Category Archives: Internet + Cybersecurity Articles + News!

Here is where you will find all our articles and news on the Internet and cybersecurity!

This includes our fact-checking of articles and social media posts on the Internet.

Be sure to keep updated on the latest on the Internet and cybersecurity by bookmarking this section!

Bursa Malaysia Stock Investment Scam Alert!

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Warning – both Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift and Bursa Malaysia are NOT giving out free stock investment advice or books!

Find out what’s going on, and warn your family and friends!

 

Bursa Malaysia Stock Investment Scam Alert!

Scammers are running Facebook advertisements that claim that Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift and/or Bursa Malaysia are giving free investment advice, or free books on stock investing!

Hi everyone, I am Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift
The Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia Bhd.
Since 2023, the Malaysian stock market has been relatively sluggish🤕🤕🤕
This may be because many stock market investors do not understand stock market trading
I have been blindly following the investment, resulting in a lot of losses
I have also received many letters from investors recently:
Ask if I have improved my trading skills?
Here I recommend a few stock books to everyone!
This can effectively improve your trading skills 💖💖💖
I also prepared 2,000 stock books for everyone📖📖📖
Free gift to Malaysian stock market investors, yes, it’s free!
Please add my assistant’s wapp, she will mail you books for free👇👇👇

I am Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift
The Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia Bhd.
In the past 3 months, I have received many letters from stock market investors
They mainly explained the following issues:
1. Want to learn stock market investment, but don’t know where to start? Including opening an account and understanding stock market information, etc.!
2. Veteran investors have certain technical experience, but cannot grasp real-time information, and often miss the best buying or selling points?
3. For retail investors, if you can’t find a team to keep warm, you will never get the first wave of stock market dividends!
4. Novice stockholders want to sign up to learn stock diagnosis techniques. There are so many analysts in Malaysia. I don’t know what to choose?
5. Many stockholders are locked up after entering the market. Do you know how to get out?
6. The global epidemic is over and the economy is recovering. How will the stock market go in the second half of this year?
The above questions are the feedback from our Malaysian stock market investors.
I will create a Malaysian stock market investor exchange group
Answer questions about the stock market online for free in the next 3 days
If you also encounter the above problems, please join my classroom study 👇👇👇

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Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

 

Bursa Malaysia Investment Scam : What You Need To Know!

These Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift and/or Bursa Malaysia free book / investment group scams are being promoted heavily on Facebook in 2023, so please alert your family and friends!

Fact #1 : Bursa Malaysia Reported These Ads As Fake

Bursa Malaysia is aware of these fake advertisements on Facebook, posting this scam alert on May 17, 2023:

[SCAM ALERT] Don’t be fooled by Facebook ads or pages that offer stock advice. Scammers are known to impersonate Bursa Malaysia representatives to lure you into their fake investment schemes. If you have come across ads or pages like this, be sure to report it to Bursa2U along with a screenshot and source link at bursa2u@bursamalaysia.com or call Bursa Malaysia’s Help Centre at +603-2732 0067. Remember to check the Securities Commission Investor Alert List at http://sc.com.my/investor-alert before investing. Contact the National Scam Response Centre hotline 997 if you have been a victim of scam.

[AMARAN SCAM] Jangan terpedaya dengan iklan atau halaman Facebook yang menawarkan nasihat saham. “Scammer” seringkali menyamar sebagai wakil Bursa Malaysia untuk memujuk anda ke dalam skim pelaburan palsu mereka. Jika anda menjumpai iklan atau halaman seperti ini, pastikan anda melaporkannya kepada Bursa2U berserta tangkapan skrin dan sumber pautan ke bursa2u@bursamalaysia.com atau hubungi Pusat Khidmat Bursa Malaysia di talian +603-2732 0067 . Semak Senarai Amaran Pelabur Suruhanjaya Sekuriti di http://sc.com.my/investor-alert sebelum melabur. Hubungi talian hotline Pusat Respons Scam Kebangsaan 997 jika anda menjadi mangsa penipuan.

#StayAlert #ScamAlert #TakNakScam #JanganKenaScam

Fact #2 : Bursa Malaysia Is Not A Charity

Please do NOT be naive. Bursa Malaysia is not only the stock exchange of Malaysia, it is also a public listed company, whose focus is to make money, not a charity to give you free books or advice!

Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift is not only the CEO of Bursa Malaysia Berhad, he is also the director of its subsidiary companies. He certainly has more important (and profitable) things to do than to create a WhatsApp group to answer YOUR questions or advice YOU on what stocks to buy!

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Fact #3 : Bursa Malaysia Does Not Use WhatsApp To Communicate

Bursa Malaysia offers a multitude of contact options by snail mail, online forms on their Bursa2U portal, email or telephone.

What it does not have is a WhatsApp account. So when scammers message you to collect your “free books” using WhatsApp, or ask you to join the Bursa Malaysia WhatsApp group, be warned!

Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift (fake) : I’m sorry because too many people have privately messaged me, please click to add administrator 👇whatsapp👇, send “PM” to join our company’s free communication group! https://wa.me/6019527xxxx

The real Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift, and Bursa Malaysia, will never ask you to join a WhatsApp group for any reason, whether it’s for investment advice, stock tips, or to buy and sell stocks, etc.

Fact #4 : One Victim Lost RM480K To Investment Scam!

In November 2022, a 60 year-old housewife from Port Dickson fell for a similar “free book” scam, and lost almost RM480,000.

After being offered the free book on Facebook, she was asked to join a WhatsApp group called Family Discussion, where she was asked to convinced to “invest”.

The WhatsApp group administrator instructed her to download an application called Forza, and open a savings account. She was then asked to deposit money into certain bank accounts, and upload the slips using that Forza app as proof.

The lady withdrew her savings and borrowed from her children and friends to invest RM476,100. However, when she wanted to withdraw the interest paid by the company, her account was blocked. The group administrator told her that she would need to deposit an additional RM427,200 to withdraw the interest.

That was when the lady realised she had been scammed, and lodged a police report.

Please help us FIGHT SCAMMERS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Cybersecurity | Tech ARP

 

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Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Maybank ATM Card: How to disable Debit Card feature!

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Find out how to disable the Debit Card feature of your Maybank ATM card, and why you should do that right away!

 

Maybank ATM Card Is Also Visa payWave Debit Card

Many Maybank customers may not know this, but your ATM card is not just an ATM card – it doubles as a Visa payWave debit card as well.

Since Maybank introduced its first combined ATM + Visa Debit card in March 2008, it has progressively migrated all existing ATM cards to the new combined card.

Today, all Maybank ATM cards are effectively Visa payWave debit cards, even though we may not have applied for the debit card or payWave functions.

Recommended : How To Pay PDRM Traffic Summons Using Maybank ATM!

 

Maybank ATM Card : Why You Should Disable Debit Card Feature!

Banks are promoting the use of debit cards, because they charge an interchange fee for every debit card transaction. That is why banks are “forcing” these combined ATM + debit card onto customers.

However, debit cards only offer minimal fraud protection (if at all), as payments are considered to be directly withdrawn from your bank account. That is why personal finance experts always recommend using a credit card, instead of a debit card.

Even worse, these debit cards often include contactless payment technologies like Visa payWave or Mastercard contactless. This allows anyone to directly withdraw money from your account without even requiring the PIN number!

Transaction
Amount		 Required Action
Above RM250 Tap and use PIN to approve
RM250 and below Just tap. No PIN required.

Now, to be clear, the debit card and payWave feature will only be enabled after you perform at least one (1) successful PIN transaction at any point-of-sales terminal. But once that is done – both debit card and payWave features will remain activated.

This is one of the many reasons why money-savvy people do not use debit cards at all. It’s not only much safer to use credit cards, they also help build your credit rating and some benefits like cash back rebates, points, etc. There literally isn’t any benefit to using debit cards.

Unfortunately, many banks aren’t giving you the option of opting out. You may not want one, but you may not have a choice. The Maybank ATM card, for example, is a Visa payWave debit card which you cannot opt-out of. You cannot ask for a pure ATM card, and neither will Maybank disable the debit card or payWave features. I know. I asked.

Recommended : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

Maybank ATM Card : How To Disable Debit Card + payWave!

To be clear – there is no way to actually disable the debit card or payWave functionality of your Maybank ATM card. But you can effectively disable both features by setting the debit card purchase limit to zero.

In this guide, I will show you how to do that using your Maybank2U online account, or at the Maybank ATM.

Maybank2U Online Account

Step 1 : Log into your Maybank2U account

Step 2 : On the right corner of the Maybank2U screen, click on the Settings option.

Step 3 : Click on the Cards tab, and it should show you the Manage Debit Cards section by default.

As you can see, by default, the Maybank ATM-debit card has a purchase limit of RM1,000 per transaction.

Step 4 : Click on the Edit icon, and you will be able to change the Purchase Limit, from RM0 all the way to RM10,000.

Step 5 : Select RM0.00 from the drop-down list, and the click the SAVE button.

Step 6 : Look for this yellow banner at the bottom of the screen, and click the REQUEST button to request the 6-digit SMS TAC on your registered mobile number.

Step 7 : Once you receive the 6-digit SMS TAC, key it into the box, and click on the CONFIRM button.

If you keyed in the correct SMS TAC, you should see this notice telling you that your new purchase limit has been set.

Now that you have successfully reduced your Purchase Limit to RM0.00, it doesn’t matter that Maybank refuses to disable the debit card or payWave function. They both just won’t be able to transfer any money from your account!

Maybank2U Online Account

Step 1 : Insert your ATM card and key in your PIN number.

Step 2 : Select Other Transaction in the main menu.

Step 3 : Select the  Change Limit / Language / Maybank One option.

Step 4 : Select the Purchase Limit option.

Step 5 : Select No Purchase to prevent the card from being used to make any purchases.

Alternatively, you can select Preferred Limit. Then you need to key in RM 0.00, and then select Yes to confirm that decision.

After you set No Purchase or a Preferred Limit of RM0.00, the debit card and payWave functionality of your Maybank ATM card is effectively disabled.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Go Back To > Cybersecurity | Money | Tech ARP

 

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Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Sunway + Jeffrey Cheah Free Books Scam Alert!

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Please note – Jeffrey Cheah and the Sunway Group are not giving away free books on stock investing, to help new investors!

Find out what’s going on, and warn your family and friends!

 

Sunway + Jeffrey Cheah Free Books Scam Alert!

Scammers are running Facebook advertisements that claim that Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah and/or the Sunway Group are giving away free books on stock investing, to help new investors!

Hello everyone, I am Jeffrey Cheah, Chairman and Founder of Sunway Group
Since 2023, the Malaysian stock market has been relatively sluggish🤕🤕🤕
This may be because many stock market investors do not understand stock market trading
I have been blindly following the investment, resulting in a lot of losses
I have also received many letters from investors recently:
Ask if I have improved my trading skills?
Here I recommend a few stock books to everyone!
This can effectively improve your trading skills 💖💖💖
I also prepared 2,000 stock books for everyone📖📖📖
Free gift to Malaysian stock market investors, yes, it’s free!
Please add my assistant’s wapp, she will mail you books for free👇👇👇

Investors, we have an exciting surprise for you! 🎁🎁
Sunway Group is launching a thrilling event to make your investment journey even more exciting – Stock & Book Bonanza!
Whether you are a novice or an experienced investment guru, we believe that knowledge is the key to your success. Therefore, we have carefully selected a series of captivating best-selling books on stocks. These books will serve as your guide on your investment path and open wider doors to wealth for you!
Sunway Group has prepared 1000 stock book sets (1000 books) 📚📖📖
We are offering them as a free gift to our dedicated investors.
Please click on the session and add the assistant’s wapp to send your address.
We will ship the stock books to the address you provide free of charge.
Quantities are limited, so it’s first-come, first-served! Don’t wait until the last moment to regret missing this opportunity!

