The Asian Age: Google detects coronavirus-themed phishing attacks by firms in India posing as WHO, banks. “Hack-for-hire firms, many of them based in India, are creating accounts spoofing the World Health Organisation (WHO) and targeting business leaders in financial services, consulting, and healthcare corporations in the US, the UK and Bahrain among other countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by Google.”
fraud
WRAL Tech Wire: Google rolls out ‘Scam Spotter,’ a new tool to combat online fraud
WRAL Tech Wire: Google rolls out ‘Scam Spotter,’ a new tool to combat online fraud. “Google is teaming with the Cybercrime Support Network in an effort to crack down on internet and phone fraud – which has surged during COVID-19 – with a new initiative called ‘Scam Spotter.’ Unveiled today, the program provides advice to help people identify and protect themselves from scams.”
Department of Justice: New Jersey Man Arrested For $45 Million Scheme To Defraud And Price Gouge New York City During COVID-19 Pandemic
Department of Justice: New Jersey Man Arrested For $45 Million Scheme To Defraud And Price Gouge New York City During COVID-19 Pandemic. “Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Margaret Garnett, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (‘DOI’), announced the arrest of RONALD ROMANO for attempting to deceive and price gouge New York City (the ‘City’) into paying him and his co-conspirators approximately $45 million for personal protective equipment that ROMANO did not possess and was not authorized to sell. ROMANO committed this scheme in an attempt to exploit NYC as it was trying to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and obtain these resources to help protect the lives of hospital and other frontline workers.”
Ubergizmo: Facebook Messenger Will Now Start Warning Users About Scams And Impersonations
Ubergizmo: Facebook Messenger Will Now Start Warning Users About Scams And Impersonations. “For example when receiving a message from a stranger, Messenger will show you a warning that offers some advice, like refusing requests to send money. For instances where an account that has been created to look like someone you know, Messenger will also warn users that this account appears to be similar to someone you know and that the person you’re chatting with might not actually be your friend.”
Department of Justice: Hollywood Film Producer Charged with $1.7 Million COVID-Relief Fraud
Department of Justice: Hollywood Film Producer Charged with $1.7 Million COVID-Relief Fraud. “A California man has been charged with allegedly filing bank loan applications fraudulently seeking more than $1.7 million dollars in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. William Sadleir, 66, of Beverly Hills, California, was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed in the Central District of California with wire fraud, bank fraud, false statements to a financial institution, and false statements to the SBA.”
BuzzFeed News: These Are The Fake Experts Pushing Pseudoscience And Conspiracy Theories About The Coronavirus Pandemic
BuzzFeed News: These Are The Fake Experts Pushing Pseudoscience And Conspiracy Theories About The Coronavirus Pandemic. “Many of those who spread hoaxes and pseudoscience about the coronavirus pandemic can be hard to distinguish from medical authorities recognized by their peers as legitimate. To help you cut through the misinformation, we’re keeping a running list of the most prominent people who have pushed what scientists and professional fact-checkers have found to be demonstrably false claims about the outbreak — and who they really are. We’re also highlighting real experts whose words were taken out of context and deliberately distorted.”
Vox Recode: Facebook Messenger will now try to fight scammers without reading your messages
Vox Recode: Facebook Messenger will now try to fight scammers without reading your messages. “Facebook Messenger is rolling out a new tool to prevent scammers and imposters on its platform. The company will use artificial intelligence to help identify these potential bad actors and provide safety notices to users about messages from shady accounts.”
