Author: Victoria Vesovski

If your doctor recommended a test or treatment only for your insurance provider to demand more paperwork first, you’re not alone. That obstacle, known as prior authorization, has become a notorious bottleneck in the U.S. health care system, delaying care and frustrating both patients and providers.

About 16% of insured adults say they’ve run into issues with prior authorization, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. And it’s more than just an inconvenience — it’s part of a larger problem. Americans pay more for health care than anyone else in the world, but still face worse outcomes and declining life expectancy, even as premiums, prescription prices and hospital costs continue to climb.

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Now, federal officials say help may be on the way. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that several of the country’s largest insurers have pledged to overhaul the system and reduce delays.

While that sounds promising, some experts are urging caution.

"I think the question is whether this is actually going to come to fruition," said Miranda Yaver, a health policy professor at the University of Pittsburgh, in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR). "We’ll have to see to what extent they make good on their promise, because right now, it is a pledge."

Red tape’s breaking point

Prior authorization has long been one of the most unpopular parts of the U.S. health care system.

Despite years of promises from insurers to fix it, little has changed. At a press event on June 30, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz acknowledged that this isn’t the first time insurers have promised to streamline the process.

So what’s different now?

“There’s violence in the streets over these issues,” Oz said, referencing the 2024 killing of former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — a tragedy that shook the health care industry and sparked widespread outrage. The man charged with Thompson’s murder, Luigi Mangione, had long posted his struggles with insurance denials and mounting medical debt. He frequently wrote about living with chronic back pain and expressed anger over being denied the treatments he believed he needed.

A survey by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago found that about 7 in 10 adults believe insurance denials or the profits earned by health insurance companies bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death.

Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

What’s changing

Federal health officials say the process should become faster, clearer and less frustrating by the end of the year. The Department of Health and Human Services, alongside AHIP, the main lobbying group for insurers, says the initiative includes six key changes:

• Move prior authorization online, replacing outdated systems with streamlined digital platforms.
• Cut red tape by reducing the number of services that require prior approval.
• Make approvals portable so patients don’t have to start over when they switch insurance mid-treatment.
• Boost transparency so patients and providers get timely updates on decisions and know how to appeal.
• Fast-track the routine care by granting instant approvals for common treatments.
• Require that licensed medical professionals review all clinical denials.

Still, officials acknowledge this won’t be a simple fix. Even as agencies work to reduce bureaucracy, they’re facing their own obstacles. The Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers are backing proposals that would require certain Medicaid recipients to regularly prove they are working to keep coverage.

Whether these reforms lead to meaningful relief or just more promises remains to be seen.

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

When you can’t find farmhands the old-fashioned way, it might be time to think outside the fence posts.

That’s exactly what the founders of Yellowstone Farmstead did. The agricultural venture, nestled at the Montana side of Yellowstone National Park, began as Shugabeet Farms — a solo project launched by sixth-generation Maine farmer Sage LeBlanc. In 2024, she joined forces with fellow East Coaster Allison Larew, former Garden Director at Chico Hot Springs, to grow their shared dream of a sustainable, community-rooted farm.

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But finding the right team to bring their vision to life wasn’t easy.

“I remember looking at Sage and we had gone through applications and I was like, ‘gosh, I wish we could grab from a bigger pool. I was like, it’s our time to try TikTok,” Larew told 4KXLF News.

After combing through nearly 4,000 TikTok applications, the pair hired 12 new employees — mostly women. The farm has grown to 10 acres since then.

But it wasn’t just social media that brought Yellowstone Farmstead to life. It was their entrepreneurial spirit that turned a shared dream into a thriving, boots-on-the-ground business.

From the desert to the valley

It didn’t take long for word to spread. Within just a few months, a dozen new hires packed up and moved to a remote stretch of Paradise Valley, Montana, leaving behind lives in places like Texas, Oklahoma and even Alaska.

