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Falcons feeling the pressure at .500 as Cousins' interceptions put spotlight on downturn for offenseLifetime's latest thriller The Last Thing She Said debuts tonight

Sauce Gardner Says 'Some People Might Be Checked Out' After Jets' Loss to Bills

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was limited with the right shoulder injury that sidelined him last week and there is growing concern about the long-term status of left tackle Trent Williams. Wednesday's practice was not the start to the NFL workweek head coach Kyle Shanahan had hoped after Purdy was unable to bounce back from a shoulder injury in Week 11. Brandon Allen started at Green Bay and the 49ers (5-6) lost 38-10 with the backup-turned-starter committing three turnovers. Williams was reportedly spotted in the locker room with a knee scooter and is experiencing pain walking. He played through an ankle injury against the Seattle Seahawks Nov. 17. Defensive end Nick Bosa (hip, oblique) also missed practice Wednesday, leaving the 49ers to spend the holiday plotting to play the Buffalo Bills (9-2) without the three Pro Bowlers again. "I don't know anyone who gets Thanksgiving off unless maybe you have a Monday night game. You just start a lot earlier and get the players out," Shanahan said. "We cram everything in so the players get out, tries to be home with the family by 5. I usually get home by 7 and they're all mad at me, then get back to red-zone (installation)." The 49ers are in danger of a three-game losing streak for the first time since Oct. 2021. Injuries have been a common thread since September when running back Christian McCaffrey was a surprise scratch with an Achilles injury for the opener. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) is out for the season at a position dinged from top to bottom. Star linebacker Fred Warner also is ailing and said Wednesday that he fractured a bone in his ankle on Sept. 29 against the New England Patriots. The game against the Bills will mark his eighth straight game playing with the injury. "It's something I deal with every game," Warner said. "I get on that table before every game and get it shot up every single game just to be able to roll. But it's not an excuse. It's just what it is. That's the NFL. You're not going to be healthy. You've got to go out there, you've got to find ways to execute, to play at a high level and to win every single week." Shanahan wasn't interested in injury talk. He said the 49ers have not played well in the past two weeks, and puts part of his focus on getting more out of the running game with snow in the forecast on Sunday night. He's not in agreement with pundits who doubt McCaffrey's ability early into his return from injured reserve, with a per-carry average of 3.5 yards compared to 5.4 in 2023. "The speculation on Christian is a little unfair to him," Shanahan said. "Christian is playing very well. He's playing his ass off. To think a guy who misses the entire offseason is going to come back and be the exact same the day he comes back would be unfair to any player in the world." San Francisco opened the 21-day practice window for linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl in February. His return date is unclear. --Field Level Media

