Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- scam / skæm / (n.) – a clever but dishonest way of making money by tricking people and getting their personal information
Example:The police warned the public about a new online scam that asks for credit card details.
- exorbitant / ɪgˈzɔr bɪ tənt / (adj.) – (of prices and demands) much too high or expensive
Example:The hotel charged exorbitant prices during the holiday season, so many tourists could not afford to stay there.
- rake in (something) / reɪk ɪn / (phrasal v.) – to earn or collect a huge amount of money easily
Example:The idol group raked in millions of dollars from album sales, world tours, and advertisement deals.
- accomplice / əˈkɒm plɪs / (n.) – a person who works with or helps someone commit a crime or do something illegal
Example:The police arrested the thief and his accomplice, who helped him escape after the robbery.
- apprehend / ˌæp rɪˈhɛnd / (v.) – to arrest or catch a criminal or someone who didn’t follow rules or the law
Example:The police apprehended the thieves at the airport as they attempted to leave the country.
Article
Read the text below.
A cybercrime crew stole and then resold more than 900 digital tickets to Taylor Swift concerts and other pricey events on StubHub, according to prosecutors in New York.
The international scam involved people working in Jamaica for a firm contracted by the online ticket marketplace, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
The contractors stole the URLs of tickets purchased on StubHub and emailed them to others in New York, who then downloaded and resold them on StubHub at exorbitant prices, she said. The crew raked in more than $600,000 in profits over roughly a year between June 2022 and July 2023, according to prosecutors. The majority of the stolen tickets were for Swift’s Eras Tour, but the thieves also boosted ones for Adele and Ed Sheeran concerts, NBA games and the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.
Katz added that investigators are still determining the extent of the operation, including other potential co-conspirators.
Two of those involved, Tyrone Rose and Shamara Simmons, were arrested and charged with grand larceny, computer tampering and conspiracy, Katz’s office said. Rose, 20, was among those in Jamaica who redirected purchased tickets to the emails of Simmons, 31, and another accomplice based in the New York City borough of Queens, according to prosecutors.
Rose was apprehended while he was visiting New York and was ordered to surrender his passport, Katz’s office said. He and Simmons pleaded not guilty and were released pending their next court date. The public defender’s office representing Rose declined to comment, and lawyers for Simmons didn’t immediately respond.
StubHub said that it had discovered the criminal scheme and reported it to authorities and its third-party customer service vendor. The company said it has since terminated its relationship with the vendor and strengthened its security measures. All ticket orders so far identified as impacted by the theft have also been replaced or fully refunded, according to StubHub.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Digital tickets were stolen from fans and resold at much higher prices. How do you think this problem affects industries like music, sports, and theater, which depend on selling tickets? How might fans react if this problem continues in future events? Discuss.
- If someone accidentally buys a stolen or overpriced ticket, should they be allowed to use it? Why or why not? What fair solutions could there be for the buyer, the original ticket holder, and the event organizer in cases of stolen and resold tickets? Discuss.
Discussion B
- The international scam involved people working in Jamaica, and the crime happened in the United States. How do you think the other criminals involved in this cybercrime can be arrested? How can the two governments coordinate to catch the criminals? Discuss.
- Why do you think international scams are growing these days? What can you do to protect yourself and your family against such scams? Discuss.
