B.C's pink sea urchins are on the move to shallower waters thanks to climate change

Tue, February 7, 2023 


VANCOUVER — Pink sea urchins off the coast of Vancouver Island are expanding into shallower waters, in what researchers say is an indication of how rapidly climate change is affecting ocean life.

Researchers at Memorial University, Ocean Networks Canada and the University of Victoria found the urchins were moving into shallower water at an average rate of 3.5 metres per year as climate change and warming water reduce oxygen levels and food sources at lower depths.

The study's co-author Rylan Command says the movement of the pink urchins could, over time, lead to them replacing other species, like red sea urchin harvested in fisheries.

Researchers looked at 14 years of data including before, during and after the marine heat wave that persisted in the Pacific Ocean between 2013 to 2016 and became known as "The Blob."

Study co-author Fabio De Leo, who's with Oceans Network Canada, says warming from The Blob destroyed much of the kelp the urchins eat causing their populations to drop off dramatically.

The researchers say the warmer-than-normal surface temperatures also disrupted the ocean process known as "upwelling" when nutrient-rich water from lower depths cycles up to the surface, potentially affecting where the urchins find food.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2023.

The Canadian Press

CANADA

Seasonal workers should get Medicare coverage, advocacy group says

Tue, February 7, 2023 

The majority of New Brunswick's temporary foreign workers work in seafood processing, forestry and food manufacturing. (CBC - image credit)

An advocacy group is calling on New Brunswick to extend Medicare coverage to the thousands of temporary foreign workers living in the province.

Approximately 3,400 people work from six to eight months in the province's major industries — forestry, seafood processing and food manufacturing. Medicare is only available to those with a work permit that's valid for 12 months or more, which excludes seasonal workers.

Aditya Rao, founding board member of the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre in New Brunswick, said seasonal workers are reliant on private health insurance purchased by their employer. This insurance rarely covers primary health care and lab tests, and there's no incentive for the employer to spend more than the minimum on the policies, he said.

"They're systemically excluded from access to Medicare," he said. "Their employers have to essentially play doctor and decide what level of private health-care insurance is appropriate for their workers."

Premier Blaine Higgs was in Ottawa Tuesday to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and discuss health-care transfer funds.

Rao is also calling on the federal government to attach strings to that health-care cash to make sure it all goes to health care, and that some of it goes to temporary workers.

Department of Health spokesperson Adam Bowie confirmed that only foreign workers with a work permit of 12 months or more are eligible for Medicare. He did not answer questions about why the province does not provide Medicare coverage to people with work permits valid for fewer than 12 months, or if the province has any plans to expand coverage in the future.

Rao said he's heard from a worker who had to pay $1,000 out of pocket for an ultrasound in New Brunswick. Another is currently fundraising to pay for dialysis, and another pays $30 for each doctor visit.

He said these workers don't feel comfortable speaking publicly because of fear of reprisal from employers, and therefore deportation. He said many people work for eight months, go back to their country, and hope their employer invites them back for the next season.

"If they speak out about issues that they're facing then they might not be called back," he said.

He said the expense is especially burdensome for temporary workers, who are already working low-paying jobs that are dangerous. Although workers come from all over the globe, the majority are from the Philippines and Mexico, Rao said.

International students were in the same situation, but that changed in 2017. Now, international students just have to show a valid study permit and proof of full-time registration at a New Brunswick college or university to get Medicare coverage. New Brunswick became the eighth province to cover international students.

Extended coverage in other provinces

Foreign workers are required to have work permits for 12 months or longer in order to qualify for health care in New Brunswick, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba.

Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia require a six-month work permit.

In Saskatchewan, temporary foreign workers must live in the province for three months before they're eligible, just like all other new residents.

Quebec has extended coverage specifically for temporary foreign workers. Agriculture workers, and temporary foreign workers from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico or Salvador can have provincial health-care coverage immediately upon arrival to Quebec.

COVID-19 measures in Ontario have resulted in making all temporary foreign workers eligible for provincial health care, said Rao, but there's no indication how long that will last.

