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in Tech Support Scam
fox5vegas.com
· 2025-12-08
Phishing scams continue to evade email security filters by using legitimate file-sharing services to host malicious content and by impersonating trusted contacts to solicit sensitive information, wire transfers, or gift cards. The article emphasizes that individuals are the most effective defense against these attacks and recommends verifying unusual requests directly with senders, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and reporting suspicious emails to IT departments or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
newsofbahrain.com
· 2025-12-08
Deepfake technology—AI-generated videos that convincingly mimic real people's faces and voices—is increasingly used by scammers to impersonate family members, bank officials, and executives in fraud schemes targeting the general public. Contrary to assumptions, younger adults aged 16-34 are most vulnerable to these scams, which exploit psychological manipulation tactics alongside sophisticated visual and audio mastery. Detection is becoming difficult even for experts, prompting recommendations for AI-based identity verification tools, digital literacy, and confirmation through alternative sources when authenticity is uncertain.
digitalinformationworld.com
· 2025-12-08
**Cybercrimes targeting seniors reached record levels in 2024, with 147,000 victims reporting losses of $4.9 billion to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center—a 45% and 43% increase respectively.** Senior citizens are targeted because they have substantial savings, may take longer to detect fraud, and often don't report scams due to embarrassment, making them "low-risk" for criminals. Research shows that 72% of elder fraud cases involved exposed personal information available through data brokers, search engines, and people-finder websites, with accessible data enabling $4.2 billion (86% of total losses), and investment scams proving
the-independent.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybersecurity experts are recommending that people establish secret codes or passwords with family and close contacts to verify their identity and combat increasingly sophisticated AI deepfake impersonation scams. The advice comes as AI technology makes it easier for fraudsters to create convincing fake videos and messages impersonating loved ones to request money, with particular concern for vulnerable elderly and young users who lack strong digital literacy skills. This recommendation follows recent major data breaches at UK retailers like Marks and Spencer and the Co-op, which have compromised personal information that criminals can exploit to target victims with realistic-looking scams.
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost an estimated $47 billion to scams in 2024, with investment fraud accounting for at least $5.7 billion of those losses. Contrary to common assumptions, younger adults are 34% more likely than older adults to fall victim to fraud, which takes multiple forms including impostor scams using AI voice cloning, lottery/prize schemes, and phishing attempts. To protect yourself, watch for red flags such as unsolicited contact, pressure to act quickly, promises of guaranteed returns, unusual payment requests, and demands for login credentials—and always independently verify investment opportunities through official resources like the SEC's EDGAR database before committing funds.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article provides practical guidance for seniors to stay safe online by recognizing common scam tactics and implementing protective habits. Key advice includes: pausing before responding to urgent messages and verifying through official channels, questioning callers claiming to be loved ones (especially regarding deepfake technology), carefully checking website URLs rather than relying on security locks, avoiding sensitive transactions on public Wi-Fi, and creating strong passwords using unrelated words or phrases. The article emphasizes that online safety requires awareness and skepticism rather than advanced technical skills.
