks. It’s time to take these encampments and provide alternatives. And the state is giving you more resources than ever. And it’s time, I think, to just end the excuses.”

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘An American nightmare’: Massachusetts landlord started driving Uber just to pay his bills during 2-year battle with ‘professional tenants’ — how to spot renters trying to ‘play the system’

    After losing nearly $100,000, Leo Behaj is sharing his experience with a pair of troublesome renters he says “have a PhD” in scamming landlords.

    Behaj and his wife bought a second home in Reading, Massachusetts a few years ago with the intention of moving in when their children got to high school, allowing the kids to attend a school in the district. In 2021, they found a couple who were keen to rent the property in the meantime — a couple that reportedly also wanted to keep their children in the desirable district.

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    Almost immediately, these tenants began to complain about needed repairs and stopped paying rent. As Behaj and his wife would come to learn, the couple has reportedly been repeating this pattern with helpless landlords for 20 years, having been at the center of 12 eviction cases in the state.

    "They’re professionals," Behaj shared with NBC10 Boston. "These people have a PhD. They have everything for how to screw the system."

    Meet Bryan Coombes and Nicole Inserra

    Behaj and his wife came to the U.S. from Albania in 2010, and since they were new to the country, renting this property was their first experience as landlords.

    "I said to my friends, ‘From an American dream, it can become an American nightmare.’"

    Bryan Coombes and Nicole Inserra, the couple accused of being "professional tenants,” battled Behaj in court for two years. Behaj says Coombes represented himself during the proceedings and seemed to know exactly what to do in order to delay the couple’s eviction.

    NBC10 Boston also reports that $13,000 in rental assistance, which is covered by taxpayer dollars, was given to Coombes and Inserra during their stay at Behaj’s property. Meanwhile, during the two-year battle with his tenants, Behaj was forced to take a second job as an Uber driver to pay the mortgage on both of his properties.

    After losing $95,000 in legal fees and unpaid rent, Behaj sold the house in order to work his way out of debt.

    NBC10 Boston also found that while Coombes and Inserra were Behaj’s tenants, they filed for bankruptcy five times. Federal court records show the couple has a combined nine bankruptcy cases between the two of them.

    Speaking outside the court, Coombes told NBC10 Boston that he is not a professional tenant.

    "That’s not true. I use the law, and the law helps me do what I need to do," Coombes said. "I don’t avoid paying rent. I use the law to my advantage when people don’t fix things that are supposed to fix things."

    Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

    The first of many victims

    NBC10 Boston’s investigative team managed to track down the first family that Coombes and Inserra had issues with 20 years ago.

    Peter Amato’s parents bought a duplex in Woburn that Amato and his wife, Teri, lived in until 2004. Amato’s parents then rented the property out to Coombes and Inserra and, according to court records, the couple almost immediately stopped paying rent.

    Amato said issues dragged on for months. Complaints to the city’s health department over things like lightbulbs, asbestos and lead paint allowed Coombes and Inserra to stay on the property without paying rent. After months of mounting costs, Amato’s parents finally gave up.

    "It was either pay them and stop bleeding out money, or fight them and bleed out money and put yourself in financial chaos," said Amato. "It was cheaper to give them $20,000 and tell them to get lost."

    The latest case

    Coombes and Inserra are now battling a new landlord over the same type of alleged issues they claimed were wrong with Behaj’s property. NBC10 Boston spoke with Bob Lee, an attorney who is currently working on a case for a landlord who rented a home in Burlington to Coombes and Inserra.

    "Their whole entire goal is just to stay on the property as long as possible, paying the least amount of money possible," Lee said. "It doesn’t take a lot of effort to play the system that way."

    The owner of the Burlington home filed an affidavit in May, saying he and his wife plan to move back into the house once he takes possession because he can’t afford to pay two mortgages and risk foreclosure.

    Meanwhile, the homeowner has amassed nearly $100,000 in losses including rent, legal fees and repairs. The homeowner also claims in the court filing that he was forced to borrow money from friends and family.

    "Without the court’s immediate intervention to allow me to take rightful possession of my property, this is an unsustainable, unreasonable and unjustifiable situation for any landlord," the homeowner said in his affidavit. "There is no scenario where the tenants can make me whole."

    Professional tenants explained

    Also known as professional renters, tenants who use loopholes to avoid paying rent are not uncommon. In fact, 58.5% of respondents to a National Multifamily Housing Council survey in 2024 said they’ve experienced an “increase in nonpayment of rent due to fraud in the past 12 months.”

    A professional tenant’s goal is quite simple: wrap up the landlord with complaints and legal proceedings to avoid paying rent and delay eviction for as long as possible. Coombes and Inserra have reportedly been running this playbook for decades, using bankruptcy as another tactic to prolong court proceedings and delay eviction.

    Due to failure to file the required documentation, all of the bankruptcy cases filed by Coombes and Inserra were dismissed, but the two likely knew their cases would fail.

    "It’s pretty obvious that they never intended any of these cases to be successful," said Josh Burnett, a bankruptcy attorney who reviewed the court filings with NBC10 Boston. "They were just trying to buy time."

    How to spot professional tenants

    Thankfully, there are a number of legitimate ways that landlords can screen potential tenants to ensure they’re trustworthy.

    In addition to the usual credit check, a landlord can also run a criminal background check on any potential tenants. Landlords may also ask for an employer letter or even pay stubs to prove the tenants have sufficient income to afford rent each month. It’s also worth asking for references from more than one previous landlord if the prospective tenants have a history of frequent moves.

    Getting a sense of a prospective tenant’s rental history is key. Behaj told NBC10 Boston that while he spoke to a reference for Coombes, he now believes the person he spoke with was only impersonating a landlord.

    If you’re a first-time landlord, asking plenty of questions can help you understand more about your prospective tenants and provide clarity on any gaps in their rental history, allowing you to make a sound judgement about their character. Trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to keep looking if you don’t think a potential tenant is the right fit for you.

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