Dog owners tout Xolos' loyalty and sacred underworld history


Tue, February 7, 2023 



MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mezcal is not your ordinary pet. Hundreds of years ago the Latin American Indigenous group, the Nahuas, believed that a hairless dog like him, a Xoloitzcuintle, was a sacred creature who could guide its deceased master through the underworld.

Dozens gathered on a recent day at Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City for a meet-and-greet with Mezcal and three more “Xolos”, as these slender dogs are locally known. The canines were at the art and culture museum as part of an effort to raise awareness about responsible adoption of Xolo puppies and promoting the significance of the breed.

“Can I touch him?” asked a woman working security for the museum, as she nervously brought her hand closer to the dog’s head

“Absolutely! He loves to be petted,” said Mezcal’s owner, Nemiliz Gutiérrez, who leads a project with her sister, promoting the breed to the public.

By reviewing ancient codex and records written after the conquest in 1521, experts have determined the religious relevance of the dogs among Mesoamerican civilizations. That fact isn’t lost on the sisters.

“We are privileged because we have among us some precious jewels of history that are living cultural heritage,” said Gutierrez’s sister, Itzayani, who owns a playful Xolo named Pilón.

Experts found that the Nahuas believed these dogs represented the god, Xólotl, the twin brother of deity Quetzalcóatl. While the latter personified life and light, the former was an effigy of the underworld and death. The Xolo, thought to be a creature capable of moving through the darkness, was conceived as a guide for their owner’s soul after dying, wrote historian Mercedes de la Garza in an article published by the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Burial sites found by archaeologists in central Mexico show the remains of men and dogs lying side by side, which suggests that Xolos may have been sacrificed during their masters’ funeral rites. It was thought to be a way the living could ensure that when the soul of their loved ones reached the river of the underworld, it could reunite with its dog, mount on his back and cross together.

In the Nahuatl language, “Xolo” means “monster”, and though some dislike the physical appearance of these dogs, many find them fascinating. Mezcal’s hairless skin is dark as a shadow. When touched, it feels soft and warm. His teeth are rarely visible, as Xolos don’t bark much. On the recent day, he posed for pictures like a movie star and leaned his head toward visitors wanting to pet him.

Like his predecessors, Mezcal never loses sight of Gutiérrez, who constantly pats her loving dog.

“Xolos are loyal by nature,” said Gutiérrez. “If one is adopted by a family, it will choose a member to stick with.”

The closeness between Xoloitzcuintles and their owners was also noted by the Nahuas, according to experts. To please the gods, some Xolos were sacrificed in order to spare their masters’ lives.

The dogs were killed in those ceremonies by extracting their hearts. This fact distinguished them from any other animal offered in sacrifice, wrote De la Garza.

The dogs also are a part of modern-day culture in Mexico and beyond. At least a couple of Xoloitzcuintles can be seen in Frida Kahlo’s paintings. A few more appear in portraits where the artist posed with her husband, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Their love for these pets was shared by friend and art collector Dolores Olmedo, whose home in Mexico City became a museum and until recently took care of a few Xolos that visitors could approach.

In 2016, the capital’s mayor gave the Xoloitzcuintle a cultural heritage designation, and a year later, a charming Xolo named Dante reached world fame after his appearance in animated film “Coco”, which portrayed the adventures of a Mexican boy through the underworld.

Back in San Ildefonso, the Gutiérrez sisters hope more people will come to appreciate the breed’s significance and help it thrive. Once thought by experts to be headed toward extinction, Xolos can be spotted in upper class Mexico City neighborhoods. Nemiliz Gutiérrez adopted Mezcal, but said some breeders sell the dogs for upwards of $3,500.

Not every Xolo is in demand though, especially the variety with fur.

“Almost nobody wants them,” said Gutiérrez, who works with her sister to find caring homes for all Xolos regardless of their coats. Through that process, they enjoy sharing about the breed’s historic significance – when Xolos embodied an endless love believed to transcend death.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

María Teresa Hernández, The Associated Press

UK
Stronger protections needed for responsible renters who own pets, say charities

Vicky Shaw, PA Personal Finance Correspondent
Tue, 7 February 2023 



Better protections are needed for responsible renters who own pets, according to animal welfare charities.

