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Westchester Woman Scammed Out Of $80K By Fraudsters Posing As Amazon Workers Westchester Woman Scammed Out Of $80K By Fraudsters Posing As Amazon Workers
Westchester Woman Scammed Out Of $80K By Fraudsters Posing As Amazon Workers A New York woman was bilked out of $80,000 by fraudsters posing as Amazon employees as part of an elaborate computer and phone scheme, police said. Last week, investigators in Westchester County with the Scarsdale Police Department received a report from a Greendale Road resident, who said that she believed she was the victim of a scam involving fraudsters portraying Amazon employees. Police said that the woman received an email from “Amazon” earlier this month asking if she had purchased a computer for $800, which she had not. When speaking with the scammers on a phone number provided in …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Google To Monitor Sleep Patterns, Breathing Google To Monitor Sleep Patterns, Breathing
Google To Monitor Sleep Patterns, Breathing Google is stepping up its smart home technology game with a new, next-generation feature that will have the ability to monitor users sleeping and breathing habits each night. This week, Google unveiled the second-generation Nest Hub, a smart display and speaker that has the ability to track users’ sleep and breathing using a built-in sensor. Google follows in the footsteps of Amazon and Facebook with its new smart hub, though it is the first to offer sleep tracking. Without requiring a device to wear in bed, the Nest Hub monitors the breathing and movement of whoever is next to the screen…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Amazon Fulfillment Center Gets Approval At Former IBM Site In Hudson Valley Amazon Fulfillment Center Gets Approval At Former IBM Site In Hudson Valley
Amazon Fulfillment Center Gets Approval At Former IBM Site In Hudson Valley Hundreds of new jobs are heading to the Hudson Valley as Amazon received its final approval to open up a new fulfillment center at the former IBM campus in the Hudson Valley. On Tuesday, March 9, Amazon announced its plans to expand its operation in Dutchess County at the 631,000-square-foot site on Route 52 in East Fishkill, which is expected to create more than 500 full-time jobs and hundreds of part-time jobs. It will be Amazon’s first operations site in Dutchess and third in New York, joining two sorting centers and 15 delivery stations. 
“We are proud to continue our growth and i…

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by Zak Failla
News
Here's Why Amazon Changed Controversial App Logo Here's Why Amazon Changed Controversial App Logo
Here's Why Amazon Changed Controversial App Logo Change has come following complaints about Amazon's app logo. The online retail behemoth just unveiled an updated version of its classic “smile” box logo. Artists added a torn piece of blue packaging tape at the top of the box. Many people took a look at the new logo and saw a Hitler mustache. Explaining the logo choice, Amazon said the tape was meant to remind people more of the anticipation and excitement of getting a package delivered, the Verge reported. Wry observations pinged across the Twitter-verse in response. Then in March, Amazon unveiled an update of the updated logo, whic…

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by Kristin Palpini
Lifestyle
Tech Industry Eyes Next Big Thing Amid Drop In Smartphone Sales Tech Industry Eyes Next Big Thing Amid Drop In Smartphone Sales
Tech Industry Eyes Next Big Thing Amid Drop In Smartphone Sales Now that more than 80 percent of American adults own smartphones, tech industries are developing the next big thing. Prompted by a drop in smartphone sales over the past two years, many technology companies - including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon - to get back to research and development, CNBC reported. So what will the next big thing be, according to tech companies? Augmented reality or AR is otherwise known as mixed reality. Here is a still from a video by Apple showing how its new AR (augmented reality) platform will display on a smartphone.Apple This isn’t the…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Tax Collector In Hudson Valley Allegedly Stole More Than $80K For Online Shopping Sprees Tax Collector In Hudson Valley Allegedly Stole More Than $80K For Online Shopping Sprees
Tax Collector In Hudson Valley Allegedly Stole More Than $80K For Online Shopping Sprees A 41-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $88,000 in tax funds collected for the use of an area town and its schools.  Jennifer Colucci, of Hopewell Junction, was arrested on Tuesday, March 2, following an investigation by the state Comptroller's Office, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office, and the New York State Police. She served as Beekman tax collector for two years, ending in August 2020. “While people across the state struggled to deal with the economic impact of the pandemic, Jennifer Colucci allegedly used taxpayer dollars to fund her ow…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
COVID-19: NY State Sues Amazon For Allegedly Failing To Protect Workers During Pandemic COVID-19: NY State Sues Amazon For Allegedly Failing To Protect Workers During Pandemic
Covid-19: NY State Sues Amazon For Allegedly Failing To Protect Workers During Pandemic New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the state has filed a lawsuit against Amazon for allegedly failing to keep employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. James announced on Wednesday, Feb. 17 that a lawsuit has been filed in state Supreme Court against the tech giant over its alleged failure to provide adequate health and safety measures for employees at the company’s New York facilities when the outbreak first started. An investigation into Amazon’s practices was opened by James’ office in March last year following multiple complaints about an alleged lack of precauti…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints
Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints Amazon has settled accusations that it stole millions of dollars in tips from Amazon Flex Delivery “gig” drivers. Amazon settled the charges and the deal was announced by the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 2. To comply with the settlement, Amazon will have to pay back $61.7 million to drivers, provide only accurate information about tips and pay to both customers and drivers, and get drivers’ consent before changing how it handles tips in the future, the FTC said. The FTC said that mega online-retailer Amazon had kept drivers’ tips for years despite numerous job ads touting th…