Adriana Lopez was one of them. She left the Tohono O’odham Nation in southern Arizona for her first experience living outside the desert.

“I’ve never left the desert. First time. My family was like, “She’s going where? What is she doing? It was scary. It was a big leap for me,” she said.

To help ease that leap, the farm offered free on-site housing in exchange for just 15 hours of work each week — a perk that’s hard to beat. The founders leaned heavily into social media to find the right people, and it paid off.

Roughly 90% of local businesses now use social media to promote their services, and 78% say it’s crucial for driving revenue, according to Synup’s Social Media Marketing Statistics. For this small operation in Paradise Valley, platforms like TikTok weren’t just a marketing tool — they were the bridge between big dreams and the people who were ready to chase them.

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Planting roots in passion

For Larew and LeBlanc, building a business wasn’t just about making a profit. It was about turning a dream into something tangible. They set out to build something far beyond the average farm, but bringing that vision to life took more than just grit and good intentions.

They secured land through a deal with Church Universal and Triumphant — a group once known for its doomsday prophecies — and rolled up their sleeves to convert former church housing into apartment units for employees. They built greenhouses, plowed fields and planted thousands of seeds — not just in the ground, but in the future they envisioned for themselves.

It’s a workload most would call overwhelming. But when you’re chasing something you believe in, it barely feels like work at all.

“I pinch myself every single day. I really do. This is my life’s work. I don’t care if I ever make a cent,” said Larew.

That kind of passion isn’t just poetic — it’s powerful. Jay Chaudhry, self-made billionaire and founder of cybersecurity firm Zscaler, told CNBC Make It that passion is the real game-changer when it comes to building something that lasts.

“If people don’t have passion,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how much experience they have. It just doesn’t matter for any job. You won’t have that internal drive to keep working toward solving problems and moving ahead.”

Whether you’re planting carrots or coding apps, investing in your passion may just be the most rewarding decision — financially and personally — you’ll ever make.

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

Predatory towing has long been a thorn in the side of American drivers — whether their car breaks down at home or they’re forced to move it after a crash. But a Kansas City woman just won a $7.1 million judgment against a local towing company, sending a message to the U.S. towing industry: illegal practices won’t go unpunished. IBISWorld estimates the towing industry is worth $14.4 billion as of 2024.

Attorney Brianne Thomas, a partner at Boyd Kenter Thomas & Parish LLC, calls it a righteous fight, one that began in 2022, when her client parked a food truck in an empty lot behind a shuttered restaurant. There were no signs forbidding parking, no fences, and no warnings. And yet, within 30 minutes, the truck — her entire livelihood — was towed away.

“They were successful, they had her truck for 699 days,” Thomas told Fox 4 Kansas City.

Now, with a verdict in hand, the case is being seen as a wake-up call for the towing industry.

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She fought an illegal tow — and won big

The woman’s food truck was the only vehicle in the lot at the time of the tow. Under Missouri law, a property owner must be present for a tow to be considered legal, but no one was on-site.

“They towed the truck after 30 minutes; they towed illegally,” Thomas told Fox 4.

Instead of paying the thousands of dollars the company demanded to release the truck, the woman filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s office. That decision paid off: a jury has now awarded her $6.9 million in punitive damages, plus $200,000 in compensatory damages.

“The people of Kansas City spoke loud. They spoke not just to this community but to the entire towing industry, and they said it’s not going to happen here, it’s not going to happen anywhere,” Philip Danaher, an attorney at Danaher Law Firm, told Fox 4.

As for the tow company, it appears to have shut down. Its office is now up for sale, and calls to the listed number go unanswered. A neighbor near a second location confirmed the business ceased operations within the last month.

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Protecting yourself from predatory towing

Predatory billing affects 29.8% of crash-related tows in the U.S., according to the Department of Transportation, but there are ways to avoid becoming a victim.