Jimmy Carter’s public service heralded by Southern California lawmakers on either side of the aisleNEW YORK (AP) — Millions displaced by global conflicts . Communities reeling from unseasonably strong natural disasters . Lives upended due to healthcare inequalities. In the middle of these crises are established nonprofits, everyday individuals and mutual aid groups — all seeking your dollars to make a difference. But with no shortage of worthy causes and the rise of new giving technologies, how should you donate? The choices can be immobilizing for those looking to open up their wallets. Many value conventional charities. But others — Gen Z and millennials, as well as the unmarried and less religious, according to 2021 research by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy — like to crowdfund by pooling donations online for folks in dire circumstances. The approaches reflect differing assessments of impact and trustworthiness. But they aren't necessarily opposed. “It’s really: what is the right type of support that either an organization or a community or an individual needs?” said Bloomerang Chief Customer Officer Todd Baylis, who previously co-founded the platform Qgiv to help nonprofits fundraise online. "And being able to tailor that to the individual giver.” Here are some questions worth considering as you determine which assistance best suits your objectives: It might come down to whether you want to make a big difference for one person or help seed large-scale change. Tiltify is a technology platform that helps nonprofits and individual crowdfunders alike raise money. If donors want to ensure that food gets to communities recovering from disasters, Tiltify CEO Michael Wasserman says a nonprofit contribution is probably best, as established organizations already have distribution pipelines and built-up expertise. But if you want to ensure a particular person can take care of themselves, he said, a direct donation to a crowdfunding campaign might make more sense than sending money “through a charitable funnel.” “It really depends on what your goal is as a donor: if you’re trying to help out somebody specifically or if you’re trying to help out people in plural,” Wasserman said. You could do both at once, according to one nonprofit that delivers cash transfers. GiveDirectly reports sending more than $860 million to 1.6 million people across three continents. Senior Program Manager Richard Nkurunziza says the idea was initially met with fears of misuse. But GiveDirectly finds that cash donations are a dignified way to empower poor people to invest in their unique needs. In Rwandan villages, he said, recipients have spent donations on household renovations, new businesses and youth education — all of which ultimately benefit their entire community. “There’s a bit of agency,” said Nkurunziza. “It gives an opportunity for the recipient to make a decision on how they use the funds for themselves.” Crowdfunding could be considered “more democratic,” according to Claire van Teunenbroek, a University of Twente professor specializing in online giving behavior. That's because donors have more control over their gifts' usage when they choose exactly who benefits. The disadvantage, she said, is that people with the greatest needs aren't always the ones with the most success. Humans are prone to supporting “easily sellable” projects with highly emotional appeals. Studies have also shown racial disparities in crowdfunding. The most popular reason donors told Bloomerang they stopped giving was because they did not trust contributions were being used wisely, according to the company’s Generational Giving Report. The second most common response was that donors no longer felt connected to the nonprofit they’d previously supported. The answers underscore the need for recipients to actively prove their trustworthiness. Tax-exempt nonprofits must submit annual financial disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service that include publicly available information, including executives' salaries. Watchdogs, such as Charity Navigator, compile lists of verified nonprofits and assess their work. Crowdfunding, while convenient, is much more susceptible to fraud. The online sites are relatively unregulated, leaving the responsibility for protection up to donors and the platforms themselves. In GoFundMe's case, donations can be refunded up to one year after they are made. The company also advises that organizers identify themselves and their beneficiaries, and specify their plans for spending contributions. Online users mistakenly associate high donation numbers with credibility, according to van Teunenbroek. She said risk is better mitigated by making sure the project's description is detailed. “For a donor, if you prefer more certainty, then traditional nonprofits are probably better because they have an established reputation,” she said. ALSAC CEO Rick Shadyac said his charity works hard to make donors feel confident that their money is supporting the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: improving pediatric cancer survival rates worldwide by covering the costs of care and researching treatments. Shadyac encouraged people to give regardless of the medium and to always look for reputable causes. Bonafide charities, he said, bring “greater degrees of confidence” while crowdfunding requires more “due diligence.” But he sees room for both. “They should actually complement each other," he said. “Some of this is more in the realm of micro-philanthropy where they may be wanting to help a specific individual because they found themselves in difficult circumstances,” he added. "But if you want to