Online Scammers Steal Trillions

[onawah]

Busting the Scammers - The World Wide Investigation | 7NEWS Spotlight
94,169 views Jun 16, 2022
2.6K
7NEWS Spotlight
646K subscribers

( $41 billion per year in scams of US citizens alone is the estimate given in this Australian doucmentary. I was nearly scammed myself once but fortunately became suspicious in time. Since then, I frequently watch the youtube channels of several online scam busters including Jim Browning, Kitboga and Rinoa Poison. Unfortunately in India where much of the scams originate the police are often on the take themselves, so scammers are still thriving. )

"In Busting the Scammers we go inside the scamming epidemic costing Australians, and people across the globe, millions. Led by Walkley-award winning journalists Ross Coulthart and Steve Pennells and reporter Denham Hitchcock, 7NEWS SPOTLIGHT takes viewers across the globe to expose the overseas scammers peppering us with phone calls and texts designed to steal our cash. We even manage to intercept two scams in real-time, saving the victims thousands."

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[ExomatrixTV]

Scamming The Scammers:

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youtube.com/ScammerRevolts/videos (https://www.youtube.com/c/ScammerRevolts/videos) (1 Million Subs!) :dog:


twitter.com/scammerrevolts (https://twitter.com/scammerrevolts)
instagram.com/scammerrevolts (https://www.instagram.com/scammerrevolts)
facebook.com/SRevolts (https://www.facebook.com/SRevolts)
techscammersunited.com (https://techscammersunited.com)

[onawah]

Kitboga is my favorite scam buster. He obviously cares a lot for the scammed, has a playful, puckish sense of humor, a good heart, and he doesn't curse or otherwise stoop to the level of the scammers:
https://www.youtube.com/c/KitbogaShow
I think rather than making them angry and even more prone to scamming, he actually makes some (not all!) of them regret at times what they have done, as does Jim Browning:
https://www.youtube.com/c/JimBrowning
Rinoa Poison is also very funny and knows how to get the maddening best of scammers without compromising her own dignity:
https://www.youtube.com/c/RinoaPoison
I think there is something rather therapeutic about their approach, which may make scammers think twice about how reprehensible their crimes really are.
However, I don't care much for Perogi of Scammer Revolts and Scammer Payback (the guy in the post #2 above) who although he shuts down a lot of scammers, and I commend him for that, his manner of conversing with the scammers at times is about as offensive as the scammers' themselves, which I think can actually be counterproductive in the long run (and is unpleasant listening ).
https://www.youtube.com/c/ScammerRevolts
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC9EjyMN_hx5NdctLBx5X7w

[onawah]

We Scam a Sexy Chinese Scammer
18,866 views Jul 30, 2022
1.6K
ADVChina
457K subscribers

"We scam a Chinese scammer... she wasn't happy."

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[onawah]

Live from Scammer Payback HQ
4,740 views Jul 26, 2022
618
DEYO
22.2K subscribers

(How cool! Scambusters have united!! )

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[onawah]

India's Thriving Scam Industry: Before You Call Tech Support | Undercover Asia | CNA Documentary
112,404 views Jul 31, 2022
1.8K
CNA Insider
1.2M subscribers

"We go deep into the vast world of India’s scam call centers, meeting those behind the deception and the new breed of international scambaiters who are trying to bring these scammers down.

After seven years of running tech support scams, ‘Leo’ has leveled up. He is now an entrepreneur or a scam call center consultant who sets up scamming outfits for those with money to invest. From hiring to hardware, he has it down to a science, especially on how long it will take to generate returns for the investors.

At the other end of the spectrum, we follow an Indian scambaiter ‘Sven’ as he investigates a local company that’s running a scam call center. The majority of their victims are English-speaking foreigners overseas. Through reverse tracking, he has managed to get into the company’s systems, securing access to their confidential files and real-time CCTV footage of scams taking place.

Will ‘Sven’ be able to find enough evidence to submit to the police and conduct a crackdown?"

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[leavesoftrees]

A good film about the tragic consequences of scamming

ONLY THE ANIMALS

Award-winning director Dominik Moll returns with another thriller exploring our darker desires.

Two depressed farmers, an unfaithful wife, a lovelorn waitress and an African con artist are drawn together in a mystery surrounding the disappearance of Valeria Bruni Tedeschi’s glamourous Evelyne Ducat. The action switches between international locations as the links between the characters are gradually revealed. Stylishly shot and elegantly structured, Only the Animals finds Moll at the height of his storytelling powers and working with an excellent cast, whose characters’ motivations call into question the contrast between our public and private lives.

8ADZl5a75IA

[onawah]

Kidnapping for Sex Trade Scam
(I had never heard of this scary scam in which IRS scammers lure people into driving to a secluded location where they are then kidnapped for the sex trade.
It's described at the beginning of this video, though it's not the main subject matter of the rest of the video.)