dig.watch
· 2025-12-08
Scam text messages frequently impersonate delivery updates and payment alerts using trusted brand names to trick recipients into clicking malicious links, with the '.TOP' domain extension being a particularly strong indicator of fraud. Nearly one-third of all '.TOP' domains are linked to cybercrime, and experts advise that legitimate Western organizations would never use this top-level domain—making any message containing a '.TOP' link a reliable warning sign to delete immediately without clicking.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies five common smartphone scams that exploit user behavior and trust rather than advanced technology: scam calls impersonating banks or government agencies, fake delivery and banking text messages with malicious links, deceptive apps hiding malware in official app stores, fake QR code stickers redirecting payments, and SIM swap attacks where hackers trick mobile providers into issuing new SIM cards. The article advises users to remain alert to unusual calls, messages, apps, and payment requests, as these scams succeed by targeting human psychology and system weaknesses rather than relying on sophisticated hacking techniques.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies five common smartphone scams that exploit human behavior rather than advanced technology: impersonation calls from fake banks or government agencies creating false urgency, phishing text messages about deliveries or account verification, malicious apps disguised as legitimate tools, fake QR code stickers redirecting payments, and SIM swap attacks where hackers convince mobile providers to reissue phone numbers. The article advises users to stay alert to unusual calls, messages, apps, and payment requests, emphasizing that these scams succeed by targeting trust, routine habits, and quick reactions rather than sophisticated hacking techniques.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
An 81-year-old resident of Surat was defrauded of Rs 16.65 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam in which imposters posing as Delhi Police and senior government officials claimed he was involved in money laundering through a fraudulent bank account. The scammers used video calls, forged government documents with fake Supreme Court warrants and multiple agency seals, and fabricated detainee names to pressure the victim into liquidating a fixed deposit, promising a 15-minute refund that never occurred. The fraud was discovered when his daughter intervened, leading to a police complaint filed in May with the Surat Cyber Crime Police, who are investigating
nbcboston.com
· 2025-12-08
Massachusetts' Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations is conducting community education events to alert residents about increasingly common scams, noting that older Americans lost nearly $5 billion to fraud last year. Common fraud tactics include tech support, romance, and cryptocurrency scams, with advice to residents including changing passwords frequently, using two-factor authentication, avoiding calls from unknown numbers, and never sharing personal information with unsolicited callers. The state emphasizes that fraud affects all demographics and encourages residents to report scams or seek guidance through their consumer hotline at 617-973-8787.
moneysense.ca
· 2025-12-08
Older adults in Canada are particularly vulnerable to fraud and identity theft due to their politeness and trust, making them targets for emergency scams, grandparent scams, and deepfake impersonations that create urgency and fear. Common tactics include fake bank calls claiming accounts will be closed, messages from supposed relatives in distress requesting money, fake obituaries with donation links, and attempts to harvest personal information like social insurance numbers. Experts recommend seniors understand they have the right to end conversations, verify requests independently through official channels, and recognize that fraudsters constantly evolve their tactics using new technologies.
htxt.co.za
· 2025-12-08
Scammers used a fake Spotify renewal email to trick victims into revealing their login credentials, employing familiar brand names and false urgency claims (account deletion threat on May 26, 2025) as bait. The phishing email contained multiple red flags including incorrect company locations, non-functional links, and a malicious URL disguised as a legitimate renewal button, which could compromise financial information stored in accounts and signal to criminals that the target is susceptible to further fraud. Victims who click such links risk password theft, malware infection, and compromise of other online accounts if passwords are reused.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
The digital arrest scam is a sophisticated fraud tactic where scammers impersonate police officers via spoofed phone numbers to accuse victims of crimes and demand immediate payment or banking information under threat of arrest. The scam exploits psychological manipulation through fear, urgency, and perceived authority, and has successfully targeted thousands of people including tech-savvy and educated individuals who fall victim due to panic and confusion created by high-pressure tactics and fake police station backdrops. Authorities recommend victims verify caller identity independently and never share personal or financial information over unsolicited calls.
wsoctv.com
· 2025-12-08
Social engineering and AI-powered fraud are among the top cybersecurity threats of 2025, with scammers now using deepfakes, hyper-personalized phishing, and AI automation to make deception more convincing and targeted than ever. Adults aged 60 and older reported the highest losses in 2024 at over $4.8 billion (up 43% from 2023), with phishing/spoofing and tech support scams hitting this demographic hardest, while investment fraud alone caused $6.57 billion in losses and cryptocurrency fraud reached $9.3 billion. To protect against these evolving threats, individuals and organizations should employ straightforward defense strategies including
wgauradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Social engineering and AI-powered fraud are recognized as major cybersecurity threats in 2025, with scammers increasingly using deepfakes, hyper-personalized phishing, and automation to deceive victims at scale. Adults 60 and older reported the highest losses in 2024 at over $4.8 billion (up 43% from 2023), particularly falling victim to phishing/spoofing and tech support scams, while investment fraud caused $6.57 billion and cryptocurrency fraud reached $9.3 billion in total losses. The article emphasizes that while classic scam methods like phishing and business email compromise remain dominant, AI technology is making
dig.watch
· 2025-12-08
Dianne Ringstaff, a Florida woman, lost approximately $160,000 in an AI-powered romance scam in which a fraudster impersonated actor Keanu Reeves using deepfake videos and cloned voice technology. Over two and a half years, the scammer cultivated trust with Ringstaff before claiming financial legal troubles and convincing her to take out a home equity loan and sell her car to help. Her bank account was also used to funnel money from other victims, and Ringstaff is now speaking publicly to warn others about the growing threat of celebrity impersonation scams using artificial intelligence.
