Text Scams – New FCC Order Could Substantially Reduce Them

Author:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Text Scams – The United States Federal Communications Commission Is Going After Them

On November 22, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted its Second Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which outlines new measures to combat illegal text messages (text scams and illegal marketing texts.)

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Synthetic Pornography – A Growing Danger To The World

A SCARS Editorial

Author:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Photo Credit: Mark Pohlmann

Synthetic Pornography Is Revolutionizing What People Of Particular Tastes Can Have Now, All Through Generative AI

Synthetic porn, also known as deepfake porn, is a type of manipulated media that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create non-consensual pornography. It typically involves superimposing the face of a non-consenting person onto the body of someone else in a pornographic video, but it can be completely synthetic and generated by AI from nothing but a text description of what is desired.

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Binance & CEO Pleads Guilty Will Pay $4B For Cryptocurrency Money Laundering

Authors:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
•  United States Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice

Binance and CEO Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in $4B Resolution In Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Case

Binance Admits It Engaged in Anti-Money Laundering, Unlicensed Money Transmitting, and Sanctions Violations in Largest Corporate Resolution to Include Criminal Charges for an Executive

SCARS Analysis

Binance’s guilty plea in the $4B money laundering case is a significant development with far-reaching implications for the cryptocurrency industry and broader financial regulations. It demonstrates that governments are serious about holding cryptocurrency companies accountable for their role in preventing financial crimes, and it sets a precedent for future enforcement actions.

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Crypto Seizure Breaking News: Major Romance & Pig Butchering Scam Organization Disrupted

Author:
•  U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Justice

Cyber Scam Organization Disrupted Through Seizure Of Nearly $9M In Crypto

Government Seizes Crypto For The Victims

The Justice Department announced today the seizure of nearly $9 million worth of Tether, a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. These seized funds were traced to cryptocurrency addresses [wallets] allegedly associated with an organization that exploited over 70 victims through romance scams and cryptocurrency confidence scams, which are widely known as “pig butchering.”

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IoT Toys/Internet Connected Toys – An Ever Growing Danger For Children

Author:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

The Unseen Dangers of IoT Toys: Navigating the Digital Playground with Caution

In today’s technology-driven world, the allure of Internet of Things (IoT) devices extends far beyond smartphones and smart homes. Even our children’s toys have become interconnected, often equipped with cameras, microphones, and location-tracking capabilities. While these features may seem appealing, they also introduce a realm of potential dangers that parents and guardians must carefully consider.

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Euro Phishing Gang Shut Down By Europol & Partners

Author:
•  EUROPOL

Europol And Eurojust Support Czech And Ukrainian Police In Taking Down Multi-Million Euro Voice Phishing Gang

The Czech and Ukrainian police have disrupted, with the support of Europol and Eurojust, a prolific phishing gang believed to have defrauded victims across Europe of tens of millions of euros. In Czechia alone, the damage caused by this criminal group is estimated at over EUR 8 million (CZK 195 000 000).

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Psychological Triggers/Emotional Triggers – What They Are And How They Work

SCARS Recovery Psychology

Author:
•  Vianey Gonzalez – Psychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
•  Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

What Are Psychological Triggers or Emotional Triggers?

Why Do They Have So Much Control Over Our Emotions And Mind?

A psychological trigger is a stimulus that elicits or provokes a strong emotional or psychological response.

Psychological triggers can be anything from a sound or smell to a person or place, or something you read, or even a memory. They are usually associated with past traumatic or stressful experiences.

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China Arrests 706 Chinese Scammers Involved In Phone & Internet Scams From Myanmar

Author:
•  SCARS Editorial Team – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Chinese Coordinated Efforts Across Various Fronts Have Resulted In A Significant Decrease In Reported Cases of Chinese Scammers In Northern Myanmar*

*Reported cases is not necessarily a reduction in actual numbers of Chinese Scammers operating in Myanmar and elsewhere in Southeast Asia

According to Vice-Minister of Public Security Wang Zhizhong, reported cases of telecom and online fraud have dropped by 24 percent since August, demonstrating progress in the government’s crackdown. Wang made this announcement during a press conference in Beijing, where he shared that from January to the end of September, public security agencies apprehended 387 major leaders and key members of Chinese Scammers involved in phone & internet fruad groups.

Facing a challenging landscape, the Ministry of Public Security has worked closely with law enforcement agencies across the country to gain a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and patterns of Chinese Scammers involved in phone & internet fruad. Specialized teams were created to investigate and address Chinese Scammers involved in phone & internet fruad-related issues, fostering collaboration both within the country and beyond. Wang emphasized the strengthening of multiple measures for the prevention and suppression of such crimes.

The ministry has also engaged in international cooperation by collaborating closely with foreign law enforcement agencies. As part of this effort, Chinese authorities received 4,666 suspects involved in telecom & Internet fraud originating Read More …

Chinese Arrest 417 Phone Scammers In The Philippines

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Chinese & Philippines Police Arrest 417 Phone Scammers In The Philippines – Shipping 36 Back To China

Part of a Phone Scam Shut Down Campaign that Arrested more than 31,000 criminals

The Chinese Public Security Ministry escorted of 36 suspects who committed cross-border telecommunication network fraud from the Philippines to China, 417 suspects of telecommunication network fraud arrested by the Chinese police and the Philippine police through police law enforcement cooperation have been handed over to our side, including 7 online fugitives.

