cybercrime

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FBI Chief Hails 'Historic Moment' in New Zealand

US agency's new office in Wellington will target cybercrime, regional security threats

(Newser) - The FBI has established its first permanent office in New Zealand, aiming to strengthen cooperation on cybersecurity and counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. FBI chief Kash Patel, who inaugurated the Wellington office at the US Embassy on July 24, described the move as a "historic...

Aflac: Hackers May Have Customers' Personal Data

Claim information, health data, and Social Security numbers were exposed, insurer says

(Newser) - Aflac revealed Friday that hackers breached its systems last week, exposing sensitive customer data—including Social Security numbers—during a cyberattack. The insurer, which has millions of customers, described the attackers as a "sophisticated cybercrime group" that used social engineering to tap into its network on June 12,...

Coinbase Says Criminals Are Demanding $20M Ransom

Crypto exchange is offering $20M bounty for information leading to their arrest

(Newser) - Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange based in the US, said Thursday that criminals had improperly obtained personal data on the exchange's customers for use in crypto-stealing scams and were demanding a $20 million payment not to publicly release the info. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said in a post on...

How Fake N. Korean Remote Workers Infiltrate Tech Jobs

US facilitators, fake resumes, and AI scams fuel the scheme

(Newser) - A Belgian startup founder's search for a new coder ended up finding him more than an eager employee. Simon Wijckmans, based in London and running the web security company c/side, began spotting candidates with strong resumes but odd signals: suspicious accents, noisy backgrounds, shaky connections, and a preoccupation...

After $243M Crypto Heist, a Crucial Mistake
After $243M Crypto Heist,
a Crucial Mistake
longform
May 3, 2025 5:00 PM CDT

After $243M Crypto Heist, a Crucial Mistake

New York Times Magazine details the incredible chain of events

(Newser) - It's a story about two incredible crimes—the $243 million theft of cryptocurrency from a single person, and the brazen kidnapping of a wealthy couple in Connecticut. And as Mitch Moxley explains in a New York Times Magazine story, the crimes last year were connected, though it took awhile...

Scammers Cost Seniors Nearly $5B Last Year

Americans lost $16.6B to online scams overall, per FBI report

(Newser) - Americans lost a record $16.6 billion to online scams last year, according to new data highlighting a surge in cybercrime targeting older adults and cryptocurrency investors. This is up from $12.5 billion in 2023, according to new findings on cybercriminals via the FBI's annual Internet Crime...

Cybercrooks Made $600K in StubHub Theft: DA

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour was particularly targeted in scam that racked up about $600K

(Newser) - A cybercrime crew stole, then resold, more than 900 digital tickets to Taylor Swift concerts and other pricey events on StubHub, reports the AP . The international scam involved people working in Jamaica, New York, for a firm contracted by the online ticket marketplace, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said on...

Silicon Valley Exec Scammed Out of $400K

Rana Robillard thought she was sending a down payment, was actually having her money stolen

(Newser) - A Silicon Valley executive who was on the brink of buying a house instead ended up scammed out of nearly $400,000. Rana Robillard told her story to NBC News as a warning to other homebuyers about how sophisticated cybercrime has become. An email in late January, apparently from her...

Ticketmaster Customers Won't Love This News

Data breaches and scalpers reverse-engineering ticket resale barcodes are making headlines

(Newser) - If you're a Ticketmaster customer, you may have a concerning email waiting for you. Customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico have received a cautionary message from Ticketmaster to "be vigilant and take steps to protect against identity theft and fraud"—including by keeping close tabs on...

Man Accused of Setting Up 'Evil Twin' WiFi at Airports

He allegedly used network to steal login details, access personal information

(Newser) - After the arrest of a man accused of setting up "evil twin" WiFi networks in multiple airports to steal people's data, police in Australia warned the public about using free networks. Perth resident Michael Clapsis, 42, appeared in a court in the city Friday and was granted bail...

Hackers: We Stole Data on 560M Ticketmaster Customers

Hacking group ShinyHunters offers to sell data for $500K

(Newser) - Ticketmaster's bad month appears to be getting worse. A well-known hacking group claims to have stolen information on 560 million customers, Quartz reports. In a post on a hacking forum, the group, ShinyHunters, offered to sell the 1.3 terabytes of data for a "one-time price" of $500,...

