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☆ Hey Elon – what's up with all the scammy ads for Louis Vuitton bags on X?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some X users say they're seeing lots of ads for likely fake Louis Vuitton handbags on the platform. After Elon Musk told major advertisers to "go fuck yourself" and "don't advertise" at The New York Times' DealBook summit Wednesday, some X users saying they're seeing lots of ads for Louis Vuitton bags that are probably fakes. "X prohibits the sale of or promoting the sale of counterfeit goods on the platform," according to its counterfeit policy . "Twitter had resorted to letting people place ads for their fake Louis Vuitton bags. According to a X business blog post , Louis Vuitton ran an ad campaign for its collaboration with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in January, but it's unclear if it's an ad partner or big spender.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Elon, —, Elon Musk, hasn't, It's, Taylor Fisher, Linda Yaccarino, Monique Pintarelli Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Louis, Twitter, Business, X, ust Locations: Americas

☆ Tech companies to sign agreement with UK government to tackle online fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Eleven of the world's biggest tech companies, including Amazon.com (AMZN.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Microsoft (MSFT.O), will sign an agreement with the British government on Thursday to step up their efforts to tackle online fraud, the interior ministry said. Under the "Online Fraud Charter," due to be signed at a meeting chaired by Interior Minister James Cleverly in London, the companies pledge to take further action to block and remove fraudulent content from their sites, the government said. "Fraud is now the most common crime in the UK, with online scammers targeting the most vulnerable in society," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement. "By joining forces with these tech giants we will continue to crack down on fraudsters, making sure they have nowhere to hide online." The British government says fraud accounts for around 40% of all crime in England and Wales, with data from industry body UK Finance showing almost 80% of all authorised push payment fraud originates online.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, James, ByteDance's, Rishi Sunak, Kylie MacLellan, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Google, Microsoft, Interior, eBay, Facebook, YouTube, Finance, Thomson Locations: London, England, Wales

☆ Student loan borrowers should be aware of debt relief scams
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It has been a frustrating and confusing time for many student loan borrowers. As payments restarted in October after a three-year break, borrowers were often given confusing or insufficient information on their accounts. "When borrowers have difficulty reaching their loan servicers or are disappointed by the lack of loan forgiveness, they look elsewhere for help," said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. "Student loan scams fill the gap." At StudentAid.gov/repay, you can apply for different repayment plans, forgiveness programs and payment pause options for free.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mark Kantrowitz, Ari Lazarus, —, Kantrowitz Organizations: Finance, Federal Trade Commission, StudentAid.gov Locations: StudentAid.gov

☆ Stop being fooled by misinformation. Do this instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s a text from your credit card company — someone is trying to purchase a $2,500 laptop using your account number. Be it finance, health care or politics, there is a global “infodemic” of misinformation that is affecting people’s health and well-being, according to the World Health Organization. “For most of the population who isn’t extreme in their attitudes, fact-checking and debunking reduces the degree to which people rely on falsehoods, but it doesn’t fully eliminate it,” van der Linden said. This approach works much like a vaccine, van der Linden said. “Instead of talking about immigration or abortion, talk about ‘Star Wars’ and ‘South Park’ as a starting point,” van der Linden said.

Persons: COVID, ”, Sander van der, van der Linden, Oscar Wong, nudges, “, ” van der Linden, you’re, Anakin, Obi, ” Obi, “ We’ll Organizations: CNN, Facebook, World Health Organization, WHO, “, Social, University of Cambridge, American Psychological Association, Getty, Cambridge, Research, ‘ Locations: Sander van der Linden, Covid, Cambridge, Canada, absolutes

CNN —Almost three years on from its bloody coup, Myanmar’s military junta is facing the biggest threat to its hold on power as it fights wars on multiple fronts across the Southeast Asian nation. Junta airstrikes and ground attacks on what the Myanmar military calls “terrorist” targets have killed thousands of civilians to date, including children, and displaced about 2 million people. Stringer/AFP/Getty ImagesCNN has reached out to Myanmar’s military spokesperson for comment on the recent fighting but has not received a response. Stringer/AFP/Getty ImgesIn the jungles of southeast Kayah state, fighting has raged near the state capital Loikaw. Video filmed and published by the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force appears to show Myanmar army soldiers surrendering to rebels at Loikaw University who are filmed treating their injuries.