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by Kristin Palpini
Business
Numerous Internet Outages Reported Throughout Northeast Numerous Internet Outages Reported Throughout Northeast
Numerous Internet Outages Reported Throughout Northeast Mass Internet outages were reported throughout the Northeast, impacting some of the nation’s largest companies, some local businesses, and schools. Outages were first reported at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26 when websites including Amazon, Verizon, Zoom, Slack, and others that have become essential during the pandemic went down. According to reports, there were outages reported from Washington D.C. to Massachusetts. It is unclear what caused the outages, though Verizon reported on Twitter that there was a cut fiber in Brooklyn. There was no estimated time of restoration provi…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: At-Home Test For Virus Now Available On Amazon COVID-19: At-Home Test For Virus Now Available On Amazon
Covid-19: At-Home Test For Virus Now Available On Amazon You can now test yourself for COVID-19 from the comfort of your own home. Online retailer Amazon recently started selling COVID-19 kits that test saliva for evidence of the virus. They cost $110 each or a 10-pack for $1,000. The test kit offered for sale is the “DxTerity COVID-19 Saliva at-Home Collection Kit with Prepaid Express Return Shipping and Laboratory PCR Testing.” Results can be returned in 24-72 hours, according to Amazon. The kit is not returnable once purchased and must be used within 60 days of the purchase. The test received emergency approval from the federal Food and Dru…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Increase In Asymptomatic Workers Closes New Jersey Amazon Warehouse COVID-19: Increase In Asymptomatic Workers Closes New Jersey Amazon Warehouse
Covid-19: Increase In Asymptomatic Workers Closes New Jersey Amazon Warehouse Amazon has temporarily closed a New Jersey warehouse after an in-house COVID-19 testing system found an increase of asymptomatic positive cases among workers, CNBC reports. Employees of the Robbinsville (Mercer County)warehouse, also known as PNE5, were told Saturday that the site would close until Dec. 26, the news outlet said. Workers will be paid for shifts missed due to site closure, Amazon spokesperson Lisa Levandowski told CNBC. "This is exactly why we built the program," she said, "to identify asymptomatic cases and ensure that we can take swift action to prevent spread." The …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Details Emerge After Massive Blaze Breaks Out At Warehouse In Area Details Emerge After Massive Blaze Breaks Out At Warehouse In Area
Details Emerge After Massive Blaze Breaks Out At Warehouse In Area New details are coming to light a day after a large warehouse fire that later sparked a brush fire in Orange County. The blaze broke out in Orange County around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Middletown on the Midland Avenue extension at 9 Midland Avenue, said the Middletown Police. See Related Story: Firefighters Battling Large Blaze At Warehouse In Area Due to heavy winds, the fire quickly spread and sparked a brush fire in the dry brush around the busy industrial complex where the warehouse was located. Officials said the explosions were from tanks holding propane outside of the…

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by Kathy Reakes