Cybersecurity Awareness

 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.

“Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” said Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online. A quick way to remember what to do when you think you’re getting scammed is to think about the three S’s, said Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer

“Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she said.

Whether it’s romance scams or job scams, impersonators are looking for ways to trick you into giving them money or sharing your personal information. Here’s what to know:

Three common tactics used by scammers are based on fear, urgency and money, said security expert Petros Efstathopoulos. Here’s how they work:

— Fear

When a scammer contacts you via phone or email, they use language that makes it seem like there is a problem that you need to solve. For example, a scammer contacts you over email telling you that your tax return has an error and if you don’t fix it you’ll get in trouble.

— Urgency

Because scammers are good at creating a sense of urgency, people tend to rush, which makes them vulnerable. Scammers often tell people they need to act right away, which can lead to them sharing private information such as their Social Security numbers.

— Money

Scammers use money as bait, Efstathopoulos said. They might impersonate tax professionals or the IRS saying you will get a bigger tax refund than you expect if you pay them for their services or share your personal information.

Know the most common scams

Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls in particular frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities, and people with debt.

“If you get a robocall out of the blue paying a recorded message trying to get you to buy something, just hang up,” said James Lee, chief operating officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center. “Same goes for texts — anytime you get them from a number you don’t know asking you to pay, wire, or click on something suspicious.”

Lee urges consumers to hang up and call the company or institution in question at an official number.

Scammers will also often imitate someone in authority, such as a tax or debt collector. They might pretend to be a loved one calling to request immediate financial assistance for bail, legal help, or a hospital bill.

Romance scams

So-called “romance scams” often target lonely and isolated individuals, according to Will Maxson, assistant director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the FTC. These scams can take place over longer periods of time -- even years.

Kate Kleinart, 70, who lost tens of thousands to a romance scam over several months, said to be vigilant if a new Facebook friend is exceptionally good-looking, asks you to download WhatsApp to communicate, attempts to isolate you from friends and family, and/or gets romantic very quickly.

“If you’re seeing that picture of a very handsome person, ask someone younger in your life — a child, a grandchild, a niece or a nephew — to help you reverse-image search or identify the photo,” she said.

She said the man in pictures she received was a plastic surgeon from Spain whose photos have been stolen and used by scammers.

Kleinart had also been living under lockdown during the early pandemic when she got the initial friend request, and the companionship and communication meant a lot to her while she was cut off from family. When the scam fell apart, she missed the relationship even more than the savings.

“Losing the love was worse than losing the money,” she said.

Job scams

Job scams involve a person pretending to be a recruiter or a company in order to steal money or information from a job seeker.

Scammers tend to use the name of an employee from a large company and craft a job posting that matches similar positions. An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job very appealing, Velasquez said.

“They’re going to have very high salaries for somewhat low-skilled work,” she said. “And they’re often saying it’s a 100% remote position because that’s so appealing to people.”

Some scammers post fake jobs, but others reach out directly to job seekers through direct messages or texts. If the scammers are looking to steal your personal information, they may ask you to fill out several forms that include information like your Social Security number and driver’s license details.

The only information a legitimate employer should ask for at the beginning of the process is your skills, your work experience, and your contact information, Velasquez said.

Other details don’t generally need to be shared with an employer until after you’ve gotten an offer.

Investment scams

According to Lois Greisman, an associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission, an investment scam constitutes any get-rich-quick scheme that lures targets via social media accounts or online ads.

Investment scammers typically add different forms of “testimony,” such as from other social media accounts, to support that the “investment” works. Many of these also involve cryptocurrency. To avoid falling for these frauds, the FTC recommends independently researching the company — especially by searching the company’s name along with terms like “review” or “scam.”

Quiz scams

When you’re using Facebook or scrolling Google results, be aware of quiz scams, which typically appear innocuous and ask about topics you might be interested in, such as your car or favorite TV show. They may also ask you to take a personality test.

Despite these benign-seeming questions, scammers can then use the personal information you share to respond to security questions from your accounts or hack your social media to send malware links to your contacts.

To protect your personal information, the FTC simply recommends steering clear of online quizzes. The commission also advises consumers to use random answers for security questions.

