Latest news with #April
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'My daughter rang me in tears after horror car crash - then grim lies unravelled'
A distraught mum broke down in tears once she heard from her daughter - but a web of lies soon unravelled after a suspicious phone call about a car crash A woman has fallen victim to a scam after cruel fraudsters used artificial intelligence to clone her daughter's voice, convincing her to hand over £11,000 [$15,000]. Sharon Brightwell, from Florida, received a call on July 9 from a number resembling her daughter's. When she answered, she heard what she believed was her daughter crying and saying she had been involved in a serious car accident. "There is nobody that could convince me that it wasn't her," Sharon told WFLA. "I know my daughter's cry.| The caller claimed to have crashed into a pregnant woman while texting and driving. A mystery man, claiming to be an attorney, then took over and told a distraught Sharon that her daughter was being detained and needed £11,000 [$15,000] in bail money. READ MORE: Boy, 15, killed in M60 horror tragedy ahead of Oasis gig Sharon withdrew the money and followed the delivery instructions given to her. But the scammers soon called again, saying the pregnant woman had lost her baby and was threatening to sue unless she sent an additional £22,000 [$30,000]. It was at this point that Sharon's grandson intervened. Together with a family friend, he helped her contact her real daughter, who was unharmed and still at work. "When I heard her voice, I broke down," Sharon admitted. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a police report has been filed and detectives are investigating the case. "That is all the information we have at this time as it remains an active investigation," officials said in a statement. Sharon's daughter, April Monroe, later explained on GoFundMe that scammers had used AI technology to clone her voice. "My voice was AI cloned and sounded exactly like me," she wrote. "My mom and son were in absolute shock." April said she was on her lunch break when her family was frantically trying to reach her. A family friend eventually connected her to her mother in a three-way call to prove she was safe. "I have never heard the sounds she made when she heard that I was fine," April wrote. She added that her father is dealing with a botched surgery and dementia, leaving her mother under significant stress and more vulnerable to the scam. "We only hope it will prevent this from continuing to victimise vulnerable people," she said. Voice-cloning scams are on the rise globally as AI technology becomes more accessible. Criminals can replicate a person's voice using just a few seconds of audio taken from social media, voicemail, or other recordings. In the UK, the government has warned that AI scams are on the rise as technology becomes more realistic. "Fraudsters are able to use increasingly sophisticated methods, relying on the systematic analysis of large amounts of data in an effort to identify and exploit vulnerabilities that might exist in our organisations for their own gain," explains the Gov website. "Artificial intelligence is not new but we have seen accelerated coverage in the media and as a hot topic at public and private sector events in recent years." The UK has launched an AI Safety Institute to help crackdown on AI safety.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
For nine years my married lover promised she'd leave her husband and child for me... what happened next destroyed my life, says MAX WOOLDRIDGE
It was a rainy April evening, cool and blustery, and I remember it vividly because that was the night I fell in love with a married woman. Lauren and I had been seeing each other for a few months at that point. It was 2004 and we'd arranged to meet in our usual place, a bookshop near her flat. When she hadn't appeared an hour after our designated time, I began to worry she'd decided against it.