• Know your local laws. Towing rules vary by city and state, and the definition of a “legal” tow isn’t always obvious. Look up your area’s rules, especially if you regularly park in commercial or high-traffic zones.
• Be alert for warning signs. Watch for signage, fencing, painted curbs and fire lanes, even in empty lots. If you’re unsure whether it’s private property, play it safe and park elsewhere.
• Document the scene. If your car is towed, take photos of where it was parked, and ask for a copy of the tow authorization.
• Don’t just pay the fee. If something seems off, like missing signage or an unusually high bill, you don’t have to accept it.
• File a formal complaint. That’s exactly what the Kansas City woman did when her truck was taken without cause, and it made all the difference. She reported the incident to the Missouri Attorney General’s office, and, after a lengthy legal battle, won a $7.1 million verdict. Her story is proof that taking action can lead to real accountability.

A tow shouldn’t wreck your livelihood, but if it does, legal recourse is an option, and fighting back can work.

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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 easy to fall for the charm and potential of a place like Minden, Louisiana — just ask Sara McDaniel.

In 2020, she came across an opportunity to purchase an eight-unit, villa-style apartment complex that had been abandoned for nearly 40 years. By then, McDaniel was no stranger to real estate; she already owned over 20 properties, ranging from short-term rentals to vacant land.

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“The villas weren’t my first rodeo with abandoned properties,” McDaniel told CNBC Make It. “But this project really pushed my skill set.”

In 2021, she purchased what would become The Villas at Spanish Court for $51,306, using her savings to pay for it. But was dipping into her savings to invest in a long-neglected property really worth it?

Falling for potential

McDaniel wasn’t just chasing financial freedom — she was sprinting toward it. As a devotee of the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement, she embraced extreme saving and strategic investing to achieve early retirement. The premise is to save aggressively, invest wisely and eventually live off small withdrawals from a carefully built portfolio — typically around 3% to 4% — or supplement with part-time work.

For McDaniel, real estate was her golden ticket. In her early 30s, she started saving nearly 50% of her income to build a life of freedom and flexibility.

“I was very confident when we closed the deal. But it wasn’t long thereafter that I literally started having panic attacks wondering, ‘What in the world did I get myself into?’” McDaniel admitted. While real estate can be a smart path to financial independence, it’s not exactly a fairy tale. Market shifts and unforeseen expenses can turn a dream investment into a cautionary tale.

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An unexpected surprise

What seemed like a promising investment quickly turned into a financial nightmare. The charm of the apartments faded fast when ceilings began caving in and bullet holes in the windows hinted at deeper structural and safety issues.

Only after closing the deal did McDaniel realize she had skipped a crucial step — an environmental hazard assessment. To bring the properties up to livable standards, she had to pour in far more money than she’d planned. She sold another investment property for $175,364, added $8,000 from other income streams, secured a $202,725 interim construction loan and took out a permanent mortgage of $290,710.

When the villas were fully restored 18 months later, the total cost had ballooned to $729,885.

McDaniel’s experience highlights a hard truth about real estate investing: what looks like a great deal can quickly become a financial drain. Rushing into an investment without fully evaluating the risks can end up costing far more than the purchase price.

Despite the setbacks, by 2024, the villas were fully booked for approximately 1,300 nights at an average rate of $143 per night, generating a total revenue of $224,133 for the year.

Getting into the market

Real estate can be a great investment, but not everyone wants to deal with renovations, maintenance or surprise expenses that eat into profits. Fortunately, there are ways to tap into the market without purchasing a property outright.

One option is investing in fractional shares of vacation and rental properties, sometimes for as little as $100. This allows investors to gain exposure to real estate without the overhead costs or financial risks associated with full ownership.

For those looking to make a larger investment, commercial real estate can offer strong returns. According to Nolo, commercial properties typically yield an annual return of 6% to 12% of the purchase price, making them an attractive option for portfolio diversification.