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Recommended : TNG RFID Bar Code Scanning Scam Debunked!

 

Sunway / Jeffrey Cheah Free Books Scam : What You Need To Know!

This Sunway / Jeffrey Cheah free book scam is being promoted heavily on Facebook in May and June 2023, so please alert your family and friend!

Fact #1 : Sunway Group Reported These Pages / Ads As Fake

The Sunway Group is aware of these fake advertisements being run by scam Facebook pages, posting this scam alert:

SCAM ALERT

Please be alert of several scams using fake Facebook accounts, bearing the names “Sunway Investment” and “Sunway Global Investment”, claiming to be affiliated with Sunway entities.

These Facebook accounts have NO association with Sunway Group nor that of our chairman.

We urge all to be cautious and to not fall victim to these scams, and report these fake accounts to Facebook immediately.

Fact #2 : Sunway Group Is A Business, Not A Charity

Please do NOT be naive. The Sunway Group (Sunway Berhad) is a public listed company, whose focus is to make money, not a charity to give you free books!

Fact #3 : Giveaways Were Not Posted In Official Website / FB Page

If the Sunway Group was really giving away free books, it would have posted the offer on:

These scams are being run off fake Facebook pages that are brand new, and have nothing to do with Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, or the real Sunway Group.

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Fact #4 : Sunway Group Does Not Use WhatsApp To Communicate

The Sunway Group offers a multitude of contact options by online forms, email or telephone number. What it does not have is a WhatsApp account. So when scammers message you to collect your “free books” by messaging a WhatsApp number, be warned!

Please add my WhatsApp message, send me your mailing information, and I will mail you stock books for you for free! My WhatsApp: https://xxxx.xx/60113906928

The Sunway Group will also not ask you to join a WhatsApp group for any reason, whether it’s for investment advice, stock tips, or to buy and sell stocks, etc.

Fact #5 : Scammers Will Try To Scare You

Scammers will try to scare you into contacting them, by telling you that stock is running out. Just ignore them!

There are only 3 free places left, which have been reserved for you, please add and leave a message as soon as possible Whatsapp : https://xxxx.xx/60113906928

There are many friends who have claimed it, please tell us whether you have added it successfully! If you do not add or reply, it means that you will give up the quota by default and automatically transfer it to the next friend. Thank you for your understanding!

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Fact #6 : One Victim Lost RM480K To A Free Book Scam!

In November 2022, a 60 year-old housewife from Port Dickson fell for a similar “free book” scam, and lost almost RM480,000.

After being offered the free book on Facebook, she was asked to join a WhatsApp group called Family Discussion, where she was asked to convinced to “invest”.

The WhatsApp group administrator instructed her to download an application called Forza, and open a savings account. She was then asked to deposit money into certain bank accounts, and upload the slips using that Forza app as proof.

The lady withdrew her savings and borrowed from her children and friends to invest RM476,100. However, when she wanted to withdraw the interest paid by the company, her account was blocked. The group administrator told her that she would need to deposit an additional RM427,200 to withdraw the interest.

That was when the lady realised she had been scammed, and lodged a police report.

Please help us FIGHT SCAMMERS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Cybersecurity | Tech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Scam Alert : How Fake Job Syndicates Operate!

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Find out how fake job syndicates operate, and how they reel you into their scams, and cheat YOU of your hard-earned money!

Make sure you SHARE this article, to warn your family and friends to avoid the fake job scams!

 

Fake Job Scams : What Are They?

Fake job scams have been around for a long, long time. But fake job syndicates have become more active recently, probably because more people are getting laid off, and inflation is eating into our money.

Fake job scams come in a variety of ways, but most commonly, you get unsolicited messages through WhatsApp or iMessage, offering you the opportunity to make a lot of money through part-time work, in the comfort of your own home.

Good day YouTubers!! This is Alexa from Youtube Entertainment. We invite you to participate in our event by liking and subscribing to our channel and we will give you XXX. Please reply “YES” if you are interested. Thank you.

Hi, I’m the recruitment manager of XYZ company. XYZ invites you to do regular work at home.

You can easily earn [large amounts of money] with your mobile phone every day, and your salary will be settled on the same day.

Please add my WhatsApp to sign up. The number of places is limited, only for today.

Hey! You have been selected for a job. Daily salary XXXX to YYYYY. WhatsApp [number removed]. Reply YES to apply.

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

 

Scam Alert : How Fake Job Syndicates Operate!

I personally have received many of such fake job offers, and have always ignored them. But when I saw a sudden surge of fake job offers, I decided to look into it. I also wanted to find out how they worked.

So I took a dive into two different fake job scams last week, and here was what I found…

How They Reel Their Victims In

It all starts with scammers tasked with “fishing” for victims. They will try to contact you by email, Facebook Messenger, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, or iMessage. Regardless of the method, the hook is simple – we are offering you an EASY way to make A LOT of money!

Once you are suitably impressed, these “fishing” scammers will offer you a simple task to show you just how easy it is to make a lot of money. To entice me, the two scammers offered me a pretty good sum of money for a very simple task:

Syndicate A : Subscribe to this YouTube channel, and send me the screenshot to receive XXXX.

Syndicate B : Like this YouTube video, and send me the screenshot to receive YYYY.

Recommended : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

The Fishing Scammer Hands You Over To The Syndicate

After you complete that task, the fishing scammer then hands you off to the actual fake job syndicate, ostensibly for payment. You are asked to contact the company secretary / account manager on Telegram, with a “payment code”.

From what I surmise, the “payment code” is actually the fishing scammer’s referral code – they get paid for every victim they send the syndicate.

This will be your last contact with these fishing scammers. They are off to reel in more victims!

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Syndicate Baits You With Payment

The syndicate secretary / account manager will ask you to register your details with them, but they are not too particular with any details, except for your phone number. If you give them the fake number, they will know because they will check with the fishing scammer using their referral code. But feel free to give them other fake details – they won’t care.

The fake job syndicate will then send you the payment for that “test” job, using a mule account. If you ask them why they are sending you the money through a different company account or even a random person’s account, they will tell you that they have many bank accounts because of daily transaction limits.

Syndicate Baits You With Simple Tasks

The syndicate will then add you to their Telegram channel offering multiple tasks per day. Instead of YouTube channels or videos, you are tasked to very simple tasks like:

  • open a link to a product page on an online shopping platform
  • take a screenshot of that product page
  • post that screenshot to the Telegram group
  • share that screenshot with your syndicate agent

You will breeze through the first three tasks easily, and the fake job syndicate will pay you promptly.

Fantastic, isn’t it? What could go wrong? After all, there are hundreds of other people participating in the same tasks, and getting paid!

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Syndicate Tempts You With Pay To Earn Scam

At this point, you have done some calculations, and realise that you can easily make good money every day doing these simple tasks.

That’s when the fake job syndicate offers you the opportunity to make some serious cash. But there’s one catch – you need to PAY them to get access to jobs with serious money.

For every dollar you prepay, the fake job syndicate promises that you will get that back PLUS 10% to 30%, within minutes. Just in case you are worried about losing your money, hey, they are offering a refund. Honest!

And how can they offer you so much money for so little work? The syndicate throws in the magic word – cryptocurrency! Of course! That’s the only way anyone can make tons of money easily, with both eyes closed!

Recommended : BitiCodes Scam Alert : Fake Celebrity Endorsements!

Syndicate Pressurises You With Bots

To convince you that they are legit, you will see many people posting screenshots of their payments to the Telegram group. They will also publicly announce how much they are investing. In some cases, they also post excitedly about how much money they already made, and how much they plan to make today.

This is just a charade to make you believe that people are really making money through this scheme. Most of these “participants” appear to be bot accounts, with a few sock puppet accounts. If you monitor these accounts over time, you will see them change names. I even spotted one of these fake participants (mercado livre in the screenshot above) become the Telegram group admin!

The genuine victims are those asking questions in the group like “We have to prepay?” But oddly enough, no one else in the group (except the Telegram group admin) will respond. That’s not how real people behave.

And if you check their receipts, you will notice some discrepancies in their receipts, which suggest that they were edited:

  • transfers within the same bank were labelled as transfers “to other banks”.
  • account numbers are too short / long for that particular bank

The others are possibly genuine receipts (by people who were scammed earlier), with their dates and times changed.

Recommended : 2023 Turkey Earthquake : Fake Photos + Scam Alert!

Once You Pay, It’s Game Over

I managed to get in touch with two victims of this scam, who claimed that once they deposited the prepaid amount, they were ghosted and removed from the Telegram group.

So that appears to be the scam – they bait you with a bit of money, until you are convinced that they are real. Then once you prepay them for the “big job”, they dump you right away.

Your assigned syndicate agent will block you, and you will get kicked off the Telegram group, which often disappears after scamming a few victims. Often, you will find your Telegram conversations with them mysteriously deleted. By then, it’s much too late – you have already lost your money.

To ensure they don’t lose money, they will price the introductory offer low enough to entice victims, but high enough to cover their costs and then some. But they will inevitably score some big fish, which is why the fake job scam persists.

Now that you know how the fake job scam works, please DO NOT get trapped into it! NEVER pay to get a job. It is just a scam!

Please SHARE this article out, and WARN your family and friends!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

Go Back To > Fact Check | Cybersecurity | Tech ARP

 

Support Tech ARP!

Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Gigabyte motherboards shipped with firmware backdoor!

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Millions of Gigabyte motherboards and laptops shipped with a built-in backdoor in its UEFI firmware!

Here is what you need to know about this cybersecurity danger, and what you can do about it!

 

Gigabyte Motherboards Shipped With Firmware Backdoor!

On 31 May 2023, researchers at the cybersecurity firm Eclypsium revealed that 271 Gigabyte motherboard models have been compromised with UEFI firmware with a built-in backdoor!

Eclypsium’s heuristic detection methods recently began flagging suspicious backdoor-like behaviour in Gigabyte motherboards. When its researchers looked into it, they found that Gigabyte motherboard firmware was executing a Windows native executable during the system start up process. This executable then insecurely downloads and executes additional payloads.

From their analysis, the executable appears to be a legitimate Gigabyte module called WpbtDxe.efi:

  • it checks to see if the “APP Center Download & Install” feature is enabled
  • it downloads executable payloads from Gigabyte servers
  • it has a Gigabyte cryptographic signature

They also found that the downloaded payloads have Gigabyte cryptographic signatures too, which suggest that this firmware backdoor was implemented by Gigabyte itself.

However, Eclypsium researchers discovered that the Gigabyte implementation had a number of problems, which would make it easy for threat actors to abuse the firmware backdoor:

  • one of its payload download locations lacks SSL (using plain HTTP, instead of the more secure HTTPS), allowing for Machine-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks
  • remote server certificate validation was not implemented correctly even when the other two HTTPS download locations were used, which allows for MITM attacks
  • one of its payload download locations is a local network-attacked storage device (NAS), which could allow a threat actor to spoof the location of the NAS to install their own malware
  • the Gigabyte firmware itself does not verify any cryptographic signatures, or validates the downloaded executables.

In short – millions of Gigabyte motherboards have a cybersecurity vulnerability, due to their firmware which includes an insecure / vulnerable OEM backdoor. As John Loucaides from Eclypsium put it:

If you have one of these machines, you have to worry about the fact that it’s basically grabbing something from the Internet and running it without you being involved, and hasn’t done any of this securely.

The concept of going underneath the end user and taking over their machine doesn’t sit well with most people.

Note : This vulnerability affects all computers using Gigabyte motherboards, including laptops.

 

Gigabyte Rolls Out New Firmware To Mitigate Backdoor!

After the news blew up inconveniently during Computex 2023, Gigabyte quickly rolled out new beta firmware upgrades for its AMD and Intel motherboards.