I called a scam call center to get revenge ft. Kitboga
259,263 views Jul 30, 2022
13K
QTCinderella
357K subscribers
"QTCinderella and Kitboga call scammers"

GNoP0UkKCjA

[pyrangello]

Last year a scam link was sent to my mom's phone that there had been a fraudulent charge on her Amazon account and she had to clear it up so her credit would be ok. My mom's in her 80 s , still drives, and is very independent. I couldn't believe this when she told me they had her on the phone for 4 hours, had her so afraid that she actually went up to the store on the corner and wired these guys 400.00 and then they had her wire another 400.00 all while they kept her on the phone the entire time. She got suspicious after the 2cd wire transfer they were talking about more money. She ended up calling me crying and she couldn't believe how stupid she was. ECT. ECT. ECT. I just told her she got the cheap college education course on how to be scammed. Cheap by saying it only cost her 800.00 and not 8000.00 . What stunned me the most was that they had her on the phone for hours. I thoughtg she was way more alert that that.

[onawah]

I am always amazed myself at the number of people who fall for these scams.
The scammers are usually from India, with very pronounced accents and often their English is pretty bad, which you would think would alert people right away.
Fortunately, more alerts are going out from various sources about these scams.
I just got one today from my local electric company, which reads as follows (I've blocked out names and numbers):
"BEWARE OF NAME-DROPPERS: If someone tries to convince you that they are somehow affiliated with or partnering with XXXXXXX , or if they threaten to disconnect electric service, please contact us immediately at 1-800-xxxxxxx.
XXXXXXX DOES NOT authorize, endorse, or encourage any company’s products or services. Further, we DO NOT provide your address or contact information to third parties.
If a XXXXXXX employee or agent contacts you, it will NOT be to sell you anything. Of course, employees and agents are happy to provide identification to ease your mind, and you are always welcome to contact the office if you have any questions or concerns.
XXXXXXX DOES NOT call members asking that they pay their bills immediately over the phone, nor do we accept gift cards for bill payments. Past due accounts are mailed a written notice several days before the final due date. Payments can be made by you calling us directly, online through our website portal, or in person at one of our locations.
AVOID THE SENSE OF URGENCY: Scammers and high-pressure salespeople often rely on people responding quickly. You can combat this by maintaining these three priorities. Always remember that it may be best to end the conversation if you become uncomfortable.
Priority 1 Protect your personal information. In many cases, a simple internet search can reveal information about you. This is an excellent reason to be mindful of what personal information you post on social media. Public information, combined with what might seem like a harmless conversation, can later be used to make acting quickly more appealing.
Priority 2 Gather company information. Collect the company’s contact information from the person who contacted you. Ask for documentation supporting any claim being made. Request draft copies of any contracts required to complete the transaction.
Priority 3 Verify the information gathered. Do your research to ensure things add up and check independent company reviews. A trusted friend or family member can often help you raise the right questions before acting. An excellent question is if other, potentially better, alternatives exist for the same product or service.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: In some cases, you may be able to reverse a transaction if you contact authorities promptly. Also, if you want more information about some of the scams identified by the XXXXXXx Attorney General’s office, visit https://xxxxxxx.gov/consumer-protection/. "


Last year a scam link was sent to my mom's phone that there had been a fraudulent charge on her Amazon account and she had to clear it up so her credit would be ok. My mom's in her 80 s , still drives, and is very independent. I couldn't believe this when she told me they had her on the phone for 4 hours, had her so afraid that she actually went up to the store on the corner and wired these guys 400.00 and then they had her wire another 400.00 all while they kept her on the phone the entire time. She got suspicious after the 2cd wire transfer they were talking about more money. She ended up calling me crying and she couldn't believe how stupid she was. ECT. ECT. ECT. I just told her she got the cheap college education course on how to be scammed. Cheap by saying it only cost her 800.00 and not 8000.00 . What stunned me the most was that they had her on the phone for hours. I thoughtg she was way more alert that that.

[onawah]

How to Spot Any Spoofed & Fake Email (Ultimate Guide)
821,559 views Jun 12, 2021
24K
ThioJoe
2.85M subscribers

"YOU'LL NEVER GET TRICKED AGAIN! (Scammers will hate this)"

▼ Time Stamps: ▼
0:00 - Intro
1:49 - The "From" Domain
7:17 - The Reply-To Field
10:07 - Mailed By & Signed By
12:16 - Authentication Headers (Basics)
16:49 - SPF
17:47 - DKIM
21:32 - DMARC
23:46 - How SPF Works
24:59 - How DKIM Works
26:59 - How DMARC Works
27:53 - WHY BOTHER?

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[onawah]

Ex-Scammer SHUTS DOWN Scam Call Center
78,225 views Sep 24, 2022
5.7K
Trilogy Media
775K subscribers

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[palehorse]

partially the problem can be blamed on people that are too soft and positive on every aspect of life (I mean, the chance for a scammer be scammed is much lower than a happy dude walking down the road haha), scammers would not exist if people behave properly.

In general don't listen to marketeers, is fair enough to not get ripped off by scammers.

1 thing ALL scammers has, they are pretty good at marketing, they can sell sand in the desert literally.

[prc]

I have solver this problem by sticking tô mumy and dad phrase when we were Kids, DO NOT TALK TO STRANGERS on email, whatsapp, telegram, Phone or personally.

[onawah]

How 'Scambaiter' Jim Browning Scams the Scammers: 'Scams Are a Serious Business'
Daily Blast LIVE
98K subscribers
May 19, 2023

(Scambaiters are getting better at what they do, but there is so much scamming going on that it won't make much difference until police really start to crack down on these kinds of criminals. There are 2 exceptional examples of scambaiters succeeding in getting the authorities to actually do something.)

