Entries by Robert Siciliano

AI Spoofed Sites Lead to $50 Million Investment Scams

A long-running and large-scale internet-based fraud scheme netted around $50 million from dozens of investors over an eight-year period. The perpetrators created 150 fake sites that targeted investors. These sites would tell the investors that they had multiple investment opportunities that they should take. According to the court documents, these websites would have higher than normal rates…

AI Sextortion: The Crime Affecting Every Business and Everyone in SO MANY Ways

Sextortion is EVERYONES PROBLEM. This isn’t just a children and teens thing, it’s adults too. The FBI says year over year this crime is increasing. And it’s affecting families, their livelihoods, and their businesses. Make no mistake, Sextortion affects you, our government, your organization, its security, your employees, their productivity, whether or not they may…

How and Why “Fun” AI Generated Spam On Social Media Will Manipulate the 2024 Election

The primary intention behind artificial intelligence (AI) generated spam on social media appears to be financial gain through deceptive means. Facebook algorithms are suggesting users to visit, view and like pages that are 100% artificially intelligent generated photos of people, places, and things that are simply not real. The content includes too good to be…

Be aware of Artificial Intelligence Voice Cloning

The proliferation of AI technologies like voice cloning and caller ID spoofing has opened up new avenues for fraudsters to exploit. By mimicking voices and masking their true caller identities, scammers can launch highly convincing social engineering attacks over the phone. This potent combination poses serious risks to individuals and organizations alike. However, we aren’t…

Surf Safely: Armoring Your Digital Life on Public Wi-Fi Waves

Protecting one’s data and devices on public Wi-Fi goes beyond protecting oneself on just the Wi-Fi aspect. Cyber security is holistic in its nature, meaning the devices hardware, software, and various forms of access control all need consideration. I hear all the time that criminal hackers are so “sophisticated”. I suppose they are, but what…

12 of the Nastiest Tax Scams and How to Prevent Them

Lets agree on this: Most of what’s written below will NEVER happen to you. Why? Because you are a subscriber to this newsletter and your propensity to consume security related content keeps you current on fraud prevention tactics. So, this means you have a responsibility as a security conscious citizen to spread the prevention message…

TOP 10 Vital Strategies for Healthcare (or ANY) Organizations to Prevent Ransomware Attacks

Change Healthcare, a major U.S. healthcare company, reportedly paid $22 million to the BlackCat ransomware group after a cyberattack disrupted services nationwide. However, the cybercriminal who facilitated the attack claims they were cheated out of their share of the ransom, leaving sensitive data intact. According to researchers, a hacker forum post suggested that UnitedHealth Group…

The Top 10 Tax Scams of 2024

1. Phishing Scams: Cybercriminals send fake emails or create fake websites pretending to be from the IRS or tax preparation companies. They often request personal information, such as Social Security numbers or financial details, which they then use for identity theft or fraudulent tax filings. 2. Identity Theft: This scam involves stealing someone’s personal information,…