help kids with cancer, you want to help cure heart disease, there are charities that are keenly focused on that.” ALSAC gets nearly one quarter of its annual revenue during the last two months of the calendar, Shadyac said, around the time of year designated as “Giving Season.” The uptick could stem from the spirit of generosity around the holidays, he added. Sure enough, a 2023 study found that people in good moods are more likely to make a charitable donation. They might also be making their year-end tax plans. “Not-for-profits give them the opportunity to address some things that are important to them while also getting a tax deduction,” Shadyac said. Crowdfunding donations to individual campaigns, however, cannot be written off on your taxes. But crowdfunding can make it easier to identify with the ultimate beneficiaries of one's gift, van Teunenbroek said. Mutual aid refers to reciprocal support networks of neighbors who promptly meet each other's most pressing needs when existing systems fail to make them whole. Because of those reciprocal ties, participants often describe the act as “solidarity, not charity.” In the internet age, these groups often solicit cash contributions through online payment processors like Venmo, Cash App, PayPal or Zelle. Anyone can scan QR codes, which are usually reposted across social media accounts, to donate. The money goes straight to those impacted or helps purchase supplies for shared resources like community fridges. Transparency might come in the form of a screenshotted receipt shared by organizers on their profile. Tamara Kneese joined several mutual aid efforts during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic to take care of her neighbors in Oakland. Kneese, a director at the nonprofit research institute Data & Society, said these groups tend to start as immediate responses to crises that are acutely hurting disadvantaged communities. The idea, she added, is that “state abandonment cannot be addressed by charitable giving alone.” Kneese said the challenges of such bottom-up, grassroots groups are that resources dwindle and people burn out. Only so many requests can be fulfilled. Organizers' politics clash. The benefits, she found, are that support comes from within the community and members have direct interactions with those using it. “It is not just a sense of charity, like you make a donation and you're done," she said. "There is more of a relationship involved and it is not just transactional.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy . Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Twilio TWLO . And retail traders should know. We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga. Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with TWLO, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen. Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Twilio . This isn't normal. The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 25%, bearish. Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $28,604, and 7, calls, for a total amount of $311,820. Projected Price Targets Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $75.0 to $140.0 for Twilio during the past quarter. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Twilio's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Twilio's whale activity within a strike price range from $75.0 to $140.0 in the last 30 days. Twilio Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days Largest Options Trades Observed: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume TWLO CALL TRADE NEUTRAL 09/19/25 $5.9 $5.7 $5.8 $140.00 $87.0K 0 150 TWLO CALL SWEEP BULLISH 02/21/25 $6.95 $5.75 $7.0 $110.00 $70.0K 1.5K 12 TWLO CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $2.02 $2.01 $2.02 $115.00 $40.4K 3.1K 414 TWLO CALL TRADE BEARISH 01/15/27 $39.75 $39.15 $39.15 $75.00 $31.3K 20 8 TWLO PUT SWEEP NEUTRAL 01/17/25 $7.3 $7.15 $7.15 $105.00 $28.6K 1.1K 1.1K About Twilio Twilio is a cloud-based communications platform-as-a-service company offering communication building blocks that allow for a fully customized customer engagement experience spanning voice, video, chat, and SMS messaging. It does this through various application programming interfaces and prebuilt solution applications aimed at improving customer engagement. The company leverages its Super Network, a global network of carrier relationships, to facilitate high-speed, cost-effective communication. In light of the recent options history for Twilio, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance. Where Is Twilio Standing Right Now? Trading volume stands at 2,724,508, with TWLO's price up by 0.68%, positioned at $99.11. RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought. Earnings announcement expected in 83 days. Expert Opinions on Twilio In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $95.8. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Piper Sandler continues to hold a Overweight rating for Twilio, targeting a price of $94. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Baird keeps a Neutral rating on Twilio with a target price of $80. * An analyst from Wells Fargo persists with their Equal-Weight rating on Twilio, maintaining a target price of $80. * An analyst from Oppenheimer has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Twilio, which currently sits at a price target of $90. * In a positive move, an analyst from Monness, Crespi, Hardt has upgraded their rating to Buy and adjusted the price target to $135. Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Twilio options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Start-up conclave in Kalaburagi tomorrow