Dogs Trust said it has been receiving a record number of inquiries from people forced to rehome their pets, as they struggle with rising living costs.

Around one in 10 of those owners contacting the charity cite issues with housing as the reason for needing to rehome their dog.

Dogs Trust said this group includes some people being forced to move or downsize as rental prices increase, but who are unable to find suitable, affordable pet-friendly properties.

Meanwhile, Cats Protection said that last year it took in around 1,300 cats – the equivalent of around three each day – due to landlords not allowing them in their properties.

The Government has outlined plans to introduce stronger protection for tenants as part of its Renters’ Reform Bill.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesman said: “We know how much people love their pets, which is why we are making it easier for renters to have them in their home.

“We will bring forward legislation (which will apply in England) to, for the first time, give all tenants the legal right to request a pet in their house which landlords must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse.

“This is all part of our wider measures to transform the rental market and provide a new deal for tenants.”

Paula Boyden, veterinary director of Dogs Trust, said: “2022 was the busiest year in our history for relinquishment inquiries.

“Sadly, one of the most common reasons we see dogs handed in to our rehoming centres is due to a change in the owner’s living circumstances and a lack of available pet-friendly accommodation.

“For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member, so the introduction of new protection for renters will help ensure that fewer owners are forced to make the heart-breaking decision to give up their beloved pets.

“We are pleased to see that the Government has plans to include pet-friendly policies in its Renters’ Reform Bill, and hope to see these rights enshrined into law soon so that the benefits of pet ownership are no longer exclusive to homeowners, but open to renters as well.”

Madison Rogers, head of advocacy and government relations for Cats Protection, said: “Pet ownership should not be a privilege in modern society and Cats Protection is urging the Government to move forward with planned legislation to end blanket ‘no pets’ policies and give renters with pets better protections.

“In the meantime, there are a few things renters looking for a pet-friendly property can do: start looking for pet-friendly housing early, proactively ask letting agents or landlords if they allow pets even if it says ‘no pets’ on the advert, and create a ‘pet CV’ outlining the measures you will take to be a responsible pet owner, such as providing veterinary records and details of your pet’s behaviours.”

Dogs Trust said it has been providing advice and resources to pet owners, landlords and letting agencies through its Lets With Pets scheme.

Cats Protection also operates its Purrfect Landlords programme, which provides advice to tenants, landlords and social housing providers on how to conduct discussions aimed at keeping cats in rented properties, with further information available at cats.org.uk/purrfectlandlords.

Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said: “We recognise the importance of pets for many tenants and, specifically, the strong sense of companionship they provide to their owners.

“Our biggest concern has always been that the law, as it currently stands, prevents landlords from making it a requirement that tenants take out insurance to cover the risk that their pets will cause damage to the rental property. Given this, we welcome the Government’s plans, which will enable landlords to ask pet owners to have the required insurance to cover such damage.

“As ministers continue to work on the Renters’ Reform Bill, it is vital that the law takes a common-sense approach to pets in private rented accommodation.

“It needs to reflect the fact that some properties, such as flats without gardens, may not be suitable for certain types of pets. Likewise, in shared homes, the rights of those wanting a pet need to be balanced with the rights of fellow tenants who might have concerns, especially those with certain allergies.”

McDonald’s pledges to protect UK staff from sexual harassment after complaints

Anna Wise, PA Business Reporter
Tue, 7 February 2023 



McDonald’s has signed a legal agreement with the equality watchdog amid concerns over how it has handled sexual harassment complaints made by UK staff.

The move comes after allegations by workers at the fast-food chain’s US restaurants of sexual harassment in the workplace over several years and the company’s failure to deal with the issue.

It is not known how many current complaints have been made in the UK but the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) claimed in 2019 that more than 1,000 UK cases have been reported.


The legally binding agreement, with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), commits the group to a number of measures to better protect workers in the UK.

It does not include chains in Ireland or overseas, such as in the US.