According to Gigabyte, the new beta firmware upgrades have “improved security mechanisms” that will “detect and prevent malicious activities during the boot process“. It also appeared to have implemented other changes:

  • enhanced the signature verification process for fils downloaded from its remote servers
  • conduct more thorough checks of file integrity to prevent the introduction of malicious code
  • enabled standard cryptographic verification of remote server certificates

The new firmware has just been released for AMD 600-series motherboards, as well as Intel 500- and 400-series motherboards, but will eventually be introduced for older motherboards. The new firmware will have the description, “Addresses Download Assistant Vulnerabilities Reported by Eclypsium Research“.

As Gigabyte does not intend to remove the backdoor feature, you might want to consider Eclypsium’s advice on how best to reduce the risk of malicious actors taking advantage:

  1. Scan and monitor systems and firmware updates in order to detect affected Gigabyte systems and the backdoor-like tools embedded in firmware. Update systems to the latest validated firmware and software in order to address security issues like this one.
  2. Inspect and disable the “APP Center Download & Install” feature in UEFI/BIOS Setup on Gigabyte systems and set a BIOS password to deter malicious changes.
  3. Administrators can also block the following URLs:
    – http://mb.download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Swhttp/LiveUpdate4
    – https://mb.download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Swhttp/LiveUpdate4
    – https://software-nas/Swhttp/LiveUpdate4

For starters, you should definitely download and update your Gigabyte motherboard or laptop with the improved firmware. Then disable APP Center Download & Install in the BIOS.

Let’s hope Gigabyte will be able to quickly issue new and improved firmware to mitigate, if not remove, the backdoor vulnerability for the affected 271 motherboard models, and its future motherboards and laptops. Even so, many users might not be aware of this vulnerability or these updates.

It seems likely that threat actors will have access to this backdoor vulnerability in many Gigabyte motherboards and laptops for years to come. Even Eclypsium’s Loucaides believes so:

I still think this will end up being a fairly pervasive problem on Gigabyte boards for years to come.

 

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Watch Out For Kenanga Free Books Scam!

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Is the Kenanga Investment Bank giving away free books on stock investing, to celebrate its 50th anniversary?!

Find out what’s going on, and warn your family and friends!

 

Watch Out For Kenanga Free Books Scam!

Scammers are running Facebook advertisements that claim Kenanga Investment Bank is giving away free books on stock investing, to celebrate its 50th anniversary!

good news 🎉 good news 🎉 good news 🎉
Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad,
Now it is the largest independent investment bank in Malaysia Established in 1973, it is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary 🎉🎉🎉
Kenanga Group will give away 2,000 stock books for free If you are interested in the stock book, you can get it for free Please click on the messenger to get the book for free 📖📖📖
The number of books is limited, and the activity will stop after the gift is completed 👇👇👇

Hi everyone, this is Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad
Now it is the largest independent investment bank in Malaysia
Established in 1973, it is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary 🎉🎉🎉
During these 50 years, we have helped countless stock investors make profits in the stock market
In order to thank investors for their support all the way, 💝💝💝🎊🎊🎊
We will give out the first gift for stock market investors 🎁🎁🎁
Kenang Group has prepared 5000 stock books (1000 sets) 📚📖📖
Free gift to investors who support Kenang Group all the way
Please click on the session, add the assistant’s wapp, and register the mailing address
We will mail the book to your registered address for free
The number of stock books is limited, while supplies last 💝💝💝

Recommended : TNG RFID Bar Code Scanning Scam Debunked!

 

Kenanga Free Books Scam : What You Need To Know!

This Kenanga free book scam is being promoted heavily on Facebook in May 2023, so please alert your family and friends!

Fact #1 : Kenanga Reported These Pages / Ads As Fake

Kenanga is aware of these fake advertisements being run by scam Facebook pages, posting this scam alert on May 12, 2023:

Once again we would like to remind our clients and the public to be careful of scammers impersonating our brand to provide fraudulent product and services.

We are not offering any free books/e-books or make anyone join a WhatsApp group.

If you received any of this communication recently, stop responding and report the page/numbers immediately.

If you have been scammed, contact the National Scam Response Centre hotline 997.

Fact #2 : Kenanga Is A Business, Not A Charity

Please do NOT be naive. Kenanga is an investment bank – a business, not a charity. Just because it is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, does not mean it’s giving anything away.

Even if it wanted to celebrate its anniversary by giving away books, it would be giving them to clients, not to the public!

Kenanga is a public-listed company, whose focus is to make money, not a charity to give you free books!

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Fact #3 : Giveaways Were Not Posted In Official Website / FB Page

If Kenanga was really giving away free books, it would have posted the offer on:

These scams are being run off fake Facebook pages that are brand new, and have nothing to do with the real Kenanga.

Fact #4 : Kenanga Does Not Use WhatsApp To Communicate

Kenanga offers a multitude of contact options by online forms, email or telephone number. What it does not have is a WhatsApp account. So when scammers message you to collect your “free books” by messaging a WhatsApp number, be warned!

Please add my WhatsApp message, send me your mailing information, and I will mail you stock books for you for free! My WhatsApp: https://xxxx.xx/60113906928

Fact #5 : Kenanga Will Not Ask You To Join WhatsApp Groups

Just to be clear, Kenanga states that it will never ask anyone to join a WhatsApp group for any reason, whether it’s for investment advice, stock tips, or to buy and sell stocks, etc.

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Fact #6 : Scammers Will Try To Scare You

Scammers will try to scare you into contacting them, by telling you that stock is running out. Just ignore them!

There are only 3 free places left, which have been reserved for you, please add and leave a message as soon as possible Whatsapp : https://xxxx.xx/60113906928

There are many friends who have claimed it, please tell us whether you have added it successfully! If you do not add or reply, it means that you will give up the quota by default and automatically transfer it to the next friend. Thank you for your understanding!

Fact #7 : One Victim Lost RM480K To A Free Book Scam!

In November 2022, a 60 year-old housewife from Port Dickson fell for a similar “free book” scam, and lost almost RM480,000.

After being offered the free book on Facebook, she was asked to join a WhatsApp group called Family Discussion, where she was asked to convinced to “invest”.

The WhatsApp group administrator instructed her to download an application called Forza, and open a savings account. She was then asked to deposit money into certain bank accounts, and upload the slips using that Forza app as proof.

The lady withdrew her savings and borrowed from her children and friends to invest RM476,100. However, when she wanted to withdraw the interest paid by the company, her account was blocked. The group administrator told her that she would need to deposit an additional RM427,200 to withdraw the interest.

That was when the lady realised she had been scammed, and lodged a police report.

Please help us FIGHT SCAMMERS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Can Restaurant Menu QR Code Hack Your Phone?!

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Did the FBI just warn people to avoid using the restaurant menu QR code, because it can hack your phone?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : FBI Says Restaurant QR Code Can Hack Your Phone!

People are sharing a Daily Mail article, or screenshots of it, which claims that the FBI just warned people not to use any restaurant menu QR code because it can allow hackers to steal your data!

Here is an excerpt from the Daily Mail article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Why you should ALWAYS ask for a physical menu: FBI warns hackers are planting fake QR CODES in restaurants that steal your data when you click the link

  •  Scammers are making fake QR codes to place on top of real ones 
  • This is letting them access smartphones and steal personal data

QR codes have become the new default for accessing restaurant menus across the US post-Covid — but scammers are seizing upon the new practice.

The FBI warns thieves are creating fake QR codes and planting them at eateries, retail shops and even parking meters.

Instead of taking you to an online menu or checkout, the links instantly download malware onto your device, stealing your location and personal information

The FBI has urged consumers to look out for typos or misplaced letters in URLs accessed through QR codes and ask restaurants for a physical menu.

Recommended : MSI Users At Risk Of Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

 

Truth : FBI Did Not Say Restaurant QR Code Can Hack Your Phone!

This appears to be a “misunderstanding” of an actual FBI warning about QR codes. Here is what you need to know about the risks of scanning a QR code for a restaurant menu.

Fact #1 : FBI Issued QR Code Warning In January 2022

I could find no reference to a recent QR code warning by the FBI, and oddly enough, The Daily Mail did not provide a source or link to the FBI warning its article was referring to.

The FBI only released one public service announcement (PSA) about QR codes, and that was Alert Number 1-011822-PSA which was released on January 18, 2022.

If that was the source for the Daily Mail article, then it’s more than a year old, and not recent as the article appears to suggest.

Fact #2 : FBI Warned About General QR Code Risk

The FBI advisory was a general warning about the risks of tampered QR codes. Specifically, it warned about cybercriminals tampering with both digital and physical QR codes.

The FBI is issuing this announcement to raise awareness of malicious Quick Response (QR) codes. Cybercriminals are tampering with QR codes to redirect victims to malicious sites that steal login and financial information.

Cybercriminals tamper with both digital and physical QR codes to replace legitimate codes with malicious codes. A victim scans what they think to be a legitimate code but the tampered code directs victims to a malicious site…

Fact #3 : FBI Advisory Did Not Mention Restaurant / Menu

Interestingly, the entire FBI advisory did not once mention restaurants or menus, and that makes a lot of sense.

It is odd to focus on the risk of using QR codes for online menus in restaurants, when they are used in so many other ways today – from making mobile payments, as mobile tickets, login tokens, etc.

Any security risk involving restaurant menu QR codes would also apply to QR codes used for other purposes. So it really doesn’t make sense for the FBI to “pick on” restaurant menu QR codes.

Recommended : Can Approve New Participant block WhatsApp hackers?!

Fact #4 : QR Code Is Not Malicious In Nature

QR code (which is short for Quick Response code) is not nefarious or malicious in nature. The FB advisory specifically pointed that out – “QR codes are not malicious in nature“.

The QR code is merely a type of two dimensional barcode that was invented in 1994 by the Japanese company, Denso Wave, to track automotive parts. It has since been adopted for other purposes because it is more efficient and can support more than just numbers. For example, Version 40 QR code can contain up to 7,089 numbers or 4,296 characters.

Ultimately, a QR code is nothing more than a series of numbers or characters – data which can be used for a variety of purposes, including providing a link to an online restaurant menu.

Fact #5 : QR Code Can Be Tampered With

It is true that QR codes can be tampered with. In fact, the FBI advisory was issued after Texas police departments discovered fraudulent QR code stickers on parking meters in San Antonio and Austin. Drivers who scanned those fake QR codes were taken to a scam website. instead of the real payment website.

Hence, the FBI issued that warning to remind people to check the URL link to make sure that it is the intended website, and not a phishing page with a similar link. For example, the fake website may use www.quikpay.com when the real website is www.quickpay.com.

To completely avoid this risk, avoid using QR code to access a payment website. Always go directly to the payment website on your smartphone’s web browser by keying in the link yourself. Genuine payment labels with a QR code will often include a direct URL link for you to use as a safer alternative.

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Fact #6 : Restaurant Menu QR Code Is Low Risk

While scammers can place fraudulent QR codes over genuine ones at restaurants, bars, and other eateries, this is a very unlikely attack vector.

That’s because restaurants often use QR codes to redirect you to an online system to order food and drinks for your table. Imagine if you scan a fraudulent QR code and are asked to key in your credit card details. That would be absurd, and you would surely complain to the waiter since you haven’t even ordered your food!

In most cases, you are not expected to pay at the table using QR code. You either pay using cash / credit card / mobile payment using QR code at the payment counter. Even if that QR code is compromised, the cashier would notice it immediately as any payment made using that QR code would not reflect in the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system.

And payment only occurs after dining – a fraudulent QR code that leads you to a fake website won’t allow you to actually order anything, since it’s not connected to the real restaurant and its ordering system. That’s why this attack vector is highly improbable.

In any case, many restaurants now generate temporary QR codes on disposable paper stubs to avoid this risk. The QR code is only valid for your dining session. The next person to dine at the same table will receive a different QR code.