“Asked to enter your mother’s maiden name? Say it’s something else: Parmesan or another word you’ll remember,” advises Terri Miller, consumer education specialist at the FTC. “This way, scammers won’t be able to use information they find to steal your identity.”

Marketplace scams

When buying or selling products on Instagram or Facebook Marketplace, keep in mind that not everyone that reaches out to you has the best intentions.

To avoid being scammed when selling via an online platform, the FTC recommends checking buyers’ profiles, not sharing any codes sent to your phone or email, and avoiding accepting online payments from unknown persons.

Likewise, when buying something from an online marketplace, make sure to diligently research the seller. Take a look at whether the profile is verified, what kind of reviews they have, and the terms and conditions of the purchase.

Don’t pick up if you don’t know who is calling

Scammers often reach out by phone, Ben Hoffman, Head of Strategy and Consumer Products at Fifth Third Bank recommends that you don’t pick up unknown incoming calls.

“Banks don’t ask your for your password,” said Hoffman. If you believe your bank is trying to reach out, give them a call at a number listed on their website.

This makes it easier to know for sure that you’re not talking to a scammer. As a general rule, banks don’t often call unless there is suspicious activity on your account or if you previously contacted them about a problem.

If you receive many unknown calls that end up being scammers or robocalls, you can use tools available on your phone to block spam. Check here for how to do this on your iPhone and here for Android.

Use all of the technology at your disposal

There are many tools are your disposal that can be used to protect yourself from scammers online.

— Use a password manager to ensure you’re utilizing a complex password that scammers can’t guess.

— Regularly checking your credit report and bank statements is a good practice since it can help you identify if someone has been using your bank account without your knowledge.

— Turn on multi-factor verification to make sure impersonators aren’t able to access your social media or bank accounts.

When in doubt, call for help

As scams get more sophisticated, it’s difficult to know who to trust or if a person is actually real, or an impersonator. If you aren’t sure if a job recruiter is real or if your bank is actually asking your for information, find organizations that can help you, recommended Velasquez.

Organizations like the Identity Theft Protection Center and the AARP Fraud Watch Network offer free services for customers who need help identifying scams or knowing what to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam.

Share what you know with loved ones

If you’ve taken all the necessary steps to protect yourself, you might want to help those around you. Whether you’re helping your grandparents to block unknown callers on their phones or sharing tips with your neighbors, talking with others about how to protect themselves from scams can be very effective.

Protect Yourself From Scammers

 

Between finding openings, sending out your resume and interviewing, looking for a job is tough. Now a growing trend of scammers impersonating recruiters is making it even harder.

In the last year, job scams have been on the rise, according to Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that helps consumers when their identities are compromised.

Because most job seekers turn to online platforms for employment, scammers impersonate companies and recruiters to trick people into giving them money or personal information.

“We’ve really seen tremendous growth in job scams,” Velasquez said. “I think that’s just due to the fact that we fundamentally changed the way we recruit and hire people.”

It happened to Tehseen Islam, a 28-year-old quality assurance analyst. She had been looking for a job for a few months when she finally got an offer from a well-known marketing technology company. Or at least she thought she did.

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After a weeklong process that included an online form with interview screening questions, Islam was offered the job and received a check. She was asked to deposit it and send the company $1,000 to pay for shipment of equipment she’d need for the job.

A few days later, her bank notified her that the check had bounced and, because it looked like she was cooperating with scammers, it was ending all banking relationships with her. That’s when she learned the job was a scam.

“I’m a little traumatized,” said Islam, who lost the $1,000 and unknowingly shared personal information with scammers.

If you’re a job seeker, here are some recommendations from experts on how to avoid job scammers:

Know how job scams work

Job scams are a type of impersonation scam.

Scammers tend to use the name of an employee from a large company and craft a job posting that matches similar positions. An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job very appealing, Velasquez said.

“They’re going to have very high salaries for somewhat low-skilled work,” she said. “And they’re often saying it’s a 100% remote position because that’s so appealing to people.”

Some scammers post fake jobs, but others reach out directly to job seekers through direct messages or texts. If the scammers are looking to steal your personal information, they may ask you to fill out several forms that include information like your Social Security number and driver’s license details.