blog.google
· 2025-12-08
Google's threat advisory identifies four evolving scam trends in 2024: customer support scams using fake phone numbers and social engineering, malvertising targeting sophisticated users with valuable assets like crypto wallets, fake travel websites exploiting vacation bookings with counterfeit hotel sites, and package tracking scams impersonating delivery companies to collect fraudulent fees. The advisory comes as global fraud losses reached $1 trillion in 2024 and U.S. fraud reports increased 25% year-over-year, highlighting scammers' ability to evolve tactics and exploit user vulnerabilities despite growing awareness.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Alameda County's Adult and Aging Services is hosting a "Scam Jam" event on June 16th to help older adults protect themselves against increasingly sophisticated digital scams targeting seniors. The free community event at the San Leandro Senior Community Center will feature expert presenters from state agencies, consumer protection organizations, and high school students whose family members were scam victims. Older adults 60 and over can register via QR code or by calling (510) 577-3463 to learn how to recognize and prevent elder fraud.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Singapore has developed Meralion, a locally-trained AI model capable of understanding English, Mandarin, Tamil, Malay, Thai, and Singlish, to check in on elderly patients and intercept scam calls. The AI can analyze emotional cues, medication reminders, and well-being concerns among seniors while flagging urgent cases to social workers, and can identify suspicious calls at anti-scam centers. The $70 million initiative, funded by the National Research Foundation and IMDA, addresses gaps in existing AI systems that struggle with regional languages and local communication styles.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams targeting new college graduates and unemployed workers have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers impersonating legitimate companies like Amazon to offer fake positions and solicit payments or personal information. Amazon warned in May 2025 that con artists were using their brand name to deceive job seekers with unrealistic opportunities. Job seekers at all experience levels are advised to remain vigilant, as fraudsters continually evolve their tactics faster than potential victims can anticipate.
wistv.com
· 2025-12-08
A rise in phone scams impersonating law enforcement has been reported in South Carolina's Midlands region, with scammers using spoofed caller IDs, real deputy names, and personal information to convince victims they owe fines for missing court dates or jury duty. Two victims—a doctor and a homeowner—nearly lost $3,000 each before recognizing the fraud, with the scammer in the first case threatening medical board reporting to create urgency. Law enforcement advises that legitimate agencies never request payment by phone or online and urges people to verify calls independently rather than trusting caller ID or acting under pressure.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article explains how large language models like ChatGPT can be exploited to gather personal information about individuals, since these AI tools pull from publicly available online sources including people-search sites, social media, and public databases. The article provides guidance on protecting privacy by opting out of people-search sites individually or using automated data removal services, emphasizing that personal information is already widely exposed online and requires proactive steps to limit access.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods—including AI-powered technology—to conduct online scams, with reported fraud losses reaching $12.5 billion in the previous year, a 25% increase. Google's report identifies five trending scams: customer support impersonation, malvertising (fake ads spreading malware), fake travel websites, package-tracking phishing, and toll road scams, and emphasizes that many people remain uninformed about recognizing these fraud tactics. The report recommends verifying contact information directly with companies, downloading software only from legitimate sources, being skeptical of unrealistic deals, and avoiding clicking links in unsolicited messages.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, the UK experienced £12,332 crore in reported fraud losses, with banks blocking even greater unauthorized attempts, yet emerging threats like remote access scams, social engineering, and platform-enabled fraud continue to outpace defenses. Seventy percent of authorized push payment scams originated online, while investment fraud and romance scams increasingly target victims through social media and polished digital ads, often exploiting emotional manipulation or false financial promises. Experts warn that fraud now represents 40% of all UK crime, yet the fragmented regulatory approach places disproportionate responsibility on banks rather than holding tech platforms, telcos, and other enablers accountable, necessitating a unified national strategy
ibsintelligence.com
· 2025-12-08
UK fraud losses remained at £1.17 billion in 2024, with 70% of authorised push payment fraud cases originating online through social media and messaging platforms. Investment and romance scams are surging despite fewer reported cases, with victims often losing life savings to sophisticated social engineering tactics that bypass bank warnings. Experts warn that fraudsters are evolving tactics—particularly toward remote purchase fraud—and call for a unified national strategy involving banks, law enforcement, and technology providers to address fraud, which now represents 40% of all UK crime.