"'Scambaiting' is the process of luring a scammer, either online or on the phone, and using their own tricks against them.
DBL is joined by one scambaiter who uses the alias Jim Browning to learn more about the deceptive world of scams. "

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***********
We Snuck Into Their Call Center, Let's SHOW the SCAMMERS!
Scambaiter
2.01M subscribers
457,491 views Apr 23, 2023

"We Snuck Into Their Call Center, Let's SHOW the SCAMMERS! In today's video, we tried to get scammers arrested but that arrest took a turn for the worse. Instead, we decided to sneak into the scam call center and show it to the scammers."

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[onawah]

IRS Sends Out Warning to Millions of Americans
Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov
1.28M subscribers
7/14/23

(About an identity theft scam masquering as the IRS, but also about an actual new ruling from the IRS in the US heavily taxing inheritances.)

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[onawah]

Checks Not Safe Anymore
2 New Senior SCAMS = Beware!
Christopher Westfall
71.8K subscribers
2,467 views
7/16/23

"Please share the info about this very important LIVE stream!
- 2 New Scams Targeting Seniors on Medicare
- Good News for Diabetics on Medicare
- Mental Health Access on Medicare (update)"

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[pyrangello]

One of these call scammers called my mom 2 years ago, told her that her Amazon account had 800 dollars of fraudulent charges and she needed to clear it up so she could keep ordering and they would credit the account back. They had her on the phone for 4 hours and she drove to the drug store to wire them 2 . 400 dollar checks . After that was done they then wanted more money which then threw up the red flag that something wasn't right thank God on that. The day it happened I stopped by her house and she was crying how stupid she was and on and on. I just told her she got a cheap college class on being scammed. It only cost her 800 dollars and could have been way more. She's no dummy, I was really surprised that she got hustled like that.

[onawah]

PRANKING SCAMMERS LIVE at the Peoples Call Center
IRLrosie
1.21M subscribers
122 watching now
Streamed live 8/2/23

(The really frustrating thing about this huge new multinational crime ring is that the governments in the countries where most of the scammers operate from, do practically nothing to stop it.
But the encouraging thing is that scambaiters continue to do what they can to curtail it, and there are more of them all the time.
Sometimes listening in is pretty entertaining, other times not so much, when the scambaiters are acting just as nasty as the scammers.
Apparently they don't understand that being nasty, even to scammers, creates bad karma.
Some constructive criticism is in order, imho... :sad:)
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[onawah]

Online scams: 3 rules to prevent being conned
CBS Sunday Morning
1.33M subscribers
38,435 views
Jul 30, 2023

"Correspondent David Pogue talks with cybersecurity expert Mike Driscoll about ways to make yourself safer from online and phone scammers; and with Kitboga, an improv artist who has found a new way to fight con artists, by hilariously wasting their time."

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[onawah]

Saving a Victim from a 7 Year Scam
Kitboga
3.32M subscribers
Nov 5, 2023

(This case of yet another senior woman being badly scammed brought tears to Kitboga's eyes, who got started with busting online scammers due to his own grandmother getting scammed. But this case ended well, fortunately.)

"We uncovered a scam that had been going on for 7 years and saved an older woman from the scammers who were destroying her life."

0:00 Laying a Trap
04:36 Scammer falls for our trap!
09:15 Dr David
12:12 Wrong address
14:36 We found a victim
18:05 Explaining the scam
21:04 Confronting her scammer
27:18 Seven years of scamming

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[onawah]

Pig Butchering Scams: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
LastWeekTonight
9.43M subscribers
Feb 29, 2024

"John Oliver discusses a popular internet scam, why it’s easier to fall for it than you might think"

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(This humorous approach to a very serious subject is a good way to introduce one's self to a very depressing reality if you are not already aware, that is, just how many scamming crimes are being committed globally today (largely via the Internet), and the alarming rate at which that phenomena is growing.
Scamming has become a part of the business of human slavery as well, as more and more hapless people looking for work are being conscripted into criminal endeavors against their will, and are unable to resist due to threats on their lives.
A large part of the reason that these organized criminal businesses are flourishing is that the victims are too humiliated and ashamed to go public with disclosures about how they were fooled into compliance and/or coerced into becoming active participants.
So the average person is still largely unaware of how serious a situation this is becoming, and how many different forms these various scams can take, which only makes the problem worse. )

[JohanB]

Found it quite entertaining and “relevant” Onawah :blackwidow:

This podcaster goes even deeper into the “problem”: :dog:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5aMdHWKHRXBgHQ36R05ErY?si=MmzA5yWSRUeWrPk0v2JP0g

[onawah]

Beyond Scambaiting: Kitboga Unscripted
About Fraud
203 subscribers
Jun 26, 2025

(Kitboga has come a long, long way, and his scambaiting techniques are just as funny as ever, but he is now much more effective in stopping them altogether.
He has not only perfected a new comedy artform, but developed new ways in which scambaiting has become more effective.
This is very good news because very little is being done about it, even as it has grown into a global trillion dollar business annually. )

"Most of you know Kitboga from his super popular scambaiting channel on YouTube. In this session, you will learn a different side.