NoneF1 News: Insane Lewis Hamilton Jacket Made From Race-Worn Suit Hits Auction

Check mate: NBA's Wembanyama takes on New York fansChase Artopoeus has two TD passes, TD run as Chattanooga tops Austin Peay 24-17 in season finale

Zionist forces are seeking a return to a time when anti-war voices were violently suppressed. Recently, genocide lobbyists stirred up a storm over a planned vigil in Mississauga to commemorate “resistance leaders” “fighting for Palestinian freedom”. The poster for the Canadian Defenders 4 Human Rights event had an image of deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Genocide lobbyists demanded Toronto’s most populous suburb suppress the planned rally. In response to the pressure, Mayor Carolyn Parrish said she wouldn’t shutter Charter protected speech. Parrish added, “ I just want to point out, and I’m not being facetious, Nelson Mandela was declared a terrorist by the United States of America until the year 2008. Your terrorist and somebody else’s terrorist may be two different things.” Those promoting Benjamin Netanyahu’s holocaust in Gaza lost it. How dare Parrish compare the Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela. But Mandla Mandela, Nelson’s grandson and sitting member of South Africa’s legislature, has made similar comparisons . Canadian media often described Mandela as a terrorist. In 2001 Conservative MP Rob Anders called the then South African President a “communist and a terrorist” and heckled him in the House of Commons. Anders repeated the “terrorist” claim upon Mandela’s 2013 death. Unlike Mississauga’s mayor, politicians and police across the country are increasingly seeking to suppress those opposing Canada’s assistance to genocide. Ten days ago the Ottawa police violently arrested four protesters during a walking tour of arms production facilities. They followed that repression with a series of arbitrary arrests this weekend. Ottawa family physician Xipeng Ge labelled “ the police brutality and repression” on Sunday as “a display of fascist violence.” In a more egregious example of state overreach, the Vancouver Police Department’s Emergency Response Team raided the home of long-time anti-apartheid activist Charlotte Kates. On November 14 heavily armed officers showed up at 9 a.m. with an armored vehicle and fired flashbangs as part of entering her east Vancouver house. “ I saw what looked like a tank with guys in tactical gear outside aiming a tear gas gun at the house”, a neighbour told Global News. “I feel scared, just because I don’t know what is going on.” Kates was arrested in the raid and subsequently released. No charges were even laid in this instance of police overreach. Kates is the international coordinator of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, which the Canadian government recently designated a terror entity despite no one even claiming they’ve been involved in violence. A Canadian BDS Coalition statement correctly asserted, “ The Trudeau Government Breaches the Constitution in Placing the Samidoun Prisoners Network on the Terrorist List.” The 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms enshrines the principle of habeas corpus yet the terror list subverts a group’s ability to defend itself legally. The Canadian BDS Coalition statement notes, “By virtue of the terrorist listing, an organization or even an individual’s assets can be frozen; any use of property owned or controlled by the listed organization becomes a crime. Moreover, there is the ‘black-balling’ of the organization, and anyone accused of being associated with it can be accused of being a ‘terrorist,’ regardless of their personal actions, without ever laying criminal charges or proving guilt in court.” In a National Post column headlined “ Samidoun has been banned. Now, it’s time to stamp it out” Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs representative Mark Freiman and Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism head Mark Sandler are now calling on the government to revoke the citizenship of Kates and her husband Khaled Barakat. The suppression of anti-genocide protests fits a pattern of the Canadian state and imperialist forces cracking down on anti-war voices. At the beginning of World War I the federal government adopted the War Measures Act, which granted the state sweeping powers to imprison almost anyone considered a security threat. Hundreds of pacifists and antiwar activists were arrested while the Industrial Workers of the World and a dozen other revolutionary organizations were banned. Labour organizer Ginger Goodwin was killed on Vancouver Island for opposing the war while in spring 1918 four opponents of conscription were killed by security forces in Québec City. During WWII hundreds of dissidents and communists, including the president of the Canadian Seamen’s Union and Mayor of Montréal, were interned under the War Measures Act. Dozens of organizations and publications were also banned and like WWI official censorship was imposed. During the Korean war Canadian Peace Congress chairman James Endicott was bitterly denounced with external minister Lester Pearson calling his college friend a “ red stooge ” and “bait on the end of a Red hook.” Pearson even called for individuals to destroy the Peace Congress from the inside. Government attacks spurred media and public hostility. A number of venues refused to rent their space to the Peace Congress and Endicott’s Toronto home was firebombed during a large Peace Congress meeting. Whether one agrees with everything Samidoun or Charlotte Kates has to say about Israel, the government criminalizing a Palestinian prisoner solidarity network and the police targeting its coordinator should be troubling. It reflects a regression to a far more repressive time. And it’s being pushed by supporters of a foreign government. All those who believe in our Charter of Rights and Freedom should be concerned. Support rabble today! We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year. rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today. Nick Seebruch, editor Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet. Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today. Nick Seebruch, editor Support rabble.caJimmy Carter’s public service heralded by Southern California lawmakers on either side of the aisle

Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’