The only information a legitimate employer should ask for at the beginning of the process is your skills, your work experience, and your contact information, Velasquez said.

Other details don’t generally need to be shared with an employer until after you’ve gotten an offer.

Do your research

Whether you’re replying to a job posting or a recruiter, you must research the company, especially if you didn’t initiate the conversation, Velasquez said.

Fake recruiters often contact job seekers through social media or text messages. If someone reaches out to you, verify their identity before responding to their message.

Here are a few recommendations while you research the recruiter or the company:

— Don’t respond to the message right away.

— Go online and research if the company has current job openings on its official website.

— Research the name of the recruiter and check if the person has a verifiable social media presence.

— If the company has a job opening on its website, apply directly through the website.

Don’t reply or click on links

If you receive a message from a recruiter, it’s best to not respond unless you know that the source is reputable. Avoid clicking on any links sent to you, whether to apply for a position or to fill out a questionnaire.

In Islam’s case, the scammers sent her a form with interview screening questions where they asked for her personal information.

Don’t deposit checks

A common tactic is for scammers to send you a fake signing bonus and then ask you to send some money back, supposedly to cover expenses. This is a way for scammers to steal money from job seekers, said Alvaro Puig, consumer education specialist at the Federal Trade Commission.

“If you deposit a check and it’s fake, your account will show the money is there. But then days later, the bank will discover that it was a fake check,” Puig said.

So, if you take out money from your account and send it to the fake recruiter, the money will be coming from your bank account and it will be impossible to get back.

Be selective with the job openings you trust

When job hunting through platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, Velasquez recommends being very cautious with job openings and recruiters you trust. While these platforms are reputable and many of their job postings are real, the companies cannot verify every single employment opportunity posted. This creates an opportunity for scammers to post fake job listings and trick people.

“Don’t let platforms that you know are legitimate allow other people to borrow that trust,” Velasquez said.

After her experience with job scammers, Islam has been more careful with the job openings she trusts. Now, she has a list of steps she follows, including verifying a recruiter’s email through a free email address validator, such as Emailable or Clearout, and calling the company directly.

“This is adding a lot more time to my job search now but I can’t just blindly trust that this person is who they say they are,” Islam said.

Solid Jobs

 

U.S. stocks are drifting around their records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% and was just above its all-time high set on Wednesday. It’s rolling toward the close of a third straight winning week in what’s likely to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 115 points, or 0.3%, as of 12:53 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6%.

Stocks held relatively steady as the latest jobs report strengthened expectations among traders that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. While the report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%.

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“This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” according to Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation.

Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 56 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America.

Still, the jobs report may have included some notes of caution for Fed officials underneath the surface.

Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, pointed to average wages for workers last month, which were a touch stronger than economists expected. While that’s good news for workers who would always like to make more, it could also keep upward pressure on inflation.

“This report tells the Fed that they still need to be careful as sticky housing/shelter/wage data shows that it won’t be easy to engineer meaningfully lower inflation from here in the nearer term,” Wren said.

So, while traders are betting on a nearly 90% probability the Fed will ease its main rate in two weeks, they’re much less certain about how many more cuts it will deliver next year, according to data from CME Group.

For now, the hope is that the job market can help U.S. shoppers continue to spend and keep the U.S. economy out of a recession that had earlier seemed inevitable after the Fed began hiking interest rates swiftly to crush inflation.

Several retailers offered encouragement after delivering better-than-expected results for the latest quarter.

Ulta Beauty rallied 9.7% after topping expectations for both profit and revenue. The opening of new stores helped it boost its revenue, and it raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for sales over this full year.

Lululemon stretched 18.3% higher following its own profit report. It said stronger sales outside the United States helped it in particular, and its earnings topped analysts’ expectations.

Retailers overall have been offering mixed signals on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain amid the slowing job market and still-high prices. Target gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season, for example, while Walmart gave a much more encouraging outlook.

A report on Friday suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers may be improving more than economists expected. The preliminary reading from the University of Michigan’s survey hit its highest level in seven months. The survey found a surge in buying for some products as consumers tried to get ahead of possible increases in price due to higher tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has threatened.