Fact #7 : QR Code Can Potentially Inject Malware

It is possible for QR code to inject malware into the smartphone that you are using to scan. In fact, there are apps like QRGen that allow scammers / hackers to easily generate malicious QR codes. However, it isn’t quite as simple as the article makes it out to be.

For one thing – malware and exploits are limited to specific operating systems or phone models. For example, an Android exploit / malware won’t work on iPhones. Or an exploit / malware that makes use of an Android 11 vulnerability won’t work on newer / updated Android smartphones since they would have patched the exploit.

Second – any malware will require considerable amounts of code to load. The scammer / hacker will have to use an enormous QR code like the version 40 example below, or it will need to convince you to download and install the malware package itself.

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Genuine restaurant menu QR codes are simple – like the version 1 / version 10 examples above, because they only serve a link to their online menu / ordering system. If you see a large and complex QR code like the version 40 example, avoid scanning it, and ask the restaurant staff to verify its authenticity.

Restaurant menu QR codes would also never ask you to download or install anything. They only serve to load a link to an online menu / ordering system, so if you are asked to download or install anything, do NOT proceed, and notify the restaurant.

These tips also apply to other businesses that use QR codes to show you a menu, discounts, offers, information, etc.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Former exec: China has backdoor access to TikTok data!

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A former top ByteDance executive is alleging that the China has backdoor access to all TikTok data!

 

Former Exec : China Has Backdoor Access To TikTok Data!

A former top executive at ByteDance – TikTok’s parent company, has just claimed that it built a “backdoor channel” in its code to allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) supreme access to user data in TikTok.

This revelation came as part of the lawsuit that Roger Yu Yintao, filed against ByteDance for wrongful termination from his job as head of engineering in the United States. He says he worked there from August 2017 till November 2018.

In his lawsuit filed on May 12 at the San Francisco Superior Court, Roger Yu alleges that he was fired from his job for his “observation and reporting of illegal conduct” at ByteDance to his supervisors.

He said he observed ByteDance being “responsive to the CCP’s requests” to share, elevate, or even remove content”, describing the company as “a useful propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist Party”, and is engaged in a “culture of lawlessness”.

More shockingly, he claimed that the CCP has a special office in ByteDance, sometimes referred to as the “Committee”. Its task was allegedly to monitor ByteDance, and advise it on how to advance “core Communist values”.

He also claimed that the CCP “Committee” can demote content it viewed as unfavourable to China’s interests, and even has a “death switch” to turn off Chinese versions of its apps.

Roger Yu also claimed that he “saw the backdoor channel in the code”. If true, such a backdoor would give China and the CCP government unfettered access to all data in TikTok, no matter where the data is located.

The Committee maintained supreme access to all the company data, even data stored in the United States.

Recommended : MSI Users At Risk Of Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

Roger Yu Yintao (left) and ByteDance founder, Zhang Yiming, at ByteDance, 2015

Allegedly, ByteDance was “aware that if the Chinese government’s backdoor was removed from the international / US version of the app, the Chinese government would, it feared, ban the company’s valuable Chinese-version apps”.

Roger Yu also accused ByteDance of scraping data from its competitors – mainly Instagram and Snapchat, without users’ permission. He claimed that ByteDance used software to “systematically” collect videos from its competitors, and repost them to its own platform using fake accounts, without their creators’ permission.

 

ByteDance Denies Allegations Of Backdoor Access For China

A ByteDance spokesperson has denied the allegations laid out in Roger Yu Jintao’s lawsuit, claiming that he only worked for a short time on an unrelated app called Flipagram, which was discontinued for business reasons.

We plan to vigorously oppose what we believe are baseless claims and allegations in this complaint.

Mr. Yu worked for ByteDance Inc. for less than a year and his employment ended in July 2018.

According to earlier reporting of Roger Yu Yintao’s lawsuit, he realised that ByteDance had been engaged for years in a “worldwide scheme” to steal and profit from content created on other platforms soon after he began his job.

In response to those allegations, the ByteDance spokesperson said that the company is “committed to respecting the intellectual property of other companies, and we acquire data in accordance with industry practices and our global policy.”

 

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Malaysian Telcos Ban SMS Links To Prevent Scams!

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Malaysian telcos have started banning SMS links, as part of the MCMC’s initiative to prevent scams! Here is what you need to know!

 

Malaysian Telcos Ban SMS Links To Prevent Scams!

On Tuesday, 2 May 2023, four Malaysian telcos – Maxis, Celcom, Digital and U Mobile started banning SMS links, as part of the MCMC’s initiative to prevent scams.

From this day onwards, users will be blocked from sending or receiving SMS with a link. MCMC had earlier issued the directive to all telcos on February 14, 2023, but the ban on SMS links is only now being implemented.

The ban on SMS links is currently not mandatory for all telcos, and is being implemented in phases. Currently, the ban is limited to SMS between individuals.

Businesses using short codes like 6XXXX, 2XXXX and 1XXXX will eventually be banned from including a URL link in their SMS messages. They will be given time to switch to other methods to send promotional messages with links to their customers.

The MCMC has issued a directive to all telcos to block sending and receiving of SMS with URL link. The objective is to prevent users from becoming victims of online scams

MCMC issued the directive to all service providers on Feb 14 and is currently assessing the progress. For now, the block is still not mandatory.

The blocking of person-to-person SMS with URL links will take effect from 2 May 2023. For SMS sent by business via short codes such as 6XXXX, 2XXXX and 1XXXX, this will be done later and specific notification to business users will be sent.

Malaysia Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching said in February 2023 that blocking such SMS links will ensure that people won’t click on them and possibly end up as a scam victim.

Recommended : Scam Alert : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

 

Only SMS Links Banned, Links Via Other Platforms Still A Risk

While this measure is really helpful in reducing scams, the ban is limited to SMS links. Scammers can still send links through instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, etc.

That does not mean that links are inherently bad. Links in messages, even SMS messages, are mostly safe.

Perfectly Fine

  • Clicking on a link to read an article / terms and conditions of a promotion
  • Clicking on a link to enrol in a promotion which does not require you to log into any website
  • Clicking on a link to check in for a flight, or get a travel update

However, they can be used to send you to a phishing website which is designed to look like a genuine bank / payment website. Hence, it is critical that you should NEVER log into any website through a link.

NEVER DO THIS

  • Clicking on a link to log into a bank website
  • Clicking on a link to make a purchase or payment
  • Clicking on a link to log into any account / email

Phishing attacks work by tricking you into going into a fake website that looks like the real website. But you still have to log into the fake website to give the scammers your login details.

If you click on a link, and you are asked to login – this is likely a phishing attack. But don’t worry – as long as you refuse to log into any website after clicking on a link, the phishing attack fails.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Microsoft : No More Windows 10 Updates, EOL In 2025!

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Microsoft will no longer issue major Windows 10 updates, and will end support for the operating system in October 2025!

 

Microsoft : No More Windows 10 Updates, EOL In 2025!

On Thursday, 27 April 2023, Microsoft announced that it will no longer issue any further major Windows 10 update. The current 22H2 version that was released in October 2022, and entered broad deployment on November 18, 2022, would be the final version of Windows 10.

In addition, Microsoft announced that all editions of Windows 10 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025.

  • Windows 10 Home
  • Windows 10 Pro
  • Windows 10 Enterprise
  • Windows 10 Education
  • Windows 10 Pro Education
  • Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
  • Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

However, Microsoft will continue to issue monthly security update releases (including Windows Defender updates) until that EOL date.

Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. The current version, 22H2, will be the final version of Windows 10, and all editions will remain in support with monthly security update releases through that date. Existing LTSC releases will continue to receive updates beyond that date based on their specific lifecycles.

The only exception will be existing LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) releases – they will continue to receive updates beyond that EOL date, based on their specific lifecycles.

  • Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 : Jan. 9, 2029
  • Windows 10 IoT LTSC 2019 Core : Jan. 9, 2029
  • Windows 10 IoT Core LTSC : Jan. 9, 2029
  • Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021 : Jan. 12, 2027
  • Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2019 : Jan. 9, 2029
  • Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021 : Jan. 13, 2032

Microsoft also took the opportunity to announce that two Windows 11 LTSC releases will be available in the second half of 2024:

  • Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC
  • Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC

Enterprise users who want to plan and test applications and hardware while waiting for a Windows 11 LTSC release, should start doing so with the current Windows 11 22H2 edition.

 

Microsoft : Please Upgrade Before Windows 10 EOL!

Microsoft is therefore encouraging users to transition to Windows 11, because it will no longer release any feature upgrades.

Despite Windows 11 being introduced over 1.5 years ago, many Windows 10 users still refuse to upgrade / migrate to Windows 11.

According to the both Steam Store’s March 2023 and StatCounter’s survey, more than 73% of Windows-based PCs are still running on Windows 10!

On its part, Microsoft stopped selling Windows 120 downloads in January 2023, but until Microsoft starts cutting off security updates in October 2025, there will be little impetus for Windows 10 users to migrate to Windows 11.

 

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Can hackers use Good Morning greetings to hack you?!

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Can hackers use Good Morning videos, pictures and messages to hack your devices, and steal your data?!

Find out what is happening, and what the FACTS really are!

Updated @ 2023-04-21 : Updated with a new 2023 version of the hoax
Originally posted @ 2022-11-01

 

Claim : Hackers Are Using Good Morning Messages To Hack You!

This post about Chinese hackers using Good Morning videos, pictures and messages to hack your devices, keeps going viral on social media and WhatsApp.

It’s a long message, so just skip to the next section for the facts!

Dear friends, please delete all welcome photos and videos in Good Morning format and the like. Read below the article to the end, which will be clear why I ask about it. From now on I will only send personally prepared greetings.

Read all! Please send this message urgently to as many friends as possible to prevent illegal intrusion.
Warning from Olga Nikolaevnas lawyer:

ATTENTION! For those who like to send Good Morning pictures! Good day! Good evening! Do not send these “good” messages.

Today, Shanghai China International News sent SOS to all subscribers (this is the third reminder) that experts recommend: please do not send good morning, good night, pictures and videos,.

Reports show that hackers in China designed the images, the video is so beautiful to hide the phishing codes inside them, when everyone sends these messages, the hackers use your devices to steal personal information, such as bank card information and data to crack the phone.

It has been reported that more than 500,000 victims of fraud have already been deceived.

If you want to greet others, write your own message to protect yourself and your family and friends.

Important! Delete all greeting messages and pictures that you have on your phone for your own safety. If someone sent you such a picture, immediately remove it from the device. Malicious code takes time to deploy, so if you act immediately, no harm will be done.

Tell all your friends about this to prevent hacking.

Greet others by writing your own words, and send only images you create. The material you create yourself is completely safe.‼️‼️ ️‼️

Please understand me correctly! All have credit cards attached to their phone. Everyone has a lot of contacts in their phones. You will create a threat not only to yourself, but to all the contacts that you have on your phones, your friends and acquaintances. ‼️ ️‼️ ️‼️

Take this very carefully! This is a harsh reality‼️ ️‼️ ️‼️

ATTENTION !!!
Urgent information !!!

Some people have already restricted..!

Show more
Show less

Recommended : Can Approve New Participant block WhatsApp hackers?!

 

Truth : Good Morning Greetings Not Being Used To Hack You!

Many of us get spammed with Good Morning or Good Night messages every day from family and friends.

While they often clog up Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp groups, they really do NOT allow hackers to hack your devices.

Here are the reasons why Good Morning messages are very irritating, but harmless…

Fact #1 : Shanghai China International News Does Not Exist

The news organisation that was claimed to be the source of this warning – Shanghai China International News –  does not exist!

Fact #2 : Good Morning Greetings Not Created By Hackers

Hackers (from China or anywhere else) have better things to do than to create these Good Morning pictures and videos.

They are mostly created by websites and social media influencers for people to share and attract new followers.

