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The ATO is warning the community about a JobKeeper scam which is asking members to enter personal information.

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(1581) "

The ATO has begun receiving reports of an email scam regarding the JobKeeper program and the backing business investment scheme.

The emails, which impersonate the ATO, claim that the taxpayer’s payment is being reviewed and would request copies of their driver’s licence and Medicare card to complete the verification process.

The ATO has advised taxpayers not to provide the information requested and instead to call the Tax Office to determine the legitimacy of the request.

“If you receive a message from the ATO asking for your personal information, phone us on 1800 008 540 to make sure it’s legitimate,” said the ATO in an online update.

This is not the first scam involving COVID-19 stimulus measures, with fraudsters previously ringing members of the public to ask them to provide their bank account details to receive the JobKeeper payment.

“Scammers are constantly developing new ways to steal from the community, and will often try to take advantage of people when they are most vulnerable,” said the ATO back in May when the scam was discovered.

“You can help us stop scammers in their tracks by warning your friends and family to stay alert.”

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The ATO is warning the community about a JobKeeper scam which is asking members to enter personal information.

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Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service.

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(3070) "

A statement from the consumer watchdog said iSelect had admitted to misleading consumers by representing on its website that it would compare all electricity plans offered by its partners and recommend the most suitable or competitive plan between November 2016 and December 2018 when this was not the case.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), hundreds of thousands of consumers visited the website over this time period.

“Actually, iSelect’s commercial arrangements with partner electricity retailers restricted the number of electricity plans those retailers could upload onto the iSelect systems, and therefore the recommended plans were not necessarily the most suitable or competitive,” the watchdog explained.

ACCC chair Rod Sims said the comparison provider “was not upfront with consumers that it wasn’t comparing all plans offered by its partner retailers”.

“In fact, about 38 per cent of people who compared electricity plans with iSelect at that time may have found a cheaper plan if they had shopped around or used the government’s comparison site – Energy Made Easy.”

Mr Sims added that iSelect received commissions from the retailers when those consumers selected a plan via the iSelect website or call centre.

According to the ACCC, iSelect also failed to adequately disclose that cheaper plans from its preferred retail partners were only available through its call centre, and not through the online comparison service.

In Federal Court, iSelect also admitted that, between March 2017 and November 2019, it misrepresented the price of some of the plans it recommended to almost 5,000 consumers – which caused a code error that quoted a total price for some plans, which underestimated the cost by up to $140 per quarter.

Mr Sims weighed in to say that “iSelect’s misleading conduct may have caused some consumers to switch electricity providers or plans on the basis of a price that was understated or without being aware that a cheaper plan was available”.

Acknowledging that “it can be complex and confusing for consumers to compare prices and other features of electricity services in a bid to get the best deal for what often is a major household expense”, Mr Sims said comparison sites “need to make it very clear if their recommendations are influenced or limited by commercial relationships”.

The consumer watchdog chair added that comparator websites “have a responsibility to ensure that their algorithms are correct, and must implement measures to prevent incorrect recommendations”.

“This is particularly so when they generate significant revenue in commissions from those recommendations,” Mr Sims noted.

Admitting its liability, iSelect did make joint submissions with the ACCC that consented to the penalties the watchdog had proposed.

The court also made corrective orders and ordered iSelect to pay part of the ACCC’s legal costs, by consent.

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Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service.

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Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers.

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(2961) "

AMP commissioned research to uncover the long and short-term impacts of the pandemic on the everyday Australian, finding 67 per cent have been impacted in a financial sense.

It’s also set to continue affecting many of them for the medium term – nearly half (49 per cent) of all individuals surveyed expect it will take them at least three months to return to a financial position similar to where they were at pre-COVID-19.

AMP Bank’s director of retail solutions and direct distribution, Michael Christofides, commented that “with talks of the recession and consumer confidence down, it’s clear that many Australians have been impacted by COVID-19, including having to hold on making significant financial decisions from retirement to travel to buying property”.

The research revealed the pandemic has forced 60 per cent of Australians to delay an overseas trip, which may be due more to travel bans than financial need.

But almost one-third (29 per cent) also revealed they have had to postpone purchasing a car.

