MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP)–The leading manufacturer of N95 masks in the U.S. says it has investigated 4,000 reports of fraud, counterfeiting and price gouging in connection with the product and filed 18 lawsuits as a result. 3M, based in Maplewood, is among the largest global producers of the N95 mask, which has been approved by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational…
BISMARCK, N.D.–Job Service North Dakota is asking employers to be on the lookout for fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. An increase in fraudulent claims has been noted across the country, North Dakota included. Job Service North Dakota says, “Although fraudulent attempts to receive unemployment insurance benefits happen regularly, periods of disaster which result in a large volume of unemployment insurance claims…
UNITED STATES – While overall cyber activity has been no different than what FBI agents would see on a normal day, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a new worry. “So we’ll see scams that are trying to sell fraudulent medical equipment, we’ll see scams that are trying to get people to buy testing or vaccines for COVID that don’t exist….
FARGO, ND — It’s sentencing day for a Rhode Island woman convicted in North Dakota as part of a major lottery fraud. Judge Daniel Hovland sentenced Melinda Bulgin of Providence to four years in prison and restitution of around $330,000. At least 90 Americans lost over $5.7 million in the scheme which funneled money between the U.S. and Jamaica. The…
FARGO, N.D.– Robo–calls are nothing new in our area, but scams come in all shapes and sizes. According to the AARP Fraud Watch Network, a con artist steals someone’s identity every 2 seconds in the U.S. The group says in 2018, Americans lost $16 billion to fraud, identity theft, and scams. There are many types of scams people can fall…
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A Minnesota man who helped found a business in North Dakota’s oil patch has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud in a stock manipulation scheme. Ryan Gilbertson also was fined $2 million and ordered to pay more than $15 million in restitution. The U.S. attorney’s office says Gilbertson co-founded Dakota Plains Holdings, which owned a…
MOORHEAD, Minn. — Moorhead Police are warning the public about a recent increase in the number of scams involving the payment of bogus debts with gift cards. Whether it’s over the phone or online, scammers have been targeting many in the Valley with threats and emotional pleas. All them are designed to get victims to hand over their hard–earned money….
BRAINERD, Minn. — New details emerge in the investigation into alleged fraud at a Minnesota ice fishing competition. Officials with Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza are investigating whether three men from Ohio legitimately caught the fish when they say they did. Stephan Lyogky and his son, Ivan Lyogky, caught two of three northern pike that won prizes and came in…
BRAINERD, Minn. — Organizers of the Brainerd Jaycees are investigating whether some competitors in this year’s $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza engaged in fraud. Three of the 150 prize-winners are being investigated to make sure their fish were caught legitimately. One of the men took home a new truck. Event chairman Shane Meyer says organizers have no proof of cheating. But…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Senator Amy Klobuchar is encouraging the NFL to combat ticket fraud in advance of the Super Bowl. In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Klobuchar encourages the NFL to take steps to address common fraud schemes. Last December, the Klobuchar-backed bipartisan Better Online Ticket Sales Act of 2016 was signed into law by the President. It…