In tech, Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped 11.1% for one of the S&P 500’s larger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected. Tech stocks broadly were one of the main reasons the S&P 500 climbed this past week, as Salesforce and other big companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.16% from 4.18% late Thursday.

In stock markets abroad, France’s CAC 40 rose 1.3% after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to stay in office until the end of his term and to name a new prime minister within days. Earlier this week, far-right and left-wing lawmakers approved a no-confidence motion due to budget disputes, forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet to resign.

In Asia, stock indexes were mixed. They rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and 1% in Shanghai ahead of an annual economic policy meeting scheduled for next week.

South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.6% as South Korea’s ruling party chief showed support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law and then revoked that earlier this week. Yoon is facing calls to resign and may be impeached.

Bitcoin was sitting a little above $101,000 after briefly bursting above $103,000 to a record the day before.

Law Requiring Sale or Ban of TikTok

 

A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company’s challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment.

“The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.”

TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case.

“The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.”

Though the case is squarely in the court system, its also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action.

The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China.

The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app’s role in the Romanian elections.

TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government.

Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September.

In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three of them denied TikTok’s petition.

In the court’s ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok’s main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok.

“Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China.

Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion.

TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators - for which the company is covering legal costs - as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok.

“This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.”

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court’s ruling.

“I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China.

Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it’s time for ByteDance to accept” the law.

To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data.

The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient.

Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm - the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan - would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content.

Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business.

This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.

227,000 jobs in November

 America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls.

Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000.

Friday’s report from the Labor Department report showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. Hourly wages rose 0.4% from October to November and 4% from a year earlier — both solid figures and slightly higher than forecasters had expected.

The November employment report provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. The job market’s gradual slowdown is, in part, a result of the high interest rates the Federal Reserve engineered in its drive to tame inflation.

Economists also noted that the November job gains were narrow: Just three categories of employers — healthcare and social assistance; leisure and hospitality; and government — accounted for 70% of the added jobs. And the 22,000 jobs that factories gained in November were boosted by the end of strikes at Boeing and elsewhere that restored many workers to their employers’ payrolls. Retailers, by contrast, shed 28,000 jobs.

“I don’t think we should be misled by the solid number of 227,000,’’ said Julia Pollak, chief economist at the employment firm ZipRecruiter.

Pollak noted that averaging the October and November job gains amounts to a modest 132,000 per month.

“This report offers very little evidence of a labor market rebound,’’ she said.

Still, Americans as a whole have been enjoying unusual job security. This week, the government reported that layoffs fell to just 1.6 million in October, below the lowest levels in the two decades that preceded the pandemic. At the same time, the number of job openings rebounded from a 3 1/2 year low, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled.

The overall economy has remained resilient. The much higher borrowing costs for consumers and businesses that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes had been expected to tip the economy into a recession. Instead, the economy kept growing as households continued to spend and employers continued to hire.

The economy grew at a 2.8% annual pace from July through September on healthy spending by consumers. Annual economic growth has topped a decent 2% in eight of the past nine quarters. And inflation has dropped from a 9.1% peak in June 2022 to 2.6% last month. Even so, Americans were deeply frustrated by still-high prices under the Biden-Harris administration, and partly for that reason chose last month to return Donald Trump to the White House.

While comparatively few Americans are losing jobs, those who do are finding it harder to land a new one: The average unemployed American last month had been out of work for 23.7 weeks, the longest such stretch in 2 1/2 years.

The progress against inflation and the slowdown in hiring, which eases pressure on companies to raise wages and prices, led the Fed to cut its key rate in September and again last month. Another rate cut is expected to be announced when the Fed meets Dec. 17-18.

Pollak of ZipRecruiter said she sees some reason for optimism about the job market. Wage gains have been exceeding inflation for two years, for example, thereby strengthening Americans’ buying power. And lower borrowing rates are likely to encourage spending and hiring in the future.

“There are all kinds of mounting tailwinds that should propel this labor market forward,” she said.

For now, though, some businesses are cautious. Chris Butler, CEO of the National Tree Company, which makes artificial holiday trees, wreaths and garlands, said he’s taking a watchful approach to hiring. The company is grappling with subdued spending, and, like its competitors, National Tree has discounted heavily as many shoppers have pulled back on discretionary purchases. Butler is also monitoring the prospect of heavy new tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has said he will impose on imports from China and other countries.