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Criminality – What Is Its Essence?

Author:
• Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Understanding the Essence of Criminality is Very Difficult For Victims!

The essence of criminality involves engaging in actions or behaviors that are prohibited by law and deemed harmful to individuals, communities, or society as a whole.

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Europol Takes A Major Step Forward

By Europol

Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies – Shaping An International Response

A Europol co-organized hybrid international conference on the Criminal Misuse Of Cryptocurrencies attended by 1,300 participants has concluded that tackling the criminal use of cryptocurrencies is a race against time. Law enforcement agencies that collaborate in joint task teams and proactively collaborate with the private sector are getting ahead of the criminals. In contrast, countries that do not take the risks seriously are in danger of becoming a haven for crypto-enabled scams, money laundering, and terrorist financing.

Co-organized by Europol and the Basel Institute on Governance, the 7th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies was hosted at Europol’s headquarters.

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Scammers Are The New Boogeymen!

Author:
Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Scammers, Fraudsters, And Con Artists Have Gained A Formidable Reputation As The New-Age Boogeymen, Lurking In The Digital Shadows, Waiting To Pounce On Unsuspecting Victims.

While there’s no denying the existence of scams and their devastating consequences, it’s essential to differentiate between the real threat and irrational fear.

Let’s explore the rise of scammers as the new boogeymen and the implications of this growing fear on society’s ability to effectively combat scams, focusing on online relationship scams, pig butchering investment scams, phone scams, and more.

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Ragnar Locker Ransomware Gang Taken Down

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., portions by EUROPOL

Ragnar Locker Ransomware Gang Taken Down By Major International Police Operation Against Cybercriminals

Law enforcement and judicial authorities from eleven countries delivered a major blow to one of the most dangerous ransomware operations of recent years.

What is Ragnar Locker Ransomware

Ragnar Locker Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands a ransom payment in order to decrypt them. The ransomware is typically spread through phishing emails or malicious websites. Once a victim’s computer is infected, Ragnar Locker will encrypt all of their files, making them inaccessible. The ransomware will then display a ransom note demanding payment in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency.

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China Cracks Down On Scammers Part 3 – Chinese & Myanmar Police Arrests 1207 Scammers In Myanmar

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

China Public Security Strengthen Cooperation In Police Law Enforcement Along The Southwest Border With Myanmar (Burma) – This Time Capture 1207 Suspects

Police in China and Myanmar detain an additional 1207 in a cyber scam crackdown in a joint operation that brings down 11 criminal call center bases in northern Myanmar in one of the biggest stings of cybercrime gangs in this Southeast Asian country. It is the latest in Beijing’s efforts to root out fraudsters who frequently target Chinese nationals

According to The Jamestown Foundation

On September 6, the United Wa State Party, the political arm of one of the most powerful ethnic resistance armies in Myanmar, handed over to China 1,207 Chinese online scammers for extradition back to China (Eleven Media Group, September 9; Global Times, September 9).

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China Cracks Down On Scammers Part 2 – Chinese & Myanmar Police Arrests 269 Scammers In Myanmar

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

China Public Security Strengthen Cooperation In Police Law Enforcement Along The Southwest Border With Myanmar (Burma)

Police in China and Myanmar detain 269 in cyber scam crackdown in a joint operation that brings down 11 criminal call center bases in northern Myanmar in one of the biggest stings of cybercrime gangs in this Southeast Asian country. It is the latest in Beijing’s efforts to root out fraudsters who frequently target Chinese nationals

According to the China Ministry of Public Security – Translated from Chinese

China severely cracked down on telecommunications network fraud crimes involving China in northern Myanmar in accordance with the law, and major results have been achieved. They successfully destroyed 11 telecommunications network fraud centers and arrested 269 criminal suspects.

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A Beginner’s Guide to the Dark Web for Investigators

By Oxana Korzun, CFE, Fraud Expert / Investigations and Risk Management – San Francisco, California

A Short Instruction On How To Find Information On The Dark Web For OSINT Purposes

Many times, an investigation would lead me to the Dark Web. Sometimes it’s to dive into forums and gather intelligence, and other times it would be to check illegal goods markets selling counterfeit products of my clients.

Every time I mention that I use the Dark Web, people imagine a really scary place with criminals selling their goods right and left and that people can suffer dire consequences even for trying to open websites there.

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Federal Trade Commission Partners with Latin American Countries to Combat Fraud

By SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc., and the Federal Trade Commission

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission Enters Into A Multilateral Agreement Enhances Consumer Protection Cooperation With Chile, Colombia, Mexico, And Peru

The Federal Trade Commission signed a cooperation agreement with the consumer protection authorities of the four Latin American countries —Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru – to combat fraud both inside and outside the United States.

The Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMOU) promotes cooperation across Latin America, including information-sharing to further investigations and policy development, as well as other types of assistance on cross-border enforcement matters.

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