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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is warning residents about a texting scam that’s telling people they owe toll balances when they don’t.

Officials said the scam, which previously targeted drivers in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, has now spread to Massachusetts and is randomly choosing people who are “not uniquely associated with an account or usage of toll roads.” MassDot’s electronic tolling program, EZDriveMA, is now advising people to be careful when they receiving suspicious messages.

“The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was alerted that a text message-based scam, also known as smishing, is fraudulently claiming to represent tolling agencies from across the country,” EZDriveMA said in a press release. “Scammers are claiming to represent the tolling agency and requesting payment for unpaid tolls.”

Afro-Ecuadorians in a community are grieving after four Black boys were killed in December, allegedly following an encounter with the country’s military.

The four boys were last seen alive after being detained by air force personnel

Ismael Arroyo, 15, his 14-year-old brother Josué, Steven Medina, 11, and Nehemías Saúl Arboleda, 14, were from Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. On Sunday, Dec. 8, after finishing a football game, the boys were allegedly forced into a military patrol car by members of the Ecuadorian Air Force, according to The Guardian and Black Agenda Report.

Two weeks after the boys’ disappearance, their parents sought answers from the government but received no information about what had happened to them. However, on Christmas Eve, four burned and dismembered bodies were found near a military base, close to where the boys had been picked up by air force personnel, The Guardian reported.

‘It has completely changed our lives’

DNA tests confirmed the remains were those of the Guayaquil Four, sending shockwaves through Ecuador’s predominantly Black communities and highlighting the country’s deep-rooted racism toward Black people.

Luís Arroyo, 36, father of Ismael and Josué, tearfully spoke out after their tragic deaths.

“We are shattered,” Arroyo said of losing his two sons, per The Guardian. “It has completely changed our lives.”

Hundreds of neighbors and activists joined the grieving parents as they held a chigualo (a funeral ritual) to pay their respects to the four young boys who lost their lives.

A woman holding an image depicting the four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base, attends a march one month after their apprehension in Guayaquil, Ecuador on January 8, 2025 | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

A boy wearing a shirt with the picture of Nehemias Arboleda, one of the four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base, attends a march one month after their apprehension in Guayaquil, Ecuador on January 8, 2025. Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Women wearing shirts with the picture of Nehemias Arboleda, one of the four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base, attend a march one month after their apprehension in Guayaquil, Ecuador on January 8, 2025 | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Relatives of the four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base, attend a march a month after their apprehension in Guayaquil, Ecuador on January 8, 2025. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Luis Arroyo and Katy Bustos, parents of Ismael and Josue Arroyo, two of the four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base, attend an event a month after their apprehension in Guayaquil, Ecuador on January 8, 2025. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Racism was a factor in the deaths of the Guayaquil Four

The boys lived in Las Malvinas, a predominantly Black and impoverished neighborhood in Guayaquil. According to Arroyo, skin color and origin were key factors in their deaths.

“We have endured all of this simply because we are Afro-Ecuadorians and live in Las Malvinas,” he said, per The Guardian.

According to the latest census report, Afro-Ecuadorians comprise only 4.8% of the country’s population. Despite this, they remain marginalized, especially under President Daniel Noboa’s leadership. According to The Guardian and the Minority Rights Group, he has implemented strict security policies targeting organized crime in the past year.

Systemic racism in predominantly Black communities

In response to the killings, the government declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in Guayaquil and other areas until March 3. Activists and critics argue that this action disproportionately targets Afro-Ecuadorian communities, perpetuating systemic racism, according to Black Agenda Report.

“In this Ecuador, where racism, inequality, and aporophobia, (fear, contempt, and rejection of people who are poor or disadvantaged) have intensified under the shelter of the State, Black lives continue to be ignored, and impunity grows at the same rate as the cynicism of those who have weaponized power to deteriorate our existence,” Juanita Frances Boone, Afro-Ecuadorian scholar and director of Mujeres de Asfalto, said in a statement obtained by the outlet.

