Frank McKenna

Dec 16, 2024 | forbes.com | Frank McKenna

A curious employment-wanted ad appears on a Chinese-language Telegram channel devoted to connecting workers with scam bosses in Cambodia. A young woman posts five pictures of herself in various alluring poses, with the caption “Willing To Work As An AI Model.” She claims to have two years of experience as a “Killer,” a term that Pig Butchering compounds use to describe their workers. And now, she wants to graduate to the “AI Model” so her pretty face can be used for deepfakes.

Nov 21, 2024 | downtowninbusiness.com | Frank McKenna

What have farmers, pensioners, university students, bus users, and business owners got in common? Answer – they are all a little bit pissed off with the new Labour government. Changes to inheritance taxes, the Winter Fuel Allowance, tuition fees, fare caps, and employers National Insurance Contributions has left Keir Starmer and his new administration facing criticism from a diverse range of groups – with his honeymoon period coming to a very short, sharp end.

Nov 14, 2024 | downtowninbusiness.com | Frank McKenna

The Labour Party had 100 of its members volunteering in the United States and working the Presidential election in support of the Democratic Party. Unfortunately for Kamala Harris, they were unable to deliver the victory that they helped to secure for Keir Starmer in the UK back in July.

Nov 7, 2024 | downtowninbusiness.com | Frank McKenna

Despite the best efforts of some of the political commentariat, the budget did not lead to a run on the pound, nor a meltdown of the markets. And, yesterday, the Bank of England have cut interest rates. However, Labour’s first fiscal event in government in 15 years was not inconsequential – with Rachel Reeves announcing £40bn in additional taxes, and a loosening of the fiscal rules that will enable her to invest billions into the UK’s creaking infrastructure.

Oct 24, 2024 | forbes.com | Frank McKenna

In the fintech and banking world, a Credit Privacy Number (CPN) is as uniquely American as hamburgers and hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Credit repair companies in the U.S. created this nine-digit number as a marketing gimmick to sell consumers stolen Social Security numbers under the guise of protecting their privacy. In reality, however, these numbers have fueled a far more sinister purpose — creating millions of synthetic identities. Nowhere else in the world does the concept of a CPN exist.