Latest news with #iMessage
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
Why Is iMessage or RCS Texting Broken? Here's How to Fix It on Your iPhone
If you're an iPhone owner, you might be familiar with this experience. You're having a back-and-forth conversation with your friend over iMessage, when suddenly there's a lull and your blue bubbles are now green. Or perhaps you're texting someone over RCS (which was introduced last year with iOS 18), but something happened, and now all your messages are regular SMS, you can't see typing indicators, and your read receipts are gone. Sure, you can continue the conversation over SMS, but iMessage and RCS have significant advantages. iMessages, which can only be done between Apple devices, are end-to-end encrypted, plus they have special features such as Tapbacks, Live Stickers, text effects and more. iMessages support links, high resolution images, delivery and read receipts plus typing indicators. RCS messages aren't end-to-end encrypted yet, but they otherwise provide a comparable texting experience between an iPhone and an Android phone. They also support delivery and read receipts, typing indicators, high-resolution photos, links and more. So what do you do if neither iMessage or RCS is working? Here are a few steps that might rectify the situation. Apple's iMessage includes features like the ability to schedule texts to send later. James Martin/CNET Make sure iMessage is turned on If your iMessage is not working, try making sure your iMessage service is turned on. Go to your phone's Settings, then select Apps. Scroll down to Messages and select it. On this page, make sure that iMessage is enabled. Make sure iMessage is set up with your phone number and Apple ID iMessage works not just with your phone number but with your Apple ID as well as any email addresses that you have associated with your Apple ID. This way, you can send and receive iMessages across your Apple devices. If your iMessage isn't working, try making sure it's set up with your current number and Apple ID. To do so, go to Settings, then Apps, then Messages. Then select Send & Receive. There, you'll see a list of numbers and email addresses under the heading "You can receive iMessages to and reply from." You can then select which ones you want to use with iMessage. If your preferred email address or number isn't listed, you'll have to add them to your Apple account first. Here are the steps to do so: From Settings, select your Apple account name at the top, then select Sign-In & Security. Then you can select Add Email or Phone Number and follow the steps to add them to your Apple account. If your carrier supports RCS messaging, you can enable it in Settings. Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET Make sure RCS chat is turned on The benefit of RCS messaging is that it can be used with non-Apple devices as well as other Apple products with Text Message Forwarding enabled. To enable RCS, go to Settings, then Apps, then scroll down to Messages. Tap it, then tap RCS Messaging. From there, make sure that RCS Messaging is enabled. If you don't have this option, it could be that you don't have iOS 18 or newer. RCS messaging also requires a cellular plan that supports RCS messaging on iPhone. Most carriers in the US and Canada do support this feature, but some might not. You can refer to this Apple support page to see if your carrier supports RCS messaging. What if these don't work? Both iMessage and RCS require a data connection, whether it's from Wi-Fi or cellular data. So if your iMessage and RCS connections aren't working, you could have an issue with your data signal that leads to your iPhone falling back to SMS as a failsafe. Alternatively, perhaps the person you're trying to reach has their iMessage or RCS abilities turned off. In which case, you can try instructing them how to make sure their iMessage or RCS messaging is enabled. For RCS chats with someone on an Android phone, that person will need to be using the Google Messages app for texting, and have RCS enabled from that app's Messages settings section. Sometimes, however, all you need to do is power off your phone and then turn it on again. That could be enough to reset any data connections and clear any potential glitches that are preventing your iMessages or RCS chat communications.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Dem Rep. Tom Suozzi appears to dodge questions about anti-ICE LA riots by faking phone call in caught-on-camera moment
