Travel
Department of Justice Begins Third Distribution of Forfeited Funds to Compensate Victims of Fraud Scheme Facilitated by Western Union
The Department of Justice announced today that the Western Union Remission Fund began its third distribution of approximately $66 million in funds forfeited to the United States from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to approximately 6,000 victims located in the United States and abroad... According to court documents, in the scheme, fraudsters targeted consumers, including seniors, through multiple scams. Three specific scams directed towards seniors included the so-called grandparent scam, where the fraudster would pose as the victim’s relative in purported need of immediate money to avoid personal harm; lottery or sweepstakes scams, where the fraudster would tell the victim that he or she had won a large cash prize but had to pay fees, such as taxes, to claim the prize; and romance scams, where the fraudster would pose as an online love interest and request funds for a visit or for another purpose. In each of these scams, the fraudsters convinced their victims to send money through Western Union. more »
The Scout Report: Seacoast Science Center, British Science Week, World War II Alaska, American Hiking Society's Hiking 101 Portal, Portland Women's History Trail
Scouting for the next grand adventure? The Hiking Project is ready to help, welcoming users to "explore 243,117 miles of hiking trails." Investigate by location using the search bar or use one of the many available filters to narrow by feature. Those looking for the best hiking spots, regardless of location, should check out the Top Hikes page, which recognizes routes with the highest user ratings. Alternatively, visitors can scroll through the Trail Directory (found under the Trail Guide tab), which catalogs hiking destinations by U.S. state or country. The app is also available on the Apple App Store and Google Play for mobile use. One of its notable features is the ability to go signal free, making maps accessible in more remote locations. Because the guide is crowd-sourced, readers are also welcome to submit their own trail information and images (note that submissions are reviewed for accuracy before content appears on the site). Contributors may even be honored with a feature on the Best Photos page. [EMB] more »
The US Interior Department Suspends Oil and Gas Drilling In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Secretary Haaland promotes outdoor recreation, designates ten new national recreation trails. Under the previous administration, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established and began administering an oil and gas program in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge. After the BLM prepared the “Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Environmental Impact Statement” (EIS) under NEPA, the BLM held a lease sale on January 6, 2021, and subsequently issued 10-year leases on nine tracts covering more than 430,000 acres. more »
From Medicare: Protect Yourself - If Someone Contacts You to Buy or Sell a Vaccination Card, It's a Scam; Key Things to Know From the CDC
From the CDC: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. You may have side effects after vaccination, but these are normal. It typically takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus that causes COVID-19. You are not fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after the 2nd dose of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks after a one-dose vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are more widely accessible. Everyone 16 years and older is now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination. Find a COVID-19 vaccine. People who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic. more »