Such measures include communicating a “zero tolerance” approach to sexual harassment, to provide anti-harassment training for its employees, and to improve policies to better respond to complaints.

Alistair Macrow, chief executive of McDonald’s in UK and Ireland, said the company already has a “strong track record” in this area but wants to further improve it.

“As one of the UK’s leading employers, the safety and wellbeing of our people is our absolute priority,” he said.

“It is hugely important to me that everyone in our organisation feels safe, respected and included at all times – this is core to the values of our business.

“We already have a strong track record in this area and I now welcome the opportunity to work with the EHRC to further strengthen this.”

Mr Macrow stressed that harassment and abuse “have no place in our society or at McDonald’s”.

In 2021, McDonald’s said it would require workers around the world to undergo anti-harassment training after it emerged that at least 50 employees globally had filed charges against the chain over the previous five years.

The charges alleged physical and verbal harassment and, in some cases, retaliation when they complained.

Workers in several US cities staged a strike in 2018 to protest against the fast-food giant’s alleged failure to prevent sexual harassment at work.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the BFAWU has previously raised the alarm over a “toxic culture” in restaurants and stated that at least 1,000 women have been harassed by managers and supervisors.

Ian Hodson, national president of the BFAWU, said: “It’s shameful that one of the richest corporations on the planet doesn’t take sexual harassment seriously until we raise it.

“I pay tribute to all our members who have spoken out on this issue and encourage McDonald’s to work with us in ending sexual harassment.”

The EHRC says it is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act 2010, which makes employers legally responsible if an employee is sexually harassed at work by a colleague, and the employer has not taken all steps they could to prevent it from happening.

The group has been behind similar agreements with the likes of Sainsbury’s, which it started working with in 2019 after a member of staff won an employment tribunal claim for sexual harassment.

The supermarket chose to work with the regulator as an alternative to being investigated, the EHRC said.

EHRC chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner said: “There should be zero tolerance of sexual harassment in every organisation. It can devastate people’s lives and create a toxic working environment for all.

“We are determined to crack down on workplace cultures of sexual harassment, whether in restaurants or hotels, sports clubs or offices.

“We are pleased that McDonald’s has signed this agreement to signal their intent to make their restaurants safe places to work.

“The improvements they put in place can set an example for others to follow, whether in the hospitality industry or elsewhere.”

UK
Fire Brigades Union warns of strikes without pay talks progress

Alan Jones, PA Industrial Correspondent
Tue, 7 February 2023 



Strikes by firefighters will be announced unless there is no progress in last-minute talks over pay on Wednesday, a union has warned.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) called for a “significant shift” from employers following a huge vote for industrial action over a 5% pay offer.

The union said it hopes to resolve the dispute without a strike, and is giving employers chance to come forward with an improved offer.

If the talks fail, strike dates are expected to be announced on Thursday.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack, said: “The strength of feeling among firefighters is clear, with an 88% vote in favour of strikes by FBU members, and 94% in Northern Ireland.

“That’s one of the biggest mandates for industrial action by a trade union in recent years.

“The reason for that massive vote to strike is simple: firefighters are dealing with financial hardship and the growing threat of ‘in work’ poverty, with a real-terms cut to their wages.

“They are struggling to pay the bills during the cost-of-living crisis that this Government is presiding over.

“Going on strike is an absolute last resort for firefighters.

“However, this action can still be avoided if the employers make an offer which addresses the concerns of firefighters.

“The FBU is adopting an open-minded and constructive approach to the talks today, having already delayed strike action by 10 days to allow employers to meet us.

“Industrial action is not inevitable if the employers genuinely engage with the FBU about the anger among firefighters about poverty pay and improve their offer to address our concerns.



“However, firefighters will not be messed about, and the Government and employers cannot ride roughshod over the 88% vote for strikes by FBU members.

“If there is no significant shift from the employers, then strikes will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).

“The responsibility for any disruption to services would then firmly lie with fire service employers and government ministers for not delivering a serious pay offer.”

