On December 19, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the D-8 in Cairo, Egypt. This was the second meeting between the two after their meeting in September on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. During the meeting in Cairo, both leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral ties through increased trade and the exchange of cultural delegations and sports. They also expressed their interest in cooperation in the areas of sugar industry and management of dengue fever which caused nearly a thousand deaths in Bangladesh in 2023 and has become an urgent public health emergency in Pakistan, especially since the floods of 2022. While highlighting the historical, religious, and cultural connections between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Sharif expressed , “Pakistan’s keen desire to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges.” He also emphasized that there was a need to make joint efforts to explore new areas for economic cooperation and make the most of great potential to increase trade in various sectors including cement clinkers, leather goods, surgical goods, chemicals, and IT. Besides bilateral ties, the leaders also discussed the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) . Since taking charge of Bangladesh’s interim government, the revival of the SAARC has been a key foreign policy aim. During his meeting with Sharif, Yunus said reviving SAARC was his “top priority” and “I am a big fan of the idea of SAARC. I keep harping on the issue. I want a summit of SAARC leaders even if it is only for a photo session because that will carry a strong message.” In this context, Sharif said that he would support the initiative and proposed that both nations should move step by step in order to revive the regional platform. SAARC has yet to hold its biennial summit since 2014. The last summit was held in Nepal that year. The next summit, scheduled for 2016 in Pakistan, was never held after India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan decided not to take part. If Yunus succeeds in reviving SAARC, it would be beneficial not only for Pakistan and Bangladesh but also for other member states of the regional organization. In addition to discussions related to strengthening bilateral and multilateral ties, Yunus also urged Sharif to settle the 1971 issue in order to help Bangladesh move forward with its relations with Pakistan. He said, “The issues have kept coming again and again. Let’s settle those issues for us to move forward.” He further said that it would be nice to resolve this issue, “once and for all for the future generations.” In his response to Yunus, Sharif said that the 1974 Tripartite Agreement signed by Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan settled the issues, but he would be happy to look, “if there are other outstanding issues” in this regard. The tripartite agreement was signed in New Delhi, thus also known as the Delhi agreement, and dealt with the completion of the three-way process of repatriation involving Pakistani prisoners of war in India, Pakistanis in Bangladesh, and the citizens of Bangladesh in Pakistan. Since the swearing-in of Yunus as the chief adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government in August 2024 after Sheikh Hasina fled the country following a student-led uprising which she failed to suppress with brute force, Pakistan-Bangladesh relations seemed to move toward rapprochement . Relations between the two countries touched new lows when Hasina’s government decided to execute several leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami Party on war crime charges for acts committed during the tragic events of 1971. However, Pakistan maintained that those executions were politically motivated, and the convictions were targeted those taking a pro-Pakistan stance during the war. In 2016, both countries expelled diplomats . During Hasina’s 15-year rule, Pakistan never had warm relations with Bangladesh given the grudge her family had against Pakistan’s ruling class. Moreover, she sought an official apology for the events of 1971 that was not forthcoming. Nonetheless, it was her proximity to India that soured Pakistan’s relations with Bangladesh most. Hasina’s ouster and Yunus’ efforts to strengthen ties with Pakistan may engender deep concern in India. Bangladesh enjoyed warm relations with India since the former’s establishment after the end of a war between Pakistan and India in 1971. These relations improved to an unprecedented level since Hasina’s return to power in 2009 with Dhaka and New Delhi creating a deep economic and security partnership. With her ouster, along with the growing “India Out” campaign in Bangladesh, there are geopolitical implications for New Delhi. In this context, Michael Kugelman, Washington-based director for the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, said , “India has suffered a major geopolitical blow in Bangladesh. It’s dealing with something that’s close to a nightmare scenario.” He further said that India saw the Awami League and Hasina as the only viable option while considering any alternative unfavorable to its regional interests. However, given the shared border, water resource collaboration, and strong trade ties between Bangladesh and India, New Delhi will continue to play a strategically important role for Dhaka. At the same time, post-Hasina relations between Dhaka and Islamabad seem to be on a path to rapprochement which will likely pave the way for better political and trade ties between the two.FRANKLIN - A little girl from Massachusetts can't wait to become a meteorologist. After being inspired by a school visit from WBZ-TV meteorologist Jacob Wycoff, she put together an impressive weather forecast of her own. Hailey Crowshaw is a third grader at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Franklin, where Wycoff visited Thursday as part of the weather team's school visits program . Inspired to make her own forecast Hailey's father said that she came home from school after learning about weather, science, and broadcasting from Jacob and wanted to make her own forecast. She researched the upcoming weather forecasts, wrote her own script, and learned how to navigate the weather models used by professional meteorologists. She called her first weather forecast the Haileycast! Her father chipped in to help her create graphics and edit the piece for her, which he posted on social media early Friday morning. So today at my daughter’s school @4cast4you visited and spoke about all things weather. She’s already a weather nut (gets it from her dad 😜) and when she got home from school she was on a mission: make her own made for tv weather forecast. She spent the rest of the night... pic.twitter.com/Z91AmjAKJC Hailey is clearly a natural