lsj.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Transnational organized crime groups operating "scam factories" in Southeast Asian countries (Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia) force trafficked workers into sophisticated multilingual fraud operations targeting international victims. Between January 2024 and February 2025, Australia lost $384.2 million to scams, with investment scams causing the largest losses ($225.7 million), while over 300,000 people are estimated to be forced laborers in scam operations across the Mekong region, generating approximately $43.8 billion annually for criminal enterprises. These operations employ advanced technologies including deepfakes and AI language models to impersonate authority figures and craft convincing fraud scripts.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors are increasingly targeted in cryptocurrency scams because scammers view them as wealthy, trusting, and less technologically savvy, exploiting the irreversible nature of crypto transactions and victims' reluctance to report fraud. The FTC reports growing losses from crypto investment fraud, romance scams, and government impersonation, with seniors in Beaufort County, South Carolina alone losing over $3.1 million in 2024, while sophisticated schemes using AI voice cloning and fake websites are becoming more prevalent. Examples include British pensioners losing hundreds of thousands to romance fraud operations in Cambodia, Minnesota crypto ATM scams that cost over $189 million in 2023, and government impersonation
columbiamagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers operating on dating apps and social media platforms defrauded Americans of over $1 billion in 2023 and at least that much in 2024, with one notable victim being a 72-year-old widower named Gary who lost $50,000 to a scammer posing as a woman named Nasha. Scammers use tactics including requests for money for travel or investments, pressure for gift cards, and AI-generated photos to impersonate real people and celebrities. The U.S. Secret Service recommends avoiding financial transactions with people you've never met in person and being wary of red flags such as urgent money requests, pressure for gifts, an
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-08
Ohio's older adults face significant financial exploitation risk, with projected losses exceeding $60 million in 2025 and complaints to the Division of Securities increasing 22% year-over-year (302 complaints in 2024 versus 247 in 2023). Common scams targeting seniors include romance schemes, tech support impersonations, and grandparent scams, with warning signs including unexplained withdrawals, changes in banking practices, and unpaid bills. The Ohio Department of Commerce and Department of Aging are partnering during Elder Abuse Awareness Month to educate the public on recognizing exploitation and providing resources for reporting, including hotlines for securities fraud, adult protective services, an
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common cryptocurrency scams and protection strategies. According to the FBI, crypto fraud losses surged 45% year-over-year to $5.6 billion in 2023 based on 69,000 complaints, with scams ranging from phishing attacks to fake ICOs and rug pulls. The article advises crypto investors to verify website URLs, enable two-factor authentication, and remain vigilant about suspicious links and messages to protect their digital assets.
wxii12.com
· 2025-12-08
Government impersonation scams stole $789 million in 2024, with scammers now using fake FTC agent credentials and badges to target victims through urgent alerts about viruses, compromised accounts, or identity theft, then pressuring them to transfer money. The FTC warns it has no agents and never requests money transfers, advising victims to verify claims by contacting their banks directly using official numbers and to report suspected scams at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
home.treasury.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Funnull Technology Inc., a Philippines-based company that provided computer infrastructure supporting hundreds of thousands of "pig butchering" virtual currency investment scam websites, resulting in over $200 million in reported U.S. losses. These sophisticated scams, often perpetrated by Southeast Asian criminal organizations using trafficked workers, deceive victims into fake investment platforms through elaborate romantic or trust-based schemes, with average individual losses exceeding $150,000. The FBI is publishing a cybersecurity advisory with technical details to help the private sector identify and dismantle Funnull-associated websites.
oprahdaily.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams targeting consumers are rising dramatically, with phishing, deepfakes, tech-support scams, and spoofing becoming increasingly common. Readers shared varied experiences including fraudulent tax and loan collection calls, fake rental listings, phishing texts posing as delivery services and financial institutions, and sextortion emails with personal information. The advice emphasized by victims includes not answering unknown numbers, immediately deleting suspicious messages, verifying requests independently, and never providing personal information or upfront payments to unverified sources.