Persons: ”, Matthew Arnold, ” Arnold, Min Aung, Aung, Suu Kyi, “, Bo Nagar, Stringer, Myint Swe, Chin Shwe Haw, Nan Diya, Lalmalsawma Hnamte, Lin Lin, Ye Myo Hein, May, – “, Karen, Chin state’s Matupi, Tian Junli, Arnold, Myanmar’s, it’s, Suu Organizations: CNN, United Nations, National Unity Government, Junta, Myanmar, UN, Administration Council, Burma National Revolutionary Army, National Liberation Army, Alliance, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Arakan Army, ”, Getty, Reuters, Loikaw, Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, Loikaw University, Resistance, Burma People’s Liberation Army, Brotherhood Alliance, United States Institute of Peace, Wilson Center, Border Guard Forces, China, Global Times, PLA Southern Theater Command Locations: Myanmar, Myanmar’s, Suu, Yangon, Mandalay, Burma, Namhsan Township, Shan State, AFP, Arakan, China, ”, Shan, Chin, Muse, Rakhine, Pauktaw, Lashio, Kayah, Mizoram, “, Sagaing region, Asia, Kawkareik, Karenni, Sagaing, India, Thailand, Bangladesh

☆ The No. 1 way to avoid scams when making charitable donations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

You might be planning to donate to your favorite causes over the holidays, but scammers are also out in full force, setting up fake charities to take advantage of your generosity. Knowing whether you're donating to a legitimate charity isn't easy, however. Scammers often use fake websites and emails with official-looking branding. Other times, they might use an altered caller ID to trick you into thinking they're calling from a real charity. With that in mind, the Internal Revenue Service has been reminding people about bogus charities and what you can do to avoid them.

Organizations: Internal Revenue Service

☆ Crypto scam: Inside the billion-dollar ‘pig-butchering’ industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Reuters Graphic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

Of that, at least $9.1 million came from a crypto wallet that U.S. blockchain analysis firm TRM Labs said was linked to pig-butchering scams. Neither did the Thai government, the Thai police or the Bangkok-based trade group Wang represented, the Thai-Asia Economic Exchange Trade Association. The crypto account registered to Wang was held at Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, according to three blockchain analysis firms. In April, the U.S. Department of Justice said it seized about $112 million worth of crypto linked to pig-butchering scams, without identifying suspects. The crypto account in Wang’s name was registered in November 2020, according to the financial records Reuters reviewed.

Persons: Wang Yicheng, Wang, Emma, Lisa Wolk, Erin West, Jessica Jung, West, “ I’ve, Jeremy Douglas, Binance, Bitmain, ” Organizations: Thai, Reuters, TRM Labs, Asia Economic Exchange Trade Association, U.S . Federal Bureau of Investigation, Secret Service, FBI, Secret, Global, U.S . Department of Justice, U.S . Treasury, United Nations Office, Drugs, Workers, KK Park, Commerce Company, Cultural Exchange Center, Overseas, United, Washington, Cultural Exchange Locations: California, Bangkok, Thai, Asia, Southeast Asia, U.S, Binance, United States, Thailand, China, Myanmar, KK, Ningbo, China’s, Xiamen

☆ China Rounds Up 31,000 Suspects in Sweeping ‘Pig-Butchering’ Crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Feliz Solomon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many of the suspects were swept up in raids in Myanmar, in territories controlled by rebel armies, warlords and narcotics traffickers. Photo: Associated PressFor months, China has tried to break up cybercrime syndicates that operate from shadowy compounds across the border in neighboring countries and swindle people around the world. The scammers call the fraud “pig-butchering”: They “fatten” victims by gaining their trust online, convince them to transfer large sums of money and then “butcher” them by absconding with the loot.