The esteemed Frank McKenna will conduct an interview style convo where you’ll learn about Kit's origins story, his evolution to building a full fledged team and tech, and how his interactions & insights can practically help FI’s.

Frank and Kit will riff on his new AI bots trained to waste scammers time, the explosion of brand impersonations (maybe even some in the crowd!), emerging scams like the Quantum AI scam, and even some interactive examples to bring the convo to life.

This is one of our can’t miss sessions!"
Kitboga is featured in

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(By the way, scambusters Team Bubba have some Rumble videos from this year about scammer Kim Goguen, and may have a few more upcoming.
Though they figure they have been successful enough in curbing her activities so they don't need to focus on exposing her regularly anymore, so they have turned their attentions to other topics.)
https://rumble.com/search/all?q=team%20bubba%2C%20kim%20goguen

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[Vicus]

Revenge on Scammers

Well,if a movie(money) was made about this theme, is must be something serious about...(money)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHKn-yDCE2w

[onawah]

I'm surprised more movies haven't been made about it, but that one is so violent and the plot so unlikely I would never watch it.
There is a good review of the movie and discussion about scam call centers here:
https://cyber.tap.purdue.edu/blog/articles/the-beekeeper-keeping-it-unrealistic/
Here is the conclusion:

What is realistic ethical hacking?

The Beekeeper shows the main character Adam blowing up buildings and constantly killing people to get his revenge on the scammers and in infiltrate the bigger network of criminals. This is of course extremely unrealistic. Ethical hackers in the real world take a far less dramatic approach then Adam, they aren’t blowing up buildings or killing people. Instead, ethical hackers are authorized to gain unauthorized access to a system. They are security professionals and experts who perform security assessments for companies, groups, or individuals. The key factor for real ethical hackers is that they stay legal. It is about finding vulnerabilities so that systems can be better protected. The key factor for ethical hacking is to learn how to legally access and perform penetration tests. There are plenty of ways for a cyber professional to get this information such as cyberTAP’s advanced cyber range training or ethical hacking courses. Educating people on what scamming looks like is the easiest way to prevent these losses, especially when it is impossible to make sure everyone’s systems are completely vulnerable free.

Scambaiting is also considered a form of ethical hacking by some cyber professionals. Scambaiting is the process of exposing and manipulating scammers. This is mostly done through pretending to be a victim, acting as if they are susceptible to the scammer's plan. This kind of baiting applies mostly to call centers and one on one interactions, but scam baiters also work to expose websites or systems through other methods. This type of ‘ethical hacking’ is highly debated because of its risky nature and varying outcomes.

While this movie is unbelievably cheesy and over the top, it centers around an important reality. The elderly are unproportionally targeted by cybercriminals and scammers every day. In the most unfortunate circumstances, they lose the entirety of their life savings and all their data. It is so important that we work to properly educate as many people as possible to prevent these scammers from succeeding.

[onawah]

International Scammers Steal Over $1 Trillion in 12 Months in Global State of Scams Report 2024
Writer: Sam Rogers
Nov 7, 2024
https://www.gasa.org/post/global-state-of-scams-report-2024-1-trillion-stolen-in-12-months-gasa-feedzai

"The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Feedzai, has released its 2024 Global State of Scams report, uncovering staggering insights into the prevalence and impact of scams worldwide. Based on responses from 58,329 individuals across diverse regions, the report reveals the monumental economic and emotional toll scams take on consumers. The most eye-opening finding? Scammers have siphoned away over $1.03 trillion globally in just the past year—a figure that rivals the GDP of some nations. Yet amid the numbers, the report offers hope, with signs of increased scam awareness and resistance among consumers.

Scams on the Rise Across the Globe Exposing Regional Disparities
Despite relentless efforts to combat scam activity through awareness campaigns, scams remain a significant and growing threat, with nearly half of global consumers experiencing a scam attempt at least once a week. Certain regions are impacted more heavily, with countries like Brazil, Hong Kong, and South Korea facing near-daily scam exposure. Conversely, nations such as Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and China reported a noticeable drop in scam encounters, suggesting progress in local preventive efforts.

Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA, commented on these trends: "Very little has changed in the last 12 months, as the world’s consumers bear the weight of another $1.03 trillion stolen by scammers. We must do more to combat these crimes, as they continue to erode trust in our systems and cause immense harm to individuals and economies."

Global Confidence in Scam Detection Shows Promise
The report found that 67% of people globally feel confident in their ability to detect scams, reflecting the success of some awareness campaigns, however this could unveil complacency on the rise, too. Countries with high scam-detection confidence include China (84%) and Australia (72%), while Japan lags behind, highlighting the need for targeted educational efforts in certain regions.

Nuno Sebastião, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Feedzai, highlighted the role of financial institutions and technology in increasing consumer confidence: "Consumers are becoming smarter at catching scams themselves. This year, 67% of respondents expressed confidence they could spot a scam. This strong display of confidence is a testament to banks’ and others’ efforts to educate consumers on the red flags to watch for that could be a scam."