Unilever to build Mexico plant as part of $400 million investment

Tue, 7 February 2023 


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Unilever Plc will build a manufacturing plant in the northern Mexican border state Nuevo Leon as part of a $400 million investment in the country over the next three years, the company said on Tuesday.

The plant, which will be located in Salinas Victoria on the outskirts of Monterrey, will manufacture beauty and personal care products, Unilever said.

The investment will bring in 1,200 new direct and indirect jobs, the company added.

Unilever already operates four plants in the country, which is a key center for exports to other nations, the company said. The newest plant is set to open in 2024, Unilever said.

In recent months, major producers from Mattel Inc to BMW have opted to invest in Mexico as part of a boom in "nearshoring," or bringing supply chains closer to their final destination.

(Reporting by Kylie Madry in Mexico City; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

UK

Fewer than one in 200 companies have credible climate plans, says CDP

Tue, 7 February 2023

An exhaust emits fumes as a car is driven through Richmond in London

LONDON (Reuters) - Fewer than one in 200 companies who submit climate change-related data to a leading environmental disclosure platform have credible climate transition plans, the nonprofit platform CDP said on Wednesday in its latest review of corporate submissions.

The data underlines the scale of the gap between company pledges to transition to net-zero carbon emissions, and the detailed plans that show how a firm will align its entire business model to meeting those targets.

Of 18,600 companies which provided CDP with data only 81 - or 0.4% - disclosed information against 21 key indicators that CDP includes in a questionnaire and which it says represents a credible plan.

The 81 companies was a lower number than the 135 which disclosed against key indicators last year, which CDP said was down to the platform "raising the bar, in accordance with latest science, on what constitutes a credible climate transition plan".

CDP's key indicators include everything from whether the company board has oversight of a climate plan to financial planning.

"The need for companies to develop a credible climate transition plan is not an additional element but an essential part of any future planning," Amir Sokolowski, global director, climate, at CDP said in a statement.

"Companies must evidence they are forward planning in order for us to avert the worst impacts of climate change and to send the correct signals to capital markets, that they will remain profitable."

Companies headquartered in Japan ranked highest with 16 firms disclosing against the 21 indicators. Six out of 1,448 UK-based companies provided full disclosure, CDP found.

CDP has emerged as the world's biggest repository of environmental data submitted on a voluntary basis by companies, which are under pressure from their shareholders to disclose how they plan to navigate the transition to a lower-carbon future.

The platform worked on its analysis with the UK Transition Plan Taskforce, which is developing mandatory standards for listed companies and financial firms to ensure plans are comparable.

(Reporting by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Australian electric battery maker buys Britishvolt out of administration

Chris Price
Mon, 6 February 2023 

The site in Blyth where Britishvolt had planned to build an electric battery gigafactory

- Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Plans for an electric battery gigafactory in the UK have been revived after an Australian business struck a deal to buy collapsed Britishvolt.

Recharge Industries, which has operations in Geelong and New York, has been chosen as the preferred bidder for the company and plans to revive its goal of building a battery factory in the North East.

David Collard, founder of Recharge Industries and chief executive of its parent Scale Facilitation, said the Australian business was “thrilled” and “can’t wait to get started making a reality of our plans to build the UK’s first gigafactory”.

He added: “After a competitive and rigorous process, we’re confident our proposal will deliver a strong outcome for all involved.”

Recharge Industries has licensed electric battery designs from the US and is working on building a lithium-ion battery factory in the Australian state of Victoria.

Mr Collard previously thanked Lord Botham, the retired cricketer turned trade envoy, for his “proactive assistance" ahead of its bid.

Britishvolt was working on Britain's first battery factory in Blyth but collapsed last month.

Joint administrators EY said the majority of the business and assets would be taken on by Recharge, with the deal set to close within a week.

Administrators considered "numerous offers" for the failed electric battery maker, EY said.

Greybull, the former owner of British Steel and Monarch Airlines, is understood to have held talks with administrators while Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata was also said to be interested at one point.

Britishvolt fell into administration in January after struggling to secure funding. 200 people were made redundant.