Although National Tree Company sources a significant chunk of its business from China, it has been moving more production to Vietnam and Cambodia. It plans to be fully out of China in 2026 as it braces for Trump to take office.

For 2025, Butler said, “we’ll probably add a few roles. But it’s certainly not going to be a hiring bonanza.”

Do for Self or Suffer

 

Look at what is going on in our communities around the country. There is a scheme by wealthy White financiers to buy up all of the old property in the ghetto. These same wealthy financiers are also sending money into the Black community to foment gang warfare. The motion picture, “The Warriors,” released in 1979, is a prime example of the glorification of gang warfare, and their preying on the weak and helpless. This type of activity is forcing Black people to leave the inner-city areas.

If this tactic does not work, arsonists are sent in to burn down the houses of Black and Puerto Rican people, many times killing family members while they are asleep, so that the Blacks and Puerto Ricans will move out. These same White financiers and banks then move in, buy up the property, tear down the shabby buildings, and build high-rise condominiums that the poor and Black cannot afford to live in.

This forces us into other ghettos away from the inner city, or out into the suburbs. With the prices of gasoline skyrocketing, unemployment among our people will continue to rise because the poor will not be able to afford to get back into the city to obtain and maintain their jobs.

Financial Institutions and the Black Community

We must make the business world more accountable to us also. Take for an example the situation of banks and their relationship to the Black community. Black people put millions of dollars into these banks, but get little or no benefits in return.

They take our money and invest it, but the Black community reaps nothing, because the banks do not invest within the Black community. They take our money and build houses that we cannot live in. We can no longer tolerate this behavior. The banks that we do business with must become more responsive to our needs.

Another example is the insurance companies, especially Black-owned insurance companies. We want to see these insurance companies invest back into our own communities.

Spend Money Wisely

In the Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s monumental book, “Message to the Blackman in America,” he writes, “There is no need for us millions throughout the country, spending our money for the joy and happiness of others. As a result, as soon as we are thrown out of a job, we are back at the doors of White people, begging for bread and soup. How many clothing shops do we operate in the country?

Very few. Yet all of us wear clothes. Who made our clothes for us? Who sold them to us? We have a few grocery stores, but this is not enough to feed 30 million Black people in America. Should we not have clothing factories making clothes for ourselves? Should we not have more stores to sell our people everything that they want or need?”

At one point in the history of this country the Black man picked cotton for White people. We must now pick cotton for ourselves, and turn it into lint and cloth, so that we can make clothing for our people. Why should we continue to be the slaves of these freaks from Europe who are designing the indecent styles of clothing that Black people are wearing?

Look at us. We all wear shoes, but we have no shoe factories. If the cattle gives its hide to the Caucasian people so that they can take that hide, tan it, and make shoes for themselves, would not the same cattle give their hides to you and me? Was it not a Black man who invented the machine which revolutionized the shoe industry? Yet we profit nothing from his genius.

According to economists, Black buying power reached over $1.6 trillion in 2020, according to some estimates that would rank Black America as the 15th or 16th richest country in the world. If we took the aggregate income of Black people, some scholars submit that we would be the ninth richest country in the world. However, countries that are poorer than we are providing education, jobs and medical needs for their people. They are building roads, highways, and all kinds of housing with less money than the Black man in America has to spend.

We are throwing our money away foolishly. Black people spend billions of dollars annually on alcohol alone. If we would stop drinking, and put that money to work, every Black college in America would be finely supported. If we would stop drinking and throwing away money on dope, and other frivolous forms of “pleasure,” we could build up a mighty, independent existence. White people allow us to take money out of their economy, but we refuse to be wise and use that money to build for ourselves.

Our fraternal and Greek letter organizations must also learn to use their monies wisely. Why spend millions of your hard-earned dollars on big conventions, gaining nothing in return of any substance?

The Masons must come today with your square and compass, and build up the Black man to do something for self. Why not use your monies to build a Masonic supermarket that will provide jobs for our young people who are coming out of college? Why cannot the Elks own a hospital which would give treatment to our sick and wounded? This is how our monies must be spent today if we, as a people, are going to survive.