Persons: fatten Locations: Myanmar, China

☆ Singapore's Temasek warns that fake agents in China are trying to sell scam investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An undated photo of a signage at Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings' headquarters in the Southeast Asian city-state. Singapore's Temasek Holdings warned that scammers are allegedly trying to sell financial investment products or instruments to unsuspecting individuals while posing as agents of the firm's office in Shenzhen, China. "We have been alerted to a scam in China that involves the impersonation of Temasek in Shenzhen, using our registered office name 'Temasek Holdings Advisors (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.' / '淡马锡投资咨询 (深圳) 有限公司'," Temasek said in a statement Wednesday. Temasek does not directly sell any investment products or financial instruments in China. We have not authorized any third party to do so on our behalf," the Singapore investment company added.

Persons: scammers, Temasek Organizations: Temasek Holdings, Singapore's Temasek Holdings, Temasek, Temasek Holdings Advisors, Co, Singapore, Apple, Ikea, Xinhua Locations: Singapore, Shenzhen, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Myanmar

☆ Teen Boys Are Falling for a Snapchat Nude-Photo Scam. Here’s How to Avoid It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Julie Jargon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An online nude-photo scam is ensnaring thousands of teen boys and causing emotional trauma. Scammers posing as teen girls befriend boys online, share nude photos of a girl and then ask for nude photos in return. Once the boy reciprocates, the schemer demands money be sent by a peer-to-peer payment app and threatens to share the boy’s photos with his social-media followers if he doesn’t pay.

Persons: reciprocates

☆ Opinion | Postpone Social Security for the Sake of the Young?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The enormous income gap between workers and executives is a much more relevant factor in the lopsidedness of wealth distribution. The aging population is depicted as carefree, golf-playing, medically fit scammers living off struggling young wage earners. Social Security earnings are based on wages earned in a lifetime. The solution is not to raise the age limit for retirement but to eliminate the maximum taxable income for Social Security, currently $160,200. And to the authors, please stop finding ways to divide the young and the old.

Persons: Eugene Steuerle, Glenn Kramon, Florence Estes, I’ll Organizations: Security, Social, Social Security, Millionaires, Florence Estes Chicago Locations: U.S

☆ A travel YouTuber built a journaling company with her creator income. She uses this 2-page media kit to negotiate paid partnerships with brands like American Express and Priceline.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Joanna Franco, 31, quickly realized after she graduated from business school that no one job would tick all of her boxes. In early 2022, she created a media kit to help her negotiate higher rates with brands. Here's the exact two-page media kit Franco uses to negotiate with companies. Page 1 of Joanna Franco's media kit. Joanna FrancoThe second page of the media kit includes a detailed biography, including her email, websites, social-media audience, and other credentials.

Persons: Joanna Franco, Franco, She's, she's, Joanna Franco's, Jo, keynoted Organizations: YouTube, Business, LinkedIn, interning, Adobe Max, American Express, Samsung, Google, Netflix Locations: Brazil, New York, Instagram, Connecticut, Croatia, Mexico

☆ Payments-app war drags banks into discomfort zone
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, Nov 14 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Banks tend to have a consistent message for customers who unwittingly make payments to scammers: tough break. Rapid growth in digital payments has brought out a softer side in lenders such as JPMorgan (JPM.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N). If the con artist was posing as the victim’s bank, a government agency or a legitimate company – say, a utility – the sender’s bank will return the funds if other criteria are met and recoup them from the recipient’s bank. From next year its banks will have to reimburse victims of online payment deceit. Moreover, convenience and trust are powerful weapons: Bank of America customers now use Zelle twice as often as their checkbooks.

Persons: Banks, Taylor Swift, Zelle, Wells, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, JPMorgan, Bank of America, TSB, SVB, Warning Services, Services, PNC Financial, US Bancorp, Truist, Thomson Locations: Zelle, Britain, Wells Fargo

☆ Women are turning to Facebook for a DIY approach to getting pregnant
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Some women have turned to Facebook groups to connect with free sperm donors and skirt sperm banks. But after 10 vials of donor sperm, she was out $10,000 and still didn't have a child. Gordy is a serial sperm donor — he says his donations have produced 70 children to date. Kristina GrahamShe's since worked with two free sperm donors at different times, both of whom she met on Facebook. Women may have to weed through some creeps when looking for a sperm donor on Facebook.