The company was founded by Swedes Orral Nadjari and Lars Carlstrom in December 2019 and the project was championed by former prime minister Boris Johnson.

Doubts were raised about the financial health of the business last summer. Commodities giant Glencore, which was an investor in Britishvolt, agreed a last-minute deal to provide a five week life-line late last year but the business was unable to secure long-term funding.

UK

Gordon Brown: Government and Ofgem are creating booming business for loan sharks

Alana Calvert, PA
Tue, 7 February 2023 

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has accused Ofgem and the Government of creating a “booming business” for loan sharks after the prepayment energy meter scandal was uncovered.

Mr Brown accused the regulator’s chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, of “dismally” failing to protect vulnerable customers after it was revealed that hundreds of thousands of impoverished Britons were forced to switch to costly prepayment meters, pushing some of them into the hands of illegal moneylenders.

The scandal uncovered by The Times found that British Gas routinely sent debt collectors to break into customers’ homes and force-fit pay-as-you-go meters, even when they were known to have extreme vulnerabilities.

Responding to these revelations, Mr Brown said the Ofgem boss needed to “consider his position” after “failing on his responsibilities to energy customers”.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown accused Ofgem’s chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, of ‘dismally’ failing to protect vulnerable customers(Jane Barlow/PA)

Writing in The Independent, the former Labour leader savaged both the energy regulator and the Government for perpetrating “harsh and callous policy decisions” and “failing to defend low-income families against the indefensible”.

“(Mr) Brearley’s official responsibility… is to ‘protect energy customers by ensuring they are treated fairly’… (and to) ‘stamp out sharp and bad practice’,” Mr Brown said.

“So (Mr) Brearley – and the now restructured Energy Department – should immediately explain why instead of being on the side of the public, they have failed dismally to properly monitor and expose utility companies and their debt agents who, in the middle of the worst cost of living crisis for 50 years, have been breaking into the homes of impoverished customers.”

The former prime minister said Ofgem was “not alone in failing to defend low-income families against the indefensible”, accusing the Government and its agencies of “harsh and callous policy decisions” that were “turning illegal money lending into Britain’s biggest booming business among low-income communities”.

A recent Times investigation revealed British Gas routinely sends debt collectors to break into customers’ homes and force-fit pay-as-you-go meters, even when they are known to have extreme vulnerabilities (Steve Parsons/PA)

Mr Brown said that through his work with local charities he had learnt users of pre-payment metres were needing to spend “a lot more” for each unit of their energy, adding that “at least” 20% of them had not been able to obtain the cash or discount vouchers they were promised.

“This failure to act is creating an even more serious social emergency for hardpressed families: Pushing them further into debt and, most worrying of all, into the hands of illegal moneylenders,” he said, listing the bedroom tax, the two-child rule and other caps and taxes which had worsened the financial situation for low-income households.

“Ministers are leaving families unable to cover the costs of their weekly food bill, without resorting to borrowing wherever they can find cash.

“The welfare state safety net is now full of holes – and instead of being the last line of defence for people in need, our own social security ministry is pushing families into ever more desperate measures.”

The former Labour leader said ‘our own social security ministry’ was ‘pushing families into ever more desperate measures’ (Andrew Matthews/PA)

He added: “Blood is in the water and loan sharks are circling.

“A record number of families are now so deep in debt that they are turning to the door-step lender, and the pay-day lender standing outside the cut-price stores, the pub and the betting shop. And even more worryingly, as illegal money lending moves online, the desperate are even more at risk as long as these social media platforms remain exempt from proper scrutiny.

Mr Brown’s comments follow the senior presiding judge of England and Wales telling magistrates to stop the processing of applications by energy firms to enter homes to install prepayment meters.

Ofgem has already asked energy suppliers to suspend the activity.

Meanwhile, Paypoint revealed that around one in five people did not redeem the £66 energy support voucher they were sent in November by the company under a Government support scheme

Of the hundreds of thousands of vouchers sent out only about 81% had been redeemed on Sunday when they ran out – 90 days after they were issued.