Muhammad’s Example

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad lifted up a mighty example of doing for self for the Black man of America. Many said the Muslims operated mom and pop stores, and made mockery of our humble beginnings. However, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad lifted up a light for all to see. He was not working with the “best minds” in the country, but with those that society labeled as social misfits, the outcasts and the prisoners.

There were very few people who worked with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad who were highly trained and highly learned. Yet, He showed us how to pool our resources, go to the earth and farm, thereby giving us the ability to do that which would one day enable us to be independent, and gain the respect of the civilized peoples of the world.

The Value of Land

Black people in America have lost millions of acres of land through fraudulent tax schemes, ignorance, and negligence. Many Black brothers and sisters have relatives in the South who have land. However, despite having the education necessary to aid them, many of you will not secure the land for your mothers, fathers, and grandmothers, and grandfathers. Therefore, our enemies are allowed to take the land back from them, thus making you and me totally dependent upon them for our sustenance.

Take the responsibility of making sure the taxes are paid, so that the land will stay in the hands of your family. Do not be so quick to sell the land for a few quickly declining dollars. We must hold on to our land, for as the dollar loses its value, the earth becomes more valuable. If that land can produce corn or wheat, it will be far more valuable to us in a few days than all the dollar bills you can manage to accumulate.

Look at all the clay land in Georgia. Why do not we buy some of it to build kilns, make bricks and construct our own homes? Cannot we cut down trees, and turn the trees into lumber, and build homes for ourselves? While the dollar still has a little value, let us purchase as much productive land as possible, for the earth will never lose its value if taken care of and properly cultivated.

Respect Must Be Earned

As I have traveled throughout the country, everywhere I go I see the spirit in the young Black students, which, if properly directed, would cause them to do for themselves. We must remember that if we desire the respect of the world, you and I must do that which will earn that respect. If our former slave masters saw us farming, bringing produce to warehouses that we own, and shipping that produce into the cities where we live;

If White people saw us taking over clothing, shoe, and food stores in our neighborhoods rather than allowing Jews, Arabs and every other nationality to sell us everything, they would then tip their hats, bow their heads and admit, “Now, the Black man is worthy of respect because he respects himself.”

No one respects a beggar, and up until now we are beggars for a job, clothing, and education from the White man. No, Black man, the time has now arrived where you must beg no man. You must get up and do it for yourself.

Lazarus and the Rich Man

Lazarus was at the rich man’s gate, begging for the crumbs from the rich man’s table. The rich man, however, showed no mercy, and sent the dogs out to bite Lazarus. However, instead of biting Lazarus, the dogs had compassion and licked his wounds. The scene changes, and Lazarus is now seen in the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man dies and is in hell, lifting up his eyes, calling out to Lazarus to come and drop some cool water on his parching tongue.

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad said that this illustrates the condition of the Black man of America lying at the gate of White America, begging America to do for us what we have the ability to get up, unite, and do for ourselves. Now the rich man (America) is in hell, and the Black man has a chance to get into the bosom of Abraham, which means to be hidden in the friendship and protection of God.

If we would recognize the time, get up and do something for ourselves, God will aid us. He will bless our land, our crops, and whatever we do, if we will do it for ourselves. The world will then take notice and marvel, and say, “This is a people that were dead, but they are now alive. Look at them. They are now doing something for self.”

In the rebuilding of the Nation of Islam, we will be busy all over the country doing for self, because the time has arrived that we must get up from the foot of the White man. We pray that Allah will bless you, my beloved brothers and sisters, to better understand what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was driving at, that we must do for ourselves. God is with us to do it. Are we with ourselves?

Remember, Black man, we must do something for self or suffer the consequences!

Top albums of 2024: Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Mk.gee and more

 

“Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé

“Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé

She rode in on a white horse, in patriotic chaps and wielding an American flag. She declared, this “ain’t a Country album” but “a ‘Beyoncé’ album” — positioning herself in opposition to the genre’s rigid power structures. And yet, she made the year’s best country (and then some) release: Beyoncé’s “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” a 78-minute, 27-track masterclass in inherited and uncelebrated histories, pulling from the Black and brown performers at the core of country’s canon, and providing visibility to oft-overlooked progenitors. It’s heard in the inclusion of Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. And it’s heard in Beyoncé’s natural twang, a return to form for the Texas native — at times, a vibrato that pulls directly from the earth. It may only be 2024, but it’s hard to imagine this record not being considered one of the decade’s best.

