Scams news stories - Page 4

Ransomware
Stairway to hell: Scams, ransomware, and $6.5m gone from Kiwis' pockets
In just a three month period this year, New Zealanders reported more than 1000 cybersecurity incidents and financial losses of $6.5 million to CERT NZ.

Scams
Aged between 35-44? You're a prime target for scammers
It’s a common thought that the elderly are most likely to get scammed, but BNZ says it’s also busy parents who are finding themselves on the receiving end too.

Phishing
Too quick to click: New Zealanders falling for phishing emails
New insights from CCL reveal that a significant amount of New Zealanders are still falling for phishing email scams, due in part to impulsive email behaviour.

Westpac
Small businesses unprepared for the latest wave of scams - Westpac
A report found small businesses are paying a hefty price to scammers; on average losing $38,845 and recovering much less than half.

Scams
BNZ encourages Kiwis to get scam savvy
New Zealanders are being caught out more than ever before – but at the same time there’s a serious effort going on to raise awareness about the issue.

Inland Revenue
IRD warning customers of new email scam over tax refunds
“We’ve received more than 900 reports over the weekend. It looks like the real thing but has some tell-tale mistakes that people can use to tell it’s a scam."

Cybersecurity
FaceApp: Pro version scams, privacy concerns
Along with the viral potential of its popular filters, FaceApp has of late, generated a huge wave of media attention amid concerns about online privacy.

Google
Scam warning: Fake Google reviews and business listings targeting the vulnerable
"Essentially people are doing this because people are easy to scam when they are anxious, desperate or in trouble."

Cybersecurity
CERT NZ report: Unauthorised account access a growing problem
New Zealanders reported direct financial losses of $1.7 million. While that is still a substantial loss, the figure is a 71% drop from the previous quarter.

Scams
Spark protects seniors from scammers with new home phone
Nuisance-call blocking landline gives peace of mind around scam calls and new postpaid mobile plans designed specifically for over-65s.

Scams
NBN scams conning Australians out of $110,000 every month
People aged over 65 are particularly vulnerable, making the most reports and losing more than $330,000 this year. That’s more than 60% of the current losses.

Artificial Intelligence
IRD shuts down fraudulent direct debit scam
“We’re working with the police and banks to investigate further and anyone who has been left out of pocket will be reimbursed."

Cloud
Scams rampant on dating websites and apps
Romance scams are popular because they prey on vulnerable people looking for love, and the victims want to believe what they are reading and seeing, which causes them to forget basic protection from scams."

Cryptocurrency
Fake apps on Google Play scamming users out of cryptocurrency
Fake cryptocurrency apps on Google Play have been discovered to be phishing and scamming users out of cryptocurrency, according to a new report from ESET.

Cybersecurity
Scammers targeting more countries in sextortion scam - ESET
The attacker in the email claims they have hacked the intended victim's device, and have recorded the person while watching pornographic content.

Cybersecurity
$33 million lost to scams & fraud: Netsafe says NZ isn't doing enough to stop it
" This is an issue that isn’t going away. More needs to be done or we will continue to see large numbers of New Zealanders suffering financial and psychological harm,” says Netsafe CEO Martin Cocker.

Telecommunications
CFFC lobbies NZ telcos to offer scam call blocker for free
Of the 30% of calls that were classified as nuisance or scam calls, trueCall stopped 98% of them.

Cryptocurrency
Death by cryptocurrency: Could $190m be lost forever?
Exit scam, or just plain bad luck? Investors in one of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges will be pondering that very question.

Cryptocurrency
New report uncovers US$1.7b cryptocurrency cybercrime market
There was a staggering rise in criminal activity within the cryptocurrency market last year, despite the decline in the market.

Cybercrime
5 tips for protection against surging number of scam apps
We all love them and our lives are effectively run by them, but research has revealed apps are increasingly growing deceitful with ulterior motives.

Phishing
IRD warns against phishing as personal tax changes kick in
In the last month, two e-mail scams surfaced asking taxpayers to fill in a form to receive a refund owed to them.

Phishing
Dialling up deception: ‘Vishing’ scams prey on human trust
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) recently warned of a sophisticated phone scam, manipulating Australians for a reported $830,000 in November.

Malware
CERT NZ highlights rise of unauthorised access incidents
“In one case, the attacker gained access and tracked the business’s emails for at least six months. They gathered extensive knowledge of the business’s billing cycles."

Cloud
Microsoft comments on recent tech support scam crackdowns
Despite the crackdowns, Microsoft warns that these scams persist and target everyone, no matter their age or location.