Partly Cloudy 36°
Tag:

Cybercrime

News
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know
Warning Issued For Nationwide Automated 'Sextortion' Scam: Here's What To Know Authorities are warning the public of a nationwide automated scam in which scammers use people’s email addresses to coerce payments by intimidating them with threats of embarrassment. Victims of the "sextortion" scheme, usually children and teens, are manipulated to photograph or video material for extortionists. "After receiving the sexually explicit content from the child, the offender threatens to release that compromising material unless the victim produces additional explicit material," said the FBI in issuing the warning to parents, educators, caregivers, and children. In a sepa…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Destructive USB Flash Drives Are Being Mailed By Cybercriminals, FBI Warns Destructive USB Flash Drives Are Being Mailed By Cybercriminals, FBI Warns
Destructive USB Flash Drives Are Being Mailed By Cybercriminals, FBI Warns The FBI is warning that USB thumb drives are being mailed by cybercriminals in an attempt to lure recipients into plugging them into their computers and installing ransomware. Two different schemes are being used, says the FBI: The first contains a package that appears to come from the US Department of Health and Human Services that reportedly contains information on current pandemic guidelines.  The second comes as an Amazon gift box which contains a thank you letter, USB, and counterfeit gift card. Both packages contain USBs that when connected to a computer will send prec…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Don't Fall For Them: FBI Issues Alert For Online Shopping Scams Don't Fall For Them: FBI Issues Alert For Online Shopping Scams
Don't Fall For Them: FBI Issues Alert For Online Shopping Scams The FBI is warning the public of cybercriminals targeting shoppers hoping to take advantage of online bargains and hard-to-find gift items for the holidays. During the 2020 holiday shopping season, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 17,000 complaints regarding the non-delivery of goods, resulting in losses of over $53 million, the agency said.  It is anticipated this number could increase during the 2021 holiday season due to rumors of merchandise shortages and the ongoing pandemic. That's why criminals are busy finding ways to entice their victims in multiple …

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
CT Woman Creates Fake Facebook Account To Harass Victim With Protective Order, Police Say CT Woman Creates Fake Facebook Account To Harass Victim With Protective Order, Police Say
CT Woman Creates Fake Facebook Account To Harass Victim With Protective Order, Police Say A Connecticut woman known for harassing her targeted victim repeatedly is being accused of going above and beyond to get to her once more, police said. Hartford County resident Stacia Lanway, age 61, of South Windsor, has been accused of creating a phony Facebook account in an effort to harass her alleged victim, who has been targeted repeatedly in the past, according to officials. Police said that an investigation was launched in December 2020 before Lanway turned herself in on Wednesday, Sept. 29 for allegedly using a fake account in her victim’s name, which she used to make harassing pos…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Juvenile Used Racial Slurs After Remotely Breaking Into HS Class In Fairfield County Juvenile Used Racial Slurs After Remotely Breaking Into HS Class In Fairfield County
Juvenile Used Racial Slurs After Remotely Breaking Into HS Class In Fairfield County A juvenile is facing several charges after remotely breaking into the online classroom of a high school in the region, and then using racial slurs, according to police. The incident happened in Connecticut in the fall of 2020. Late on Friday, May 28, in Fairfield County, members of the Newtown Police Department charged the local youth for cybercrimes. The arrest was made at the conclusion of a six-month-long police investigation, of unknown persons accessing Google classrooms at Newtown High School and using racial epithets, in an abusive and disruptive manner. School Resource Officer W…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam
Police Issue Alert To Area Residents For Screen-Sharing Scam Police are warning of a new scam involving instances of fraud stemming from screen-sharing software that gives scammers access to personal computers and smartphones. The scams that involve remote access software being used to target devices, one of which was recently used on an area resident. Police said that a fraudster posing as a customer care executive from Amazon advised the victim that a “fraud alert” has been placed on their account. The victim acknowledged that they had an Amazon account but did not have the Amazon app on their phone. The fraudster took this opportunity to direct…

SHARE

by Zak Failla