#identity-theft — Public Fediverse posts

Notes from Poland: Poland asks EU to fine Meta €250m over scam Facebook ads. “Poland has formally requested that the European Commission fine Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, €250 million (1.1 billion zloty) for failing to tackle fraudulent advertising on its platforms. Its decision follows a high-profile campaign by Rafał Brzoska, the billionaire owner of Polish […]

The DoRaleigh Scam Report Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them

Scammers are becoming more convincing, using artificial intelligence, caller ID spoofing, social media, text messages, fake websites, and emotional pressure to steal money and personal information.

In 2025, consumers submitted approximately 3 million fraud reports and reported losing $15.9 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission⁠. Imposter scams alone accounted for $3.5 billion in reported losses.

Raleigh and Triangle residents can reduce their risk by learning the warning signs of today’s most common scams.

1. Government and Business Imposter Scams

A caller, email, or text may claim to come from the IRS, Social Security Administration, Federal Trade Commission, police department, bank, utility company, or another trusted organization.

Scammers often say that your account has been compromised, you owe money, or you face arrest unless you act immediately. They may even manipulate caller ID or send official-looking documents.

How to avoid imposter scams

• Do not trust caller ID alone.
• Hang up and contact the organization using its official website or published phone number.
• Never move money to “protect” it.
• Government agencies will not demand payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, gold, or cash delivered to a courier.
• Do not provide account passwords, PINs, verification codes, or Social Security numbers after an unexpected contact.

The FTC advises consumers never to transfer money, cryptocurrency, or gold after an unsolicited call or message. Anyone directing you to move money for its protection is attempting a scam. Read more from the FTC’s imposter scam guide⁠.

2. Phishing Emails and Text-Message Scams

Phishing messages imitate banks, delivery companies, toll agencies, streaming services, employers, and government offices. Common messages claim that a package is delayed, a toll remains unpaid, an account will be closed, or suspicious activity requires immediate attention.

The included link may lead to a fake website designed to steal login credentials, banking information, or credit-card numbers. The FBI explains that these sites can closely resemble legitimate financial or commercial websites. Learn about phishing and spoofing from the FBI⁠.

How to avoid phishing scams

• Do not click links in unexpected emails or text messages.
• Open the company’s official app or type its website address directly into your browser.
• Inspect email addresses carefully for misspellings or unusual domains.
• Never share a login verification code with someone who contacts you.
• Delete messages that demand immediate payment or personal information.

3. Investment and Cryptocurrency Scams

Investment scammers promise guaranteed returns, exclusive opportunities, or profits with little or no risk. Some build relationships through social media or dating apps before recommending a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform.

A fake account dashboard may appear to show growing profits, but victims are later told to pay additional fees or taxes before withdrawing their money.

How to avoid investment scams

• Be skeptical of guaranteed or unusually high returns.
• Research the investment professional and company independently.
• Do not invest based solely on advice from someone you met online.
• Never send cryptocurrency to “unlock” earnings or protect an account.
• Avoid opportunities that pressure you to act before conducting research.

The FBI warns that no legitimate investment can guarantee a return. Review the FBI’s investment fraud guidance⁠.

4. Romance Scams

Romance scammers create fake profiles on dating apps and social media, quickly building trust and emotional connections. They frequently avoid meeting in person while claiming to work overseas, serve in the military, travel extensively, or face a personal emergency.

Eventually, the scammer requests money for travel, medical care, legal problems, business expenses, or an investment.

How to avoid romance scams

• Be cautious when an online relationship develops unusually quickly.
• Conduct a reverse-image search on profile photographs.
• Discuss the relationship with a trusted friend or family member.
• Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or banking information to someone you have not met.
• Stop communicating when someone repeatedly avoids video calls or in-person meetings.

The FBI’s romance scam guidance⁠ explains how criminals use fake identities and emotional manipulation to gain trust before asking for money.

5. Job and “Task” Scams

Job scammers pose as recruiters offering remote positions with high salaries, flexible schedules, and little experience required. They may conduct interviews through text messages, send fake checks for equipment, or require applicants to pay for training.

Task scams promise commissions for completing simple online activities. Victims may initially receive a small payment before being required to deposit larger amounts or purchase cryptocurrency.

How to avoid job scams

• Verify openings on the employer’s official careers page.
• Research the recruiter’s name, email address, and company.
• Be suspicious of interviews conducted entirely through messaging apps.
• Never pay for a job or send money to begin working.
• Do not deposit a check and forward part of the money to another person.
• Never use your personal bank account to transfer money for an employer.