Protestors perform a ceremony in a pacific way for the 4 children during the rally. Hundreds peacefully protested against the country’s violence after four children went missing on December 8, 2024, in Las Malvinas, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Steven (11), Nehemías (15), Josué (14), and Ismael (15) were reportedly intercepted by vehicles with people in military uniforms and taken to the Taura air base | Photo by Veronica Lombeida/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Relatives and friends of siblings Josue and Ismael Arroyo, 14 and 15, respectively, two of the four minors who disappeared during a military operation while playing football, mourn during their burial at the Angel Maria Canals cemetery in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on January 1, 2025. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Luis Arroyo (C), father of Josue and Ismael Arroyo, 14 and 15, respectively, two of the four minors who disappeared during a military operation while playing football, mourns during their burial at the Angel Maria Canals cemetery in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on January 1, 2025. The four Ecuadorian teenagers apprehended by soldiers and found dead near a military base were buried on Wednesday in the port of Guayaquil, amid outrage over the event that mourns the country, according to the government | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Football teammates of Ismael Arroyo, 15, mourn around his coffin during his wake and that of his brother Josue, 14, two of the four minors who had been missing for three weeks since disappearing during a military operation while playing football, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on January 1, 2025. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

Relatives react after it was confirmed that the burned bodies found in Taura correspond to the four minors who went missing during a military operation outside the courthouse in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on December 31, 2024. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

People demonstrate against the disappearance of four minors who went missing during a military operation, outside the courthouse in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on December 31, 2024, during the arraignment hearing against 16 military personnel allegedly involved in the disappearance. | Photo by MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images

The military responds to the boys’ initial disappearance

The military initially denied any involvement in the boys’ disappearance but later confirmed that Air Force personnel had detained them, The Guardian reported. They also claimed the boys were involved in a robbery, though they provided no evidence to support that assertion.

Sixteen soldiers have since been imprisoned as prosecutors launched an investigation into the case. However, the grieving parents believe more should have been done to uncover the truth behind the boys’ deaths.

“The fact that they’re in prison is not enough,” Ronny Medina, 39, the father of 11-year-old Steven, said per The Guardian. “We want to know what they did and why they did it to our children.”

While the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, another Chinese-owned app is quickly gaining momentum. Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English, has skyrocketed in popularity and recently became the most downloaded free app in Apple’s App Store, Newsweek reported.

Details on the Red Note app

Launched in China in 2013, RedNote was valued at $3 billion and has grown into a multifaceted platform. Similar to TikTok, RedNote is designed for sharing short videos but offers even more features. Users can livestream, post product reviews, engage in social interactions, and shop online—all within the app. Much of the content on RedNote focuses on fashion and beauty tips, travel stories, and personal vlogs, appealing to a young and trend-conscious audience.

Why is RedNote gaining popularity?

RedNote’s rise comes as the U.S. government cracks down on TikTok over national security concerns. Lawmakers argue that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, could potentially share sensitive user data with the Chinese government, jeopardizing Americans’ privacy.

As Blavity previously reported, TikTok is set to be removed from app stores by Jan. 19. This means new users won’t be able to download the app, though current users can continue using it. However, this poses security risks because they won’t have access to crucial updates.

The Supreme Court has indicated it may uphold the TikTok ban, but it’s still unclear how President-elect Donald Trump will handle the situation once sworn in on Jan. 20. Millions of creators and entrepreneurs who rely on TikTok for business growth are anxiously waiting to see what unfolds.

‘You can’t tell this story without thanking God’ To her surprise, Lindsey discovered that a frequent visitor to her Give Me Some Sugah bakery in Chicago was her long-lost son, Vamarr Hunter. Lindsey learned that Hunter was a regular customer […]

Actor and comedian Deon Cole was forced to evacuate his home amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles while also dealing with an illness. In an Instagram post, he showed his followers that he was celebrating his birthday as he was hospitalized.

“Thank u all for your birthday well wishes. I sure could use them. Thank you all,” Cole wrote on Instagram while celebrating his 53rd birthday.

Carrie Underwood has seemingly shared her political stance, at least in the eyes of fans, after announcing that she will support President-elect Donald Trump during his inauguration with a singing gig.

The former American Idol contestant will perform a rendition of “America the Beautiful” when Trump is sworn into office on Monday, Jan. 20, The Daily Beast reported. This also just so happens to be the same day as the nation’s observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2025.

What was Carrie Underwood’s previous stance on politics?

