Ecosystems in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea are being destroyed by Wanton Waste discarding of bycatch in the offshore fishing industry.
IF there is not a Writ of Mandamus and Injunctive relived filed against the State of Alaska, NOAA, NPFMC, the US Congress and the Biden Administration for failing to stop destructive Wanton Waste of bycatch in the offshore fishing industry in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, the salmon stocks of Bristol Bay and all the salmon destined for their native streams in Southwest Alaska will die off.
In addition, the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea will turn into an ecosystem wasteland with no marine life to speak of.
Nels Anderson, JR.
Curyung Tribal Member and USAF Veteran
Alaska House Majority mourns the passing of former Alaska State Senator Lyda Green
The Alaska House Majority was deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Former Alaska State Senator Lyda Green. Senator Green’s unwavering dedication and influential presence in the Alaska Legislature have left an indelible mark on our state. Her commitment to serving her constituents and the people of Alaska will be remembered for years to come.
Speaker of the House Cathy Tilton (R- Wasilla) expressed her condolences, stating, “Senator Lyda Green was not only a respected colleague but a true advocate for the people of Alaska. Her tireless efforts and commitment to public service set a standard for all of us. We mourn her loss deeply, and our thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family during this difficult time.”
As we reflect on Senator Green’s legacy, let us honor her contributions and continue the work she started for the betterment of our great state. May she rest in peace.
Alaska House Majority
Juneau, AK
The holiday joy of gift cards
Ever used a gift card to pay your tax bills, help your CEO out in a pinch, or combat identity theft? I’m guessing no. Usually, gift cards are an opportunity for your hard-earned money to go towards something meaningful for the individual receiving your generosity. They can be used to buy basic needs like clothing and food, help fill in the gaps for a new baby, or buy those must-haves for school or work. This begs the question, what are they not good for?
During the holiday season, when gift cards are flying around like peppermint candy, BBB wants to remind individuals to be cautious of who they are buying gift cards for. More people reported gift card fraud to the BBB Scam Tracker this year, with a 50% increase compared to last year.
How does a gift card scam work?
For starters, this can happen to anyone. I was personally targeted by an individual posing as the CEO of BBB Great West + Pacific. I received a text from an unknown number saying they were in a meeting and requested I purchase gift cards to donate to a charity. Luckily, I knew the red flags and caught on immediately. I notified the CEO, my IT department, and the entire company in case someone else got a similar text.
For years, scammers have preferred a gift card as payment because it’s treated like cash. If a victim is convinced to hand over the 16-digit code and PIN, the money is instantly in the scammers’ pockets. Most reports to BBB are the result of fraudsters impersonating sellers, businesses, or governmental agencies in order to convince consumers to send them gift cards. Persuading victims that they have an unpaid tax bill, owe fines, or have a hacked personal account, are all common ruses used as part of gift card scams. Sometimes scammers ask for a popular brand and other times they ask for a general-use card, such as a Visa Vanilla or American Express gift card.
In one instance reported to BBB, scammers pretended to be from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They advised a consumer to move her money onto Walmart gift cards, to be exchanged with the government for cashier’s checks. Talking to another victim, bad actors pretended to be from Microsoft, calling about an expired service.
What are scammers doing with gift cards?
For both scenarios mentioned above, once the gift cards were purchased and handed over to the scam group, they turned to associates – a common practice. The associates were given the gift card numbers and moved fast. They tried to spend some at a local store and “wash” the rest by buying a second round of gift cards with the first to obscure the funds from authorities.
Authorities, however, caught onto the scam and seized $89,000 in unused gift cards. Earlier this year, they were sentenced to several years in prison and ordered to repay over $200,000 for the fraud.
Stopping gift card scams
In an interview with BBB, Larry Lundeen, Senior Vice President of Global Security & Chief Security Officer at Walmart, laid out the way the corporation has developed innovative technologies to prevent gift card scams. And in a massive reversal to past years, some consumers are now recovering their money.
In 2018, Walmart deployed a technology called Redemption, which contains an algorithm with “red flag” markers for gift card fraud. If confirmed as fraud, the funds are placed into an escrow account and turned over to the Secret Service, which works with the Department of Justice to return the funds to customers. “This is not a competitive space with others,” Lundeen said. “By collaborating with other retailers, law enforcement and associations, we are working to mitigate this industry-wide issue.” Earlier this year, I was heartened to learn that the partnership was able to return almost $4 million to consumers who purchased Walmart gift cards as a part of a scam.
BBB tips to avoid falling for a gift card scam
To wrap up, here are some red flags I’d like you to keep in mind:
1. Be on guard if anyone ever asks for gift card payments.
2. Stop immediately if a person claiming to be from the government asks for a gift card.
3. Take a step back when someone asks for a gift card number or PIN over the phone or email.
4. Be wary of promises to reimburse you through a check.
5. Keep all information related to the gift card purchase if you do fall victim to a bad actor.
Logan Hickle, PR & Communications Manager
BBB Great West + Pacific