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

After turning heads on Big Brother, Amanda Zachman, the self-proclaimed villain of Season 15, stepped out of the spotlight and into real estate, founding brokerage firm MV Realty.

But the controversy she stirred up on the small screen has followed her into her professional career.

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MV Realty’s Homeowner Benefit Program offers homeowners up to $5,000 in exchange for signing an exclusive agreement to use them as their listing agent if they should happen to put their home up for sale. But when those homeowners try to refinance or sell, they’re met with an unexpected reality.

“They find a lot of ways to call something one thing, but it is what it is,” real estate attorney Jennifer Nachtigal told CBS News Texas. “Call it a Homeowners Benefit agreement, but it’s really like an exclusive listing agreement that binds you to basically pay these people whether or not they do any services for you.”

MV Realty is facing lawsuits in 11 other states for its practices, including the use of misleading agreements that can leave homeowners on the hook for thousands of dollars. Here’s why the program is drawing ire and how signing up could come at a cost.

Trapped by the terms

MV Realty’s Homeowner Benefit Program is reportedly structured with terms that can last up to 40 years and may even be passed on to a homeowner’s heirs in the event of a death. Homeowners who exit the agreement could face significant termination fees.

MV Realty is also alleged to file memoranda against properties. A memorandum is a document that, while not legally classified as a lien, can reportedly obstruct refinancing or the sale altogether.

"Texas’ Constitution has strong protections for the homestead, and they don’t allow certain liens to be filed against the homestead," Nachtigal said. "Even if they’re voluntary, even if the homeowner signed the lien themselves."

A review of public real estate records by the CBS News Texas I-Team suggests MV Realty has filed over 500 memoranda across the Dallas–Fort Worth area and more than 1,200 across Texas.

Tanya Shaw is one homeowner who signed a contract with MV Realty. She said MV Realty approached her in 2024, offering around $1,000 in exchange for signing the agreement. Since she had no plans to sell, Shaw admitted she believed it was a safe decision, until a family emergency forced her to refinance her home. That’s when she said she learned about the memorandum filed against her house. Shaw decided to sell her property. But according to her, the contract gave MV Realty six months to secure a buyer. As a remedy, Shaw hired a different agent to expedite the sale — a direct violation of the agreement’s terms. When the home was sold, she said she was required to pay MV Realty $11,000 in addition to the real estate agent fees.

“I felt stupid,” Shaw told CBS News Texas. “Because even though desperate times call for desperate measures, they gave me $1,000. I could have kept my home if I was able to refinance.”

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

Signed, sealed and stuck

In September 2023, MV Realty filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing all active Homeowner Benefit Agreements as company assets in its court filing. The CBS News Texas I-Team reached out to company founder Zachman and MV Realty for comment, but neither responded.

While the U.S. Trustee Program said it’s committed to ensuring fair access to the bankruptcy courts, homeowners who signed with MV Realty may find themselves with limited options.

That’s the situation Jonathan Mead found himself in. According to KJCT 8 News, the Colorado Springs homeowner received $1,245 under the agreement, but after seeing media coverage, he began to question the deal. When he received the bankruptcy notice, he hoped it would void the contract. But it didn’t, since homeowners received payment upfront, they aren’t classified as creditors or debtors.

State lawmakers across the country are taking notice. Colorado banned these agreements earlier this year, calling them “predatory.” Over the last two years, more than 22 states have passed similar laws.

In Texas, though, two bills aimed at banning them didn’t make it past the committee stage and into legislation. And the state’s attorney general has yet to take public action, declining to respond to requests for comment from reporters.

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

When Americans think of fresh orange juice, they probably picture a glass poured straight from Florida’s sun-drenched groves. But for two decades, the state’s citrus industry has been under siege by a bacterial infection called citrus greening — wiping out 90% of its crop.

