ZDNet: Be warned: COVID-19 vaccine scams are now appearing online, over text, and by email. “There is now a rising sense of urgency due to the new COVID-19 variant that appears to be more easily transmitted. Mass vaccination is no easy task, especially when two separate doses are required — and when you combine millions […]
USA Today: How scammers siphoned $36B in fraudulent unemployment payments from US. “In a Zoom session with the camera turned off, Mayowa describes how he scoops up U.S. unemployment benefits fattened by COVID-19 relief, an international imposter attack that has contributed to at least $36 billion being siphoned away from out-of-work Americans. Mayowa is an […]
BuzzFeed News: “Facebook Gets Paid” . “Facebook’s Global Ad Machine Is The Company’s $80 Billion Annual Lifeblood. Workers Say It Puts Profits Over People. Facebook is on track for record ad revenue this year. That’s partly due to its lax approach to stopping scammers, hackers, and disinformation peddlers who buy ads that rip off and […]
BBC: Brazen fraudsters offer crime subscription service. “Criminal organisations are offering subscription services to other fraudsters to teach them a scam in which they impersonate their victims. Fraud prevention organisation Cifas said fraudsters were sharing tips and getting more sophisticated in their attempts to steal money. Cases of a particular scam targeting shoppers, which often […]
FBI: Federal Agencies Warn of Emerging Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19 Vaccines. “The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are warning the public about several emerging fraud schemes related to COVID-19 vaccines. The FBI, HHS-OIG, and CMS […]
New York Times: Puppy Scams Have Spiked in the Pandemic. “Scammers are notorious for preying on people who are vulnerable during natural disasters, but the isolation of the pandemic has created fertile ground for those looking to exploit people who are seeking the comfort of four-legged companions, mostly puppies, consumer advocates say. Many use social-distancing […]
CNET: Scammers create Instagram click farm, leave their operation exposed online. “Instagram is a playground of deception. Filters, lighting and clever angles can make the humdrum look amazing. On Wednesday, a pair of researchers said the deceit extended beyond artfully edited photos to inflated follower counts, which can make accounts appear to have more reach […]
Vice: Darknet Drug Dealers Are Now Selling ‘Pfizer COVID Vaccines’. “At least two vendors that VICE World News spoke to over Wickr claimed to be pharmacists, insisting that they acquired the vaccine through the government and had already sold it to multiple customers. One claimed to have a stockpile of some 560 doses. When asked […]
BetaNews: ID fraud surges during pandemic as more people turn to crime. “Over the past year the average identity document (ID) fraud rate has increased by 41 percent over the previous year and first-time fraudsters appear to be more prevalent. A new report from identity verification and authentication provider Onfido shows activity peaked in July […]
ABC News: How to watch out for scams as a coronavirus vaccine nears. “Homeland Security Investigations officials are preparing for a crush of new scams when the coronavirus vaccine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which could come in a few weeks.”
Los Angeles Times: California has sent COVID-19 jobless benefits to Scott Peterson, death row inmates. “San Quentin inmate Scott Peterson, convicted of killing his wife and unborn son, received California unemployment benefits in recent months, according to a group of state and federal prosecutors who have been investigating fraud in the pandemic relief system administered […]
BBC: Kenyans arrested at airport with ‘fake’ Covid certificates. “Officials have arrested 21 people accused of attempting to use fake ‘Covid-free certificates’ to travel from Kenya to the United Arab Emirates. It came after the UAE issued a visa ban on Kenyans, allegedly after visitors were found using forged certificates.”
BetaNews: More than 5,000 Black Friday-related scam sites registered in November. “While the holiday season is a peak time for retailers, it also represents an opportunity for cybercriminals. This is particularly true of 2020 when more people than ever are likely to be shopping online. Research from Comparitech analyzed around 30 million websites registered this […]
MakeUseOf: How to Spot Mail Fraud and Online Scams This Holiday Season. “Studies suggest Americans will spend over $400 billion in total on holiday gifts, goodies, and travel, making it a big target for scammers. So, here’s how to spot mailing scams during the holidays and keep yourself safe.”
Accounting Today: $7.2M in SBA coronavirus aid went to family’s fake farms. “The single-family house on Forestview Avenue in Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, shows no signs of farming activity. The only things growing on the one-eighth-acre plot are trees, shrubs and grass. But 20 companies registered at that address, with names like Organic […]