The same proportion (29 per cent) have also had to push back a major event – such as a wedding.

A further 22 per cent have been forced to delay the purchase of a home, while nearly one-fifth of respondents (19 per cent) reported they have had to hold off on purchasing an investment property.

But the pandemic has not just impacted on Australians’ purchasing power, with one in five individuals surveyed in the research also stating that they have had to put off a career change due to COVID-19.

But it’s not all bad news, with Mr Christofides acknowledging that the pandemic “has pushed more Aussies to think about their personal finances”.

“We’re seeing Australians being more prudent with their saving and spending decisions, partially due to lockdown restrictions, but also relating to a desire to be prepared for any future rainy days,” he said.

AMP also flagged widespread hope of a silver lining – 39 per cent of Australians surveyed stated that while COVID-19 has been a big shock, it’s given them the opportunity to plan for their futures and get their finances in order.

A further 45 per cent of respondents indicated they are optimistic about their financial futures post COVID-19.

“Now more than ever, Australians are conscious of the importance of saving and preparing for the unpredictable,” Mr Christofides continued.

“There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has brought with it a number of challenges for Aussies, but the challenging climate has given some the opportunity to take a step back and re-evaluate their personal finance journeys.”

“Compared to earlier in 2020, there’s a sense that Aussies are taking this time to reset their financial goals and adopt more proactive financial behaviours, both in relation to saving and discretionary spending,” he concluded.

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Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers.

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The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has received 7,420 complaints about financial products since the onset of the pandemic.

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(3516) "

The new data covers complaints lodged between 3 March 2020 and 31 August 2020, and reveals the extent to which financial institutions did and didn’t support their customers through the early days of the COVID-19 crisis period.

Commenting on the findings, AFCA CEO and chief ombudsman David Locke said “the early impact of COVID-19 can be seen in the spikes in complaints relating to travel insurance and early access to superannuation in particular”.

He highlighted that “with so many travel plans impacted, it was inevitable that there would be a big increase in travel insurance claims as well as disputes regarding ‘chargeback’ requests on credit cards”.

Superannuation also saw a larger number of increase in complaints, especially with the advent of the early access to superannuation scheme.

“With the early access to superannuation, complaints initially related to delays in payments. It was challenging for many superannuation funds to process such a high number of requests in a short period of time,” Mr Locke outlined.

He went on to explain that AFCA worked proactively with the funds to resolve consumer concerns as they arose and to learn any lessons before the second phase of withdrawal requests commenced in early July 2020, resulting in “far fewer complaints during the second early release application period, and it meant consumers were able to get their money sooner”.

Top 10 COVID-19 complaints by product:

1. Travel insurance (2,610 complaints)
2. Credit cards (910 complaints)
3. Superannuation account (817 complaints)
4. Home loans (674 complaints)
5. Personal loans (398 complaints)
6. Business loans (172 complaints)
7. Personal transaction accounts (164 complaints)
8. Investment property loans (115 complaints)
9. Merchant facilities (100 complaints)
10. Loss of profits/business interruption (65 complaints)

Top 10 COVID-19 complaints by issue:

1. Delay in claim handling (883 complaints)
2. Denial of claim (728 complaints)
3. Denial of claim-exclusion/condition (720 complaints)
4. Financial firm failure to respond to request for assistance (667 complaints)
5. Service quality (462 complaints)
6. Incorrect premiums (289 complaints)
7. Delay (251 complaints)
8. Claim amount (194 complaints)
9. Incorrect fees/costs (187 complaints)
10. Decline of financial difficulty request (177 complaints)

Noting that many Australians are currently struggling through financial difficulty, Mr Locke has encouraged those individuals to seek help now rather than wait.

“If you are struggling to make repayments, we urge you to contact your bank to discuss the best long-term solution for your circumstances,” he said.

Acknowledging that the banks have committed to being fair and reasonable in dealing with consumers at this time, the CEO said “it’s never a good idea to ignore calls and contact from your bank or lender”.

“If you are worried about your circumstances and need independent advice, you can contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or visit ndh.org.au,” he added.

“Where consumers are in financial difficulty and have been unable to reach an agreement with the lender themselves, they can bring the matter to AFCA who may be able to assist to resolve the impasse.”

