Scam
WhatsApp adds new security feature to protect against scams
WhatsApp is introducing a new security feature that will help users spot potential scams when they are being added to a group chat by someone not in their contact list. This feature displays a “safety overview” context card that includes information about the group’s creation date, the number of members, potential scam attempts, and instructions […]
DuckDuckGo beefs up scam defense to block fake stores, crypto sites
The DuckDuckGo web browser has expanded its built-in Scam Blocker tool to protect against a broader range of online scams, including fake e-commerce, cryptocurrency exchanges, and “scareware” sites. DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused web browser and search engine that doesn’t track users’ searchers or browsing history. The browser, which became available as a public beta for macOS and Windows in […]
Instagram ‘BMO’ ads use AI deepfakes to scam banking customers
Instagram ads impersonating financial institutions like Bank of Montreal (BMO) and EQ Bank (Equitable Bank) are being used to target Canadian consumers with phishing scams and investment fraud. Some ads use AI-powered deepfake videos in an attempt to collect your personal information, while others use official branding to drive traffic outside of the platform to lookalike illicit […]
Five plead guilty to laundering $36 million stolen in investment scams
Five men from China, the United States, and Turkey pleaded guilty to their involvement in an international crime ring and laundering nearly $37 million stolen from U.S. victims in cryptocurrency investment scams carried out from Cambodia. Accomplices living abroad reached out to targets in the United States via unsolicited social media, phone calls, text messages, […]
FBI warns of NFT airdrop scams targeting Hedera Hashgraph wallets
The FBI is warning about a new scam where cybercriminals exploit NFT airdrops on the Hedera Hashgraph network to steal crypto from cryptocurrency wallets. Airdrops are a method of distributing cryptocurrency tokens for free to wallet addresses, usually as part of a marketing, community growth, or reward campaign, but they are also used as bait […]
Google Chrome to use on-device AI to detect tech support scams
Google is implementing a new Chrome security feature that uses the built-in ‘Gemini Nano’ large-language model (LLM) to detect and block tech support scams while browsing the web. Tech support scams are malicious websites that trick users into thinking their computer has a virus infection or other problem. These alerts are shown as full-screen browser windows or […]
Phishers abuse Google OAuth to spoof Google in DKIM replay attack
In a rather clever attack, hackers leveraged a weakness that allowed them to send a fake email that seemed delivered from Google’s systems, passing all verifications but pointing to a fraudulent page that collected logins. The attacker leveraged Google’s infrastructure to trick recipients into accessing a legitimate-looking “support portal” that asks for Google account credentials. […]
FBI: Scammers pose as FBI IC3 employees to ‘help’ recover lost funds
The FBI warns that scammers impersonating FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) employees offer to “help” fraud victims recover money lost to other scammers. Over the last two years, between December 2023 and February 2025, the FBI said it has received over 100 reports of fraudsters using this tactic. “Complainants report initial contact from the scammers […]
Google blocked over 5 billion ads in 2024 amid rise in AI-powered scams
Google blocked 5.1 billion ads and suspended more than 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024, according to its 2024 Ads Safety Report released this week. The company says the increasing enforcement activity is caused by the growing threat of AI-generated content, impersonation scams, and abuse of its ad platform. In particular, Google highlighted the use of generative […]
Six arrested for AI-powered investment scams that stole $20 million
Spain’s police arrested six individuals behind a large-scale cryptocurrency investment scam that used AI tools to generate deepfake ads featuring popular public figures to lure people. The scam was very successful, defrauding 19 million Euros ($20.9M) from 208 victims worldwide. The police operation, codenamed “COINBLACK – WENDMINE,” started two years ago following the submission of […]