Financial Losses Mark Clear Division Between Developed vs. Developing Nations
The financial toll of scams is staggering, with the U.S., Denmark, and Switzerland reporting the highest losses per victim, with Americans averaging a $3,520 loss. Meanwhile, in developing countries like Pakistan, scams have a far greater impact, equivalent to 4.2% of the country’s GDP. Kenya and South Africa also reported heavy GDP impacts at 3.6% and 3.4%, respectively. The financial strain scams impose on both individuals and national economies underscores the urgent need for better safeguards and international cooperation.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bdaac_616d77409a0b4f82926b5d1c120a2793~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_416,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/7bdaac_616d77409a0b4f82926b5d1c120a2793~mv2.jpg

AI and Social Media Driving New Scams
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in scam tactics is a growing concern, though awareness varies globally. In countries such as Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia, citizens remain largely unaware of the role AI may play in scam operations. Globally, 31% of respondents were uncertain if AI was involved in the scams they encountered, reflecting the evolving complexity of fraudulent activities.

Scammers continue to exploit popular platforms and channels. Phone calls and text messages remain the primary methods of initial contact, with WhatsApp, Instagram, and Gmail also frequently used. In the Philippines, South Korea, and Brazil, SMS scams are particularly prevalent, while WhatsApp scams are rising in various regions.

Emotional Impact: The Untold Cost of Scams

Beyond financial losses, scams inflict severe emotional distress on victims. Feelings of vulnerability, fear, and loss of trust are common, with Kenya, the Philippines, and South Africa reporting the highest emotional tolls. Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea show lower emotional impact, possibly reflecting cultural differences in scam reporting and victimization perceptions. The emotional burden of scams is a crucial reminder that fraud prevention goes beyond financial metrics; it’s also about protecting individuals’ mental well-being.

Why Some Regions Are More Affected than Others
The report sheds light on why certain regions report higher scam rates and losses. Shopping scams dominate in Kenya and Nigeria, while investment scams are rampant in Nigeria. In contrast, South Korea and Vietnam report the lowest levels of online shopping scams. Identity theft remains a significant concern in Australia and Mexico, with both countries showing a 25% victimization rate.

Only 4% of Victims Recover Their Losses
Perhaps the most concerning insight from the 2024 report is the dismal rate of financial recovery. Only 4% of scam victims worldwide were able to recover their losses. The U.S. and U.K. have the highest recovery rates, yet these remain low globally, leaving the majority of scam victims without recourse. This data highlights the urgent need for improved consumer protection mechanisms and more effective financial recovery processes.

Nuno Sebastião of Feedzai emphasized the role of banks and payment providers in the final stage of the scam lifecycle: "Banks and payment providers are at the final stage of the scam lifecycle, where illicit attempts to extract money either succeed or fail. Significant differences exist across countries, including how regulators approach scam prevention, which complicates global efforts."

Collaboration and Innovation Needed to Improve the Global State of Scams
The joint report by GASA and Feedzai underscores the importance of global cooperation, enhanced public awareness, and stronger financial recovery processes. With scams growing more sophisticated, banks and financial institutions are investing in advanced AI and machine learning tools to detect unusual activity and protect consumers in real time.

However, Nuno Sebastião warns that technology alone isn’t enough: "Protecting customers goes beyond technology—it’s about fostering industry-wide collaboration and ensuring data privacy. Together with GASA and our partners, we’re driving continuous innovation to stay ahead of evolving scam tactics, ensuring a safer financial ecosystem for everyone."

GASA and Feedzai urge financial institutions, social media platforms, and telecom providers to work together to safeguard consumers. The report highlights the need for standardized definitions and measurements of scams globally. Currently, regional differences in scam classification hinder collaboration, making cross-border comparisons and joint preventive measures challenging.

Jorij Abraham emphasizes the importance of GASA’s role in facilitating this global collaboration: "A global organization such as GASA plays a crucial role in unifying scam prevention efforts. Increasing the amount of shared, secure data across industries is essential to improving scam controls and protecting consumers worldwide."

The Double-Edged Sword of Generative AI
The report also raises concerns over Generative AI, which is becoming a potent tool for fraudsters. With AI able to generate realistic images, scripts, videos, and voices in seconds, scammers can deceive more victims more effectively. While AI’s ability to reproduce and scale tactics is a threat, its replication patterns also present opportunities for detection. Banks and tech companies can harness this vulnerability, using pattern recognition to identify and intercept AI-generated fraud schemes before they succeed.

The Road Long Ahead to Vastly Improve the Global State of Scams
The 2024 Global State of Scams report is clear: scams are costing consumers over $1 trillion globally, with dire financial, emotional, and social repercussions. While confidence in scam detection has improved, many consumers remain vulnerable, and only a small fraction recover their losses.

GASA and Feedzai are committed to driving a safer digital landscape through continuous collaboration and innovation. By uniting financial institutions, tech giants, telecom providers, and regulatory bodies, GASA aims to foster a world where scam tactics can no longer exploit innocent consumers. The journey to a scam-free future requires resilience, global cooperation, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the vulnerable.

