by Ethan Faverino | Jul 17, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Scammers are posing as recruiters, offering tempting remote job opportunities to steal your money or personal information.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging consumers to stay vigilant, as job scams continue to rise. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over 103,000 employment scam complaints were made in 2024, resulting in an overwhelming $220 million in losses.
Fraudulent recruiters claim to represent well-known companies and reach out via email, text message, or even social media platforms such as LinkedIn and WhatsApp.
These messages often come from personal email accounts like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com rather than corporate domains.
Scammers may send what appears to be an official invitation for a virtual interview, complete with job descriptions and benefits.
However, they often move quickly, extending job offers and sending paperwork that requests sensitive information, such as bank account details, Social Security number, or even in some cases, cryptocurrency payments for “training” or “equipment.”
According to the BBB’s 2024 Scam Tracker Risk Report, employment scams ranked among the top five riskiest scams, with a medium loss of $1,500 per victim.
It is important to remember that legitimate employers do not request sensitive information or payment until after a formal hiring process is complete.
There are multiple ways to spot a job scam.
Make sure to check the sender’s email address or contact details. Legitimate recruiters use verified company emails or phone numbers, not personal accounts like Gmail and Yahoo.
Watch out for requests for personal information or any form of payment. Make sure that you are not asked to share your Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank details, or make any upfront payments before an interview or offer.
The FTC reported that 68% of job scam victims shared personal information before recognizing the fraud.
If you are unaware or uneasy about the recruiter or the company, you can always search for the name and companies online to confirm legitimacy. Most of the time you can go straight to the company’s official website or HR department or use other websites like the Better Business Bureau to make sure the recruiter and or company is legit.
Always be skeptical of job offers that are “too good to be true.” Job offers that promise high pay for little work or include vague responsibilities should raise concern.
The BBB notes that 43% of job scam complaints involved remote work offers, often targeting younger job seekers.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 16, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Blademir Angulo Audeves, a Mexican national, was arrested on July 8th , 2025, and charged with Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
Angulo made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, July 11th.
Homeland Security Investigations launched an investigation in March 2025 following allegations that Angulo was employing undocumented workers, without work authorization, at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area.
The investigation revealed that at least 12 illegal aliens were working for Angulo, some of whom were residing at his home in Laveen, Arizona, or at a secondary residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8th, Homeland Security executed federal search warrants at Angulo’s main residence, restaurant locations, and secondary residence.
Agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be in the United States at both residents, arresting them and Angulo.
During the search of his Laveen home, agents found three firearms along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the closet of the master bedroom.
Immigration records show Angulo was previously encountered in the U.S illegally in 2011 and voluntarily departed through Nogales, Arizona, in May of 2021.
At the time of his arrest, Angulo lacked legal permission to be in the U.S., prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurants, Homeland Security also identified more Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be present or employed in the U.S.
Two individuals, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were encountered by Homeland Security on the same operation. They were both arrested and charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. They had been previously removed from the U.S. in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice Initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and keeping our communities safe.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 15, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Dragon Bravo Fire, raging across the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, has escalated quickly, destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and an estimated 50-80 structures including National Park Service administrative buildings and visitor centers.
Around 3:30 p.m. on July 12, 2025, the North Rim water treatment facility caught fire, resulting in a release of chlorine gas.
Chlorine gas, which is heavier than air, settled into lower elevations like the inner canyon. This prompted the immediate evacuation of all firefighters, hikers, and staff from the North Rim and inner canyon areas.
All river trips were instructed to bypass the Phantom Ranch to avoid risk exposure.
By 10:30 p.m. the fire intensified, driven by constant winds of 20-40 mph, joined with hot temperature and low humidity.
Despite efforts by firefighters, including aerial bucket drops near the Grand Canyon Lodge and Transept Trail, the chlorine gas leak prevented the use of aerial retardants in critical areas, hindering containment efforts.