It wasn’t just brat summer, babes, but a brat movement: English singer-songwriter Charli XCX’s sixth album altered the language of 2024. The music oscillates between hedonism and anxiety — “the euphoria of a late night on the dancefloor and the creeping disquietude of the morning after,” as the AP reviewed it — but also manages to bring the underground’s pop queen into the mainstream without compromising her vision. There was a period where Charli XCX’s collaborations with the future-seeking PC Music collective and producer A .G. Cook seemed too progressive for everyday ears. But “Brat,” and its vomit-chartreuse iconography, resonated. Listeners were ready to return to the rave — or attend for the very first time — and dance-pop music is far more interesting for it.

“Alligator Bites Never Heal,” Doechii

When alligators kill, they do what is known as a “death roll”: They sink their teeth into their prey and spin rapidly, flipping their bodies in and out of the water, drowning, disorienting and dismembering whatever was unlucky enough to get in its way. Florida rapper Doechii’s breakout mixtape, “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” embodies that kind of intensity — not in aggression, per se, but in acuity — for a versatile album that teeters from the romance of her smooth R&B and the particularity of her flows. Single “Boom Bap” made her greatness known. Tracks like “Catfish” confirm it.

“Manning Fireworks,” MJ Lenderman

Last year, AP named “Rat Saw God,” the album from Asheville alt-country indie rockers Wednesday, as one of 2023’s best. The band features MJ Lenderman, whose “Manning Fireworks” is almost frustratingly addictive. It’s a record of hilariously evocative moments from pathetic people (or is it pathetic moments from hilariously evocative people?) atop purposeful, easy slacker rock melodies. From there, it’s a kaleidoscope of brilliant lyrical short stories. (An oft-quoted favorite of his cult following? “Kahlúa shooter / DUI scooter” from “Joker Lips.”) For fans of alternative music, it is an immediate classic. We’d suggest placing “Manning Fireworks” next to Pavement on your record shelf, but it’s unlikely to leave your turntable.

“GNX,” Kendrick Lamar

The holidays arrived early this year when Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar surprise released “GNX” in late November. It is his first album since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” — and perhaps more tellingly, his first since his victory lap over Drake in their recently reignited beef that inspired one of the year’s best songs, “Not Like Us.” In full, “GNX” builds off the promise of his blockbuster single — West Coast hip-hop showboating from one of the greatest living rappers anywhere. But it’s Lamar’s performance that makes this one of the year’s best. As the AP reviewed, it is his effortless ability to “switch cadences and lyrical perspectives mid-song” and seemingly limitless breath control that stand out.

“Hit Me Hard and Soft,” Billie Eilish

It often seems like there is no record Billie Eilish can’t break, no accomplishment she cannot summit. So where was she to go, at just 22, with her third studio album? Up, as it turns out. “Hit Me Hard and Soft” is a 10-track testament to her own ambition. It fuses insights pulled from her first two records — the gothic humor and unusual production of her first record and the classist detours of her second — but wizened. There are the fan favorites of “Lunch” and “Birds of a Feather,” but also standouts like “Chihiro,” with its delicate promise and techno-house crescendo at its coda. No one is doing it like her.

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“Two Star & The Dream Police,” Mk.gee

Upon first listen, if New Jersey guitar virtuoso Mk.gee confounds, do not worry. He is a 2024 success story who emerged fully formed and completely unusual, only to make fans of everyone from Justin Bieber to Eric Clapton — and their influence is heard throughout “Two Star & The Dream Police.” The record is gauzy, ripe for a “lo-fi music to study to” playlist, but also commands attention for its spaced-out production and sparkling pop, all reliant on the malleability of his guitar compositions. Those range from sticky staccato to a kind of soulful ’80s melodicism.

