Here are some of the top stories from the past week from NBC 6 News:
South Florida Mother Says She Lost Nearly $15k in Rental Scam
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
>
WATCH HERESonia Urrutia, a mother of five, thought she had found that home on West 62nd Street in Hialeah via Craigslist but later found out that wasn’t the case.
“This person took advantage of a mother, and took advantage of disabled children,” said Urrutia, who says three of her children have special needs. “So I feel that I was violated, I feel that I was disrespected.”
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
>
SIGN UP
Urrutia says she wired her savings of about $14,700 to the person who listed the home for rent. She says the payment was supposed to cover the upfront move-in costs.
“A week after the wire transfer, he told me that the tenants who were living there currently were not able to leave,” said Urrutia. “So I had to wait like another week. I extended it another week, and then he disappeared.”
Local
‘She Is a Hero': Owner Credits Pooping Pet With Helping Nab Miami Robbery Suspect
A young woman who was violently attacked during a Miami robbery is speaking out after her pooping pet dog helped nab the suspect.
Anita Rivella called Monday night's incident outside her apartment in Edgewater the scariest moment of her life.
"I’m gonna die. Honestly, I thought it was like either a kidnapping, he was gonna rape me, I thought so much worse than just a robbery," Rivella said Friday.
The 19-year-old had returned home from class at the University of Miami and had taken her pomeranian, Roulette, out for a walk.
Authorities Warn of Fake Red-Light Camera Ticket Scam
Authorities in South Florida are warning residents about a new scam that has drivers receiving fake red-light tickets in the mail.
Doral Police officials warned residents about the new scam on Wednesday.
According to police, the scammers appear to be taking photos of peoples' vehicles outside their homes.
The scammers edit the photo to show just the license plate, which they include in the fake ticket.
Is It Safe to Invest in Crypto? How to Protect Against Hackers, Scammers
Is it safe to invest in cryptocurrency? That one question leaves many potential crypto investors apprehensive.
Because cryptocurrencies are relatively new and still evolving, hackers and scammers are eagerly waiting for chances to exploit vulnerabilities in blockchains or codes.
“Whatever human beings are making, other human beings are making ways to hack them," said Ray Aria, University of Central Florida computer science professor. "So it's an arms race. You build a better solution. There are better hackers coming up with better hacked ways to hack them.”
In 2021, there were more than 20 hacks where at least $10 million in digital assets were stolen from a crypto exchange or project. In at least six of those cases, hackers swiped more than $100 million, according to data compiled by NBC News.
Man Finds Bag of iPhones Stolen During Ultra Music Festival
Thousands of people attended Ultra Music Festival 2022, including Cristian Vidal from New Jersey.
Vidal had been looking forward to this trip for months, but on day one of the event, his phone was stolen.
“It ruined my weekend entirely," he said.
Vidal had his iPhone in a fanny pack and says his mistake was putting the bag on his back instead of facing forward. Once he noticed the zipper was open, he walked over to an officer in hopes of finding the phone.
Publix Ending Program Giving Specific Prescriptions for Free
Customers who rely on the pharmacies on Publix Supermarkets across Florida and around the country will soon be in for a shock when they pick up their medications.
The Lakeland Ledger reports the company based in the city will end its free prescription program on June 1st. The company is circulating the news in flyers mailed to customers this week.
“While we are no longer offering medications for free, many will still be available at Publix Pharmacy at little to no out-of-pocket cost with most insurance plans,” the notice reads in part.
Publix operates over 1,200 pharmacies at its locations across seven states. In 2020, it announced reaching 100 million prescriptions filled under its free medication program.
