Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

The Age of AI-Powered Scams | The 443 Podcast

This week on the podcast, Marc Laliberte and Corey Nachreiner dive into a research white paper that explores how attackers could use AI to execute a full-scale money or credential theft scam from start to finish. Before that, they discuss Sophos's five-year battle with Chinese hackers targeting network devices, followed by a conversation about Microsoft’s ongoing fight against password spray attacks through compromised network devices.

Winter Fuel Payment Scam Targets UK Citizens Via SMS

Scammers have leapt at the opportunity to exploit vulnerable UK residents by sending bogus messages telling them they need to take action to receive help with their winter heating bills. In July, the UK's new Labour Government announced that it was limiting who was eligible for assistance with their winter fuel bills by making eligibility means-tested.

Google Voice Scams: What They Are and How to Stay Safe

Google Voice scams continue to pose a risk for users of this service. Scammers continuously attempt to lure users into divulging their verification PIN code. By stealing other people's Google Voice accounts, hackers and scammers impersonate their victims by luring others into fraudulent transactions. Scammers make millions per year using other people's Google Voice accounts. How should users protect their identification and PIN codes for bank accounts, travel sites, and Google Voice accounts?

Six Ways To Spot Amazon Scam Emails

You can spot Amazon scam emails if you realize the sender’s email address is not from the official Amazon domain, the message contains a generic greeting and your email service provider warns you that the message may be dangerous. According to data collected by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 34,000 reports were made in 2023 about scammers impersonating Amazon, resulting in approximately $19 million in losses.

Attackers Abuse DocuSign to Send Phony Invoices

Threat actors are abusing DocuSign’s API to send phony invoices that appear “strikingly authentic,” according to researchers at Wallarm. “Unlike traditional phishing scams that rely on deceptively crafted emails and malicious links, these incidents use genuine DocuSign accounts and templates to impersonate reputable companies, catching users and security tools off guard,” Wallarm says.

Phishing Campaign Impersonates OpenAI To Collect Financial Data

Cybercriminals are impersonating OpenAI in a widespread phishing campaign designed to trick users into handing over financial information. The emails inform users that a payment for their ChatGPT subscription was declined, inviting them to click a link in order to update their payment method. The phishing emails appear fairly convincing, but trained users could spot some red flags. The most obvious giveaway is that the emails were sent from “info@mtacom,” which is clearly unrelated to OpenAI.

How Ad Fraud Detection is Saving Money for Customers and Online Retailers

If you’ve ever run an online ad campaign, be it through an advertising agency or in-house, there’s a very high chance that you, too, have fallen victim to undetected ad fraud. It’s not pleasant to hear, but your ad dollars often find their way into the pockets of cyber crooks. The costs of ad fraud are astronomical and continue to grow year after year. In Q1 of 2024, ad networks experienced an 18% click fraud rate across desktop web (26%), mobile web (15%), and mobile in-app (10%).

Real Estate Fraud is Running Rampant in the US

Real Estate Fraud is Running Rampant in the US Real estate is an area ripe for fraud and scams: transactions usually involve large sums of money, convoluted paperwork, and messaging back and forth. Criminals can use a wide variety of methods to intercept legitimate communications or launch their own scams in order to deceive their targets.

3 ways to fight chargeback fraud with IDV

Chargeback fraud is a growing problem for e-commerce companies, but there are practical ways to mitigate it. Shana is a product marketing manager focused on the Persona platform and marketplaces. You can usually find her running around San Francisco with a coffee in hand. Shana is a product marketing manager focused on the Persona platform and marketplaces. You can usually find her running around San Francisco with a coffee in hand.

What To Do if You Are a Victim of Fraud

If you are a victim of fraud, you should immediately protect your online accounts with strong passwords, collect evidence of the fraud, report it and freeze your credit. Fraud can occur in many ways, but cybercriminals who commit fraud intend to deceive you to steal money or other valuable information to potentially steal your identity. Think of fraud as an umbrella term for any deceptive act and identity theft as targeting your personal information to impersonate you and commit fraud in your name.