New Zealand Herald: Annabel Langbein is considering legal action against Facebook and Google to stop scam ads. “Celebrity chef Annabel Langbein is considering legal action against Facebook and Google for allowing scammers to use her image to lure in victims.”
scams
Mumbai Crime: Man Dials ‘BMC Helpline’ Listed On Google To File Complaint, Loses Rs 25,000 (Mid-Day)
Mid-Day: Mumbai Crime: Man Dials ‘BMC Helpline’ Listed On Google To File Complaint, Loses Rs 25,000. “In yet another case of online fraud related to animal services listed on Google’s search engine, a 26-year-old Sakinaka resident, who wished to complain about stray dogs, ended up losing Rs 25,000 after he called on what was supposedly the civic body’s helpline.” 25,000 Indian rupees is almost $350 USD. And unfortunately this is happening way too often in India.
9to5 Google: Latest Google Messages beta rolling out ‘Verified SMS’ to cut down on SMS spam
9to5 Google: Latest Google Messages beta rolling out ‘Verified SMS’ to cut down on SMS spam. “The latest Google Messages beta is now rolling out ‘Verified SMS’ which is aimed at protecting you from unwanted spam text messages or potential phishing attempts.”
Ars Technica: Researchers see spike in “out of season” IRS-impersonating phishing attacks
Ars Technica: Researchers see spike in “out of season” IRS-impersonating phishing attacks. “Tax return scammers usually strike early in the year, when they can turn the personal information of victims into fraudulent tax refund claims. But members of Akamai’s threat research team found a recent surge in “off-season” phishing attacks masquerading as notices from the Internal Revenue Service, targeting over 100,000 individuals.”
Mashable: Facebook ad scam tricks users with images and video of Kickstarter products
Mashable: Facebook ad scam tricks users with images and video of Kickstarter products . “A devious new scam is sweeping Facebook. Scammers find an interesting or popular product from crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter or Indiegogo, rip the item’s details, photos, and videos, and push them via Facebook ads as their own products. Victims of the fraud are either never sent the product or receive a knockoff version.”
TorrentFreak: Spammers Abuse Medium.com to Spread ‘Pirate’ Scams
TorrentFreak: Spammers Abuse Medium.com to Spread ‘Pirate’ Scams. “Scammers are using the online publishing platform Medium to spread links to supposedly pirated movies and TV-shows. The issue plagues many platforms, but as one of the world’s most visited websites, Medium is an ideal tool to lure prospective pirates into signing up for dubious subscriptions.”
New York Times: On the Internet, No One Knows You’re Not Rich. Except This Account.
New York Times: On the Internet, No One Knows You’re Not Rich. Except This Account.. “In February, an Instagram account called @BallerBusters cropped up and began wreaking havoc on the flashy Instagram entrepreneur community. Its goal: To expose phony entrepreneurs. Using a mix of screen-shotted receipts, memes and crowdsourced information from followers, the account seeks out people who don’t ‘act their wage.'”