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The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has received 7,420 complaints about financial products since the onset of the pandemic.

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When a recession hits, it’s natural to be concerned. After all, an economic recession can spell disaster for your financial welfare. 

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(5947) "

But as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. While an economic downturn is something that is beyond our control as individuals, we can control how we respond to economic instability and ensure that we will not only survive, but come out of it stronger. 

Instead of panicking and worrying during a financial crisis, you should focus on protecting the financial security you still have. Here are our general tips on how you can get through (and even thrive) through financial crises, recessions and pandemic outbreaks.

1. Boost your savings

During a recession, your ability to earn money may be affected. When the economy starts to dip, our jobs and our income can be put in jeopardy. This means that there’s a chance you may be laid off or your business may experience a decline in income, which can even result in bankruptcy. While your income may decline or may be totally cut off, many of your expenses will likely remain the same. You still need to pay your rent, utilities, groceries and debt, among other things. With this, preparation is your key to success. Your best bet to survive an economic downturn is to have savings in place so that your monthly bills will still be paid and your debt repayments will not stall. Set up an emergency fund so you can be ready for the worst-case scenario. Remember that this is not your vacation fund!

2. Lower your spending and live well within your means

Learn to make do with less. Cutting down on your monthly expenses and learning to live frugally is one of the best ways to get through an economic slowdown. It will also help boost your savings. If you’re unsure what areas where you might be able to reduce your spending, start by cutting down small lifestyle expenses. It is absolutely critical that you are making your necessities and fixed costs your number one priority.

But living within your means isn’t as difficult as it sounds. A frugal lifestyle doesn’t have to be about depriving yourself of things that bring you joy. You can start by making conscious spending choices that will reduce discretionary expenses but have very minimal effect on your lifestyle. These small changes will eventually have a significant impact on how you fare during a recession. 

3. Control or minimise your debt

During economic recessions, it’s not surprising that debts can get out of hand. Carrying high levels of debt can be very risky, because any unexpected changes to your financial status could end up affecting your ability to pay these debts.

It’s important to stay on top of your debt payments to ensure that they are not negatively compounding to the point that you need to take on even more of a financial burden (e.g. taking on another loan to pay off an existing one). 

Getting out of debt is one of the most effective ways to lower your monthly spending. Read here to learn more on how you can pay off your debt faster. 

4. Rework your budget

After calculating how much you need to save and reducing unnecessary expenses, it’s back to the drawing board (or rather, the budgeting board). Start by listing down your new expenses and expected income over a couple of months. If you are sharing financial responsibilities with someone else, involve them in the process and make sure you are on the same page. If you are living with your family, take time to discuss your plan to make sure that everyone understands the goals and everyone is committed to work together to attain them.  

5. Don’t panic over long-term investments

The prospect of a recession can be rather daunting, if not frightening. But it’s never a good idea to make financial decisions based on emotion. You may be tempted to sell your investments out of panic, but financial experts say this might not be the best idea. Remember that an upturn usually follows most market downturns. If you have a long-term investment strategy, the cycles of the market are usually accounted for. While an economic recession or personal financial hardship can be scary, the good news is that they’re temporary. Always take time to cool off and carefully consider major investment decisions because failure to do so could cost you money in the long run.

6. Find a new source of income 

Recessions are unpredictable and their causes can be difficult to pinpoint. But one potentially positive outcome from a recession is that they can open opportunities for you to try something new. Starting a new side hustle can not only provide you with a new income stream in the short term, but it could also help you develop a new skill that could boost your earning potential over time. 

7. Stay positive

Recessions can have detrimental and snowballing effects on your personal finances. It can throw you off track when it comes to reaching your financial goals. So, it’s understandable that when hard times hit, you feel frustrated and discouraged. But as we’ve mentioned, recessions don’t last forever. Keep a positive mindset and remember that recessions are only temporary setbacks. Be prudent with what you do have while you ride out the wave. And continue working towards your goals by creating a strategy that will work for your current circumstance. 

For more tips on how to manage your finances, explore nestegg today. 

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When a recession hits, it’s natural to be concerned. After all, an economic recession can spell disaster for your financial welfare. 