For more information and to access the full Global State of Scams 2024 report, visit GASA's Research Page. For now, here are some key figures... "

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bdaac_9f283546069743a4911cf3f5419d390d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_2573,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/7bdaac_9f283546069743a4911cf3f5419d390d~mv2.jpg

[onawah]

Deepfake criminals impersonate Marco Rubio to uncover government secrets
AI | News
Posted: July 10, 2025
by Danny Bradbury
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/07/deepfake-criminals-impersonate-marco-rubio-to-uncover-government-secrets?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20250714_julyweeklynewsletter_v2_175220823496&utm_content=Deepfake_img

"Deepfake attacks aren’t just for recruitment and banking fraud; they’ve now reached the highest levels of government. News emerged this week of an AI-powered attack that impersonated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Authorities don’t know who was behind the incident.

A US State Department cable seen by the Washington Post warned that someone impersonated Rubio’s voice and writing style in voice and text messages on the Signal messaging app. The attacker reportedly tried to gain access to information or accounts by contacting multiple government officials in Rubio’s name. Their targets included three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a US member of Congress, the cable said.

The attacker created a Signal account with the display name ‘Marco.Rubio@state.gov’ and invited targets to communicate on Signal.

The AI factor in the attacks likely refers to deepfakes. These are a form of digital mimicry, in which attackers use audio or visual footage of a person to create convincing audio or images of them. Many have even created fake video of their targets, using them for deepfake pornography or to impersonate businesspeople.

The Rubio deepfake isn’t the first time that impersonators have targeted government officials. In May, someone impersonated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in calls and texts to her contacts. Several failed to spot the scam initially and interacted with the attacker as though the conversations were legitimate.

This incident wasn’t Rubio’s fault, attacks like these are becoming commonplace with scammers making use of popular messaging tools. Signal is apparently a widely-used app in the executive branch, to the point that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said it came pre-installed on government devices.

This Signal usage culminated in then-national security advisor Mike Waltz accidentally adding a journalist to a group Signal chat containing discussions plans to bomb Yemen. He is now no longer the national security advisor. Misuse of the app extends back to the previous administration, when the Pentagon was forced to release a memo about it.

Why should you worry about such attacks on government high-ups? For one thing, it’s scary to think that foreign states might actually get away with sensitive information this way. But it also shows how easy it can be to impersonate someone with a deepfake. You can mount audio attacks with just a few snippets of audio to train an algorithm on.

You’d be suspicious if Pamela Bondi entered your book club chat, but if someone called an elderly relative pretending to be you, saying you’d been involved in an accident, or begging for ransom money because you’d been kidnapped, would they fall for it? Several have.

Strange though it may seem, modern threats demand some old-school protections. We recommend sharing a family password with close members, who can then request it to confirm each others’ identity. Never send this password anywhere, keep it to yourselves and agree to it in person.

But even family passwords won’t stop your grandma being targeted in deepfake romance scams from fake Mark Ruffalos and Brad Pitts, though. A quiet chat to explain the threats might avert such disasters, though, along with a regular check-in to ensure your less tech-savvy loved ones are safe and sound."

Millions of people spied on by malicious browser extensions in Chrome and Edge
Posted: July 9, 2025
by Pieter Arntz
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/07/millions-of-people-spied-on-by-malicious-browser-extensions-in-chrome-and-edge?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20250714_julyweeklynewsletter_v2_175220823496&utm_content=chromeandweb_logo

"Millions of people spied on by malicious browser extensions in Chrome and Edge

Researchers have discovered a campaign that tracked users’ online behavior using 18 browser extensions available in the official Chrome and Edge webstores. The total number of installs is estimated to be over two million.

These extensions offered functionality, received good reviews, touted verification badges, and some even enjoyed featured placement.

But when an extension has been available in the web store for a while, cybercriminals can insert malicious code through updates to the extension. Some researchers refer to the clean extensions as “sleeper agents.” These sleeper agents are the bases for future malicious activity.

Here’s one example of a malicious extension which poses as a search for Chat GPT, and was available for months.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/example.jpg?resize=1024,333

Some of these extensions behaved nicely for years, which made the researchers think they might have been compromised. What these extensions did after they got “woken up” was they deployed a browser hijacking mechanism that activates every time someone navigates to a new page.

Every time the person visits a website, the extension would:

Capture the URL of the page they’re visiting.
Send it to a remote server along with a unique ID issued to track the user.
Receive potential redirect URLs from the command and control (C&C) server.
Automatically redirect your browser if instructed by the C&C server to do so.
The researchers used the following example of how this might work:

“You receive a Zoom meeting invitation and click the link. Instead of joining your meeting, one of the malicious extensions intercepts your request and redirects you to a convincing fake page claiming you need to download a “critical Zoom update” to join. You download what appears to be legitimate software, but you’ve just installed additional malware onto your system, potentially leading to full machine takeover and complete compromise of your device.”

Most of the malicious extensions have been removed from the web stores.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/removed_from_Chrome_webstore.jpg

Reportedly, 1.7 million people installed these malicious extensions from the Chrome web store and a total of 2.3 million users were affected.

Although we always advise people to only install extensions from official web stores, this proves that not all extensions you download from there are safe. However, the risk involved in getting an extension from outside the web store is even bigger.

Extensions listed in the web store undergo a review process before being admitted. This review, a mix of automated and manual checks, assesses the extension’s safety, compliance with policies, and overall user experience. The goal is to protect users from scams, malware, and other malicious activities.