Firefighters worked through the night under dangerous conditions to slow the fire’s spread but lost the Grand Canyon Lodge and other significant structures.
As of July 13, fire managers initiated retardant drops on the east side of the developed area, focusing on the Roaring Springs drainage, as part of an aggressive full-suppression strategy.
The fire remains highly active, fueled by persistent winds and dry conditions.
Preliminary damage assessments confirm the destruction of 50-80 structures, but no injuries or fatalities have been reported, and all staff and residents were safely evacuated prior to the fire’s escalation.
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will remain closed to all visitors for the remainder of the 2025 season. The following inner areas are also closed until further notice:
- North Kaibab Trail
- South Kaibab Trial
- Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens
- Phantom Ranch
- All associated campgrounds
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 15, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A new report reveals a rise in financial cybercrime across the United States, with Arizona ranking 47th out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., as one of the riskiest states.
Based on the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) annual report, the findings highlight a national rise in crime frequency and financial impact. Arizona is among the states that faced significant challenges due to high victim counts, staggering losses, and inadequate legislative protections.
Arizona reported 2,239 victims per million residents in 2024, which was well above the national average, totaling $337 million in financial losses.
The state experienced a 61.02% increase in victim counts and a 51.84% rise in losses from 2022 to 2024. These losses are driven by an increase in high volume scams such as phishing, tech support fraud, and identity theft.
With a weighted score of 59.305 and only 10 cybersecurity-related laws, Arizona’s legislation has not kept up with the growing scale of cybersecurity threats.
Nationwide, financial cybercrime losses more than doubled from 2022 to 2024 reaching billions in reported damages. The report mentions that most states, including Arizona, saw double-digit increases in either victim counts or monetary losses.
Nationally, cyber security intrusions rose 613% from 2013 to 2023. In 2023 alone, there were 7.6 trillion hacking attempts, and 6.06 billion malware attacks recorded.
Americans lost $25.4 billion to phone phishing scams last year, and ransomware attempts occur nearly 20 times per second.
Cybercriminals are targeting multiple sectors, with the financial industry hit by 95.7% of successful attacks in 2023, costing $5.90 million per data breach.
The healthcare sector faced the highest breach costs at $10.93 million, while 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses.
The retail sector lost $2.9 million per breach, and the banking industry’s cybersecurity market is projected to grow from $74.3 billion in 2022 to $282 billion by 2032.
These trends show the broad economic toll, with the average global data breach costing $4.88 million in 2023.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 14, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
U.S Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) has reintroduced H.R. 4235. This is a bipartisan bill to designate the United States Postal Service facility at 100 N. Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, as the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
The reintroduction aligns with what would have been former Congressman Jim Kolbe’s 83rd birthday on June 28, 2025. Congressman Kolbe passed away on December 3, 2020.
The bipartisan effort is co-sponsored by Representatives Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ).
This legislation was introduced in the 119th Congress, 1st session and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
The bill includes two key provisions:
- That the post office at 100 N. Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, will be officially named the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
- That any mention of the facility in laws, maps, regulations, documents, or other U.S. records will reflect its new designation as the Jim Kolbe Memorial Post Office.
Jim Kolbe, a native of Patagonia, represented southeastern Arizona in Congress for 11 terms from 1985 to 2007.
Prior to Congress, Kolbe served in the Arizona State Senate from 1977 to 1982 and began his career as a U.S. House page.
He was also a Navy veteran who served from 1967 to 1977 including in Vietnam.
Congressman Kolbe was a respected statesman known for his leadership on the House Appropriations Committee, where he was the chairman of one of its 12 subcommittees.
Congressman Ciscomani praised the former Congressman by saying, “Jim Kolbe lived a life of service dedicated to not only our state but our country as a whole. He was a Navy veteran who represented Arizona as a true statesman, leading in foreign affairs, trade, and fiscal discipline, while staying true to his values. He continues to inspire my own service in Congress and his impactful leadership will long be remembered.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
