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Facebook 'Secret Sister Gift Exchange' Is Illegal Scam, Better Business Bureau Warns Facebook 'Secret Sister Gift Exchange' Is Illegal Scam, Better Business Bureau Warns
Facebook 'Secret Sister Gift Exchange' Is Illegal Scam, Better Business Bureau Warns A Facebook post that resurfaces around the holiday season has been declared as an illegal scam, according to the Better Business Bureau. The post discusses the “Secret Sister Gift Exchange,” where participants are instructed to send one gift in order to receive up to 36 gifts in return. However, it’s easy to see that the math just doesn’t add up. “These gift exchanges, while they look like innocent fun, are really pyramid schemes – and are considered illegal,” the BBB warns. The gift exchange first became popular in 2015. Users were encouraged to invite others to participate in the exchang…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
Facebook Signs Move To NYC's Hudson Yards: Three Buildings, 30 Floors, 1.5 Million Square Feet Facebook Signs Move To NYC's Hudson Yards: Three Buildings, 30 Floors, 1.5 Million Square Feet
Facebook Signs Move To NYC's Hudson Yards: Three Buildings, 30 Floors, 1.5 Million Square Feet The Manhattan magnet that is Hudson Yards just landed another huge client: Facebook has signed a lease for a massive new operations hub on the waterfront. The social media giant is planting an enormous footprint, leasing more than 1.5 million square feet of space in three buildings across 30 floors, including 1.2 million square feet in the development’s spectacular 1,000-foot-tall tower, Hudson Yards announced Thursday. Facebook, which currently has its main Manhattan office off Astor Place, plans to head to its West Side digs next year. “When considering the next phase of our growth in th…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Woman Charged With Hate Crime For Harassing Child With Special Needs In Ulster Woman Charged With Hate Crime For Harassing Child With Special Needs In Ulster
Woman Charged With Hate Crime For Harassing Child With Special Needs In Ulster A Long Island woman has been charged with committing a hate crime after police say she repeatedly harassed a child with special needs in Ulster County. New York State Police arrested Krista M. Sewell, 26, of Melville on Thursday, Nov. 7 following an ongoing investigation with the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department. Police say Sewell engaged in the repeated harassment of a child with special needs via multiple social media sites as well as the U.S. Mail. The victim suffers from Harlequin Ichthyosis, a severe genetic disorder that affects the skin, according to police. Sewell allegedly targe…

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by Valerie Musson
Politics
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says Chappaqua resident Hillary Clinton is targeting Westchester native Mark Zuckerberg, saying he should “pay a price” for his company’s role in damaging democracy stateside and throughout the world. The former Secretary of State, First Lady and US Senator from New York, speaking at a screening of the Netflix documentary, “The Great Hack” spoke about the role Facebook and its data sharing with Cambridge Analytica helped spread misinformation to undermine her during her run at the Oval Office in 2016. Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook - a White Plains native who grew up in Dobbs Ferry who atte…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Google Maps Warn Of Speed Traps: Right Or Wrong? Google Maps Warn Of Speed Traps: Right Or Wrong?
Google Maps Warn Of Speed Traps: Right Or Wrong? Police nationwide are concerned that a Google Maps feature that shows their real-time locations around the world could end up seriously injuring or killing civilians – or them. Last week, iOS users got the ability to report crashes, traffic slowdowns and speed traps across the country, a crowd-sourcing tool that a much smaller number of Android users have had since last year. Police argue that the global update, which competes with Google-owned Waze, could keep or put more drunk or drugged drivers on the road. “Revealing the location of checkpoints puts those drivers, their passengers, and…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Politics
Video: 'So You Won't Take Down Lies?' Ocasio-Cortez Asks Zuckerberg In Battle Of Westchester Video: 'So You Won't Take Down Lies?' Ocasio-Cortez Asks Zuckerberg In Battle Of Westchester
Video: 'So You Won't Take Down Lies?' Ocasio-Cortez Asks Zuckerberg In Battle Of Westchester A pair of Westchester’s most famous high school graduates sparred this week during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee over Facebook’s Libra crypto project. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg - a White Plains native who grew up in Dobbs Ferry and attended Ardsley High school - and freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - a Yorktown High School graduate - went toe-to-toe over the social media giant’s use of political ads and information. “You announced recently that the official policy of Facebook now allows politicians to pay to spread disinformation in 2020 elec…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Video: 'Monster' Fish Caught On Camera Bursting Out Of Hudson River Video: 'Monster' Fish Caught On Camera Bursting Out Of Hudson River
Video: 'Monster' Fish Caught On Camera Bursting Out Of Hudson River Did Nessie take a vacation to the Hudson Valley? Garry Gleason was kayaking in the Hudson River with a friend when an enormous fish leaped into the air much to his surprise. According to the kayaker, the fish was approximately eight-feet long. In disbelief at what he had seen, Gleason conferred with a fellow kayaker, who was looking in a different direction. At that point, Gleason remembered that he had a Go-Pro camera on him, and he confirmed the massive fish in the water in a video that has since gone viral on Facebook. The fish was caught on camera just north of the Bear Mountain Bridg…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Investigation Of Facebook For Possible Antitrust Violations Launched By NY Attorney General Investigation Of Facebook For Possible Antitrust Violations Launched By NY Attorney General
Investigation Of Facebook For Possible Antitrust Violations Launched By NY Attorney General New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation of Facebook for possible violations of antitrust laws. Though Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform, James says the site “must follow the law and respect consumers.” James, who will lead the bipartisan coalition in charge of carrying out the investigation, is working with the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia to determine whether Facebook has violated antitrust laws. Specifically, the investigation focuses on Faceboo…