What to do
Check your computer to see if you have any of these extensions:

Emoji keyboard online (Chrome)
Free Weather Forecast (Chrome)
Unlock Discord (Chrome)
Dark Theme (Chrome)
Volume Max (Chrome)
Unblock TikTok (Chrome)
Unlock YouTube VPN (Chrome)
Geco colorpick (Chrome)
Weather (Chrome)
Unlock TikTok (Edge)
Volume Booster (Edge)
Web Sound Equalizer (Edge)
Header Value (Edge)
Flash Player (Edge)
Youtube Unblocked (Edge)
SearchGPT (Edge)
Unlock Discord (Edge)
If you find any of the above extensions, try doing the following:

Clear all browsing data (history, cookies, cached files, site data) to remove any tracking identifiers or session tokens that may have been stolen or set by the malicious extension. Note: you will then have to log in on a lot of sites since they will not remember you.
Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity if you visited any sensitive sites (such as online banking) while one of these extensions was installed. Make sure to change your passwords for those accounts.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible for added protection.
Reset your browser settings to default. This can help undo any changes the extension may have made to your search engine, homepage, or other settings. Note: this will also undo any changes you have made manually. Alternatively, look for signs like unexpected redirects, changed search engines, or new toolbars.
Keep an eye on your email and text messages for security alerts or notifications about unfamiliar access.
Make sure your browser and all remaining extensions are up to date.
Run a full system Malwarebytes scan to check for additional infections. This will also allow you to remove all affected extensions from Chrome and Edge. Malwarebytes blocks these domains so our users are safe.
To close off, one last word of general advice. If an extension asks for additional permissions after an update, that’s a good reason to look closely at what it requires and if that makes sense for the reason you’re using the extension.

List of malicious extensions and their domain names
Chrome extensions:

Chrome extensions:

kgmeffmlnkfnjpgmdndccklfigfhajen Emoji keyboard online

dpdibkjjgbaadnnjhkmmnenkmbnhpobj Free Weather Forecast

gaiceihehajjahakcglkhmdbbdclbnlf Free Weather Forecast

mlgbkfnjdmaoldgagamcnommbbnhfnhf Unlock Discord

eckokfcjbjbgjifpcbdmengnabecdakp Dark Theme

mgbhdehiapbjamfgekfpebmhmnmcmemg Volume Max

cbajickflblmpjodnjoldpiicfmecmif Unblock TikTok

pdbfcnhlobhoahcamoefbfodpmklgmjm Unlock YouTube VPN

eokjikchkppnkdipbiggnmlkahcdkikp Geco colorpick

ihbiedpeaicgipncdnnkikeehnjiddck Weather

Edge extensions:

jjdajogomggcjifnjgkpghcijgkbcjdi Unlock TikTok

mmcnmppeeghenglmidpmjkaiamcacmgm Volume Booster

ojdkklpgpacpicaobnhankbalkkgaafp Web Sound Equalizer

lodeighbngipjjedfelnboplhgediclp Header Value

hkjagicdaogfgdifaklcgajmgefjllmd Flash Player

gflkbgebojohihfnnplhbdakoipdbpdm Youtube Unblocked

kpilmncnoafddjpnbhepaiilgkdcieaf SearchGPT

caibdnkmpnjhjdfnomfhijhmebigcelo Unlock Discord

Domains:

admitab[.]com

edmitab[.]com

click.videocontrolls[.]com

c.undiscord[.]com

click.darktheme[.]net

c.jermikro[.]com

c.untwitter[.]com

c.unyoutube[.]net

admitclick[.]net

addmitad[.]com

admiitad[.]com

abmitab[.]com

admitlink[.]net "

[Bluegreen]

Scammers PANIC After Rats Destroy Their Office!

https://yt3.ggpht.com/7_rHAtgK9KfKlYRUvz2m97f1tHoY_KJLXq7qXmrqZeUQg9clubRIdSzGsAxPQaaqQSUf_hk-kqQ=s48-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj

These guys infiltrate the vile scammers entire operation, including the mastermind, virally AND physically. Hahahaha. Includes paid promotion.

Published 28th November 2025 (18:20)
2U86Tt3jk00

[Bluegreen]

Hi onawah, I know you've been dealing with this, do you know of any videos on how to f-ck with these scammers?

:madgrin:

:blackwidow:

[onawah]

There are lots of effective "scambusters" online (though there are still not nearly enough to adequately counter the countless attacks).
My long time #1 favorite one is Kitboga, who has two Youtube channels, "Kitboga" and "More Kitboga".
His approach is very original, funny, upbeat and imaginative :jester: in comparison to the rest, some of whom take a very unpleasant approach because they are angry and vengeful, and those I avoid.
But others are effective in getting the scammers busted which is particularly rewarding since the police in many countries (mostly India) where scammers are prevalent are "on the take" and do very little, if anything, to actually stop the scamming.
"Jim Browning", "Pleasant Green", "Scambaiter", "mrwn" and "Agent G9" are some of the other effective scambusters on Youtube that I watch periodically.
(There are other venues besides Youtube where scambusters have channels too, of course.)
Here is an interesting short documentary from CBC about the phenomena (including how AI is being used now in online scamming), featuring Kitboga, Jim Browning and Pleasant Green:
MSa7i92o6ho

"Pigbutchering" is a whole different brand of insidious scamming featuring imposters who pretend to romance their victims.
They are very distasteful so I tend to avoid those altogether. :sick:

As for learning how to screw with scammers' heads, I think if you watch some of the better scambusters' videos, you can learn a lot.
Though there are also some who teach viewers their techniques, I can't actually recommend any since that hasn't been my particular focus.