England Has Its First Conviction for Cyberflashing

Nicholas Hawkes was found guilty of sending unsolicited photos of his genitals, gets 5.5 years

(Newser) - England's first convicted cyberflasher was sentenced Tuesday to 5 1/2 years in prison. Nicholas Hawkes, 39, a convicted sex offender who sent unsolicited photos of his genitals to a girl and a woman, was the first person in England and Wales convicted of violating the Online Safety Act, per...

FTC Issues Warning on QR Code Scams
FTC: Beware of QR Code Scams
Dec 11, 2023 2:40 PM CST

FTC: Beware of QR Code Scams

Agency says squares can conceal 'harmful links'

(Newser) - QR codes have become ubiquitous, especially since the pandemic, but the Federal Trade Commission says consumers shouldn't let their guard down. In a blog post , the FTC warns that scammers can use the jumbles of black-and-white squares to hide harmful links and steal personal information. The agency says scammers...

How Did Little Tokelau Become a Cybercrime Hub? Think '.tk'

'MIT Technology Review' unpacks the inadvertent twist for Pacific territory

(Newser) - Unless you're a geography buff, you may never have heard of the tiny Pacific territory of Tokelau. It's no wonder: As Jacob Judah explains in the MIT Technology Review , Tokelau is made up of three small atolls, has only about 1,400 inhabitants, and didn't even get...

He Lost Life Savings to Scam. The Bank Stepped Up

Australia's ANZ recognized 78-year-old Alex Shaw, who has dementia, had been taken for $300K

(Newser) - An elderly man from Down Under who was scammed out of his life savings has received a reprieve, in a tale described by the Good News Network as "a story of corporate responsibility in the face of personal tragedy." ABC Australia notes that although scam victims in the...

Cops: Cyberscam Led Man to Kill His Family

Thai police say Sanit Dokmai, now charged with premeditated murder, also tried to take his own life

(Newser) - At least 11 people are suspected to be involved with a loan scam that allegedly drove a man to kill his wife and two young boys before trying to take his own life in their family home, Thai police said Wednesday. Sanit Dokmai has been charged with premeditated murder after...

Energy Department, Other Agencies Hit by 'Intrusions'

Ransomware attack that appears to have exploited a computer flaw has affected other groups globally

(Newser) - The Department of Energy and multiple other federal agencies are the victims of a ransomware attack that has already hit businesses in the UK and elsewhere around the globe. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, is lending support to those agencies "that have experienced intrusions,"...

FBI: Don't Use Free Public Phone-Charging Stations
FBI: Free Public
Phone-Charging
Stations Are Dangerous
in case you missed it
Apr 15, 2023 4:15 PM CDT

FBI: Free Public Phone-Charging Stations Are Dangerous

Malware could be introduced onto your device, bureau warns

(Newser) - Desperate for some juice for your phone while traveling? Don't resort to using a free public phone-charging station, the FBI warns. "Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers," the FBI's Denver office tweets . "Bad actors have figured out ways to use...

Russian Cybercriminals and Miami Gangs Find Synergy
Miami Street Gangs 
Feed Off Russian Hackers 
longform
Mar 13, 2022 2:15 PM CDT

Miami Street Gangs Feed Off Russian Hackers

For gangs, identity theft is an easy way to raise money, and Russian criminals are making it easy

(Newser) - "Fraud is the new dope." So says Armando Aguilar of the Miami Police, per a recent report by Thomas Brewster for Forbes about links between Miami street gangs and Russian cybercriminals. Gangs have always seen identity theft as a low-risk funding source. Crips from the East Coast to...

Scammers Clone Exec's Voice, Steal $35M From Bank

Dubai investigators say deepfake technology fooled bank manager

(Newser) - The crimes of the future are here today, according to a court document connected to a $35 million bank heist in the United Arab Emirates. Per the document, investigators in Dubai say a bank manager "received a phone call that claimed to be from the company headquarters. The caller...

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