10news.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors in San Diego County lost at least $108 million to elder fraud scams in 2024, with over 1,300 victims over age 60 reporting an average loss of $80,000 each. The FBI reports sophisticated scams—often originating from overseas criminals in India—typically involve fake tech support or overpayment schemes where couriers are dispatched to collect cash from victims' homes, with the money laundered internationally. In response, San Diego created the Elder Justice Task Force, a first-of-its-kind multi-agency collaboration combining local law enforcement, the FBI, social workers, and Adult Protective Services to combat the crime.
thebridgechronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
Deepfake technology is increasingly being used in online dating scams to create fake profiles with AI-generated faces and manipulate videos and voice messages to deceive victims emotionally before requesting money or sensitive information. Victims experience significant psychological harm including trust issues, anxiety, shame, and trauma from the emotional manipulation. To protect themselves, users should reverse image search photos, request real-time video calls early, avoid sharing personal information, and watch for red flags like overly polished photos, declined video calls, and generic or rehearsed responses.
thehackernews.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Philippines-based Funnull Technology Inc. and its administrator Liu Lizhi for providing infrastructure to facilitate romance baiting and cryptocurrency investment scams that caused over $200 million in reported losses to American victims, with average individual losses exceeding $150,000. Funnull allegedly enabled thousands of fraudulent websites by bulk-purchasing IP addresses from major cloud providers (AWS, Microsoft Azure) and using domain generation algorithms to create scam websites impersonating legitimate brands, making it easy for criminals to quickly change domains when detected. The FBI linked Funnull infrastructure to over 332,000 unique domains since
govinfosecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Philippine-based Funnull Technology and its administrator Liu Lizhi for operating as a content delivery network that powered romance scam websites, using trafficked workers to deceive victims into fake investments. The FBI identified over 332,000 domains linked to Funnull infrastructure, which caused an estimated $200 million in losses to U.S. victims (averaging $150,000 per person), with global romance scam losses reaching $4.4 billion. The company supplied bulk IP addresses, website templates, and algorithmically-generated domain names to scammers, enabling them to rapidly create resilient scam networks difficult to take down.
tucson.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial scams targeting seniors (age 60+) have increased significantly in the digital age, leading the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative to educate older adults about common fraud schemes. The article describes four prevalent scams targeting seniors: Social Security Administration impostor scams (using caller ID spoofing to demand money be moved to gift cards), tech support scams (falsely claiming viruses exist and requesting remote device access to steal information), lottery scams (claiming winners owe fees until funds are depleted), and romance scams (using dating sites to manipulate victims into sending money).
law.georgia.gov
· 2025-12-08
During May 2025's Older Americans Month, Georgia's Attorney General Consumer Protection Division reached over 1,300 seniors to educate them on recognizing, preventing, and reporting financial abuse and exploitation. The division highlighted common scams targeting older adults—including government imposter schemes, investment/cryptocurrency fraud, and romance scams—and provided resources such as their free "Georgia Consumer Protection Guide for Older Adults" (available in English, Spanish, and Korean) along with reporting contacts for suspected financial abuse.
midislandtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly and the Town of Oyster Bay partnered to host an educational seminar on June 9 aimed at protecting seniors from increasingly prevalent scams by teaching them to identify common fraud tactics, safeguard personal information, and report suspicious activities. The initiative recognizes that seniors face heightened vulnerability to scams due to limited familiarity with technology, loneliness, and other risk factors, and encourages attendees to share the information with family and friends.
toledocitypaper.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau of Northwest and West Central Ohio and Southeast Michigan operates ScamGuard, an educational program launched three years ago to protect seniors from increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The program warns older adults about common scams including telephone/tech support scams, gift card tampering, fake charities, grandparent scams, sweepstakes fraud, and online dating schemes, providing practical advice such as verifying unfamiliar callers, researching charities before donating, and never sending money to individuals met only online.