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
UM top surgeon drives reform
POSITIVE change starts with each and every one of us. Espousing this principle, Prof Datuk Dr April Camilla Roslani said although it may seem daunting, much can be achieved with objective, strategic thinking. She added that the united efforts of key stakeholders are just as paramount. The professor of colorectal surgery at the Universiti Malaya (UM) Faculty of Medicine – where she is also a former dean – embodies this belief through her work in the medical field. One of her most notable contributions was founding Malaysia's largest colorectal surgery unit at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) – now a central resource for national colorectal training and treatment. She shared that colorectal surgery was only recognised as a subspecialty of general surgery in Malaysia in 2006. At the time, she was UMMC's sole colorectal surgeon. 'My initial challenge was convincing my department that it was even necessary to have a colorectal unit,' she recalled, adding that much of the work back then was handled by general surgeons. 'I had to spend the first few years patiently setting up the service, fighting for funding, auditing the outcomes, while recruiting, training and expanding my team,' she recalled. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to surgery and medical education, Prof April recently received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) – the highest distinction granted by the institution. Expressing her humility at being this year's recipient, Prof April, who is currently serving as councillor of the International Surgical Society and director of the International Office at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said the honour is not just a personal milestone. 'This recognition by RCSI – an organisation with the highest standards and a truly global outlook – has been personally validating, but it is also a tribute to the general surgical fraternity in Malaysia, who has been united in its efforts to effect positive change in surgical training. 'Previous recipients include Louis Pasteur, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa, while past Malaysian honorees include the late Sultan Azlan Shah, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Abu Bakar Suleiman. It is an immense honour to be placed in this pantheon,' she told StarEdu. This latest recognition is yet another feather in Prof April's cap. She has previously received global honours, including Honorary Fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the American and Philippine Societies of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the American College of Surgeons. Prof April's path into medicine began not in a lab, but on stage – she trained in dance and music before turning to surgery. 'To excel in the arts requires creativity, resilience and discipline. 'The hours of practice, making something complex look simple, and the guidance from experienced mentors – these lessons are also applicable to surgery, which combines science and art to heal humanity,' she said. Prof April's drive to improve the field does not stop at the operating table. As a key figure in postgraduate medical education, she helped develop Malaysia's National Curriculum for General Surgery and introduced a locally tailored Train-the-Trainers programme to strengthen the quality of surgical instruction nationwide. Beyond training, she is equally committed to pushing for systemic improvements and is well known for championing healthier, more supportive medical work environments. 'Our healthcare system has done well in the past, but those achievements have been on the backs of a stretched workforce, and often at great personal sacrifice. This is not sustainable,' she said, pointing to worrying trends like staff attrition and a declining interest in surgery as a career. Prof April believes the work is far from done. 'Those involved in advocacy don't do it for recognition. 'Integrating new technologies like artificial intelligence, while retaining the human touch and fighting for better work conditions will always be ongoing,' she said. She also expressed her hope for a single national healthcare system – governed and funded separately from the rest of the civil service. 'This would allow us to combine the best of both private and public sectors for clinical service, training and research, and ensure fairer pay, better staff retention and healthier work environments,' she said. The Honorary Fellowship was presented at RCSI's recent conferring ceremony on July 7, at its historic St. Stephen's Green campus in Dublin, where 402 healthcare professionals from around the world were welcomed into its global community of fellows and members.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nauen's controversial comeback: Former Apink star returns amid bullying scandal; Netizens react
Trigger Warning: The article contains references to bullying and abuse. Nauen, who was formerly part of the K-pop girl group Apink, has recently announced that she will be making a comeback. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The idol-turned-actress had found a huge bout of success in the last few years after shifting her focus to web series, along with music. However, back in 2020, the actress had received a lot of criticism and backlash after becoming the centre of a bullying scandal. Now, her comeback news is making rounds and is being met with mixed reactions. Former April's Nauen to make comeback on the small screen According to reports from April's Naueun has been cast as one of the characters on the upcoming Korean drama titled 'Eye Shopping'. The idol-turned-actor has been confirmed to star in the action-thriller series. Fans and K-netizens share mixed reactions to the news While fans of the actress had been excited over her comeback, a big majority of netizens have been surprised by her return. The star is facing a lot of backlash over her return due to her bullying scandal. In 2020, a fellow member of the now disbanded group, April Lee Hyun Joo, had publicly come out and alleged that her fellow members had been involved in bullying her while she was with the group. Nauen had stated at the time, denying all allegations of bullying, and no legal updates had been shared at the time, though netizens are still divided over her comeback to the acting industry. One K-netizen commented, 'Please don't let these sorts of kids back on screen. There are so many great rookies out there. Why are they using people like her?' while another shared, 'When did she even take a break? She kept trying to size up a chance to come back'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now About 'Eye Shopping' 'Eye Shopping' is an action thriller that will see children who seek revenge after surviving the brink of death. Nauen will star and take on the role of Somi, who had been abandoned at an early age and ended up finding herself in a more dark part of the world. Previously, the actress had been known for starring in lighter roles. This K-drama, however, aims to shed light on a new side of the star for the audience. DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with abuse and bullying, please seek help. Numerous helplines and support resources are available.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Distraught woman reveals simple trick scammers used to con her out of $15,000
A Florida mother was left devastated after scammers conned her out of $15,000 by mimicking her daughter's voice. Sharon Brightwell believes cruel fraudsters used AI software to imitate her daughter April. The doting mom was sent into a panic after she received a distressed call from her daughter on July 9. The voice on the phone was unmistakable, she told Fox 13: 'When I picked up the phone, it was my daughter's voice. It was her crying voice, she was hysterical.' At the other end of the line was, Brightwell believed, her daughter, April, who said she had been involved in a car accident, that struck a woman who was seven months pregnant. The caller claimed she had been texting and driving, and her phone had been taken by police which explained why she was calling from a different phone number. Another man came on the line claiming to be a public defender and said that April had supposedly been taken to hospital and detained. Brightwell was then given 'explicit' instructions on how to post her daughter's $15,000 bail. 'I said, "You have got to be kidding me,"' Brightwell recalled, but as a mother she was desperate to help. She withdrew the money and waited for a 'legal courier' to arrive at her home in Dover. 'Neither of them know how bail works, or how that would be paid. But it is definitely not like this,' April explained. 'A man in a black Chevy Tahoe showed up and parked on the side of the road at their home and my mom walked cash out to him.' The 'legal courier' appeared nervous, according to Brightwell, and was 'nicely dressed, bald with a short beard. The tag was tinted out.' 'When I saw them pull off, I had the most sick feeling in my stomach,' Brightwell continued. The scammers then called again, and told her that the 'baby' had died and a further $30,000 needed to be handed over. 'They called a close family friend to ask for help and she quickly shouted "NO NO this is a scam." Unfortunately, it was too late for the first chunk of money already given to these poor excuses for human beings,' April wrote. It was when April started texting her son, who was with Brightwell, on her lunch break that 'it all came together.' Brightwell believes that the scammers used AI to mimic her daughters voice, and it was done so well that she had no idea it wasn't her on the other end of the line. 'I'm telling you, there was nothing that could have convinced me that that was not my daughter's voice that day,' she said 'My mom and son were in absolute shock. Our friend then added me to a 3-way call so that my mom could hear my voice. I have never heard the sounds she made when she heard that I was fine,' April said. 'No babies had died in an accident that I cause, and I was not going to jail. I will never forget how she cried that day.' April said she rushed to be with her family and found her son on the driveway. 'When I drove up and he saw that my car was not wrecked, and I was completely fine, he hunched over to throw up. Then came and hugged me almost hyperventilating,' she continued. Brightwell believes that the scammers used AI to mimic her daughters voice, and it was done so well that she had no idea it wasn't her on the other end of the line. 'I'm telling you, there was nothing that could have convinced me that that was not my daughter's voice that day,' she said. She also suspects that the scammers had been researching her family online before the incident. Brightwell reported the incident to the police, but unfortunately this type of scam is becoming increasingly sophisticated and harder to trace, Hillsborough County detectives told Fox News. April wrote on a GoFundMe that scammers are sometimes using Uber package couriers to pick up packages who 'likely' have no idea what's going on. She wrote that the Uber will be subpoenaed and an investigation is underway, but the likelihood of recovering her mother's money is 'zero.' 'To tell you the trauma that my mom and son went through that day makes me nauseous and has made me lose more faith in humanity... My mother was sobbing on the phone with them, thinking I had been not only in a horrific wreck, but that a baby's life had been taken,' she continued. 'The scammers continued without hesitation or remorse.' Law enforcement have urged the public to be cautious of anyone asking for money, even if the voice seems familiar.