Now, hope is budding on an unlikely branch: a 30-year-old tree named Donaldson, growing on a research farm near Groveland. Scientists say it could be the key to rescuing Florida’s oranges from extinction, thanks to its surprising resistance to the deadly disease, also known as Huanglongbing.

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One of the geneticists calling attention to the citrus tree is Matt Mattia, who works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“When I saw the Donaldson tree, I was like, ‘Wow, this is something that’s really unique and really different,’” he told WFTV 9.

Here’s what makes this humble tree so special — and how it could help secure your morning glass of OJ for years to come.

Meet Donaldson

Florida was once bursting with orange trees, but today, Donaldson is the unassuming survivor and may be the industry’s best shot at bouncing back.

What makes this tree stand out comes down to three traits: it’s a genetically pure orange, it produces sweet, high-quality fruit and most importantly, it’s shown resistance to citrus greening.

Florida’s signature orange juice used to rely mainly on just two varieties — Hamlin and Valencia. In a search for solutions, Mattia tested more than 25,000 trees for both disease resistance and fruit quality. Many trees survived the disease but produced bitter, unusable fruit. Donaldson, however, delivered both resilience and sweetness — exactly what Florida growers need.

But disease isn’t the only threat squeezing the state’s citrus industry. Rapid development, devastating freezes and a string of powerful hurricanes — from Irma in 2017 to back-to-back storms in recent years — have battered groves and left farmers struggling to rebuild.

As a result, Florida’s citrus acreage has shrunk from over 832,000 acres at the turn of the century to about 275,000 today.

It’s become such a tough business that Alico — one of Tropicana’s major suppliers — has decided to exit citrus altogether. John Kiernan, CEO of Alico, said in a statement, “Growing citrus is no longer economically viable for us in Florida.”

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

Saving the industry

Mattia isn’t hoarding the Donaldson tree’s potential for his own team, even though the USDA currently keeps the prized tree under lock and key. He says the state has already propagated 18,000 Donaldson trees and is distributing them to growers statewide to speed up the comeback.

“We’re pushing it out to commercial usage,” he said. “If people want to test it in their own grove, it’s available, and we have the data and the research going on here that supports that effort.”

Mary Graham, who runs Graham U-Pick Farms, knows firsthand how devastating citrus greening can be. She’s tried everything from adjusting soil nutrients to cutting back on chemicals, but the disease often has the final say. Still, she’s not throwing in the towel just yet. Graham is eyeing new seedlings for her children to care for one day.

“We’re hopeful about the Donaldson tree,” she told WFTV 9. “With that one, what else can they come up with?”

While the future of Florida’s orange juice is still uncertain, Mattia is staying optimistic. Even if Donaldson falls short, he’s determined to find a blend of citrus that keeps the juice flowing.

“My mission is to really help people,” he said.

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Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

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

It’s not every day a stranger insists on handing you a $20 bill you didn’t drop. But for Sarah — whose last name has been withheld, as reported by Fox LA — that’s exactly what happened on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon at a Ralphs grocery store in Van Nuys.

"He came much closer to me and was kind of pushing the $20 into my wallet," Sarah recalled. "I said, ‘No, I don’t think I did.’"

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At first, it could have been a strange but harmless mix-up. That is, until Sarah noticed the man was suddenly joined by a woman — both of them following her to her car, pressing the cash on her with unsettling persistence. What felt like an awkward moment quickly turned into a coordinated scam. When Sarah checked her wallet, her cash was intact, but her debit card was gone.

Within 30 minutes, the thieves had made multiple withdrawals from Sarah and her daughter, Jennifer’s bank account from a Chase branch.

Unfortunately, Sarah and Jennifer aren’t alone. Distraction scams have been popping up across the country. Here’s how to spot the red flags.

Be on the lookout

Distraction scams don’t come with flashing red lights, they come with kindness and confusion. These types of scams are built on flustering you just enough to make you vulnerable. This involves a stranger creating a diversion — like insisting you dropped a $20 bill — while an accomplice steals something like your wallet or debit card.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from the year before. While that includes a mix of schemes, distraction scams are rising, especially in places we least expect it like grocery store lines.