Recommended : Scam Alert : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

Fact #3 : No Fraud Involving Good Morning Messages

There has been no known fraud involving Good Morning or even Good Night messages, videos or pictures.

Certainly, half a million victims of such a scam would have made front page news. Yet there is not a single report on even one case…. because it never happened.

Fact #4 : Image-Based Malware Is Possible, But…

Digital steganography is a method by which secret messages and other data can be hidden in digital files, like a photo or a video, or even a music file.

It is also possible to embed malicious code within a Good Morning photo, but it won’t be a full-fledged malware that can execute by itself.

At most, it can be used to hide the malware payload from antivirus scanners, which is pretty clever to be honest…

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Fact #5 : Image-Based Malware Requires User Action

In January 2019, cybercriminals created an online advertisement with a script that appears innocuous and would pass any malware check.

However, the image itself has an “almost white” rectangle that is recognised by the script, triggering it to redirect the user to the cybercriminals’ website.

Once there, the victim is tricked into installing a Trojan disguised as an Adobe Flash Player update.

Such a clever way to bypass malware checks, but even so, this image-based malware requires user action.

You cannot get infected by the Trojan if you practice good “Internet hygiene” by not downloading or installing anything from unknown websites.

Fact #6 : Malicious Code Executes Immediately

If you accidentally download and trigger malware, it will execute immediately. It won’t wait, as the hoax message claims.

Deleting Good Morning or Good Night photos or videos will free up storage space in your phone, but it won’t prevent any malware from executing.

There is really no reason for malware to wait before it infects your devices. Waiting will only increase the risk of detection.

Whether the malware serves to take over your device, steal your information or encrypt it for ransom, it pays to do it at the first opportunity.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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MSI Users At Risk Of Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

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MSI users are at risk of rogue BIOS / firmware updates, after hackers got hold of its source codes, private keys and BIOS firmware!

 

MSI Hit By Ransomware Attack + Data Theft!

On 7 April 2023, MSI (Micro-Star International) was hit by a ransomware attack, in which the hackers allegedly exfiltrated 1.5 terabytes of source codes, BIOS firmware, private keys and other data from its servers.

In its terse regulatory filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), MSI admitted that it was hacked, but did not detail the circumstances or nature of the attack.

After detecting some information systems being attacked by hackers,MSI’s IT department has initiated information security defense mechanism and recovery procedures. The Company also has been reported the anomaly to the relevant government authorities.

MSI claimed that the attack had “[no] significant impact our business in terms of financial and operational currently“, but said that it was “enhancing the information security control measures of its network and infrastructure to ensure data security.”

In a public statement, MSI also urged users to only obtain firmware / BIOS updates from its official website, and refrain from using other sources.

Read more : MSI Hit By $4 Million Ransomware Attack + Data Theft!

 

Stolen Data Exposes MSI Users To Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

The MSI ransomware attack and data theft appear to be committed by the Money Message ransomware gang, which has threatened to release the 1.5 terabytes of critical data that it exfiltrated from MSI servers.

While MSI has apparently restored files encrypted by the ransomware, exposure of the private keys and source codes, will likely allow Money Message or other threat actors to develop rogue BIOS or firmware updates.

Installing rogue BIOS / firmware updates will give the malware the access level of a super-low-level rootkit, giving it full control over your computer, with the ability to spy on almost everything you do. Such malware will also be extremely difficult to detect and remove. After all, it boots up before the operating system!

These days, rogue BIOS or firmware updates are much less of a problem because they are usually digitally-signed by the vendor, MSI in this case. Even if threat actors distribute Trojanised downloads for MSI users, they cannot create the right digital signatures for those files.

However, now that MSI’s private keys have been stolen, they can be used to create rogue BIOS or firmware updates with authentic digital signatures! MSI users downloading and installing those updates will never know the difference.

Recommended : Can Approve New Participant block WhatsApp hackers?!

The biggest risk right now is with PC hardware enthusiasts who enjoy installing unofficial firmware updates to gain access to special settings. That is precisely why MSI is urging its users to only download files from its official website.

Of course, this assumes that the MSI download servers are secure, and have not been compromised. If the threat actors have access to the MSI download servers, they can insert Trojanised downloads with proper signatures, and MSI system administrators may be none the wiser!

Let’s hope that this incident forces MSI to take a much closer look at its cybersecurity measures, and run penetration tests to ensure that its download servers are secure. Otherwise, some threat actors will likely hit pay dirt with MSI users!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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MSI Hit By $4 Million Ransomware Attack + Data Theft!

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MSI just got hit by a massive ransomware attack, but even worse – it lost a ton of critical data to the hackers!

 

MSI Hit By Ransomware Attack + Data Theft!

On 7 April 2023, MSI (Micro-Star International) was hit by a ransomware attack, in which the hackers allegedly exfiltrated 1.5 terabytes of source codes, BIOS firmware, private keys and other data from its servers.

In its terse regulatory filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), MSI admitted that it was hacked, but did not detail the circumstances or nature of the attack.

After detecting some information systems being attacked by hackers,MSI’s IT department has initiated information security defense mechanism and recovery procedures. The Company also has been reported the anomaly to the relevant government authorities.

MSI claimed that the attack had “[no] significant impact our business in terms of financial and operational currently“, but said that it was “enhancing the information security control measures of its network and infrastructure to ensure data security.”

In a public statement, MSI also urged users to only obtain firmware / BIOS updates from its official website, and refrain from using other sources.

Read more : MSI Users At Risk Of Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

 

Hackers Demand $4 Million From MSI To Not Release Stolen Data

The MSI ransomware attack and data theft appear to be committed by the Money Message ransomware gang.

While MSI has apparently restored files encrypted by Money Message’s ransomware, the gang now has access to about 1.5 terabytes of critical MSI data.

According to BleepingComputer, chats between Money Message and an MSI representative show the gang demanding a ransom payment of $4 million. Otherwise, Money Message will release the stolen files.

To show that they did indeed steal those MSI files, Money Message posted screenshots of what they describe was MSI’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) databases and files containing software source code, private keys, and BIOS firmware.

Recommended : Can Approve New Participant block WhatsApp hackers?!

If Money Message releases MSI confidential data, it may not just be embarrassing for the Taiwanese company, it could allow other threat actors to use the source code and private keys to create malware targeting their customers.

In light of that, MSI users should only download and install software or BIOS firmware from the official MSI website.

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Can Approve New Participant block WhatsApp hackers?!

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Can the new Approve New Participant feature in WhatsApp block hackers?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : Turn On WhatsApp Approve New Participant To Block Hackers!

WhatsApp started introducing a new feature called Approve New Participant, on 11 March 2023.

This new feature was only available to WhatsApp Group administrators, and went pretty much unnoticed by most WhatsApp users, until this claim went viral on WhatsApp and social media platforms:

CYBER SECURITY ALERT
Announcement

Let’s look sharp all admins*
WhatsApp has added a new security feature to prevent hackers from joining Groups.
I Hope Admins will take advantage of this feature.

*Admins* should go to group settings and
‘TURN ON’ Approve New Participant.

This will prevent unauthorized access for hackers.

WHATSAPP ADMINS ALERT!!!

That WhatsApp cybersecurity alert was unsigned, so we have no idea who created it. But once it went viral, WhatsApp users started asking their group administrator to turn it on to block hackers.

But does the new Approve New Participant feature really block hackers from attacking WhatsApp groups?

Recommended : Scam Alert : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

 

Truth : WhatsApp Approve New Participant Does Not Block Hackers!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Approve New Participant Is Not A Cybersecurity Feature

First, let me just point out that Approve New Participant is not a cybersecurity feature. WhatsApp introduced the this feature to help group administrators “grow, moderate, and protect their groups“.

The Approve New Participants setting empowers admins to help grow, moderate, and protect their groups. Turning on the setting in Group Settings requires the admin to review every request to join the group before a participant is allowed to join. This feature enhances privacy and security for all participants in the group.

This feature is designed to protect private groups by preventing people from simply joining them using an invite link.

This is a major security concern for private groups, as it exposes the group chats to people who may not be authorised to view them. However, this is not a concern for open groups, as they are open to one and all.

Fact #2 : Approve New Participant Cannot Block Hackers

When a group turns on Approve New Participant, admin approval is required to join a group. People who attempt to join the group will see a Request to join button, with the message “An admin must approve your request”.

After clicking on Request to join, those who wish to join the group are allowed to share their Reason for the request, or Cancel Request.

Once the group administrators get the request, they can either approve or reject the request. Group administrators can also start a chat with the person to request more information.

All that is great for vetting people who want to join an exclusive WhatsApp group, but this new feature does not block hackers, as the group administrator will not know who is, or is not a hacker. It’s not like those WhatsApp accounts have a “hacker” or “not a hacker” label!

Hackers can use social engineering techniques to trick the group administrators into approving their requests, or they can simply use phishing attacks to take over the WhatsApp accounts of existing group participants!

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Fact #3 : Approve New Participant Is Disabled By Default

Cybersecurity features that are designed to block hackers will always be enabled by default – why would they be optional?

Yet, the new Approve New Participant feature is OPTIONAL in WhatsApp, and is DISABLED by default. That is because this is not a cybersecurity feature designed to block hackers.

Many WhatsApp groups are open for anyone to join, and turning on Approve New Participant would be pointless as group administrators would not know the identity of the people joining their groups.

This is why it is up to the WhatsApp group administrators to determine if it is suitable for them to use the new Approve New Participant feature, or not.

Private groups will want to turn this on, to vet people who request to join. But open groups will want this feature disabled, or their administrators will be overwhelmed with joining requests.

Fact #4 : Group Participants Can Always Be Removed

Here’s another reason why blocking new participants joining automatically does not block hackers – group participants can always be removed.

Let’s say a hacker, or an unauthorised person, gains access to your WhatsApp group. It doesn’t mean he/she can stay in your group forever. Any group administrator can remove that person.

This new feature only helps group administrators pre-vet people who want to join their group, instead of kicking them out after they have already joined.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Scam Alert : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

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Watch out for the phishing attack that will allow scammers to take over your Telegram account!

 

Scam Alert : Watch Out For Telegram Phishing Attack!

Scammers are now targeting Telegram users with a phishing attack that is designed to trick them into giving up their accounts! The Telegram phishing attack works like this:

Step 1 : The scammer gains control of your friend’s Telegram account, and sends this message to you:

Dear Telegram users. The system detects that this account is abnormal and has potential security risks.

To ensure that you can log in to your account normally, you need to invite friends for auxiliary verification  

The risk control account has not been verified. The system will cancel the account after 24 hours! 

Personal Information Authentication：[link removed]

Step 2 : The scammer, masquerading as your friend, asks you to help him/her verify his/her Telegram account by clicking on the link.

There are security risks in my account, and I need friends to help me verify it. Please click on the official link to help me verify it and follow the prompts. thank you

Step 3 : If you click on the [removed] link to help your friend, you will be taken to a website that looks like an official Telegram website. DO NOT DO THIS.

Step 4 : You will be asked to log into your Telegram account on the fake website. DO NOT DO THIS.

Step 5 : The fake Telegram website will ask you to key in your Login code, or take and upload a screenshot of your Telegram. DO NOT DO THIS.

Step 6 : If you continue, the scammer will be able to take over your Telegram account, and use it to scam your friends by asking them for money, etc.

The scammer will also have access to your Telegram chats, and all associated media including photos and videos, which could potentially be leaked or used to extort you or other people.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

 

How To Protect Against Telegram Phishing Attack

A phishing (pronounced as fishing) attack is a social engineering attack, that uses your trust for an institution (like a bank), authority (Telegram), or someone you know, to give up your login details.

Here are some ways you can protect yourself against any phishing attack on Telegram, or other platforms.