meteorologist in front of the camera, throwing in her jokes and her own spin on the forecast. "We finally put an end to our dry spell today with some much-needed rain. It had been so long since it rained I had forgotten where my raincoat was!" Hailey said at the beginning of her forecast. "Something we haven't had to think much about in the last year, snow! Not gonna lie I am a little jelly of the folks in New York who could see close to a foot of snow as this storm system works through. We aren't expecting any here in Franklin, but that could change." She also made sure to give her Thanksgiving week forecast, and she says that Wednesday looks perfect for last-minute errands! Jacob's message for Hailey The post has more than 11,000 views so far. Wycoff saw Hailey's forecast and had a message for her Friday. "Hey Hailey I just want to say amazing job on your forecast. I am so proud of you. You sat right there in the front row, you were one of the most attentive students that I've ever spoken to. I could tell that you were just itching to ask me questions yesterday," Wycoff said. "The weather world is going to be much brighter with you in it when you get a little bit older. So keep up the amazing work Hailey! I'm so proud of you and hope to see you on TV soon enough!" Riley Rourke is digital producer for CBS Boston. She graduated cum laude from Emerson College with a degree in Journalism in 2023. She has previously worked for Emerson student organizations like WEBN and the Emerson Channel.
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( ) is the as it finds key technical support amid the bull run for stocks. On Monday, Interactive Brokers stock offered an early entry. The bull market for stocks and cryptocurrencies remains intact, but has faced recent volatility. As a result, Interactive Brokers offers the potential for further earnings growth on higher trading activity and margin lending. DARTs, or daily average revenue trades — a key metric — continued to grow in October and November after surging 42% in the third quarter, the company said. Many of Interactive's customers are sophisticated investors and professional traders. The company touts lowers margin rates than ( ), Fidelity, E-Trade and Vanguard. Upstart rival ( ) is on the . Recent volatility has shifted the . That means investors should be careful about new purchases in the current market. Interactive Brokers Stock Shares of the brokerage firm rose almost 1% on the . Interactive Brokers stock bounced further above support at the 50-day moving average, offering an early entry around 172.50. The financial stock scored two successful breakouts this year. It has almost doubled from an 89.72 cleared in January, according to . The for IBKR stock has also pulled back a bit. The RS line rallied to record highs in November. A rising RS line means that a stock is outperforming the S&P 500 index. It is the blue line in the chart provided. Interactive Brokers Earnings The tool shows that Interactive Brokers stock earns a near-perfect of 98 out of 99. The rating rolls various fundamental and technical metrics into one easy-to-use score. Additionally, Interactive shares hold an RS Rating of 95 and EPS Rating of 66, out of a best-possible 99. In the third quarter, as sales rose 19%. The brokerage firm slightly missed earnings estimates amid higher costs and a one-time charge. However, revenue from commissions jumped 31% as DARTs soared 42%. Customer accounts surged 28%. Net interest income grew 8%. Momentum continues in the fourth quarter. DARTs jumped 74% in November vs. a year ago and 17% vs. the prior month, the company said. In October, DARTs leaped 46% vs. a year ago and 7% vs. a month ago. In an Dec. 11 investor presentation, Interactive Brokers tied account growth to "increased interest in the financial markets and the growing interconnectedness of investors worldwide." Analysts expect Interactive Brokers to keep growing, albeit at a slower pace. They see Interactive Brokers earnings rising about 18% in 2024 and a 3% gain in 2025. Earnings boomed 42% in 2023. Sales are seen more than doubling in 2024 and falling 10% in 2025. Innovations Powering Growth Interactive Brokers says its focus on innovation continues to drive growth. Among new launches this quarter alone, the company announced an enhanced desktop trading platform with new tools such as options screeners. It also launched AI-powered news summaries and election forecast contracts ahead of the November U.S. election. According to TheFly.com, analysts at Barclays recently affirmed a constructive macroeconomic backdrop for stock brokers, asset managers and stock exchanges heading into 2025. The firm hiked its price target on IBKR stock to to $214 from $165 with an overweight rating on shares. Year to date, Interactive Brokers stock has more than doubled, soaring 113.5%. That includes a 27% leap this quarter amid earnings and elections. . Investors bet that incoming President Donald Trump's administration will loosen regulations, which should especially help this heavily regulated sector.DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather , the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel’s military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces have been seen in other hospitals, maintaining security but also controlling access to parts of the facilities. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified staff member said in an audio message posted on social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, denied the accusations. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said Friday night. He said a preliminary investigation found “no connection” between military activity and the fire. The Israeli military heavily restricts the movements of Palestinians in Gaza and has barred foreign journalists from entering the territory throughout the war, making it difficult to verify information. “These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before,” U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay told journalists, and noted colleagues’ reports of “significant damage” to the hospital. It should be protected as international law requires, she added. A largely isolated north Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine . The United Nations says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. {h2}Deaths from the cold in Gaza{/h2} More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most now sheltering in sprawling tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. “I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days , doctors there have said, and the Health Ministry said an adult — a nurse who worked at the European Hospital — also died this week. Khaled and Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Narions contributed to this report.