Long Island Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi appeared to dodge questions about Los Angeles' violent anti-ICE riots by pretending to take a phone call in a bizarre moment that was caught on camera. The cringeworthy encounter showed a man waiting to question Suozzi outside the US Capitol Thursday when the congressman briefly greeted the curious bystander before abruptly putting his phone to his ear. 'Sorry, hold on, I got a call coming through,' said Suozzi, who had his iMessage app still open on his phone's home screen as he faked answering the bogus call, according to footage obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. Advertisement 4 Rep. Tom Suozzi appearing to avoid questions by pretending to take a phone call. NRCC The lawmaker, who represents New York's Third Congressional District, continued the ruse as the individual lobbed two questions about the days-long unrest in the City of Angels. 'Congressman, what do Democrats mean when they say the riots in LA are peaceful?' the man probed, as the wannabe moderate ignored the question and proceeded to walk away. Advertisement LOL: Dem Rep. Tom Suozzi pretends to take a phone call when asked about violent rioters — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 16, 2025 The individual then asked if Suozzi 'considers throwing rocks at a moving car to be a peaceful act,' before the congressman turned to the camera and said, 'Sorry, I'm on the phone,' the footage showed. 4 Suozzi appeared to have his iMessage app still open when he faked answering the bogus call. NRCC 'Enjoy the fake phone call,' the questioner replied as the lawmaker scampered away, still pretending to talk to no one. Advertisement National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Maureen O'Toole called Suozzi a coward for the staged act. 'Two-faced Tom Suozzi calls himself a 'commonsense Democrat,' but when asked about violent riots, he cowardly fakes a phone call instead of standing up for law and order,' O'Toole said in a statement, the Independent Journal Review reported. 4 The lawmaker evaded questions as he scampered away, still pretending to talk to no one on the phone. NRCC 'It's not just weak, it's disgraceful. Suozzi's refusal to condemn chaos shows he's fully captured by the radical left. He won't be able to fake his way out of this one — his free fall back home is just getting started.' Advertisement Suozzi did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. The congressman has remained tight-lipped after thousands of unruly protestors spent days flooding the streets of downtown Los Angeles demonstrating against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts in the city. 4 A burning car during a Los Angeles protest against ICE raids. Zuma/Jonathan Alcorn / The unrest prompted President Trump to deploy hundreds of on-duty Marines and thousands of National Guard troops to quell the chaotic scene of rioters hurling various items at cops, looting luxury stores and setting cars ablaze. Elected Democratic officials have either downplayed the turmoil, out-right lied about the violence or failed to condemn rioters as they blasted the president for instructing troops to contain the destructive chaos that engulfed the city for four days and nights. US Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa) was one of few Democrats who denounced the riots – and criticized his own political party. 'I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that,' Fetterman wrote on X. 'This is anarchy and true chaos. My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement.'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
Four Charged In Scheme To Steal Tens Of Millions Of Dollars In Treasury Checks From The Post Office
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 14: A City Carrier Assistant to the United States Postal Service works to unload her mail truck at the Processing and Distribution Center after collecting mail for the U.S. Postal Service. (Photo by) Four Pennsylvania men have been charged in a scheme to steal tens of millions of dollars in government checks. Tauheed Tucker, Cory Scott, and Alexander Telewoda were arrested and charged with conspiracy to steal government funds, theft of government funds, and mail theft. A fourth defendant, Saahir Irby, was charged with these offenses in addition to a previously charged count of mail theft involving another batch of Treasury checks that he allegedly stole and sold in August 2024. The superseding indictment (a new indictment that replaces a previous one in a criminal case) alleges that, between June 2023 and September 2024, Irby and Tucker, while working as USPS mail processing clerks, stole thousands of envelopes containing U.S. Treasury checks from mail sorting machines at the USPS Philadelphia Processing and Distribution Center. Processing and Distribution Centers are one of nine different types of processing facilities—they process and dispatch mail arriving from Post Offices and collection boxes within a specific geographic location. According to the indictment, Irby and Tucker took the checks from the USPS facility. Specifically, Irby was assigned to machines that processed Treasury checks as 'Return to Sender.' When other USPS employees went on break, Irby and Tucker allegedly took envelopes from the sorting machines and hid them in their clothing and backpacks to smuggle them out to their cars. The feds allege that Irby and Tucker then sold them to Scott and Telewoda, who then advertised the stolen checks for resale on Telegram, often showing images of the checks. Telegram is a cloud-based messaging platform, similar to iMessage or WhatsApp, that allows users a great deal of privacy and anonymity—for example, messages can be set to disappear. While there are many legitimate users, it has also