Top Stories
Brooklyn: Cybersecurity expert pleads guilty to ransomware scheme where he claimed he could fight ransomware without paying; actually did pay ransom secretly in many cases, but got paid far more; charged clients $19 million; paid $8 million in ransom
North Carolina: Dual US/Ukrainian man pleads guilty to running a massive fraud money laundering operation; had 15,000 money mules in network; at least $10 million stolen from hacked US bank accounts
DOJ announces results of major international effort to fight frauds concentrating on Nigeria and Ghana last week; dozens arrested; 3.7 accounts removed; over 100 victims trapped working in scam call centers rescued
Nonexistent Pets. People looking for a puppy or kitten often begin their search online. But crooks steal cute photos and advertise them for sale online, often for less than real puppies sell for. Those who agree find that there are additional costs at each stage, claiming they need to pay for special crates, shots, airport fees etcetera. But the pets don’t exist and never arrive. See my original study on this here.
Tips: Do a reverse image search of pet. And get the seller to connect on zoom with a copy of today’s version of the local newspaper. Petscams.com is a not for profit that is a great place to research and report these frauds.
Full report here