When it comes to semiconductor stocks, it's virtually impossible not to think of Nvidia . Over the last two years, the company has become the undisputed leader among chip stocks, and with that, is swiftly emerging at the forefront of the pack among artificial intelligence (AI) companies more broadly. In my eyes, though, investors have been so eager to get in on the action with Nvidia that they've essentially forgotten about other opportunities in the chip realm. With 2024 coming to a close, I'd encourage investors to take a look around and consider what under-the-radar opportunities could be looming. I'm going to make the case for why an investment in Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD -1.96% ) looks especially enticing right now. Could AMD be next year's Nvidia? I think so. Is Nvidia actually that far ahead of AMD? On the surface, it would appear obvious that Nvidia is miles ahead of AMD in the AI marathon. Over the last 12 months, Nvidia has generated a mammoth $113 billion in revenue -- almost fivefold compared to that of AMD. However, taking a look at where this revenue stems from may change how you think about AMD's trajectory in comparison to its larger cohort. In the table, I've broken down the annual revenue growth rates for each of AMD's and Nvidia's respective data center businesses: Category Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Nvidia data center revenue growth % year over year 279% 409% 427% 154% 112% AMD data center revenue growth % year over year 0% 38% 80% 115% 122% Data Source: Investor relations. Over the last year, Nvidia's data center businesses has decelerated significantly . At the same time, AMD's data center business has evolved from essentially nothing to reaching more or less the same rate of growth compared to Nvidia . Don't get me wrong -- I'm not going to posit the notion that Nvidia is in trouble. It's hard to make a bear case on a company that's posting growth in excess of 100% every quarter. But my broader point is that even though Nvidia is larger than AMD, that doesn't necessarily make it a better investment opportunity. I'm going to detail how AMD has built such a formidable competing data center business and explore why 2025 could be a milestone year for the company. Why 2025 could be a pivotal year for AMD Much of the reason why Nvidia experienced such enormous growth in its data center business stems from the fact that the company had virtually no competition in the graphics processing unit (GPU) landscape until recently. With the successful launch of AMD's MI300 accelerator , Nvidia's first-mover advantage is finally facing some headwinds. Now, you may counter my point by arguing that Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell GPU architecture is going to help dissipate any chance of AMD dethroning the chip king. Well, consider the fact that many of Nvidia's own customers, including Microsoft and Meta Platforms , are also using AMD's MI300 GPUs. On top of that, remember that these big tech giants, in addition to Alphabet and Amazon (both of which are also Nvidia customers), are also investing heavily into the development of their own in-house chips in an effort to migrate away from an overreliance on Nvidia. Lastly, keep in mind that AMD is also developing a successor GPU to the MI300 called the MI325X -- slated to launch in 2025. Moreover, the company's MI400 architecture is targeting a launch date sometime in 2026. My point? I don't see Nvidia's Blackwell launch as much of a threat to AMD at all. AMD is innovating at an unprecedented pace, and considering investment in AI infrastructure is expected to rise for the next several years, I see the launch of the MI325X and MI400 as catalysts that can help AMD acquire incremental market share away from Nvidia. Is AMD stock a buy right now? At the time of this writing, AMD trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 29. By comparison, Nvidia's forward P/E ratio is currently 34. With the Blackwell launch imminent, I can't help but feel that expectations surrounding Nvidia will creep higher. If the company fails to meet investor expectations, there could very well be a panic-driven sell-off in the stock. Meanwhile, given AMD's meaningfully discounted valuation compared to Nvidia, I think investors are overlooking its new lineup of GPUs over the next two years. The existing footprint from the MI300, combined with next year's launch of the MI325X to compete head-to-head with Blackwell, should help AMD continue making headway against Nvidia -- in particular, from its own customer base, which is already demonstrating that it's looking for alternative GPU providers. I think now is a lucrative time to buy AMD stock and prepare to hold on tight.