become known as something of a digital 'dark market' space. Once Scott and Telewoda received payment from the buyers (often at 10% of the face value of the checks), they would mail the stolen Treasury checks to buyers around the country. Those buyers would then attempt to cash the checks and claim the money. Over the course of the scheme, the indictment alleges, Irby and Tucker sold Scott and Telewoda thousands of stolen Treasury checks, valued at over $80 million. Scott's and Telewoda's customers were able to cash in approximately $11 million worth of the stolen Treasury checks. If convicted, Irby faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine, and Tucker, Scott, and Telewoda each face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $750,000 fine. Emails to attorneys representing Irby, Tucker and Telewoda seeking comment were not immediately returned. It is unclear from court records whether Scott is currently represented. This is the second high-profile case in a few months' time. In March, Hachikosela Muchimba, a former U.S. Postal Service employee, was found guilty of stealing checks, including tax refund checks, from customers on his route. Muchimba had been accused of pocketing over $1.6 million in stolen checks. Although that may feel alarming, your mail is typically safe. The Postal Service provides mail service to almost 153 million customers six days a week with relatively few incidents. Before 2020, mail theft from mail receptacles—such as mailboxes—was primarily perpetrated through forced entry or the use of fishing devices. However, that changed as the Post Office strengthened the physical security of blue collection boxes. According to a 2023 report, the Postal Service has experienced significant growth in mail theft from mail receptacles. There was an 87% increase in reports of high-volume mail theft from mail receptacles, with 20,574 reports in 2019 and 38,535 reports in 2022. That growth, the agency said, likely has been driven by a marked shift by organized criminal groups towards the perpetration of low-risk, high-reward financial crimes. At the same time, there was a marked increase in letter carrier robberies—a 543% boost in letter carrier robberies between 2019 and 2022, with 64 letter carrier robberies in 2019 and 412 letter carrier robberies in 2022. The Postal Service has ramped up efforts to address these spikes in crime. In 2023, there were 4,728 arrests (and 4,103 convictions), primarily focused on crimes involving prohibited mail, mail theft, and assaults and robberies of employees. In response to concerns over thefts of paper checks (as well as costs and delays), the federal government must stop issuing paper checks by September 30 in favor of direct deposit, prepaid cards, or other digital payment options. That's in line with an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump in March. According to the federal government, historically, Department of the Treasury checks have been 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered compared to electronic funds transfers (EFTs). Last year, 455,601 Americans—about 0.7% of the more than 68 million total recipients—drew Social Security benefits checks. The numbers are less robust at the IRS. The most recent filing data from the tax agency indicates that approximately 97% of all tax refunds for individual federal income tax returns are issued by direct deposit. (Despite the push, one group of taxpayers may be out of luck: American taxpayers living abroad. If you live out of the country, your federal income tax refund can only be deposited directly into a U.S. bank or an affiliated account. The Social Security Administration has similar—though a bit more generous—rules for beneficiaries living abroad. You can only direct deposit Social Security payments into a U.S. financial institution or a financial institution in a country with an international direct deposit agreement (a list of these institutions can be found here). The order also applies to receipts—meaning payments that Americans make to the federal government, like tax payments, too. Agencies, including the Treasury, Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and Veterans Affairs, have been directed to 'expedite requirements' to receive the payment of federal receipts, including fees, fines, loans, and taxes.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Anti-Scam Taskforce Warns Fijians Of New Recruitment Scam Targeting Overseas Job Seekers