Previously, Underwood has refrained from disclosing her political views. In 2019, the country music star told The Guardian that she attempts to “stay far out of politics if possible,” citing that “nobody wins” when celebrities’ political views are put on display for public consumption.

“I feel like more people try to pin me places politically,” Underwood said during the interview. “Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”

Ironically, the singer also faced backlash for poking fun at the former president during the 2017 Country Music Awards when she performed a parody of her smash song, “Before He Cheats,” alongside Brad Paisley. 

The lyrics were remixed to address alleged cheating accusations against Trump in his 2016 presidential election win against Hillary Clinton.

“And it’s fun to watch, yeah, that’s for sure/ ’til little Rocket Man starts a nuclear war … and then maybe next time, he’ll think before he tweets,” were the lyrics sung by the duo at the time. 

What users on X (formerly Twitter) are saying about Carrie Underwood now

Of course, Black Twitter wasted no time reacting to the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, with one person writing, “I would love to be surprised by this but idk she’s always gave trumpie to me.”

I would love to be surprised by this but idk she’s always gave trumpie to me. I lowkey stopped listening to her music because I just felt it.— toni ⁷ (@tsthoughtsx) January 13, 2025

“I lowkey stopped listening to her music because I just felt it,” they continued.

Another user fired off a tweet with a similar sentiment, saying, “I don’t want anyone to be surprised that the white woman Oklahoma who sings country is going to support the racist, rapist, convicted felon and head of the republican party. You are only upsetting yourself by [being] shocked.”

I don’t want anyone to be surprised that the white woman Oklahoma who sings country is going to support the racist, rapist, convicted felon and head of the republican party. You are only upsetting yourself by bring shocked.— Gimme A Kiss Big Daddy You So Pretty (@RegularBlack_) January 13, 2025

Another person asked if Chrisette Michele wasn’t available, while someone else suggested that Underwood won’t be susceptible to the same backlash that the R&B singer received after singing during Trump’s 2017 inauguration.

It’s been 12 years since Johnson’s dead body was found inside the middle of a large rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School’s gymnasium in 2013, per NewsOne. He was just 17 years old. Although the circumstances that led to […]

The first full moon of the year, known as the Wolf Moon, will rise Monday night, offering viewers a chance to see it appearing opposite the Sun.

Tyler Perry took to Instagram on Sunday to call out insurance companies for failing to cover homeowners who are losing their property amid the wildfires in Los Angeles. Perry specifically shared the story of a woman who was using a garden hose to protect her parents’ uninsured home.

“Watching a daughter use a garden hose to try and protect her 90-year-old parents’ home because their insurance was canceled was just gut-wrenching to me,” Perry wrote on Instagram, per Page Six.

Major Insurers Withdraw Coverage in California

According to the Los Angeles Times, insurance companies such as Allstate, Tokio Marine America Insurance Co., and Trans Pacific Insurance Co. have stopped providing policies in California. State Farm General Insurance also announced in March that it will no longer cover 30,000 homes and condominiums in the state once their policies expire.

In Pacific Palisades, where the fire has burned about 24,000 acres, at least 1,600 homes are reportedly uninsured, Page Six reported.

Perry Condemns Corporate Greed Amid Crisis

“Does anyone else find it appalling that insurance companies can take billions of dollars out of communities for years and then, all of a sudden, be allowed to cancel millions of policies for the very people they became rich on?” Perry wrote. “People who have paid premiums all of their lives are left with nothing because of pure greed.”

Perry Pledges Support to Affected Communities

As fires continue to ravage several regions—including northeast Los Angeles, where the Eaton Fire has burned 14,000 acres—Perry expressed his commitment to supporting impacted communities.

“As I am in the process of trying to figure out what steps to take to do all I can to help as many as I can, I am keeping everyone in my prayers,” the 55-year-old filmmaker said.

Thousands Evacuated as Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles

At least 100,000 Los Angeles residents have been evacuated due to the wildfires. The flames have devastated several high-profile areas, as well as underserved neighborhoods, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.

According to a report from Fast Company, Waffle House saves anywhere from $15.6 million to $46.8 million annually by not appropriately paying its employees for responsibilities performed on and off the clock. Those responsibilities include mopping floors, cleaning toilets and […]