Shoppers bemused as Easter eggs hit shop shelves before New Year’s Eve

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (Saudi EXIM) hosted the Berne Union's Country Risk Specialist Meeting, providing a platform for experts and thought leaders in risk management from the export credit community. At the meeting, which took place from November 19 to 21 in Riyadh, the attendees exchanged best practices to better protect the industry amid shifting global dynamics. According to a press release issued by the Saudi EXIM on Saturday, the event gathered specialists from 47 organizations from 33 countries; it served as a platform for discussing strategies, partnerships, and innovative solutions. By strengthening institutional resilience, the industry is ready to turn global economic challenges into opportunities for economic prosperity, said the release, adding that it played a crucial role in advancing global trade, strengthening international cooperation, and developing credit solutions that empower export activities while controlling risk, SPA reported. According to the release, discussions centered on critical risks impacting international trade and the global economy, such as debt sustainability and geopolitical tensions, along with innovative approaches to risk modelling. Participants also explored the global shifts in infrastructure, energy and critical minerals sectors, and were given an overview of Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, which focuses on economic diversification through investments, developing new sectors, and promoting local industries. In his opening remarks, Saudi EXIM CEO Eng. Saad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalb said the meeting is an ideal platform to address risks impacting global economic decision making. He stated: "Through such meetings, we can turn challenges into strategic opportunities and enhance our resilience in an ever-changing world. At Saudi EXIM, we remain committed to enabling companies by offering expert financial and non-financial solutions to navigate risks effectively." He also said that "at Saudi EXIM, we place great emphasis on risk management. In alignment with the main objective of this meeting, I am pleased to announce the completion of our independent country risk model, which is supported by advanced modelling tools and machine learning. This model will provide country ratings and predictions of default risks. We look forward to collaborating with our partners in other export credit agencies to exchange knowledge and expertise, and to strengthening our risk management functions with greater responsibility and effectiveness." Associate Director at Berne Union Eve Hall said: "The global risk landscape today is highly volatile and highly interconnected. As we navigate our way around the ongoing transformations connected to energy transition and shifting industrial strategies, the traditional concept of 'country risk' is becoming increasingly complex. Our industry excels at understanding, quantifying and pricing these risks, and by bringing together this community of experts for technical exchange the Berne Union is able to help support the development of the industry as a whole. The initiatives announced by our colleagues at Saudi EXIM, making use of new technology in risk analysis, provide a fantastic example of where collaboration in this field can be effectively applied." The release disclosed that Saudi EXIM's membership in Berne represents a significant strategic step, and is consistent with the Kingdom's commitment to expanding collaboration and integration in the global economy. This is achieved by building partnerships with leading institutions to address the challenges facing the export credit sector. It also aligns with the bank's goal of developing the export of national products and services through partnerships with national and international financial and funding organizations. Berne Union works with global trade organizations to encourage the adoption of best practices in export credit insurance, and to cooperate in maintaining the stability of global trade. Saudi EXIM, a development bank under the National Development Fund, contributes to diversifying the Kingdom's economic base by improving the efficiency of non-oil export ecosystems, bridging financial gaps, and minimizing export risks. This plays a role in helping the non-oil national economy grow, in line with Vision 2030.

Raiders will start O'Connell at quarterback when they visit the ChiefsMicrosoft on Wednesday denied claims that it uses customer data from its Microsoft 365 applications, including Word and Excel, to train artificial intelligence models, Reuters reported. The response came after some users pointed out on social media that the company requires users to opt out of its "connected experiences" feature, which they argued was used to train AI models. "These claims are untrue. Microsoft does not use customer data from Microsoft 365 consumer and commercial applications to train foundational large language models," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters . The spokesperson added that the "connected experiences" enable features such as co-authoring and cloud storage, and has no connection to how the company trains its large language models. The conversations on social media indicate that people remain concerned about their data being used to train AI models without permission. The company also told BleepingComputer that this optional setting has been on by default since it was made available in April 2019. "The Connected Experiences feature enables features like co-authoring, real-time grammar suggestions, and web-based resources," BleepingComputer was told. "These features are on by default because they're features people naturally expect in a cloud-connected productivity tool. However, customers always have control and can adjust their Connected Experiences settings at any time."