Hi onawah, I know you've been dealing with this, do you know of any videos on how to f-ck with these scammers?

:madgrin:

:blackwidow:

[Pilutaq]

What to do before falling for scams
There is a website https://www.scamadviser.com/
that can show if a website is a fraud or not, one can also ask for the website's license number and go to where the 'company' is located
and in their government it should be visible if the company is legit or not, just search for it under licenses
and if it's a person with a picture one could do a reverse image search on brave search or yandex and if there are many who uses the picture most likely it's a scammer
https://osintframework.com/
osint has a lot of helpful websites but many of them has to be paid for.
Nowadays scammers try to make calls from other countries and if it's picked up they and if one says hello
they can replicate your voice and use it and most likely if you pick up their call they can also hack your apps and passwords
Be careful out there

[onawah]

I just don't answer my phone anymore unless I am expecting an important call.
Generally, if someone legit calls and wants to talk to me they will have to leave a VM or an email message.
I don't use a cell phone, just a landline, which may make me a bit less vulnerable than cell phone users.
I generally don't open suspicious emails, but if I do, I report it.
Years ago when the scamming wasn't in full swing yet and I was still unaware, I almost fell for an "AnyDesk" scam.
But as soon as I saw the scammer tooling around in my computer I turned it off, which disabled his attempt and I never fell for another one after that.
Once was enough!

What to do before falling for scams
There is a website https://www.scamadviser.com/
that can show if a website is a fraud or not, one can also ask for the website's license number and go to where the 'company' is located
and in their government it should be visible if the company is legit or not, just search for it under licenses
and if it's a person with a picture one could do a reverse image search on brave search or yandex and if there are many who uses the picture most likely it's a scammer
https://osintframework.com/
osint has a lot of helpful websites but many of them has to be paid for.
Nowadays scammers try to make calls from other countries and if it's picked up they and if one says hello
they can replicate your voice and use it and most likely if you pick up their call they can also hack your apps and passwords
Be careful out there

[Bluegreen]

Thx guys. Ever since I changed my longtime phone number ... ):

:cell:

[onawah]

Pig butchering is the next “humanitarian global crisis.”
12/14/25
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KHXFC01NqqldcxQZ3cec0?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20251222_decemberweeklynewsletter_v4_176611420669&utm_content=ListenNow

(I would say that there are plenty of humanitarian global crises much worse than pig butchering, but a lot of people are still unaware of just how big a problem it is. It will take a lot of sharing of this kind of info on social media to help put a stop to it. )

"Pig butchering is more than a scam—it’s all-out digital war. This week on the Lock and Code podcast, Erin West describes how organized crime syndicates are snaking across borders to steal every last dollar from victims, no matter where they live.
Get it wherever you get your podcasts, or click through to listen below.
Listen now:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KHXFC01NqqldcxQZ3cec0?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_20251222_decemberweeklynewsletter_v4_176611420669&utm_content=ListenNow

Episode Description
This is the story of the world’s worst scam and how it is being used to fuel entire underground economies that have the power to rival nation-states across the globe. This is the story of “pig butchering.”
“Pig butchering” is a violent term that is used to describe a growing type of online investment scam that has ruined the lives of countless victims all across the world. No age group is spared, nearly no country is untouched, and, if the numbers are true, , no scam might be more serious today, than this.

Despite this severity, like many types of online fraud today, most pig-butchering scams start with a simple “hello.”

Sent through text or as a direct message on social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, or elsewhere, these initial communications are often framed as simple mistakes—a kind stranger was given your number by accident, and if you reply, you’re given a kind apology and a simple lure: “You seem like such a kind person… where are you from?”

Here, the scam has already begun. Pig butchers, like romance scammers, build emotional connections with their victims. For months, their messages focus on everyday life, from family to children to marriage to work.

But, with time, once the scammer believes they’ve gained the trust of their victim, they launch their attack: An investment “opportunity.”

Pig butchers tell their victims that they’ve personally struck it rich by investing in cryptocurrency, and they want to share the wealth. Here, the scammers will lead their victims through opening an entirely bogus investment account, which is made to look real through sham websites that are littered with convincing tickers, snazzy analytics, and eye-popping financial returns.

When the victims “invest” in these accounts, they’re actually giving money directly to their scammers. But when the victims log into their online “accounts,” they see their money growing and growing, which convinces many of them to invest even more, perhaps even until their life savings are drained.

This charade goes on as long as possible until the victims learn the truth and the scammers disappear. The continued theft from these victims is where “pig-butchering” gets its name—with scammers fattening up their victims before slaughter.

Today, on the Lock and Code podcast with host David Ruiz, we speak with Erin West, founder of Operation Shamrock and former Deputy District Attorney of Santa Clara County, about pig butchering scams, the failures of major platforms like Meta to stop them, and why this global crisis represents far more than just a few lost dollars.

“It’s really the most compelling, horrific, humanitarian global crisis that is happening in the world today.”"