Persons: —, Angela, Kyle Gordy, Gordy, Kyle, Crystal Cox, Sean Tipton, Kristina Graham, Kristina Graham She's, She's, she's ovulating, Graham, she'd, Tyree Kelly, he's atoning, Tyree Kelly Tyree Kelly, Kelly, Angela said, who've, Wong Maye, Rebecca Torrence Organizations: Facebook, Service, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Food and Drug Administration Locations: ejaculate, Arizona, Maine, Tipton, rtorrence@insider.com

☆ Google Sues to Block AI Ads Preying on Small Businesses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( John D. Mckinnon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Google says hackers are posting ads offering to download its Bard AI chatbot, which is a free web-based platform and isn’t available through download. Photo: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg NewsScammers are capitalizing on the rush of consumer interest in artificial-intelligence tools to steal U.S. small businesses’ social-media-account passwords, Google alleges in a new lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed Monday, targets unnamed individuals in India and Vietnam. Google said the hackers have been tricking small-business owners into clicking on Facebook ads that offer to download Google’s Bard artificial-intelligence chatbot. When they do, the ads hit them with malware that steals their social-media credentials.

Persons: chatbot, Gabby Jones Organizations: Google, Bloomberg Locations: India, Vietnam

Federal rules require banks to reimburse customers for payments made without their authorization, such as by hackers, but not when customers themselves make the transfer. Following its launch in 2017, Zelle grew to become one of the largest U.S. peer-to-peer payments networks by total payments. A March 2022 New York Times report that scams were flourishing on Zelle caught the attention of lawmakers frequently critical of big banks, including Senator Elizabeth Warren. He said Zelle has seen "a step-change reduction" in fraud and scam rates this year but declined to provide details. Chance said EWS has been engaging with policymakers on the need for a "holistic approach" to combating scams, including advocating for more dedicated law enforcement resources.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, Jane Fraser, Brian Moynihan, Banks, Ben Chance, Zelle, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Dimon, EWS, Chance, ”, Trace, Carla Sanchez, Adams, we're, Lindsey Johnson, Hannah Lang, Chris Prentice, Michelle Price, Rod Nickel Organizations: JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs, Capitol, Warning, Reuters, Federal, JPMorgan, New York Times, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, PayPal, National Consumer Law, Consumer Bankers Association, Thomson Locations: Zelle, U.S, Warren, Washington, New York

From having a lot of empathy to knowing how to report a scam, experts shared their recommendations for talking about scams:Political Cartoons View All 1239 ImagesKNOW WHICH SCAMS COMMONLY TARGET OLDER PEOPLEKnowing which scams are most commonly used to target older people can help. According to the FTC, common lies by scammers include “I or someone close to me is sick, hurt, or in jail” and “I can teach you how to invest.”Other common scams are investment scams, tech support scams, and impersonation scams. HAVE CONSTANT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCAMSOne of the best ways to raise awareness about scams is to talk to each other about them. To keep your older family members safe, Waterman recommends that families talk about scams more often in their day-to-day lives. If you’re looking for guides to avoid scams for older adults, you can find a variety of them on the National Council on Aging’s website.

Persons: Daniel Goldstein’s, hadn’t, it’s, scammers, ”, Genevieve Waterman, Kathy Stokes, ” Waterman, Waterman, Goldstein, they've, it's, Stokes, “, ” Stokes, ’ ”, Charles Schwab Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, National Council, Aging, AARP, FTC, Watch Network, Associated Press, Charles, Charles Schwab Foundation, Inc, AP Locations: scammers, ”

☆ The Scammers Waiting When Your Flight Gets Canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Dawn Gilbertson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/airline-customer-service-scam-twitter-x-e1879760

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ The Scammers Waiting for Your Travel Troubles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Dawn Gilbertson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Reading List: Scams and Scammers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Amanda Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In financial frauds, the core promise is always essentially the same: profit without risk. But the details of how that promise gets packaged are telling. Madoff and Holmes profited by promising wealth and validation to elites who feared that not having enough of one meant they couldn’t really have the other. Bankman-Fried, by contrast, seems to have invented himself as the fulfillment of a very different desire: success outside the bounds of powerful institutions. In retrospect it was a perfect pitch for cryptocurrency speculators who wanted to believe that they, too, could make a fortune without any traditional financial background or connections.

