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Snapchat apologizes for awful ad that makes light of Rihanna, Chris Brown's violent past
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Snapchat apologized on Wednesday for posting an ad on its app that made light of Chris Brown and Rihannas violent history. - photo by Herb Scribner
Snapchat apologized on Wednesday for posting an ad on its app that made light of Rihanna and Chris Brown's violent history.

The ad, which you can see below, asked users if theyd rather "punch Chris Brown" or "slap Rihanna."

Chris Brown was convicted of assaulting Rihanna in his car during a 2009 incident when the two pop stars were dating. Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, six years of community service and a year of domestic violence counseling.

Thousands of people saw the ad this week before Snapchat removed it.

Snapchat apologized for the ad in a statement sent to BBC News.

"The advert was reviewed and approved in error, as it violates our advertising guidelines. We immediately removed the ad last weekend, once we became aware," the statement said. "We are sorry that this happened."

But Rihanna rejected the apology in her own Instagram Stories post, according to pop culture website Uproxx.

Now Snapchat, I know you already know you aint my fav app out there, Rihanna wrote. But Im just trying to figure out what the point was with this mess! Id love to call it ignorance, but I know you aint that dumb! You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV victims and made a joke of it!!! This isnt about my personal feelings, cause I dont have much of them But all the women, children, and men that have been victims of DV in the past and especially the ones who havent made it out yet. You let us down! Shame on you. Throw the whole app-oligy away.

A number of public figures picked up on the ad. Brittany Packnett, an American activist, called the ad wack.

I know that social media ads go through an approval process from the platform, she tweeted. "This means @Snapchat approved an ad that makes light of domestic violence. The update aint the only thing thats wack over there, friends.

In a reply tweet to Packnett, Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, similarly gave the ad a thumbs-down.

Just awful. Awful that anyone thinks this is funny. Awful that anyone thinks this is appropriate. Awful that any company would approve this, she tweeted.

Snapchats ad policy includes an internal review of each ad before it ends up online, according to the companys website.

"All ads are subject to our review and approval. We reserve the right to reject or remove any ad in our sole discretion for any reason, the companys website reads. We also reserve the right to request modifications to any ad, and to require factual substantiation for any claim made in an ad.

The company's ad policy said it will block any material that is "shocking, sensational, or disrespectful content."

The incident is the second blow to Snapchat in less than a month. In February, celebrity Kylie Jenner said in a tweet that she disliked Snapchats recent update, which included significant changes to the app's format, according to the Deseret News.

After Jenner's tweet, Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, watched its shares drop 6.1 percent in the immediate aftermath, costing the company $1.3 billion in market value, Bloomberg reported.

However, Daniel Ives, chief strategy officer and head of technology research at GBH Insights, told CNN there wasnt much need to panic.

"We believe this is an overreaction as Wall Street is hypersensitive to the app redesign," he told CNN. "With roughly 25 million followers, (Jenner) carries a loud mouthpiece that speaks to today's knee-jerk reaction in shares."
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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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