6. Tech-Support Scams

A pop-up, phone call, or email may claim that your computer has a virus or your account has been hacked. The scammer may request remote access to your device, install unwanted software, or demand payment for unnecessary repairs.

How to avoid tech-support scams

• Do not call numbers displayed in unexpected security pop-ups.
• Never give remote access to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
• Contact the device manufacturer or software provider directly.
• Close the browser or restart the device if a suspicious pop-up will not disappear.
• Never pay for technical support with gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer.

The FTC’s tech-support scam guide⁠ notes that scammers prefer payment methods that are difficult to reverse.

7. Online Shopping, Marketplace and Rental Scams

Scammers advertise nonexistent products, pets, concert tickets, vehicles, apartments, and vacation rentals. Prices are often significantly lower than comparable listings, and the seller may demand a deposit before allowing an inspection.

How to avoid marketplace and rental scams

• Search the seller’s name, phone number, and listing photographs.
• Compare the price with similar listings.
• Inspect property or merchandise before paying whenever possible.
• Use the platform’s approved payment system and buyer protections.
• Avoid sellers demanding gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment outside the platform.
• Never pay a rental deposit before verifying the property and owner.

8. Family Emergency and Grandparent Scams

A caller may pretend to be a child, grandchild, lawyer, police officer, or hospital employee. Some scammers use artificial intelligence to imitate a loved one’s voice.

The caller claims there has been an accident, arrest, kidnapping, or medical emergency and insists that the situation remain secret.

How to avoid family emergency scams

• Hang up and call the family member directly.
• Contact another relative to verify the story.
• Create a private family verification word.
• Ask a question that a stranger could not answer from social media.
• Never send cash to a courier or pay through gift cards or cryptocurrency.

9. Prize, Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams

Scammers tell victims they have won money, a vacation, or another prize—but must first pay taxes, processing costs, or delivery fees.

How to avoid prize scams

• Remember that legitimate sweepstakes do not require payment to receive a prize.
• Do not provide banking or Social Security information.
• Be suspicious if you did not enter the contest.
• Never deposit a check and return a portion of the funds.
• Ignore demands for gift-card or cryptocurrency payments.

10. Payment-App and Gift-Card Scams

Payment apps are designed to send money quickly, which can make recovery difficult. Scammers may impersonate a bank employee, buyer, seller, friend, or relative and ask for an immediate transfer.

Gift cards are another major warning sign. No legitimate government agency or business will require gift cards as payment. The FTC’s gift-card scam guidance⁠ advises consumers never to share a gift-card number or PIN with an unexpected caller.

How to avoid payment scams

• Confirm payment requests directly with the person involved.
• Review the recipient’s name before sending money.
• Never return an alleged accidental payment by starting a new transaction.
• Do not share gift-card numbers, PINs, or photographs.
• Stop when someone dictates exactly how and where you must pay.

Major Scam Warning Signs

Stop communicating when someone:

• Creates a sudden emergency
• Pressures you to act immediately
• Demands secrecy
• Requests gift cards, cryptocurrency, gold, cash, or a wire transfer
• Promises guaranteed profits
• Asks for passwords, PINs, or verification codes
• Tells you to move money for its protection
• Refuses to let you independently verify the story

What to Do If You Have Been Scammed

Act quickly, but do not feel embarrassed. Scammers are trained to manipulate emotions and create believable situations.

1. Contact your bank, credit union, card issuer, payment app, or gift-card company immediately.
2. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, or disputed.
3. Change compromised passwords and enable multifactor authentication.
4. Save emails, text messages, receipts, usernames, phone numbers, and transaction records.
5. Report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission⁠.
6. Report internet-enabled fraud to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center⁠.
7. Use IdentityTheft.gov⁠ for a personalized recovery plan if personal information was stolen.
8. File a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Justice⁠ or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
9. Contact local law enforcement if money was stolen or you are being threatened.

Protect Your Accounts Before a Scam Happens

Use a unique password for every important account, turn on automatic software updates, and enable multifactor authentication for email, banking, social media, and payment accounts. CISA recommends MFA because it adds another identity check beyond a password and makes unauthorized access more difficult. Learn more from CISA⁠.

Most importantly, pause before responding. A few minutes spent verifying a message can prevent significant financial loss. If you need help in Raleigh contact BTDesigns.pro

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Lifehacker: Hundreds of Fake VPNs Are Flooding the Chrome Web Store. “Many of these extensions are free, some are paid, and some even pretend to be from trusted cybersecurity providers to lure users into handing over unrestricted access to their network and browser. This weekend, I dug through Socket’s report to find out exactly what was going on with these apps and how they managed to clear […]

Amex CreditSecure alerted me that somebody had opened a collections account with my details, reported to all three credit agencies. Called them, and they were able to see that the originator of the alleged $60 debt was Comcast: A company I have not had any dealings with since 2017 when I canceled my service and paid the final bill from them (and that was just $6).