"It’s a huge violation," Sarah said. "I feel like I’m looking over my shoulder everywhere I go. It’s just horrible."

Jennifer, Sarah’s daughter, filed a police report and shared the story online — and the responses came flooding in. Dozens of people chimed in with eerily similar experiences, revealing just how widespread the scam really is.

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

What you can do to protect yourself

For Jennifer, a teacher with a limited income, falling victim to a scam wasn’t just an inconvenience, it had immediate financial consequences. "My money is gone, and I had just gotten paid," she told Fox LA. As living expenses continue to rise, incidents like this can disrupt far more than a day’s routine.

And yet, that’s why scams like these are so effective, often appearing as benign interactions. “You need to understand the hallmarks of most scams: They contact you first, dangle some sort of bait in front of you and create a sense of urgency,” Jason Zirkle, training director at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, told Nerd Wallet.

Remaining aware of your surroundings is key. Trusting your instincts, keeping personal belongings securely fastened and not hesitating to report suspicious behavior — whether to a store manager or law enforcement — can serve as your first line of defense.

And if you do find yourself in Sarah and Jennifer’s position, it’s important to take action. The first step is to contact your bank or card issuer immediately to freeze the account to prevent further transactions. Most banks offer 24/7 fraud hotlines and mobile app features to lock your card with just a tap. Next, file a fraud report with your financial institution so they can begin investigating the unauthorized charges. This also increases your chances of recovering any lost funds.

Be sure to file a police report as well, which not only helps authorities track patterns of criminal activity but may also be required by your bank for reimbursement.

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

The City of Oakland has cleared a large homeless encampment on East 12th Street, relocating about 70 people to the Mandela House — a former hotel turned shelter, now funded through a state grant.

The move marks one of the city’s most visible steps toward addressing homelessness, a crisis that has more than doubled in Oakland over the past decade.

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Driven by rising rents, stagnant wages and a chronic shortage of affordable housing, more than 4,000 people in the city are currently unhoused.

Oakland officials say the clearance is part of a broader push to connect unhoused residents with long-term housing support. It follows Governor Gavin Newsom’s rollout of a model ordinance aimed at helping cities respond to what he calls the “dangerous” and “unhealthy” conditions of encampments.

“There’s nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets,” Newsom said in a press release. “Local leaders asked for resources — we delivered the largest state investment in history.”

As Oakland aligns with statewide efforts to address homelessness, the impact of encampment closures — and whether they help — remains at the center of the conversation.

Homelessness in Oakland

California’s homelessness crisis has reached a breaking point. According to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 187,000 people were homeless in the state last year — nearly 24% of the entire nation’s unhoused population. The pressure is mounting on state and local leaders to act fast.

In response, Newsom announced $3.3 billion in new funding to help cities expand access to housing and treatment for the state’s most vulnerable.

Cities like Oakland and San Francisco are rolling out targeted interventions. San Francisco’s newly elected mayor, Daniel Lurie, has pledged to tackle homelessness head-on. Oakland is already home to the Community Cabins program — a shelter initiative offering small, two-person cabins built on public land.

These temporary shelters focus on stabilization and connecting residents to long-term support. The program has seen high participation rates, largely because cabins are built near existing encampments, allowing people to stay close to familiar spaces.

“Oakland’s Cabin Community model is one of the most promising and cost-effective homeless shelter innovations I’ve seen,” said Trent Rhorer, executive director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency.

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

Is this the only solution?

City officials say closing the East 12th Street encampment is a step forward, but community reactions suggest a more complicated reality.

Some residents and business owners say they’re relieved to see the area cleared, calling it a long-standing source of frustration.

"I was driving by, and I was shocked to see the whole encampment was clean," said Veleda, an Oakland resident, in an interview with Fox KTVU. "It was an eyesore, and it was very hard for them to tackle it."