The closer a Prince Rupert woman looked at the deer in her yard, the stranger things became for her. “It was the first time I’ve seen anything like that; it was pretty bizarre,” said Joan Dudoward. Dudoward is a senior residing on 11th Avenue East in Prince Rupert. A flash of movement caught her eye as she scrubbed her breakfast plates on a typical Wednesday morning. Peeking out the window above her sink, she gasped— a majestic buck with massive antlers stood gracefully in her yard. “As soon as I noticed the huge buck, I ran and grabbed my camera to photograph it. I’ve been taking photos since I was a teenager...I photograph everything,” she said. She says he cozied up to lie on the grass and stayed for about half an hour. “He was wiggling his ears so I zoomed in and noticed a tag clipped on him,” she said. “I thought, why is this dear clipped? I got very concerned.” Dudoward, driven by her curiosity, noted that one side of the clip was labelled “BC WILDLIFE 06-529,” while the other read “CALL RAP: 877-952-7227.” It was suspicious because the number displayed is very similar but different from the official number of B.C.’s Conservation Officer Service, which is 1-877-952-7277. Also, the legitimate acronym for their hotline, Report All Poachers and Polluters, is “RAPP,” not “RAP,” as indicated on the tag. She called the number on the neon green tag to inquire about the buck, but reached a woman who spoke to her very hurriedly, she said. The woman, who identified herself as Jessica, wanted to send Dudoward a “free medical alert device” that she could wear around her neck. “We’re very excited to tell you about a special promotion for select callers,” Dudoward recalls the woman saying. She was then asked questions such as her age to check eligibility. Jessica then explained that as a senior, the device would help her in emergencies, such as falls, by alerting her immediate contacts. To proceed with delivery, she said she needed some personal information from Dudoward, such as her address. Then, Dudoward was abruptly transferred to another agent who continued the call. But when she tried to ask her about the buck and why the agency had clipped its number on his ear, they wouldn’t respond but instead continued to promote their products “That’s just cruelty to animals. They are targeting seniors for sure, and hurting the deer in the process,” said Dudoward. She wondered how they must have handled the wild animal to dart him. She questioned, “Did they sedate him? What exactly happened there?” She was absolutely shocked. Dudoward couldn’t comprehend why B.C. Wildlife, a legitimate organization, would have put this company’s number on the buck's ear. The incident reminded her of this continued pattern of companies attempting to target elderly and vulnerable individuals. “I also have my mother’s old number, and it gets scam calls all the time,” she said. “How can they do that? Especially to seniors. They are trying to decide if they should pay the rent or get medication,” said Dudoward in frustration. She proceeded to contact the legitimate conservation officer’s number, who, like the local RCMP, didn’t pay much heed to her situation, she said. The next day, Dudoward called the agency’s number on the tag again, and the conversation took a completely different turn. Now, the agent asked if she was 18 and was promoting products aimed at youth. They informed her that she needed to pay $3 through a call paywall to proceed to the next step, during which she would be directed to the free products for which she was eligible. “The message keeps changing; this is so strange,” said Dudoward. The Northern View investigated the call and found that it was an intricately designed AI automated voice call. The system guides the caller through different phases by detecting both their spoken responses and the number keys they press. Contrary to Dudoward’s initial belief, it wasn’t a live human speaking to her, but a pre-recorded one. In fact, similar cases of fraud involving medical alert devices have happened in the U.S. before, prompting the New York State Department of State and the Minnesota Attorney General to issue cautionary alerts for consumers regarding these “robocalls.” The authorities advised seniors to immediately hang up, not press any keys when prompted, and avoid sharing personal information. “Fraud is the number one crime against older Canadians. Though people of all ages can be victims of fraud, older people get targeted more than others,” states the Canadian Government on its website. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) says that there have been 40,623 reports of fraud this year up to Oct. 31, resulting in a loss of $503 million. Vishing is a social engineering technique that uses voice communication technology. It involves fraudulent phone calls to trick the victim into revealing personal data. The CAFC advises caution during phone calls. They urge people not to hesitate to say no if something feels off and not to feel pressured by urgency or time limits. They also encourage taking enough time to research before sharing personal information. The Northern View contacted the B.C. Wildlife Federation for a comment regarding the tag on the buck. “The Conservation Officer Service darted this deer Nov. 5 to remove wires wrapped around its antlers. The tag is legitimate, but unfortunately has the wrong number on it for RAPP. The new versions of the tag have the correct number and COS will stop using these older tags,” said Jesse Zeman, executive director at B.C. Wildlife Federation. Although the exact cause of this mistake is unclear, anyone who suspects fraud should contact CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or their local police.