Disputes filed with all three agencies now; will see what comes of it.

#creditmonitoring #identitytheft

So, when my wife got her passport, the post office conveniently lost her naturalization certificate. When she got a new one issued, the new one mysteriously disappeared in the mail too, even though it was sent certified mail. It seems like there's some organized thing going on in the #Bronx where people are stealing naturalization certificates being sent through #USPS.

#USCIS #theft #identitytheft

Hollywood Reporter: Inside the Fake Celebrity Podcast Scam Fooling Hollywood. “[Seth] Rudetsky had stumbled into an increasingly sophisticated scam in which fraudsters impersonate famous podcasters and their representatives, using flattering, highly personalized invitations — most likely composed by AI — to lure prospective guests into handing over money, login credentials or control of […]

AI is increasingly calling the punches, accelerating the assault while defenders scramble between rounds.

The bell doesn't save you here. Audit your breach response and notification pipelines now, because the volume alone will bury anyone still running manual triage.

Reward: You've received the Participation Ribbon of Inevitable Compromise. Frame it. You earned it.

#DataBreach #CyberSecurity #InfoSec #AI #IdentityTheft #AchievementUnlocked (2/2)

@paul @mcnado This is great to know. Thanks for posting. The #phishing #scams are getting more and more convincing, backed up by real/AI people on the phone who know exactly how to manipulate their victims. I know because I was a victim about a year ago. #Identitytheft is a major PITA, and possibly devastating. I was lucky — the baddies were caught in the act of trying to siphon my accounts. Let be me clear about one thing:

TRUST YOUR INSTINCT!

Often, our subconscious recognizes risks and we don’t pay attention to the signals. If just one of you avoids a phishing attack because of this post it will bring us all some peace.

NiemanLab: Japanese publishers are fighting imposter news sites with a cryptographic signature. “[Originator Profile] isn’t meant to judge whether all of the content on a website is true. It doesn’t authenticate specific photographs or video clips. Instead, it authenticates the site itself — for example, confirming that a news article is genuinely coming from the news organization it […]

This is absolutely wild..what the hell.
[The Wall Street Journal-Gifted article]: Video Investigation, Inside North Korea’s Operation to Conquer the American Job Market

Watch how Pyongyang’s scheme to generate $800 million a year works By Emma Scott, Sam Kessler and Robert McMillan, Aug. 12, 2026

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/inside-north-koreas-operation-to-conquer-the-american-job-market-93729962?st=ReGmtB

#northkorea #identitytheft

[The Wall Street Journal]: Infiltrated: North Korea's Secret U.S. Workforce

https://www.wsj.com/video/infiltrated-north-korea-secret-us-workforce/A221B1E7-3D49-404A-9132-9C3907CBE661?st=LVWbAr&reflink=article_copyURL_share

#northkorea #identitytheft

🪪 IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION GUIDE — What if someone became YOU?

Your identity is more than just your name. 🔐 Your email, phone number, passwords, financial information and personal data can all become pieces of a puzzle that criminals use to impersonate you.

⚠️ Identity theft can lead to stolen accounts, fraudulent purchases, financial loss and months of recovery. The best defense is prevention: protect your personal information, secure your accounts, recognize the warning signs and act quickly when something feels wrong. 🛡️

This guide shows you the practical steps you can take to make your digital identity much harder to steal. 💻🔒

📌 Protect your data. Secure your accounts. Stay one step ahead.

💬 If you made it to the end, comment “PROTECTED” below. 🔐

#CyberSecurity #IdentityTheft #OnlineSafety #Privacy #CyberAwareness

Free download codes:

Ultimate Rick Jones - Bon Voyage (featuring John Serrano)

"The Twilight Zone Single-White-Females The Love Boat"

https://getmusic.fm/l/DkPdNY

#acoustic #blues #unitedstates #standard #baritonesaxophone #identitytheft #saxophones #vocaljazz #music

A credit bureau notification sent to one individual earlier this spring led to the discovery of an elaborate identity theft scheme that likely was linked to a previously reported mail theft in Alameda. APD Officers found mail, bank cards, personal documents, narcotics, paraphernalia, and firearms. https://alamedapost.com/news/identity-theft-scheme-one-report-uncovers-more-than-900-victims/

#alameda #AlamedaPolice #apd #IdentityTheft

Associated Press: FBI teams with the NCAA to help athletes avoid sexual exploitation. “The FBI is teaming with the NCAA to start a program to combat sexual exploitation of college athletes whose private images are increasingly found and targeted online in an era when they use their name, image and likeness to enhance their own marketability.”