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Australians could be throwing away their hard-earned money with the purchase and download of a number of intrusive apps currently being advertised on social media giant TikTok.

Write comment (0 Comments) " ["fulltext"]=> string(4621) "

Digital security company Avast has given the warning, after it said it had discovered seven adware scam apps available in Australia on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

According to the organisation, many of these apps are being advertised on social media video platform TikTok, with unsuspecting users paying money for these “useless” apps.

It discovered at least three profiles dedicated to pushing the apps, one of which has more than 300,000 followers.

The iOS and Android apps appear to be developed by the same person or group. The links promoted on the social media profiles lead to the iOS or Android versions of the apps, depending on the device the link is being accessed from.

Avast said many of the apps are posing as entertainment – games to “shock your friends”, wallpaper apps or music downloaders – at a cost.

It labelled some of those apps as “HiddenAds trojans”, a type of trojan that disguises itself as a safe and useful application but instead serves intrusive ads outside of the app and hides the original app icon, making it difficult for users to identify where the ads are being served from, Avast said.

“The apps we discovered are scams and violate both Google’s and Apple’s app policies by either making misleading claims around app functionalities, or serving ads outside of the app and hiding the original app icon soon after the app is installed,” explained Jakub Vávra, a threat analyst.

He said it’s of particular concern that the apps are being promoted on social media platforms which are popular among younger kids, “who may not recognise some of the red flags surrounding the apps and therefore may fall for them”.

According to Avast Threat Lab, there were over 6,600 Australian users attacked by adware this year, with peaks in February, May and June.

Globally, the apps have been downloaded more than 2.4 million times, earning the scammers upwards of $500,000.

The ease with which these scams operate has led Avast to give some insight into how Australians can better protect themselves from these types of scams:

1. Carefully read reviews

Adware and scam apps can be difficult to recognise, as they are often disguised as entertainment apps like gaming apps.

But Avast said some signs that an app could be a scam include low app ratings and negative reviews that point out excessive ads or low functionality of the alleged app features.

Mr Vávra also said reviews that are too positive can also be a sign something is amiss: “In addition to the seven apps, we also noticed the app developers have more apps, with very low downloads and reviews, but the handful of reviews they have are extremely positive and enthusiastic, which can also be a sign that something is suspicious”.

2. Question prices

Avast says users should consider what they are paying for.

If the price tag for an app makes sense, considering what the app is offering, then it is less likely to be a scam.

Mr Vávra said many scam apps “offer basic or unrealistic features, like simple games that claim to shock players, or wallpapers for around $8”.

It’s a lot of money, considering games and features like this are often offered for free by other developers.

3. Check permissions

Before downloading apps, users should check the permissions the app is requesting and consider if they make sense for the app to function properly.  

Mr Vávra said that Android app “ThemeZone - Shawky App” requests access to a device’s external storage, which can include photos, videos and files, depending on how the storage is used.

“Accessing external storage is not a must for a wallpaper app,” he warned.

4. Monitor downloads

Keeping an eye on usage by children is also vital to avoid accidentally downloading scamware.

Mr Vávra said it’s important parents do speak to their children about apps and what to look out for before downloading an app, or even “make it a rule for children to ask for permission before allowing them to download an app, to avoid potential unnecessary costs”.

nestegg has previously asked the question: Is TikTok the new kid on the scam block? 

 

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Australians could be throwing away their hard-earned money with the purchase and download of a number of intrusive apps currently being advertised on social media giant TikTok.