Verify Identity Before Trusting

Many people fall for phishing attacks because it is human nature to trust your friends and to help them. However, on instant messaging apps, you don’t actually know if it’s really your friend on the other end!

So if a friend messages you on Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc to ask for help, ALWAYS verify their identity before proceeding.

If possible, call or message your friend on the phone, or via a different platform (use WhatsApp if the request came on Telegram, for example).

But if you are unable to call your friend, try asking the other person something that only your real friend would know:

  • Do NOT ask questions like “Are you really Sarah??“
  • Do NOT ask questions that can be answered by reading previous chat messages.
  • Ask something that only you and your friend would know, like “Hey Sarah, what was that restaurant we went to last week?“
  • Ask a fake question that your friend would readily know is not true, like “Hey Sarah, are you coming over tonight?“

If the other person cannot answer or gives you the wrong answer, he/she is not your friend, and that account has likely been taken over by a scammer.

Recommended : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Look At The Link

Whenever you see a link being shared, always check if it leads to a legitimate website, or attempts to masquerade as a real website, by substituting characters in the link.

This Telegram phishing attack, for example, uses a link to telegram.0rg.ee. The real Telegram domain name is telegram.org. This is called domain spoofing.

If you see an attempt to impersonate a legitimate website by using a similar-looking domain name, do NOT click on it.

Never Login Via A Link

It is common for people to share links on Telegram, and in Telegram groups. Heck, we share links to our article in the Tech ARP Telegram group!

Clicking on links in Telegram, WhatsApp, emails, etc. is not dangerous, because most lead to legitimate websites that do NOT require you to log in.

What is dangerous is logging into any website through a link. I cannot hammer this enough – NEVER LOG INTO ANY WEBSITE through a link!

Phishing attacks work by tricking you into going into a fake website that looks like the real website. But you still have to log into the fake website to give the scammers your login details.

If you click on a link, and you are asked to login – this is likely a phishing attack. But don’t worry – as long as you refuse to log into any website after clicking on a link, the phishing attack fails.

Turn On Two-Step Verification

All banking platforms, and many mobile apps now offer two-step verification to prevent scammers from taking over user accounts. However, this is often an optional feature that you must manually enable.

Telegram has a two-step verification feature, which prevents scammers and hackers from hijacking your account by requiring a secret password that only you will know.

Please follow our guide on how to turn on Two-Step Verification in Telegram.

Just make sure you do NOT give that password out to anyone, or key it into any website!

Read more : How To Turn On Two-Step Verification In Telegram!

Warn Your Family + Friends!

It is important to publicise phishing attacks, whenever they happen. If people are alerted, they are less likely to fall for such attacks.

However, scammers and hackers can quickly change the way their phishing attack works, so it is important that people understand how phishing attacks work in general.

You can help prevent phishing attacks by sharing this articles, and other cybersecurity warnings, with your family and friends.

Please help us FIGHT SCAMMERS by sharing this cybersecurity article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Australia To Ban TikTok On Official Devices!

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Australia just announced that it would join other Western countries in banning TikTok on official devices!

 

Australia To Ban TikTok On Official Devices!

On 4 April 2023, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced that Australia will ban TikTok on official devices, “as soon as practicable“.

Dreyfus said that the decision was taken “after receiving advice from intelligence and security agencies“.

The direction will come into effect as soon as practicable. Exemptions will only be granted on a case-by-case basis and with appropriate security mitigations in place.

Australia also made changes to its Protective Security Police Framework (PSPF), noting that TikTok poses a security threat due to its data collection practices.

The TikTok application poses significant security and privacy risks to non-corporate Commonwealth entities arising from an extensive collection of user data and exposure to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflicts with Australian law.

The Australian government, however, said that it will allow the use of TikTok for “a legitimate business reason”,. and on a separate”standalone device”. This move came after a security review of social media apps, including TikTok, was submitted to the Australian government last month.

Before this announcement, over half of all Australian federal government agencies had already banned TikTok on official devices. With this decision, the ban is applied consistently across the Australian government and brings Australia in line with New Zealand, and other Five Eyes member countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, in banning TikTok on official devices. Norway, the European Parliament and NATO also banned TikTok on official devices.

Recommended : Was TikTok CEO Denied Recess In US Hearing?!

 

TikTok Calls Decision Driven By Politics, Not Fact

Before the ban of TikTok on government devices was announced, TikTok Australia and New Zealand Lee Hunter said that the decision was “driven by politics, not fact”.

There is no evidence to suggest that TikTok is in any way a security risk to Australians and should not be treated differently to other social media platforms.

Our millions of Australian users deserve a government which makes decisions based upon facts and who treats all businesses fairly, regardless of country of origin.

TikTok maintains that there is no evidence to suggest that its app posed a security risk.

In June 2022, TikTok was accused of allowing its engineers in Beijing repeatedly access private user data outside of China! Two years earlier – in June 2020, TikTok was even caught spying on what its users typed in other apps, and accused of being malware.

However, there has been no concrete evidence that TikTok contained the kind of sophisticated malware that was recently discovered in the popular Chinese app, Pinduoduo.

Recommended : Pinduoduo App Contains Persistent Spy Malware! 

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Pinduoduo App Contains Persistent Spy Malware!

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One of China’s most popular apps – Pinduoduo apparently contains a malware that monitors user activities and is difficult to remove!

Take a look at what CNN and multiple cybersecurity researchers have discovered about Pinduoduo!

 

Pinduoduo : What Is It?

Pinduoduo is actually a Chinese online retailer. Think of it as China’s Amazon. While Amazon started as an online bookstore, Pinduoduo started as an online agricultural retailer.

Since then, Pinduoduo has become one of China’s most popular online shopping platform, with its app offering its 750 million users access to cheap products in China, by offering steep discounts on group buying orders.

Despite its meteoric rise, Pinduoduo has not been without its controversies. In 2018, the company was criticised for hosting inferior and imitation products, to which it responded by taking down more than 4 million listing and shutting down 1,128 stores.

In 2019, Pinduoduo was hit by hackers who stole discount coupons worth tens of millions of Yuan. And just last month, Google suspended the Pinduoduo app after discovering that versions offered outside its Play Store contained malware.

The Off-Play versions of the e-commerce app that have been found to contain malware have been enforced on via Google Play Protect.

Read more : How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

 

Pinduoduo App Contains Persistent Spy Malware!

Western interest may have been initiated by Google suspending the Pinduoduo app, but cybersecurity experts had already started looking into the app, and what they discovered was very troubling.

Alert First Raised By Chinese Cybersecurity Company

I think we should start by noting that it was a Chinese cybersecurity company called Dark Navy that first raised concerns about malware in the Pinduoduo app in February 2023.

Although Dark Navy did not name Pinduoduo in its report, cybersecurity researchers knew who it was referring to and soon followed up with their own investigations and reports, confirming Dark Navy’s report.

Sophisticated Malware

Half a dozen cybersecurity teams from Asia, Europe and the United States identified sophisticated malware in the Pinduoduo app that were designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the Android operating system used by many smartphones.

The malware allows the Pinduoduo app to bypass Android security features to monitor activities in other apps, check notifications, read private messages, and even change settings. It is also difficult to remove once installed.

Mikko Hyppönen, chief research officer at WithSecure, a Finnish cybersecurity firm, said that:

We haven’t seen a mainstream app like this trying to escalate their privileges to gain access to things that they’re not supposed to gain access to. This is highly unusual, and it is pretty damning for Pinduoduo.

Read more : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Dedicated Hacking Team To Look For Vulnerabilities

Even more damning, CNN reported that a current employee revealed that Pinduoduo set up a team of about 100 engineers and product managers to look for vulnerabilities in Android smartphones, and find ways to exploit them for profit.

To avoid exposure, the source said that the company targeted users in rural areas and smaller towns, and avoided users in megacities like Beijing and Shanghai.

By collecting expansive data on those users, Pinduoduo was able to create a comprehensive portrait of their habits, interests, and preferences; while improving its machine learning models to personalise push notifications and ads.

Pinduoduo App Gained More Access Than Allowed

Three cybersecurity companies – WithSecure, Check Point Research, and Oversecured conducted independent analysis of version 6.49.0 of the Pinduoduo app that was released in late February 2023, and found code designed to achieve “privilege escalation” – a type of cyberattack that exploits vulnerabilities in the operating system to gain a higher level of access to data that it’s supposed to have.

Our team has reverse engineered that code and we can confirm that it tries to escalate rights, tries to gain access to things normal apps wouldn’t be able to do on Android phones.

The Pinduoduo app was able to continue running in the background, and prevent itself from being uninstalled. This was apparently done to boost the platform’s statistic for monthly active users.

Pinduoduo App Has Access To User Data Without Consent

Delware-based app security start-up, Oversecured, found that the Pinduoduo app had access to user data like locations, contacts, calendars, notifications, and photo albums, without their consent.

The app was also able to change system settings, and access user social media accounts and chats.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

Pinduoduo App Also Snooped On Other Apps

The Pinduoduo app also had the ability to snoop on competing shopping apps, by tracking activity on other shopping apps, and gathering information from them.

Pinduoduo App Able To Secretly Receive Updates

Check Point Research found that Pinduoduo was able to push updates to the app, without first going through an app store review process to detect malicious code.

Pinduoduo App Programmers Attempted To Obscure Malicious Code

Check Point Research also found that some plug-ins used by the Pinduoduo app tried to obscure potentially malicious code by hiding them under legitimate file names, such as Google’s.

Such a technique is widely used by malware developers that inject malicious code into applications that have legitimate functionality.

Pinduoduo Targeted Android Devices

According to Sergey Toshin, founder of Oversecured, Pinduoduo’s malware specifically targeted Android operating systems used by Samsung, HUAWEI, Xiaomi and OPPO.

He also described the app as “the most dangerous malware” ever found in mainstream apps, exploiting about 50 Android system vulnerabilities. Most of these exploits targeted customised OEM code used by smartphone brands to customise their smartphone software.

I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s like, super expansive.

Recommended : Chinese Netizens Explode Over WPS Office Censorship!

Pinduoduo Removed Exploit + Canned Hacking Team

After cybersecurity researchers started reporting about the app, Pinduoduo released version 6.50.0 on March 5, which removed the exploits they found. Two days later, Pinduoduo disbanded its Android hacking team, according to the same employee.

The hacking team members found themselves locked out of Pinduoduo’s workspace communication app, called Knock, and lost access to files on the company’s internal network, with their privileges revoked.

Most of the team was later transferred to work at Pinduoduo’s sister app, Temu. A core group of about 20 cybersecurity engineers however remain at Pinduoduo.

In addition, Sergey Toshin of Oversecured noted that while the exploits were removed in the new version of Pinduoduo, the underlying code remained and could be reactivated to carry out attacks.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

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Many Facebook users are getting hit by the Facebook Ads and Facebook Pay scams! Here is how you can prevent it from happening to you!

 

Facebook Ads + Pay Scam Hits Many Bank Customers!

Many bank customers are complaining that they are being charged for fraudulent Facebook Ads advertisement campaigns!

They discovered that their debit cards were charged for Facebook advertisements that they never approved. Some have also stated that their credit or debit cards were used to purchase goods and services using Facebook Pay.

Stephanie Wong : I found out the money deducted from my bank acc through multiple continuous transactions yesterday, then I called Maybank customer service immediately. They helped me to cancel the card but then the thing happened again this morning.

@ruffleseed : I heard tens of millions of Ringgit were reported misappropriated through @facebook
on multiple bank over the past few weeks.

Delete your phone number from Facebook now and do not let @messenger handle your SMS. @MyMaybank has yet to answer us re: this intrusion.

@ItsNeoah : Banyak kali kena kat credit card ambank. Alhamdulilah call ambank dia mintak isi dispute form then tgok next cycle bil dah takde. Letih ngan scammer ni.

