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Forbes writer says you should start playing Pokemon Go again; heres why
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Forbes writer Dave Thier wants you to start playing Pokmon Go again.

Thier wrote that he met many people who left Pokmon Go after they began playing it almost two years ago when it was first released.

And all of them, one by one, stopped caring. Even the most committed of my friends just couldn't find enough to do in a game without any real goals, structure or daily activity, and they along with millions of others just sort of stopped paying the thing any mind, he wrote.

However, Thier said its time for everyone to return to the game, especially after the games recent changes.

As the Deseret News reported last week, Pokmon Go recently launched possibly its biggest update to date, adding missions and side quests to a game that was primarily based on capturing and securing Pokemon.

The game also added a new research function, where players collect information that can help in-game characters learn more about the legendary Mew, who was recently added to the game.

Thier said the new side quests make the game even more palatable for those who have stepped away.

The total lack of structure in the early game was why so many people got bored and stopped playing, and all it takes is a little bit to give you the push you need to keep at it, he wrote. The essential advantage of "Pokmon Go" has always been that it's fun to play, in a basic way. It's fun to get outside and catch little Pokmon. It wasn't enough to keep people playing at the beginning, but it's enough that all you need are some very basic elements of game design to remind you why you liked it in the first place.

Read more at Forbes.

Pokemons recent update comes as other franchises launch their own augmented reality games.

For example, Niantic, the makers behind Pokmon Go, announced that they plan to release an augmented reality game called Harry Potter: Wizards United, according to the Deseret News. The game will function very much like Pokemon Go in that players will interact with characters through augmented reality.

And Universal announced it will release a new game called Jurassic World Alive, which allows players to interact with fake dinosaurs in the real world. Like Pokmon Go, players will have a chance to discover new dinosaurs spread throughout the universe.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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