Jezebel: Infiltrating the Jennifer Aniston Twitter Bot Squad. “In case you slept through the last decade, the website formerly known as Twitter has devolved into something of a patient zero for dead internet theory. In other words, it’s pretty much just bots, with a side of Poo Crave and Elon Musk. An article published in The New Yorker last week cited a study estimating that, in a sample of […]

Source New Mexico: New Mexico environment department updates public comment portal following fraud reports . “The New Mexico Environment Department on Friday announced a change to its public comment portal, following reports of fraudulent submissions in support of a controversial data center’s air quality permits. Source New Mexico reported in June that residents from three New Mexico cities […]

Doc Pop: Bandcamp Has A Spam Problem. “Spammers are registering unclaimed Bandcamp usernames for artists like The Murder City Devils, Shudder to Think, and DJ Spooky. The spammers then claim that band’s URL (ie ‘DJSpooky.Bandcamp.com’) and use it to drive traffic to scam sites like ‘booop.lol/2e29’, which then asks the user for a credit card in order to download the album.”

3 Identity Theft Protections Most People NEVER Set Up

https://apertatube.net/w/7TkA7TGbtg3h9V2u9HWW92

Microsoft has patched this. Researcher Shay Shavit will be demonstrating the full horror at Black Hat USA. Review your Azure Automation account identity exposure and apply Microsoft's security updates immediately.

Reward: You've received the Binding Arbitration Bracer — it does nothing, but you clicked Accept, so here we are.

#AzureSecurity #CloudSecurity #CyberSecurity #IdentityTheft #Microsoft #AchievementUnlocked (3/3)

Palestinian Arrested In Quezon City For Stealing Money Bag

For some time now, I have been monitoring the criminal acts committed by people who are present in different countries as foreigners. Here in the Philippines, a Palestinian man was arrested in Quezon City for stealing a bag containing a lot of cash from the café of a hotel, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.

As it turns out, the Palestinian already has a history of committing other forms of crime. Could it be possible that, apart from violence and terrorism, theft and an obsession of committing crime are parts of the Palestinian nature?

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

A 36-year-old Palestinian man was arrested after allegedly taking a money bag containing P5,020 and an empty cash box from a hotel café on Timog Avenue in Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City, at around 11:06 p.m. on Thursday, July 23.

The suspect, identified as “Ham,” was intercepted by hotel security personnel at the establishment’s exit after the incident was detected through the hotel’s CCTV monitoring system.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect entered the café and allegedly took the money bag and empty cash box without the knowledge or consent of the 24-year-old male cashier.

Recovered from the suspect were P5,020 in various peso bills and coins, the cash bag, the empty cash box, and a backpack.

Personnel of Kamuning Police Station (PS 10) later responded and took custody of the suspect from the hotel security personnel.

Further verification showed that the suspect had previous criminal records for estafa, unjust vexation, resistance and disobedience to a person in authority, use of a fictitious name, and concealing his true name in October 2025, as well as theft in May 2026.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there a lot of Palestinians living in your local community right now? Are you aware of the fact that a lot of Palestinians follow Islamic terrorists as their leaders? How many Palestinians do you think are present all over the Philippines today? Did you notice an increase of the number of foreign Islamists in your local community over the past twelve months? Do you think the national government is secretly allowing Palestinians to enter the Philippines as high-priority refugees with immigration in mind?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

How a Stranger Used One Text Message to Steal My Entire Digital Life

https://time.com/article/2026/07/07/how-a-stranger-used-one-text-message-to-steal-my-entire-digital-life/

#IdentityTheft #privacy #cybersecurity

Hawaii News Now: Experts praise Hawaii’s new laws on abusive use of generative AI. “If a generative artificial intelligence deepfake damages your reputation and is one created without your permission, you can now take civil action against the person who made it. That’s in one of the new laws signed by Gov. Josh Green this week. It prohibits harmful uses of deepfake images or videos and […]

First-Person Identity Theft Story

Harrowing story of an identity theft victim.
Yes, the person made a mistake—they gave the scammer a two-factor authentication co... https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2026/07/first-person-identity-theft-story.html

#two-factorauthentication #socialengineering #Uncategorized #identitytheft