McDonald & Associates: Private Investigator

09/10/2026

In the News: Hackers breach 5,000 Dropbox accounts using only victims’ email addresses
Attackers used victims’ emails to create new Lenovo IDs, bypassing password sign-ins to gain access to Dropbox accounts.
https://cybernews.com/news/dropbox-accounts-breached-email-lenovo-id/

09/02/2026

In the News: Social media giant Meta has agreed to a $18bn settlement with US states and territories to resolve claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children.

A California judge approved the settlement, which Meta must pay to 48 states, plus the District of Columbia and three US territories, marking the company's largest payment over child safety litigation to date.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd68q3wynnqo

08/28/2026

In the News: Nippon Dynawave cited for safety violation unrelated to fatal tank incident.

A Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) investigation into an early March complaint at the Nippon Dynawave mill in Longview has found that the company did not document their safety plans or keep required records relating to an ammonia tank used to treat wastewater at the facility.

07/06/2026

IN THE NEWS --- “Keeping workers safe at work is our top priority,” said Gov. Bob Ferguson. “We continue to grieve with the families and loved ones of those killed in the deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington state history. My team is proactively working to ensure employers are identifying and addressing any potential risks that exist at similar sites.”

A news release from Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

06/26/2026

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning about a new phishing scam that disguises itself as a CAPTCHA verification.

Most of us are familiar with legitimate CAPTCHAs that ask you to identify images, match objects, or type letters and numbers to prove you’re not a robot. However, scammers are now using fake CAPTCHA screens to trick people into installing malware on their own devices.

How the scam works:

You’re browsing a website and get a CAPTCHA pop-up. It looks legitimate and says, “security verification” or “prove you’re human.” Instead of a normal task, it instructs you to enter keyboard commands like Windows + R, then Ctrl +V, then Enter. This is not a real CAPTCHA, and these steps can install malware on your device and give scammers access to personal information such as passwords, email accounts, and banking details.

Real CAPTCHAs will NEVER ask you to run commands on your device.

If you think you interacted with one:
• Disconnect from the internet
• Run a security scan
• Change your passwords
• Enable two-factor authentication

You can report suspicious activity at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. ML204/FL090

06/25/2026

IN THE NEWS -- Construction Kings and its owner, Zakary Michael Nash, face citations for repeated electrical code violations on installations. The agency also seeks unpaid workers’ compensation insurance. The company also faces at least 11 lawsuits, the cancelation of its bond and insurance.

L&I referred the case to law enforcement agencies across Puget Sound for potential prosecution for criminal fraud.

“This is one of the most egregious cases I’ve seen involving a registered contractor,” said Melissa McBride, chief of L&I’s Contractor Compliance Program. “We want to prevent more people from potential harm.”

Read the full news release for details, as well as how home owners can take action.

A news release from Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

06/03/2026

IN THE NEWS - LONGVIEW, Wash. — A chemical tank failure at a paper mill in Longview has become one of the deadliest workplace accidents in the United States in recent decades, claiming the lives of 11 workers, officials said Saturday.

On May 26, the white liquor tank imploded at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging paper mill. The incident is still under investigation, officials said. White liquor is a mix of caustic chemical compounds that help to break down the wood so pulp can be extracted in the manufacture of paper.

Officials have not yet released details about what caused the tank to fail. State and federal agencies continue to investigate the collapse.

A chemical tank failure at a paper mill in Longview has become one of the deadliest workplace accidents in the United States in recent decades

05/11/2026

IN THE NEWS: Canvas Hack. Parents and Students, now is the time to be diligent with your security. Here are a few things to do immediately to ensure security. This is good practice to follow after any known security breach.

Hey, did you see this? Canvas just got hacked. 275 million records. 9,000 schools.
They don’t just have an email address. They know what school you go to, what courses you’re in, and who you’ve been messaging. That’s not a data point. That’s a profile. And it affects everyone from middle schoolers to grad students.
Here’s what nobody’s saying clearly: the breach already happened. You can’t stop that. What you can stop is what comes next. Hackers don’t always use stolen data themselves. They sell it. And the buyers send targeted phishing messages that look exactly like the real thing.
The most dangerous message your kid gets this month won’t look like spam. It will say: “Your assignment didn’t upload. Click here to resubmit.” Or: “Tuition hold released. Log in to confirm.” They have the names. They have the school. They have the context. That’s what makes this one different.
What to do before the weekend.
One: Any Canvas-related email or text right now, treat it as suspicious. Don’t click anything. Open a new tab and go directly to your school’s site.
Two: If you or your kid logs into Canvas with a password rather than school single sign-on, change it. Anywhere that password was reused, change those too.
Three: Turn on two-factor authentication on your school email today. That one setting blocks most account takeovers even if a password leaks.
You don’t have to understand cybersecurity to do those three things. You just have to do them before your kid gets that message. The breach is done. The phishing wave is starting. The window to get ahead of it is right now.
Send this to every parent, teacher, or college student you know. They need to hear this part.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

04/15/2026

IN THE NEWS -- TUMWATER — A Seattle manufacturer of batteries for trains, boats, forklifts, and golf carts is facing nearly $225,000 in fines from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) after knowingly exposing workers to lead levels more than four times the safe limit and not fixing the problem.