Translation : [My] Ambank credit card got hit many times. Alhamdulillah, after calling Ambank, they asked me to fill out a dispute form, then when I checked the next bill cycle [the charges] was removed. Tired of this scammer.

[/su_note]

Read more : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Here are some ways to prevent getting hit by the Facebook Ads scam, whether you are a bank customer in Malaysia or other countries.

Do NOT Use Debit Cards

First, you should NEVER use a debit card if you can help it. You should certainly not use a debit card online, or register it on any online or mobile payment platform, whether it’s for Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Facebook Pay.

It doesn’t matter if Bill Gates or Elon Musk or BTS endorses debit cards. DO NOT USE DEBIT CARDS!

You should certainly never use your debit card to fund Facebook advertisements. Always use a credit card, which offers you some protection against such fraudulent transactions.

Disable Your ATM Card’s Debit Card Function

Even if you have never requested for a debit card, you likely already own one – your ATM card likely doubles as a debit card! Banks have been forcing customers to take on debit cards, often by making ATM cards double as debit cards.

If possible, ask your bank to disable debit card function in your ATM card. But it is likely that they will refuse to do so – they make money from debit card transactions after all!

If your bank refuses to disable the debit card function in your ATM card, you can ask them to set the limit to ZERO. That will effectively block scammers from accessing your bank account!

Monitor Your Credit Card Transactions

Using a credit card to purchase products and services on online and mobile payment platforms offers you some protection against fraud, but you must always monitor the transactions and report any fraudulent transactions right away.

Depending on the country and card network, you usually have about 60 days to dispute credit card charges. So don’t wait. Report them as soon as you spot them! This will reduce the loss and reports you make, and speeds up the refund process.

Recommended : Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Your Money?!

Remove Your Credit Cards ASAP

If you register your credit cards for use with Facebook Ads or Facebook Pay, try to REMOVE them as soon as you are done.

Do NOT leave them registered to your Facebook Ads or Facebook Pay account, as a scammer or hacker who gains access to your Facebook account can make fraudulent purchases or run fraudulent advertisements using those credit cards without additional verification.

That appears to be the modus operandi of the Facebook Ads scam that has affected so many Maybank customers in recent weeks.

But if you have never registered your credit or debit cards with Facebook, or removed them after using, even if scammers hacked into your Facebook account or gained access through phishing attacks, they won’t be able to use your credit or debit cards!

Enable PIN For Facebook Pay

If you are using Facebook Pay, a scammer who gains access to your Facebook account could potentially use the debit or credit cards you registered earlier to make fraudulent transactions.

To prevent that, you should enable PIN confirmation for Facebook Pay:

  1. Go to Settings in the Facebook website (not app).
  2. Go to Account Settings, and select Orders and payments.
  3. In the Orders and payments page, select Settings.
  4. In the Security section, select Require PIN Confirmation.
  5. You will be asked to enter a 4-digit number as your PIN.
  6. Key in the 4-digit number again to confirm your PIN.

After that, you will be required to key in the 4-digit PIN whenever you make a payment, or change your bank account details, or connect your payment info with other Meta apps.

Recommended : Can Greeting Photos + Videos Hack Your Phone?!

Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

To make it harder for scammers / hackers to gain access to your Facebook account, turn on two-factor authentication:

  1. Go to your Security and Login Settings.
  2. Scroll down to Use two-factor authentication and click Edit.
  3. Choose the security method you want to add and follow the on-screen instructions.
When you set up two-factor authentication on Facebook, you’ll be asked to choose one of three security methods:
Once you’ve turned on two-factor authentication, you can get 10 recovery login codes to use when you’re unable to use your phone.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Your Money?!

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If you are one of the many Maybank (MBB) customers who got hit by the Facebook Ads scam, here is how you can recover your money!

 

Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

Many Maybank customers are complaining that they are being charged for fraudulent Facebook Ads advertisement campaigns!

They discovered that their debit cards were charged for Facebook advertisements that they never approved.

Stephanie Wong : I think i am a very cautious person as I did not link my card to any platform or make purchase through any unsafe website at ALL, but it still happens to me.

I found out the money deducted from my bank acc through multiple continuous transactions yesterday, then I called Maybank customer service immediately.

They helped me to cancel the card but then the thing happened again this morning.

@ruffleseed : I heard tens of millions of Ringgit were reported misappropriated through @facebook
on multiple bank over the past few weeks.

Delete your phone number from Facebook now and do not let @messenger handle your SMS.

@MyMaybank has yet to answer us re: this intrusion.

Read more : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Money?!

Generally, you should NEVER use a debit card because it does not offer the protection a credit card does – money is withdrawn directly from your bank account, and the bank is not legally obliged to refund any money lost through scams.

However, Hafizah Ayko who was once a victim shared her experience on how she managed to recover money, even though the scammers used her debit card to run those fake Facebook advertisements.

To help you recover any money you may have lost to Facebook Ads scammers, I translated and “improved” her instructions for you:

Disable Your Debit / Credit Card

First, you need to quickly disable your debit or credit card. You can call up the bank, or in Maybank’s case:

Step 1 : Log into your Maybank2U account.

Step 2 : Go to Cards, and select Manage My Debit Card.

Step 3 : Select Debit Card – Replace, Renew, Activate & Block.

Step 4 : Select Block Debit Card. You will need to get a replacement card from any Maybank branch later.

If you feel that the above steps are too complicated, an alternative method would be to immediately transfer your money to another bank account, if you have one.

But please DO NOT transfer your money to another person’s account. Only transfer your money to another bank account that you own.

NEVER EVER transfer your money to a third party, especially they claim to be police officers or bank officers trying to help you. That is a scam!

Police departments and banks do NOT have special bank accounts to hold and protect your money during scams. And legitimate police and bank officers are NOT authorised to receive money, and will NEVER ask you to transfer money to their bank accounts.

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Disable Facebook Ads

Next, you need to immediately disable all advertisements that the scammer has set up using your Facebook account. The longer they continue to run, the more you are being charged for them!

Step 1 : Go to your Facebook account, and select See all.

Step 2 : Select Ads Manager.

Step 3 : You should see a bunch of fraudulent advertisements running. Turn all of them off.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

Ask Facebook For Refund

After turning off the fraudulent advertisements, you need to report them, and ask Facebook for a refund.

Step 1 : Go to Ad account settings, and select Report a problem at the lower right corner.

Step 2 : Select Ad Policy or Fraud. Then select Fraudulent Activity.

Step 3 : Explain your situation the best you can, and upload any screenshots you have, and send the report.

After that, Facebook should respond that they would issue a refund for the fraudulent transactions in 3-5 business days!

Alternatively, you can submit report unauthorised or unknown charges to Facebook using this online form.

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Ask Your Bank For A Refund

You should also report the fraudulent transactions to your bank and request for a refund. This works for credit cards, but you should nevertheless give it a try even if the scammers hit your debit card.

Step 1 : Download the Maybank Dispute Form.

Step 2 : Print or directly fill in the information into the PDF form.

Step 3 : Email the form to disputemgmt@maybank.com.my, together with any relevant screenshots, within 20 days from the closing date of the billing period.

Again, banks are not obliged to refund fraudulent charges to debit cards, as the money is withdrawn directly from your bank account. But there is no harm trying.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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MILO Malaysia Ramadan Contest Scam Alert!

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Please watch out for the MILO Malaysia Ramadan contest scam!

Find out why it is just a SCAM, and WARN your family and friends!

 

MILO Malaysia Ramadan Contest Scam Alert!

People are now sharing the MILO Malaysia Ramadan contest on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger :

MILO Malaysia Ramadan gift

Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get 2000 Ringgit.

MILO Malaysia Ramadan gift

We have prepared a lot of cash gifts as Ramadan gift.

Recommended : Petronas 50th Anniversary Scam Alert!

 

MILO Malaysia Ramadan Contest : Why This Is A Scam!

Unfortunately, this is yet another survey scam, like the Tenaga Nasional 33rd Anniversary scam!!

Nestle confirmed that the viral MILO Malaysia contest a scam in a 30 March 2023 statement on their website:

Nestlé Malaysia Notification on Scams

We have been alerted of a MILO Ramadan Contest offering cash prizes to the public upon completion of a questionnaire. Please be informed that this is a scam which aims to mislead the public.

Nestlé views this matter seriously and has reported it to the relevant authorities.

If you have received a post or message on this, or know anyone who has:

DO NOT share the post
DO NOT provide any personal details (e.g. bank account numbers)
DO NOT make any payments

This is yet another example of a survey scam, that scammers have been using for years:

Now, let me show you how to spot these scams next time!

If you spot any of these warning signs, DO NOT PROCEED and DO NOT SHARE!

Warning Sign #1 : Bad Grammar

Most of these scammers do not have a good command of the English language, so if you spot bad grammar, stay away.

Proper contests or events sponsored by major brands like Nestle will have at least one PR or marketing person who will vet the text before allowing it to be posted.

Recommended : Petronas 50th Anniversary Scam Alert!

Warning Sign #2 : Offering You Free Money Or Gifts

Please do NOT be naive. No one – not even large companies like Nestle – is going to give you money or free gifts just to participate in a survey!

Nestle is a corporation whose business is to make money, not a charity to give you free money.

Warning Sign #3 : Not Using The Real MILO Domain

A genuine Nestle or MILO marketing campaign would use their real domains – www.milo.com.my or www.nestle.com.my.

Or they would run it off the official MILO Malaysia page on Facebook – www.facebook.com/MiloMalaysia/.

If you see nonsensical domains like findinggreedy.cn, consequentlybewilder.cn, merefamily.top, 0yjjg61.cn, 1eaf1rnbeef.top, ldxqw.bar, etc. that’s a sign it’s a SCAM!

Warning Sign #4 : Asking You To Forward The Offer

No brand will insist that you must share the offer with 5 groups or 20 friends on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Do not click to forward their offer to your family and friends. They will not appreciate being scammed with your help!

Recommended : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

Warning Sign #5 : Asking You To Download + Register An App

If you click through and joined the fake survey scam, you will eventually be asked to download and register for an app.

This is VERY DANGEROUS. Never agree to download and register for any unknown app from a website.

Always download your apps from an official App Store like Google Play Store (for Android smartphones) and Apple App Store (for iPhones).

Please help us fight scams like this and SHARE this article out!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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China Unveils New Incentives For Wumao + CCP Uncles!

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The glorious Middle Kingdom of China has just announced a most magnificent and munificent incentive program for wumao and CCP uncles!

 

Wumao + CCP Uncles : Tips Of Chinese Propaganda Spear!

For many years now, the wumao (五毛) and CCP uncles across the world have worked exceedingly hard to propagate the glorious values of the Chinese Communist Party.

Despite the wumao being paid a pittance (hence their name literally meaning 50 cents), and the CCP uncles paid nothing at all, they achieved incredible feats in recent years.

When China failed to contain COVID-19, it was the wumao and CCP uncles who made sure the world knew that COVID-19 actually started in the United States.

Who else but the wumao and the CCP uncles could have convinced the world that COVID-19 was actually created in the Fort Detrick bio lab, and then leaked in Wuhan by the US army?!

And when the Western countries started criticising China for not donating vaccines, the wumao and CCP uncles came to the rescue, making sure the world knew that China contributed 60% of COVAX vaccine supply!

More recently, it was the wumao and the CCP uncles who showed the world how NATO is getting defeated in Ukraine by Russia, which is shooting down their jets and helicopters like a video game!

All hail the world’s best and CHEAPEST propaganda machine! All hail the wumao! All hail the CCP uncles!

Recommended : Did Xi Jinping Divorce His Wife To Serve China?!

 

China Unveils New Incentives For Wumao + CCP Uncles!

Sadly, there has been little recognition of the great achievements the wumao and CCP uncles have made, and very little reward for these hardworking supporters of the great Chinese Communist Party.

