Criminals want to get to know your schedule … so they know exactly the right time to attack. Beware of camouflaged cameras recording every time you leave the house.
Ask Kim: 'Is my new online friend tricking me?'
I got a call from Jim in Sacramento about a new friend he met on Facebook. She messaged him out of the blue and they hit it off (just friends, he’s married). Now, she’s introduced him to her aunt, who happens to be great with crypto.
“The aunt showed me three trades where I made 15% with a $500 investment in 10 minutes while I watched on WhatsApp. I have lost no money at this point. Before I give the aunt $10,000, I wanted to know your thoughts.”
I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news
This is a classic pig-butchering scam. I know it all seems like things just fell into place, and that’s the point.
How am I so sure? What’s happening here is following the exact script these criminals use. I’ll outline it for you.
- Cold outreach: It starts with a random text, friend request, DM or comment. They’re friendly and chatty.
- Feeding time: They want to know about your life, maybe send you photos and tell you about what they’re in. After a while, money comes up. It’s usually under the guise of an investment opportunity.
- Fattening the pig: This is where money changes hands — but only a tiny amount. They’ll ask you to test with a small investment. Surprise, your money is growing already!
- Slaughter: Now you’re convinced and have invested even more. At this stage, victims can be in for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You may realize something is wrong and ask to remove your money. It’s way too late.
Jim, you’re the pig, and you’re getting greedy. Keep it up, and you will be slaughtered.
🚩 Red flag 1: A random woman messaged you out of nowhere and wanted to be friends. Sorry, but that never ends well.
🚩 Red flag 2: This stranger just happens to have a relative who has made it big in crypto. Who shares that with someone they just met? I wouldn’t.
🚩 Red flag 3: The initial investment went gangbusters.
You need to walk away. Document everything first, though. Take screenshots of your conversations, the websites these people have directed you to, bank statements, all of it. This is important evidence if you try to get your cash back and everything hits the fan.
Then, it’s time to unfriend and block your new pal.
5 texts you must ignore this holiday season
Scammers draw from a bottomless bag of tricks to get you to hand over your money. They dramatically ramp up their actions when there’s a global event or an upcoming holiday. Not even Veterans Day is safe. Tap or click here for a story that proves criminals have no shame.
America's drinking water is under attack
Water systems in Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania have already been hit by hackers in China, Russia and Iran. Plus, clothes that block 5G waves, AI coming to Alexa, and Walmart’s new digital pricing. We also chat with Joseph Cox about his book “Dark Wire,” which is about Anom, the FBI’s secret app used by criminals.
Major slip-up: A company TikTok, Uber and X hired to verify user identities left admin credentials exposed online for over a year. They process photos of faces and driver’s licenses, a boon for criminals. Yup, a free meal ticket for identity theft. Remember, when you give info to a company, you’re giving it to their vendors, too.
FBI warning: Crooks are using this new tech support scam
One of the most important parts of my job is making sure you know what criminals and cybercreeps are up to. Enough people fall for this junk — I don’t want you to be a victim, too.
The FBI is warning about tech support scams that robbed folks of a whopping $542 million in just the first half of 2023. It all starts with a notification that looks like it’s from your bank or even the government warning of a computer hack. You guessed it. They’re fake.
Privacy Tip: 5 ways you’re being tracked you must stop right now
Online privacy is an oxymoron. For example, an advertiser ID on your phone is supposed to keep your location anonymous. Are you surprised it doesn’t? Me neither. Tap or click here for steps to see and remove your advertiser ID.
Criminals using Wi-Fi jammers: Police caught an international crime ring staking out marks’ homes. Once the victims left, they used Wi-Fi jammers to disable the house’s Wi-Fi and security systems to rob them. A Chilean gang tried to do the same thing to me, and the Phoenix SWAT team even stormed my house! Worth the watch, promise.
🍯 High-tech honeypot: The FBI wanted to spy on criminals doing business on untraceable phones, so they started a phone company. “Anom” sold encrypted phones that secretly sent copies of every message straight to the FBI. Even Anom’s employees knew they were a part of the sting. Their slogan? “Keep secrets safe!” Ahem, not sure spilling the beans about Anom was a great idea …
🚨 Selfie scam warning: Criminals are combing social media for selfies, and older adults are the main targets. Why? They use your selfies to open fake accounts or access existing ones that use facial biometric tech, all so they can steal your money. Safety checklist: Enable multifactor authentication and keep your social media profiles private.
Careful what you post: Criminals are crawling social media accounts for videos of folks talking. Just 10 seconds is enough for AI tools to rip off your voice to scam loved ones and break into voice-authorized accounts. Come up with a safeword with your family to use if they ever get a distressed-sounding call from “you.”
Trying to sell online? You're a theft target
Criminals no longer need to stake out your house to case it; they can simply browse your online listing.
Flock, the startup that’s all about catching criminals with its license plate cams, finds itself on thin ice, legally. They “forgot” to secure installation permits in Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, Texas and Washington.
How hotel hackers get your info
Are you on a legit hotel website? In just one minute, I cover the tactics criminals use to scam you.
Delete this secret ID hiding on your phone that gives away your personal details
From social media platforms to email providers, tons of places on the web want to scoop up your private data. Don’t forget about online stores and personal services, either. Your details are major commodities to most online businesses, and many have little regard for your privacy.
Are facial recognition cams like the ones in China coming to a store near you?
Get ready for an Orwellian shopping experience in New York City. Thanks to criminals claiming the five-finger discount, you’ll have to kiss your privacy goodbye. Chinese-made facial recognition cameras will scan your face to see if you’re a criminal.
The FBI just put out a warning - Do you play these games on your phone?
Unauthorized in-app purchases and shady games are always hazards to be wary of when exploring the App Store or Google Play Store. The FBI just released a warning to anybody trying play-to-earn games. The publishers may use nefarious tactics to steal tons of cash from you.
PSA: If you win 'free' electronics online, watch for this sign it's a scam
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is one of the most in-demand video game consoles, with stocks regularly selling out nationwide. Some have waited months to get their hands on one, while others are willing to spend large sums of money. Is there a fortune sitting in your garage? Tap or click here for tech worth big money.
Be careful downloading viral portrait apps
AI technology is all the rage. It’s so popular that Microsoft is incorporating ChatGPT into the latest Bing update. Tap or click here for details. Now, app developers are using AI to let you create beautiful art with just a few text-based suggestions. But there’s a big problem with some of these apps. They aren’t actually designed to create art. Instead, they infect your device with malware.
Signs your new boyfriend or girlfriend is not who they say they are
Scammers are waiting around every corner, and special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas and Black Friday are usually when they kick their activities into high gear. Unfortunately, this is the perfect time of year for romance scams.