It means that thousands of households with prepayment meters missed out on energy bill support they were entitled to receive.

Fakery and fraud: Energy scammers cast

'wide net' on Facebook

Anuj Chopra, with Lucille Sodipe and Faith Brown in Manila and Gemma Cahya in Jakarta
Tue, 7 February 2023


A Filipino consumer fumes as she rips open a portable charger to discover she has been conned -- the batteries are choked with sand, making her yet another victim of scammers on Facebook.

AFP's fact checkers have uncovered a slew of energy-related scams proliferating on Facebook -- from fake solar panel incentives in the United States to hoax electric bike giveaways in Indonesia and the sale of dud devices in the Philippines.

And the trend underscores how fraudsters worldwide profit off disinformation, casting a wide net across social media users, many of whom take the bait amid a cost of living crisis and high utility and energy costs.

"What they did was awful," the 24-year-old Filipino, Brenilyn Ayachock, vented in an online video that showed sand pouring out of the power bank as she opened it with a knife.

"We were expecting a good product, but this is what they sent us."

Ayachock made the purchase on what appeared to be the Facebook page of a legitimate energy device retailer, with "special offers" and "flash sales" alongside environment-friendly messages such as "turn off unnecessary lights."

The page stopped responding to her, Ayachock said, after she bought the device for 1,500 pesos ($28), a small fortune at a time of galloping inflation.

She immediately reported the page to Facebook, but it was still active as of this week.

- 'Scammers follow headlines' -

Ayachock is far from the only victim as social media becomes a breeding ground for everything from bogus cryptocurrency ads, to "romance" scams and hoaxes aimed at extracting people's personal data.

Last year, the Philippines government warned against "unscrupulous" money-saving offers as consumers grappled with backbreaking utility prices.

AFP debunked Facebook posts that used doctored news reports to promote a bogus "power saving" device they claimed could slash electricity bills.

The warnings fell on deaf ears, with commercial data showing thousands of such gadgets are sold monthly. Activists say complaints in online reviews are drowned out by comments from people desperate to try anything to lower their expenses.

"Scammers follow the headlines and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't hear about how to conserve energy, rising gas and utility prices and the need for renewable energy," Amy Nofziger, director of fraud victim support at the US-based nonprofit AARP, told AFP.

"It's a wide net for scammers. Most social media sites do not thoroughly vet the ads placed on their sites, however many users do not know this and they put their full trust in these advertisements."

The ease with which fraudsters pelt users with disinformation raises questions about the capacity of platforms like Facebook to police paid-for scam advertising that is a lucrative revenue source.

Critics, including Patricia Schouker, a fellow at the Colorado-based Payne Institute, say algorithms that prioritize content based on preferences have let scam ads prey on users most likely to engage.

- 'Scams evolving' -

A spokesperson for Meta, Facebook's owner, said it views the "threat of scams seriously" and had taken action including disabling many of the ad accounts responsible for fraud reported by AFP's fact checkers.

"The people who push these kinds of ads are persistent, well-funded, and are constantly evolving," the spokesperson said.

AFP has a global team of journalists who debunk misinformation as part of Meta's third-party fact-checking program.

Last October, AFP debunked Facebook posts claiming free electric bikes were on offer in Indonesia after the government raised fuel prices. Meta said it had disabled pages and profiles linked to the scam.

But Hendro Sutono, a member of the citizen's group Indonesia Electric Motorcycle Community, voiced concern that fake stores offering electric bikes have cropped up on the platform -- and are hard to detect.

"The schemers take pictures from the real stores and repost them on their cloned accounts, so they look really legitimate," Sutono told AFP.

Sutono said he feared fraud could tarnish the image of the electric vehicles to the extent people will give up using them.

In many cases in the United States, scammers pose as utility company representatives. One Oregon-based firm warned its consumers last year that "scams are constantly evolving" and fraudsters tried to target some of them using "Facebook messenger."

"We see a growing number of utility front groups which are organizations that appear independent but are targeting their audience via Facebook, Instagram and TikTok," Schouker told AFP.

"They amplify misinformation... while masking their true identity."

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