“The Past Is Still Alive,” Hurray for the Riff Raff

Hurray for the Riff Raff, the musical moniker of Alynda Segarra, has long studied Americana, blues, and folk punk, perfecting their craft with each new release. On the narrative “The Past Is Still Alive,” their eighth studio album, Segarra pulls from their background as a hitchhiker, train hopper and outsider artist to document the kind of life-altering adventures — ugly and rejuvenating — that can only happen far from home. It’s a beautiful portrayal of the U.S. — all big skies, starry nights and idiosyncratic people — as well as dumpster diving, shoplifting, addiction, politics, queer bars and poetry. In a word: America.

“Phasor,” Helado Negro

Nearly a decade ago, Helado Negro — the bilingual musical project of Roberto Carlos Lange — released the single “Young, Latin and Proud,” a celebratory exploration of Latino identity that became a rallying cry for indie kids with similar heritage. It doubles as a kind of framework in which to think about all of his art, in particular, the inventive, breezy, slow synths of “Phasor.” The album, recorded in English and Spanish, uses electronic sounds to express inspirations pulled from nature. It’s a wide-ranging release, effervescent and ambitious, easy to listen to and joy to dissect.

The Light

 1. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn; 2. From the evil of that which He (Yakub) has created; 3. And from the evil of intense darkness when it comes; 4. And from the evil of those who cast (evil suggestions) in form of resolutions; 5. And from the evil of the envier when he envies (Holy Qur’an 113).

The dawn of a new day has arrived to seek our place in that which is new. We must have a guide. Allah (God) has always provided guides for those who seek to walk in His path.

We should hasten ourselves to the light of truth as we hasten to get ourselves into the light of the day (the sun). The light of Allah (God) is even greater than the light of our day (the sun). We must learn to be intelligent enough to distinguish truth from falsehood and seek refuge in the God of truth.

If we shall know the truth (John 8:32) and that truth will make us free, we can truthfully say that we already have long since known the truth that Jesus was referring to was yet to come and not in his days (John 16:8, 13). If that truth had been revealed 2,000 years ago, there would no be any falsehood in the world. However, Jesus, being a prophet, foresaw the devil’s rule. “Seek the end of the devil’s rule. Seek refuge from the evil of that which He (Yakub) has created.”

The Father (Yakub) of the world created a world of evil, discord, and hate. If you do not agree with their evil-doings, your goodness is then called hate or infidelity and you are called peace – breaker.

This world of Christianity has gone mad and they think that every cry is against them. They are like robbers who have robbed and are afraid that they will be recognized by their victims. Thieves know that light makes them manifest.

Since Christianity has falsely claimed Jesus as her founder, she is now being plagued with spiritual darkness and confusion. Under such darkness the Prophet and His followers (the Muslims) are warned to seek refuge in the light of Allah (God); for under such spiritual darkness the wicked seek to persecute and kill the Prophet of Islam and His followers.

They are mad and cannot see, nor hear the truth. So they call the truth false and the false they call truth. The truth (Islam) has angered them (Christianity). “And the nations (Christianity) were angry. Thy wrath is come. The time of the dead (the mentally dead Black nation – especially the so-called Negro), must come into the knowledge of the truth of their enemies and the enemies’ false religion that was used to deceive them. They shall give reward unto Thy servants, the prophets, and the saints, and will destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Bible, Rev. 11:18).

The White Christians and Jews are the guilty race. They have persecuted and killed the prophets of Islam and their followers (the Muslims or Black people in general). Now should not they be destroyed or get what they put out?

Modest Growth Forecast for Eurozone

 

“After the stagnation in ’23, the European economy is growing again and is set to accelerate over the next two years, however growth remains modest and exposed to important downside risks,” said Gentiloni.

Growth started to recover earlier this year as new wage agreements began partially restoring household finances. The commission said that “the restraint to consumption appears to be loosening.” It added: “As the purchasing power of wages gradually recovers and interest rates decline, consumption is set to expand further.”

Inflation is forecast to come in at 2.1% next year, just above the European Central Bank’s target of 2% and a substantial relief from the peak of 10.6% recorded in October 2022.

Germany, the eurozone’s biggest economy is set for a second consecutive year of shrinking output this year at minus 0.1% percent, with a moderate rebound next year at 0.7%.