The Anti-Scam Taskforce is alerting members of the public to a new wave of recruitment scams targeting Fijians via iMessage herein below: 'Hi, my name is Karina-Jo and I'm a Recruiter. We are currently looking for a part-time assistant to join our team. The online work hours are flexible and you can work remotely. This job only takes 1 hour per day to complete, can be done at any time and place, and the daily salary ranges from $100 to $300. You will be paid immediately at the end of each workday. All you need is a smartphone or computer to start working. You can even work on weekends or any free time. If you are interested, please contact me via WhatsApp: +17408055273 Note: You must be 22 years old or above' The scam typically begins with a message from a supposed recruiter offering unrealistic claims which is a classic sign of fraudulent schemes. Once individuals express interest, they are either asked to provide personal information or to make an upfront payment to proceed with the application. In many cases, this personal information is later used to commit identity theft, hack into accounts, or perpetrate other scams. 'This is not the first time we are seeing scammers take advantage of the high demand in Fiji for overseas or remote employment,' said Chair Taskforce and Minister for Trade, Co operatives, MSMEs and Communication Honourable Manoa Kamikamica. 'As we have said before, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.' The Consumer Council CEO Seema Shandil also urged Fijians to verify all claims before engaging with online recruiters. 'While there are genuine and legitimate online recruiters operating in Fiji, it is essential to approach such offers with a healthy dose of skepticism and to question everything,' she said. The Anti-Scam Taskforce reminds Fijians that legitimate recruiters and employers do not promise exorbitant pay for minimal work, nor do they ask for upfront payments or sensitive personal information during early stages of recruitment. Fijians are urged to remain alert, report suspicious messages, and share this warning with friends and family to help prevent others from falling victim to such scams. If you suspect you have been targeted, contact the Consumer Council of Fiji or the Fiji Police Force immediately. To report scams, contact the toll-free National Consumer Helpline at 155 or email Complaints@
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Justin Bieber fans 'praying' for star as he says 'I'm broken' in heartbreaking update
Justin Bieber has issued a new statement on Instagram after he shared a raft of fiery exchanges on Sunday between him and an unknown friend Justin Bieber has issued a fresh statement on Instagram, sparking further concern from his beloved fans as he admits he knows he is "broken". The 31-year-old singer shared a series of questionable posts on Instagram on Sunday, including screenshots of a heated text message argument he had with an unnamed friend, which resulted in Justin 'blocking' the unknown contact and telling them to '"leave him alone". Fans of the Love Yourself hitmaker have been sending messages of love and support, with many urging the star to 'heal' after he confessed he is "traumatised" and full of "anger in response". Responding to his fans' advice, Justin took to his Instagram stories to write: "People keep telling me to heal. Don't you think if I could have fixed myself, I would have already? "I know I'm broken. I know I have anger issues. I tried to do the work my whole life, to be like the people who told me I needed to be fixed like them. And it just keeps making me more tired and more angry. The harder I grow to try, the more focussed on myself I am. "Jesus is the only person who keeps me wanting to make my life about others. Because honestly I'm exhausted with thinking about myself lately aren't you?" Justin has since shared the post, which could be depicted as a cry for help, to his Instagram grid, with his 294M followers rushing to his side once more to offer messages of goodwill. Fans, who have been sending "prayers" for the Lonely singer, left kind words on his post. One replied: "Stay strong dude. The past hasn't been kind to you," alongside a broken heart emoji. A second penned: "You can do it Justin. You will feel better, I know. Don't let other people make you feel like this. You are loved." A third commented: "Justin know that you are not alone, we are with you, I love you." Someone else wrote: "We are so sorry you're hurting... you deserve healing. Jesus has you, always and your fans love you so much." The singer sparked concern yesterday after uploading a total of 18 Instagram grid posts in just a matter of hours, repeatedly using an emoji depicting a middle finger sign across his multiple updates. He shared fiery text messages with an unnamed recipient, revealing three slides of his conversation over iMessage. The texts read: "I will never suppress my emotions for someone. Conflict is a part of a relationship. If you don't like my anger you don't like. "My anger is a response to pain I have been thru. Asking a traumatised person not to be traumatised is simply mean." The anonymous contact replied: "I'm not used to someone lashing out at me. It's not that I don't see and feel your anger." Justin wrote back: "Ouch. This friendship is officially over. I will never accept a man calling my anger lashing out. "I enjoyed our short lived relationship. I wasn't kidding when I told u I didn't need u as a friend. I have good friends. Who will respect these boundaries." The singer, who welcomed his son Jack Blues with wife Hailey Bieber last August, celebrated his first Father's Day as a parent yesterday. Among his frenzied uploads were several photos of little Jack Blues' hands and feet while the tot, whose face has been kept hidden from the public eye, played some piano with his mum.