Persons: Bernie Madoff’s, Elizabeth Holmes, John Carreyrou, meritocracy, Madoff, Holmes, Zeke Faux Organizations: Apple Locations: Silicon, America, cryptocurrency

☆ Why bitcoin ATMs are taking over malls and gas stations across the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Kaan Oguz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A different kind of ATM is setting up shop in your local convenience store. These machines look like traditional banking kiosks, but they allow customers to buy bitcoin in cash. Bitcoin ATMs, or BTMs, exploded in popularity between 2020 and mid-2022, at the height of the crypto craze. More and more people are using bitcoin ATMs to send money at lightning speed. Watch the video above to learn more about what's driving the BTM boom, why these machines attract crime, and how prosecutors plan to fight back.

Organizations: ATM Locations: BTMs, U.S, Bitcoin

☆ Can Congress Save MrBeast and Tom Hanks From AI Deepfakes?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Film star Tom Hanks took to Instagram in October to warn consumers about an AI-generated deepfake ad in which he appeared to endorse an unnamed company’s dental plan. Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/Associated PressSome TikTok users recently encountered an ad in which the YouTube star known as MrBeast appeared to offer 10,000 new iPhones for just $2 each. The deal sounded too good to be true, and it was. MrBeast last month joined film star Tom Hanks and CBS anchor Gayle King in a growing cohort of celebrities who say scammers have made unauthorized use of their likenesses in convincing, AI-generated deepfake ads hawking phones, fake dental plans and dubious weight-loss solutions.

Persons: Tom Hanks, Evan Agostini, MrBeast, Gayle King Organizations: Instagram, Associated, CBS

☆ Legislators Aim to Help Celebrities and Consumers Fight Deepfake Scam Ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Tom Hanks, Evan Agostini, MrBeast, Gayle King Organizations: Instagram, Associated, CBS

☆ The SEO world is up in arms after a story said they're 'ruining the internet.' Here's the spicy drama.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementAre your Google search results increasingly irrelevant — worthless, even? The Verge article, written by Amanda Chicago Lewis, is 8,000 words and starts with an anecdote about attending a search-engine optimization industry event that featured a live alligator. It seeks to answer a question many of us have thought: Why does it seem like Google search sucks now? AdvertisementAdvertisementDespite The Verge's headline (which, as far as I can tell, isn't even good SEO), Lewis doesn't really say that SEO experts ruined the internet. Spammy and misleading SEO are noticeable; good SEO, the kind the people in this article do, is unseen.

Persons: —, Amanda Chicago Lewis, it's, It's, SEOs, Danny Goodwin, brag, Danny Sullivan, who's, Sullivan, Lewis, They're, they're, it's furries, Lewis doesn't Organizations: Google, Service, Facebook, Wild, …

☆ Researchers find sensitive personal data of US military personnel is for sale online
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Sensitive personal information like the apparent home addresses and health conditions of thousands of active-duty US military personnel can be bought cheaply online from so-called data brokers, according to a study published Monday by Duke University researchers. The researchers could shop for data on servicemembers based on geolocation, including whether they lived or work near Fort Bragg, Quantico or other sensitive military locations. The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering new regulations to crack down on data brokers. “However, we have repeatedly raised concerns about the practices of data brokers and their potential impact on consumer privacy. The Pentagon and US intelligence community have long been concerned about how foreign spies might exploit the market for personal data on Americans.

Persons: Scammers, ”, Justin Sherman, ” Sherman, Ron Wyden, “, ” Wyden Organizations: CNN, Duke University, Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy, Social, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Fair, Oregon Democrat, Department of Defense’s, Pentagon Locations: Fort Bragg, Quantico, Oregon, United States

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