Steve Bannon has eventually called for the removal of House Speaker Mike Johnson following the decision of Mike Johnson to collaborate with the Democrats to eventually prevent a government shutdown, reported The Wrap. ET Year-end Special Reads Gold outshines D-St with 20% returns, but 2025 may be different The year of the pause: How RBI maneuvered its policy in 2024 2024, the year India defeated China's salami-slicing strategy According to The Wrap, during his recent appearance on the ‘The Megyn Kelly Show’ and at Turning Point's AmericaFest, Steve Bannon severely criticized Mike Johnson for not consulting key figures like US President- elect Donald Trump , Vivek Ramaswamy or Elon Musk regarding his bipartisan plan which he starkly labeled as a ‘sellout’. Steve Bannon actually emphasized on the need for ‘hyper-partisanship’ instead of traditional partisanship while arguing that the current political climate actually demands more aggressive tactics. Steve Bannon who has pretty recently completed a prison sentence for defying a subpoena related to the January 6 investigation eventually expressed his concerns about the federal spending while stating that it is driving inflation and threatening the future of the US nation, noted The Wrap. He also urged US President- elect Donald Trump to focus on ending wars, securing the border and then deporting millions of immigrants who are undocumented. Steve Bannon also placed a suggestion that upon regaining power, US President- elect Donald Trump should obviously seek ‘retribution’ against several media outlets while hinting at the potential incarceration for some media figures, asserted The Wrap. His comments actually reflect a growing rift within the Republican Party as it grapples with internal divisions and strategies moving forward. FAQs: What has Steve Bannon recently called for? 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What did Steve Bannon put an emphasis on during his recent appearances? Steve Bannon actually emphasized on the need for ‘hyper-partisanship’ instead of traditional partisanship while arguing that the current political climate actually demands more aggressive tactics. ET Year-end Special Reads An Indian's guide to moving abroad as the world looks for 'better' immigrants The year of the HNIs: How India's rich splurged in 2024 (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
PILOT PERSEVERANCE: Glenns Ferry's Muilenburg signs with CSU Pueblo wrestlingIowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is cautioning Iowans to be aware of sweepstakes scams after helping a central Iowa couple save more than $16,000 from a scamming attempt. Sweepstakes scams are when scammers use the promise of a prize to get someone’s money or personal information. These scams typically take place over the phone where scammers usually ask individuals to pay money or provide personal and financial account information to receive prize, which is actually nonexistent. Last month, Bird’s office helped the couple after a scammer called the 72-year-old husband, telling him he won a Publishers Clearing House prize of $3.5 million, plus $5,000 a week for life, according to a release put out by the office on Monday. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks during a town hall campaign event for Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley on May 17, 2023, in Ankeny, Iowa. He was instructed to pay $16,340.18 in upfront fees and taxes, leading him to mail a cashier's check to a Miami address provided by the scammer. The man’s wife and daughter learned what happened and contacted their son-in-law, who was at a training for Iowa county attorneys, the release said. The son-in-law spoke with an investigator from the Iowa Attorney General’s office about the scam and they were able to intercept the package and return it to the couple after working with a local postal inspector. “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Bird said in the release. “I am so glad that we saved this Iowa couple their $16,000. Sweepstakes scams are evil and manipulative. And con artists will do everything they can to exploit Iowans’ emotions, like the excitement of hitting the jackpot, in order to steal from you.” Bird encourages Iowans to call her office at 1-888-777-4590 if they or someone they know is suspicious of a sweepstakes scam. Here are ways to spot a sweepstakes scam, according to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office: AARP is warning shoppers about these scam texts seeking personal information such as date of birth, Social Security Number, or account log ins. (Scripps News Baltimore) Financial scams are an unfortunate reality of life for consumers. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Canadians reported $530.4 million (CND) in financial fraud losses in 2022, a 170.2% increase in just one year. And the situation in the U.S. is even bleaker, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting Americans lost more than $10 billion (USD) from financial fraud in 2023. While some scams are obvious, others can be rather convincing. It doesn't help that scams are constantly evolving, and new types of fraud are invented daily. A quick slip-up, and you could be giving away some of your vital information. To protect yourself, Money.ca shares tips to think like a thief and stay current with the most common scams. While Facebook is a great place to connect with people, it's almost become a prime hunting ground for thieves. One common scam involves fraudsters who set up a group or fan page that looks identical to an authentic brand. For example, it could be an airline or a popular retailer. They'll then advertise a contest where all you need to do is enter your personal information or bank details for your chance to win. As soon as any "brand" starts asking for specific information about you, red flags should be going off. It's okay to give your name and email, but if they're asking for your government ID numbers, bank account, or copies of your ID, it's probably a scam. Note that there are other scams on Facebook, including account cloning, where someone poses as a relative or friend and asks for financial help. There are also romance scams where the end game is getting you to send them money. If something doesn't seem right, don't be afraid to call the brands or your friends in person to see if what they're advertising or asking for is legit. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is seemingly everywhere nowadays, so it's only fitting that AI is now making its way into consumer financial scams. Fraudsters are using AI for a whole host of scams, including deepfakes, a process in which scammers employ AI to create convincing voice clones, making it difficult for victims to distinguish between real and fake emergency situations. But the threat of AI scams also extends to phishing attacks, with fraudsters using AI bots to create sophisticated emails, text messages, and social media accounts. These bots are highly personalized and can bypass traditional spam filters, increasing the likelihood of users falling for the scam. Online shopping scams have become a prevalent issue in today's digital age. Scammers have honed their skills and are now specifically targeting online shoppers, who are particularly vulnerable to fraud. These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers creating fake websites and launching social media campaigns to deceive unsuspecting consumers. What makes these scams even more dangerous is that they often impersonate well-known brands, luring shoppers with unbelievably low prices that are simply too tempting to resist. What makes these scams even more dangerous is that they often impersonate well-known brands, luring shoppers with unbelievably low prices that are simply too tempting to resist. Because of this, it's important to be cautious when encountering too-good-to-be-true offers, especially when shopping online , as they can have devastating financial consequences. Tax scams are a very common form of fraud that prays on a collective fear of the tax man. These scams come in many forms, but follow one basic pattern: Someone claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency or the Internal Revenue Service will call or email and claim you owe back taxes. If you don't pay immediately, you'll be arrested or deported. The claim seems far-fetched, but it targets seniors or new immigrants who may not know any better. You'll know it's a scam when they ask you to pay by gift cards or Bitcoin. They'll also tell you that you'll be arrested or deported right away if you say anything to anyone. Just hang up if you ever get one of these calls. Tax authorities will never call you with aggressive language or threats. They'll also never ask for immediate payment. If you're not sure if a call you received is fraudulent, call the agency directly and ask them if an agent has been trying to contact you. Package delivery scams have become increasingly prevalent in recent times. Individuals are receiving fake messages, supposedly from reputable companies such as Amazon, UPS, FedEx, or the post office, regarding upcoming or missed deliveries. These scams aim to deceive you into clicking on links that direct them to fraudulent sign-in pages or websites infected with malware. It is crucial to remain vigilant and exercise caution when encountering such messages. With the cost of rent rising in many parts of the country, many people are looking to cut back on their living expenses. Thieves know that and are starting to exploit people by putting up fraudulent ads about apartments or rooms for rent on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. The price will usually be a touch below market price, which will drive up interest. These listings will look legit as there will be plenty of pictures, but once you reach out, you'll know that it's a scam as they won't do a face-to-face showing. While it's easy for locals to verify if the rental available is real or not, fraudsters target people who don't live in the area, but need affordable housing. Also, note that this scam doesn't apply to just monthly rentals. The same scam has been used for short-term rentals in popular tourist destinations. The fraudster will demand the first and last month's rent via wire or e-transfer. Once you've made the deposit, you'll never hear from them again. To avoid this scam, always view the property in person and verify the person is the owner. The easiest way to do this is to ask to see a property tax bill with their name on it. You could even check with the city's public records to verify ownership. Many job postings online look legit, but are clearly fake. One of the most common job scams involves working from home. Your new employer will send you a cheque. You'll use part of that money to set up your home office. The rest of the money will be sent back to your employer via e-transfer. The cheque will seem legit at first since some of the funds become available right away. However, the cheque will eventually bounce after a week or two. While you could return any items you purchased, there's no chance of recovering the funds you sent via e-transfer. So although you're clearly a victim of fraud, your financial institution won't be returning any money to you. Fraudsters are constantly coming up with new scams, so it's important to take steps to protect yourself. Here are some tips to keep in mind: Remember, being proactive and cautious is key to protecting yourself from financial scams. Stay vigilant and follow these guidelines to safeguard your personal and financial information. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. 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