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["title"]=> string(17) "First article URL" ["name"]=> string(3) "url" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-07-09 01:32:54" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4628 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4798 (1) { ["relative"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4787 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4800 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(1) "2" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(3) "url" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "3" ["label"]=> string(17) "First article URL" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(16) "Related Articles" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [8]=> object(stdClass)#5166 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "8" ["title"]=> string(18) "Second article URL" ["name"]=> string(18) "second-article-url" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-07-08 05:42:04" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4799 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4802 (1) { ["relative"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4801 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4804 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(1) "2" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(3) "url" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "3" ["label"]=> string(18) "Second article URL" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(16) "Related Articles" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [9]=> object(stdClass)#5165 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "9" ["title"]=> string(17) "Third article URL" ["name"]=> string(17) "third-article-url" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-07-08 05:42:42" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4803 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4806 (1) { ["relative"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4805 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4808 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(1) "2" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(3) "url" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "3" ["label"]=> string(17) "Third article URL" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(16) "Related Articles" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [4]=> object(stdClass)#5162 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "4" ["title"]=> string(9) "Video URL" ["name"]=> string(9) "video-url" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-06-19 05:54:21" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "1" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4807 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4810 (2) { ["filter"]=> string(0) "" ["maxlength"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4809 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4812 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(1) "2" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(4) "text" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["label"]=> string(9) "Video URL" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(22) "Summary points + video" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [6]=> object(stdClass)#5163 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "6" ["title"]=> string(33) "Image Caption / Video description" ["name"]=> string(31) "image-caption-video-description" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-06-25 16:29:55" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "2" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4811 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4814 (2) { ["filter"]=> string(0) "" ["maxlength"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4813 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4816 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(0) "" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(4) "text" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["label"]=> string(33) "Image Caption / Video description" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(22) "Summary points + video" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [3]=> object(stdClass)#5158 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "3" ["title"]=> string(6) "Status" ["name"]=> string(6) "status" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-06-20 01:45:26" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "3" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4815 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4821 (1) { ["options"]=> object(stdClass)#4819 (2) { ["options0"]=> object(stdClass)#4818 (2) { ["name"]=> string(8) "Inactive" ["value"]=> string(1) "0" } ["options1"]=> object(stdClass)#4820 (2) { ["name"]=> string(6) "Active" ["value"]=> string(1) "1" } } } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4817 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4823 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(9) "btn-group" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(0) "" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(5) "radio" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["label"]=> string(6) "Status" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(22) "Summary points + video" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [5]=> object(stdClass)#5161 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "5" ["title"]=> string(22) " Essential information" ["name"]=> string(21) "essential-information" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-06-25 06:10:20" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "4" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4822 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4825 (4) { ["buttons"]=> string(0) "" ["width"]=> string(0) "" ["height"]=> string(0) "" ["filter"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4824 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4827 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(0) "" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(0) "" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(6) "editor" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["label"]=> string(22) " Essential information" ["description"]=> string(35) "3 points that summarize the article" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(22) "Summary points + video" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } [2]=> object(stdClass)#5171 (32) { ["id"]=> string(1) "2" ["title"]=> string(14) "Embedded Video" ["name"]=> string(14) "embedded-video" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["note"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["created_time"]=> string(19) "2020-06-20 01:43:32" ["created_user_id"]=> string(4) "2351" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "5" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["fieldparams"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4826 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4829 (4) { ["buttons"]=> string(0) "" ["width"]=> string(0) "" ["height"]=> string(0) "" ["filter"]=> string(0) "" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#4828 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#4831 (10) { ["hint"]=> string(29) "Paste your embedded code here" ["class"]=> string(0) "" ["label_class"]=> string(0) "" ["show_on"]=> string(1) "2" ["render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["showlabel"]=> string(1) "1" ["label_render_class"]=> string(0) "" ["display"]=> string(1) "2" ["layout"]=> string(0) "" ["display_readonly"]=> string(1) "2" } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["type"]=> string(6) "editor" ["default_value"]=> string(0) "" ["context"]=> string(19) "com_content.article" ["group_id"]=> string(1) "2" ["label"]=> string(14) "Embedded Video" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["required"]=> string(1) "0" ["language_title"]=> NULL ["language_image"]=> NULL ["editor"]=> NULL ["access_level"]=> string(6) "Public" ["author_name"]=> string(18) "Jeremiah Sebastian" ["group_title"]=> string(22) "Summary points + video" ["group_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_state"]=> string(1) "1" ["group_note"]=> string(0) "" ["value"]=> string(0) "" ["rawvalue"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> string(57) "/save-money/scams/tiktok-sees-scammers-target-new-victims" ["image"]=> string(47) "images/article-826x550/TikTok-smartphone-ne.jpg" ["image_alt"]=> string(39) "TikTok sees scammers target new victims" } }