But homeless advocates say that while shelters like Mandela House or Community Cabins represent a step in the right direction, the process of clearing encampments often unfolds with little warning and limited resources.

"People lost medication, people lost their IDs, people lost their phones, people lost their clothing, their food," Needa Bee, director of the homeless advocacy group, The Village, told Fox KTVU. According to Bee, she was able to reconnect with 54 individuals from the East 12th encampment — none of whom were offered housing options before the site was cleared.

The city maintains that shelter space was made available at Mandela House. But advocates argue the outreach efforts fell short, and question how effective these emergency responses really are in the long term.

With growing pressure to “clean up” encampments, cities risk swapping long-term solutions for short-term optics — and sidelining the very people these efforts claim to support.

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

As the summer heat kicks in, nothing’s more refreshing than grabbing a cold bottle of water while you’re stuck in traffic. But for some Atlanta drivers, that quick sip has turned into a costly scam draining wallets faster than you can say “Cash App."

So-called water boys — teens who hustle bottled water to passing cars — have been accused of using Cash App to take much more than just a few bucks. Two victims report losing over $1,000 each after believing they were simply being generous.

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Tristen Richardson said her $2 water turned into an unexpected $1,100 charge after she handed her phone over so the seller could “type in the right username.”

"My heart sank because I was like, oh my God, that’s like a big chunk of money," she told Fox 5 Atlanta.

She’s not alone, but your thirst doesn’t have to drain your wallet. Here’s how to avoid falling for the trick and keep your summer spending chill.

A costly lesson for drivers

It’s easy to hand over a few dollars to someone selling bottled water on a sweltering day, but Richardson isn’t the only kind-hearted driver who ended up paying far more than expected.

Earlier this month, Fox 5 Atlanta reported a similar incident involving a QR code, showing scammers are getting more creative by the day. In that case, a woman who asked to remain anonymous said she lost $800 after a group of water boys off Interstate 20 and Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard offered her a QR code when she didn’t have cash on hand.

She intended to tip them $5, but after scanning the code with her phone, $800 vanished from her account without her confirming the amount, entering a PIN or using a fingerprint verification.

"Cash App usually has three methods of verification before any money is sent," she told FOX 5. "None of those three verification methods were utilized. They were all bypassed and $800 just taken out."

It’s unclear how the verification steps were skipped, but experts say scam apps and spoofed links can trick devices into authorizing payments.

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

Trust your gut

Most victims say they just wanted to help. They assumed the teens selling water were legit. But experts warn these incidents are part of a growing trend that’s catching unsuspecting Good Samaritans off guard.

Rajiv Garg, a professor of information systems and operations management at Emory University, said phishing scams using QR codes are on the rise as more people rely on digital payments.

"If you don’t see where this QR code is leading you to, it could be a scam," he told Fox 5, adding that the best way to avoid these scams is to learn and follow best practices for online transactions.

If you want to stay safe, here are a few tips: never hand over your phone, no matter how trustworthy someone seems. If you prefer to pay digitally, open your payment app yourself and manually enter the amount and username. And skip scanning random QR codes on the spot.

For peace of mind, keep a few small bills in your glove box. It’s old-school, but it keeps your account details out of the wrong hands. While you’re at it, check your app’s security settings. Enable PIN or fingerprint verification for every transaction. It only takes a few taps, but it can block scammers fast.

Above all, trust your instincts. If someone seems pushy or tries to rush you into paying, roll up your window and drive on. That’s Richardson’s new rule.

"If you’re in Atlanta and you pass by the water boys, I wouldn’t even press my finger on the roll-down window button," she said. "Don’t even bother."

What to read next

• Financial aid only funds about 27% of US college expenses — but savvy parents are using this 3-minute move to cover 100% of those costs
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• How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you’ll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement
• This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs

Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

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