whio.com
· 2025-12-08
This article explores the legal landscape of scams and fraud, explaining that while scamming is generally illegal, some deceptive practices exist in legal gray areas by technically offering a service or relying on consumer awareness. The article discusses how scammers exploit loopholes—such as with carnival games and deceptive solicitations (like fake domain renewal notices)—by staying vague about their offerings and not explicitly making false promises, allowing them to operate despite feeling fraudulent to consumers. The key takeaway is that scamming tactics are increasingly sophisticated and difficult to distinguish from legitimate services, making consumer vigilance essential.
commercialappeal.com
· 2025-12-08
The "Mystery Shopper" scam is resurfacing, targeting job seekers with offers to earn hundreds of dollars weekly by evaluating retail experiences. Victims receive official-looking checks and are instructed to purchase money cards, photograph them, and send the images to scammers, who then drain the funds after the check bounces, leaving victims thousands of dollars in loss. The BBB and FTC advise avoiding job offers promising high guaranteed pay, requiring upfront payments, or involving depositing checks and sending money elsewhere, and recommend researching companies online and consulting trusted contacts before accepting any job offer.
timesobserver.com
· 2025-12-08
Lacy G. Abraham, a 39-year-old in-home caregiver in Warren, was charged with second-degree felony forgery and financial exploitation after stealing approximately $1,750 from an elderly client between October 2023 and May 2024, including forging checks and misappropriating a beneficiary check. The victim's financial harm was severe enough to cause her bank to close her checking account, and the case was initiated by the Area Agency on Aging in October 2024. Abraham was jailed with bail set at $25,000 after admitting during police interviews to cashing checks she kept for personal use rather than their intended purposes.
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Ohio's Division of Securities received 302 scam and fraud complaints from older residents, a 22% increase from 2023, with potential losses exceeding $60 million statewide. Most scams involved unknown individuals contacting seniors via email or text about cryptocurrency or compromised bank accounts, with warning signs including unexplained financial changes, new account additions, and uncharacteristic money transfers. Authorities recommend having conversations with seniors about red flags like urgency and secrecy, researching suspicious contacts independently, and reporting suspected exploitation to local law enforcement, the Division of Securities, or Adult Protective Services.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Las Vegas police arrested 12 people involved in a $3 million courier scam that defrauded 24 victims who were tricked by fake security alerts into handing cash to fraudsters posing as couriers. Victims received spoofed emails, texts, or pop-ups mimicking banks or tech companies, convincing them their accounts or computers were compromised, then directed to give large sums to fake "security couriers" for safekeeping. Police urge additional victims to come forward immediately and recommend victims file reports with law enforcement and the FTC, freeze credit, update passwords, and monitor accounts.
crowdfundinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, cryptocurrency scams generated a record $12.4 billion in fraudulent revenue, with "pig butchering" romance and investment scams accounting for 33% of that total. Artificial intelligence has enabled scammers to operate at unprecedented scale through deepfakes, voice cloning, and automated phishing, with AI service vendors on illicit marketplaces earning $18 million alone. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Philippines-based Funnull Technology Inc. in May 2025 for facilitating scams that defrauded American victims of over $200 million by providing infrastructure to cybercriminals.
hccommunityjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
A Kerrville Police Department sergeant conducted an internet safety presentation outlining major threats including identity theft, phishing, and romance/grandchild scams, which criminals use to steal sensitive information and money from victims. Key safety recommendations include verifying secure websites (https and lock icons), using strong passwords, enabling stricter social media settings, installing malware protection, and never responding to unsolicited requests for personal information from official agencies.
vietnamnet.vn
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly using affordable AI-generated deepfake technology (costing as little as $25-30) to impersonate authorities, executives, and romantic interests in fraud schemes, with documented losses reaching tens of millions of dollars. The technology requires only a single photo and 20-30 second audio clip to create convincing fake videos, and criminals are automating attacks to target thousands of victims daily through social media platforms. Users can reduce their vulnerability by restricting photo visibility and friend lists on social networks, verifying video callers through lip-sync checks or physical actions, and exercising caution when sharing personal information online.