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by Valerie Musson
Lifestyle
Support Pours In For Family Of Area Plane Crash Victims Support Pours In For Family Of Area Plane Crash Victims
Support Pours In For Family Of Area Plane Crash Victims As the details of the horrific crash of a small plane into a house come to light, support pours in for the family devasted by the event through a fundraiser set up by a family friend. The plane crash, which killed two people and left one with life-threatening injuries in a burn unit, took place around 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, Aug. 17 in Dutchess County on South Smith Road in Union Vale, just south of Sky Acres Airport and east of the Taconic State Parkway. The two who died were the pilot of the Cessna 303, identified as Francisco Knipping-Diaz, 61, of Woodmere in Nassau County, and h…

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by Kathy Reakes
Politics
NY Sex Offenders Don't Have To Disclose Facebook Accounts To Law Enforcement, Court Says NY Sex Offenders Don't Have To Disclose Facebook Accounts To Law Enforcement, Court Says
NY Sex Offenders Don't Have To Disclose Facebook Accounts To Law Enforcement, Court Says People convicted of sexual offenses in New York will not have to disclose their status and will be permitted to use their Facebook accounts provided they don’t use a false name. The New York State Supreme Court unanimously made the ruling on Thursday, June 27, after a man from Ticonderoga was charged for failing to disclose to state officials that he used the social media website. His case has since been dismissed. The question arose regarding Arthur Ellis, Jr., who was convicted of a sexual offense in 2011 in Essex County and was obligated to disclose that he had a Facebook account when he…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Retired Ramapo Police Officer Brings Authentic Greek Food To Garnerville Retired Ramapo Police Officer Brings Authentic Greek Food To Garnerville
Retired Ramapo Police Officer Brings Authentic Greek Food To Garnerville Next time you’re in the mood for some authentic Greek fare, stop by Georgy Gyros, which claims to serve “New York’s most authentic Greek gyro.” Retired Ramapo Police Officer George Drivas opened the eatery on West Ramapo Road. Despite being a relatively new establishment, Georgy Gyros has earned a solid reputation in the community with a perfect five-star rating on Facebook. Guests are quick to comment on the eatery’s authentic Greek fare as well as the friendly staff. Though gyros are undoubtedly the star of the show, Georgy’s also offers plenty of other authentic Greek specialties, like …

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by Valerie Musson
News
Fugitive Still On Run After Saying He'd Surrender If 'Wanted' Facebook Post Got 15K Likes Fugitive Still On Run After Saying He'd Surrender If 'Wanted' Facebook Post Got 15K Likes
Fugitive Still On Run After Saying He'd Surrender If 'Wanted' Facebook Post Got 15K Likes A man who made a deal with police to turn himself in if a wanted poster received 15,000 “likes” on Facebook is still on the run, police in Connecticut said. Investigators from the Torrington Police Department posted on Facebook that Jose Simms, 29, who is wanted on seven failure to appear warrants, agreed to turn himself in if a post received the necessary likes. Simms failed to appear in court seven times earlier this year to face charges that include assault, risk of injury and breach of peace. “Here's an interesting one ... Jose Simms (The first warrant pictured) negotiated with me earl…

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by Zak Failla