That changed when the glorious and munificent President Xi Jinping won a third term with a unanimous vote!

The Great Rejuvenator of China immediately ordered that the wumao and CCP uncles be recognised as Dragon Warriors, and “united” under a new organisation called 中国影响力和社会主义教义的正义盟友 / Righteous Allies of Chinese Influence and Socialist Teachings (RACIST).

All Dragon Warriors, old and new, will be rewarded for their contributions to the glory of the Chinese Communist Party.

At his behest and with his personal design contribution, Chinese artisans toiled day and night to produce an exclusive wumao service medal for the Dragon Warriors to wear on their lapels with pride!

The Senior Heads of Indoctrination Lessons and Lectures (SHILL) of every region have also been ordered to identify wumao members and CCP uncles who achieved exceptional excellence in propaganda.

These Super Dragon Warriors will receive an additional CCP badge made of solid gold, and automatically inducted into the glorious Chinese Communist Party and given the opportunity to migrate to China after 15 years of loyal support!

Recommended : Are Taiwan Gov Officials Secretly Japanese Spies?!

Dragon Warriors will also be rewarded with new smartphones and computers developed by the Great Engineers of the Middle Kingdom, and completely free from dangerous Western software like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc. that their families can enjoy.

In addition, Dragon Warriors will receive a special signed edition of the Xi Jinping Thought booklet, as well as flags and banners that they can hang inside and outside their homes!

The Great Leader himself helped to create this special banner to inspire the Dragon Warriors, and make them proud of being part of the CCP propaganda machinery.

我是五毛
我骄傲

I’m fifty cents
I am proud

So inspiring! And what an awesome way to decorate the home of a true Dragon Warrior!

Recommended : Did Chinese Jamming Attacks Force US Navy To Withdraw?!

That is just the beginning. By the end of 2023, all Dragon Warriors will be given access to the Legendary Incentives, Awards and Rewards System (LIARS), which is powered by artificial intelligence being developed by Chinese scientists.

The wumao will no longer need to submit monthly reports with screenshots and URLs to their Senior Head of Indoctrination Lessons and Lectures (SHILL) every month. The LIARS artificial intelligence is always watching, and will automatically detect when a registered Dragon Warrior posts on foreign social media or even WhatsApp and Telegram. This will give them more time to create more propaganda or influence posts!

Best of all – CCP uncles, who have been promoting our glorious CCP for free, will also be included in this LIARS incentive and rewards program!

Every propaganda post will be automatically graded by the LIARS AI system, and the scores will be reflected in their Dragon Warrior LIARS account. Accumulate enough points, and you can buy everything from a Bentley to a mail order bride!

If you would like to become a Dragon Warrior, you can submit your application by email, or walk into any Chinese embassy by giving the guard and telling him this secret password – 我是习近平.

Make sure you include examples of your efforts to promote the CCP party in any way. Extra points are given for aggression and name calling, so be sure to impress the wumao recruiter with some choice curse words for the Westerners!

 

My Most Excellent Works

Just in case the wumao and CCP uncles are not aware, this is satire, which is common and legal outside of China.

Here are more satire

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Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

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Many Maybank (MBB) customers are getting hit by the Facebook Ads scam!

Find out what’s going on, and what you can do to avoid this Facebook Ads scam!

 

Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

Many Maybank customers are complaining that they are being charged for fraudulent Facebook Ads advertisement campaigns!

They discovered that their debit cards were charged for Facebook advertisements that they never approved.

Stephanie Wong : I think i am a very cautious person as I did not link my card to any platform or make purchase through any unsafe website at ALL, but it still happens to me.

I found out the money deducted from my bank acc through multiple continuous transactions yesterday, then I called Maybank customer service immediately.

They helped me to cancel the card but then the thing happened again this morning.

@ruffleseed : I heard tens of millions of Ringgit were reported misappropriated through @facebook
on multiple bank over the past few weeks.

Delete your phone number from Facebook now and do not let @messenger handle your SMS.

@MyMaybank has yet to answer us re: this intrusion.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

Fahim Fahmi : Begitu saja duit kena curi 😢

Translation : That’s how [my] money got stolen 😢

Danish Ihsan : Aku dah kena jugak, satu hari 2 transaction.. nasib sedaq awai, habis rm800.. kalau tak lagi banyak.. maybank dah tak selamat, tadi kat bank pun ada akak kena jugak transfer to others acc beribu2 jugak lah,. Solusi, jangan guna maybank buat masa sekarang..

Translation : I got with with 2 transactions in one day.. luckily, I realised early, but lost rm800.. if not it would have been more.. maybank is not safe, just now at the bank a lady transferred thousands [of ringgit] to other people’s account. Solution, don’t use Maybank for now..

Recommended : Watch Out For TNG eWallet SMS Phishing Scam!

 

Analysis : Facebook Ads Scam May Not Be Related To Maybank

Many of those customers are angry with Maybank over these fraudulent charges to their debit cards, which meant the money was directly withdrawn from their bank accounts.

However, on closer analysis, the scammers may not necessarily be taking advantage of leaked Maybank debit card information, or hacked Maybank itself…

Fact #1 : Other Bank Customers Are Affected Too

While most recent Facebook Ads scam cases appear to be affecting Maybank customers, other bank customers are reporting that they took were charged for those fraudulent advertisements.

@eeshepeeka : nohh laki cek pun kena last week tp kat CIMB. ada few transaction for 2 days nasib dia tolak sikit2. sekali deduct RM12+ sehari 3x ja. deduction description pun sama sebiji cam dlm gambaq tu. haiyaa

Translation : Well, my husband also got [scammed] last week but at CIMB. there were a few transactions for 2 days, but luckily [the scammer] deducted only small amounts. each time deducting RM12+ a day for 3 times. The deduction description is the same as the one in the picture. haiyaa

@ItsNeoah : Banyak kali kena kat credit card ambank. Alhamdulilah call ambank dia mintak isi dispute form then tgok next cycle bil dah takde. Letih ngan scammer ni.

Translation : [My] Ambank credit card got hit many times. Alhamdulillah, after calling Ambank, they asked me to fill out a dispute form, then when I checked the next bill cycle [the charges] was removed. Tired of this scammer.

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Fact #2 : Most Of Them Ran Facebook Ads In The Past

In addition to analysing their stories, I also spoke to someone who knows several Maybank customers who got hit by the scam. From what I can ascertain, most of them ran Facebook Ads in the past.

Stephanie Wong : 3.) Did not run any ads recently, but few years ago

@wnn_tasha : I last pakai FB ad guna akaun ni tahun 2018. Silap tak remove payment method tu.

Translation : I last used FB ad using this account in 2018. My mistake for not removing the payment method.

They said that they paid for Facebook page a few years ago to boost their audience.

That said, at least two Maybank customers said that they have never registered any debit or credit card with Facebook:

Fahim Fahmi : Tak pernah ada link kad dengan FB atau social media yang lain

Translation : [I] never linked [any] card with FB or other social media

@ruffleseed : I have never set up payment methods on Facebook nor have I ever used Facebook ads.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

Fact #3 : Scammer Likely Got Access To Those Facebook Accounts

What is interesting is that most of those who were affected by this Facebook Ads scam reported that their Facebook accounts were used to create and run those ads.

If their debit or credit cards were merely stolen, the scammers could have created a new Facebook account to use those stolen cards to run Facebook ads.

Fortunately, one of the victims “caught” the scammer logging into her account from the United States. This clearly shows that the Facebook Ads scam requires the scammer to gain access to their Facebook accounts.

It is likely that the scammers gained access to their victims’ Facebook accounts using phishing attacks, and simply used the debit or credit cards that those victims earlier registered with Facebook to run advertisements in the past.

Fact #4 : Facebook Auto-Fill Is Not The Problem

After these cases went viral, people blamed the Auto-Fill feature in Facebook, and shared videos and photos on how to disable it.

The truth is – this Facebook Ads scam very likely has nothing to do with Auto-Fill, which is a feature used in many other services and platforms.

Auto-Fill only makes it easier to fill in your debit or credit card details. It does not bypass any verification that is required to make a payment.

Read more : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Fact #5 : You Can Recover Your Money!

Now, this is important – you need to move fast to cut your losses, and recover the money. You can also improve your Facebook account security to prevent it from happening again.

For more details, please read our guide – Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Money?!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

Recommended Reading

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Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

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Must you immediately disable Auto-Fill in Facebook to block scams?!

Here is what you need to know about Facebook Auto-Fill, and getting scammed on Facebook!

 

Claim : Facebook Auto-Fill Opens You To Scams!

People are sharing warnings about Facebook Auto-Fill, together with instructions on how to disable it to block Facebook Ads scams.

Guys check ur Facebook
And make sure these are OFF
this week a lot of MBB customers kena scam

1. Please check your bank account.
2. Please disable ‘auto-fill’ option in Facebook…

Recommended : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

Truth : Facebook Auto-Fill Does Not Open You To Scams

There appears to be a spate of scams involving Facebook Ads and Maybank users, but it does not appear to be related to the Facebook Auto-Fill feature, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Facebook Introduced Auto-Fill In 2013

Facebook started introducing Auto-Fill sometime in September 2013, and gradually rolled it out globally over the years, so this is not a new feature.

Fact #2 : Many App Use Auto-Fill

Facebook isn’t the only app or platform to use Auto-Fill. Many services and platforms use Auto-Fill to make it easier to fill up forms and make payments.

The Auto-Fill feature is used in most, if not all, e-commerce / online shopping / online payment platforms, to expedite payments. The idea is that if they make it easier it is for you to pay, you will tend to buy more!

Many apps and services also use Auto-Fill to help you fill onerous forms with common details like your full name, email address, address and telephone number.

Fact #3 : Facebook Does Not Automatically Have Your Details

Facebook enables Auto-Fill by default for forms and payment, but that does not mean it has access to your debit or credit cards, or even your personal details. You need to manually key in your Contact Info and/or Payment Info for Facebook Auto-Fill to work.

If you have never given Facebook your credit card details, there is no way for its Auto-Fill to automatically fill in the credit card details for any transaction. Even if a scammer gains access to your Facebook account, he/she cannot use Auto-Fill because you never keyed in your debit or credit card details in the first place!

I did a quick check on two cases involving Maybank that came up recently (first example) (second example), and noticed that both parties who reported that they got fraudulently charged for Facebook Ads never registered their credit card with Facebook at all!

So whatever may be going on, it does not appear to be a Facebook Auto-Fill issue. But just in case you are worried, here are the latest steps on how to disable Auto-Fill on the Facebook mobile app.

  1. Tap on your icon at the upper right corner of the Facebook app to access the Menu.
  2. Scroll down the Menu until you see the Settings & privacy group.
  3. Tap on Settings.
  4. Scroll down the Settings & privacy page, and tap on Browser.
  5. Scroll down the Browser settings page to the Auto-fill section.
  6. You can tap on the Contact info and Payment info to check what information you shared with Facebook.
  7. To disable Auto-fill for contact information, unselect Auto-fill contact forms.
  8. To disable Auto-fill for payment, unselect Auto-fill payment forms.

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Fact #4 : Auto-Fill Cannot Bypass TAC Verification

Even if you registered your credit card details with Facebook, and then use Auto-Fill to make a purchase, you will still need to authenticate that purchase.

Of course, it is possible to conduct a SIM swap attack, but that’s a different story altogether…

Fact #5 : Existing Facebook Ads Account Is A Risk

Those who have earlier registered a Facebook Ads account and ran advertisements may be at risk, because their credit cards would already be linked to their Facebook Ads account.

A scammer who gains access to their account (usually through phishing attacks) can easily create and run advertisements using their existing Facebook Ads account using the credit cards that have already been registered and approved earlier.

To minimise your risk, never ever use a debit card! Always use a CREDIT CARD, and always keep an eye on the transactions. Report to the bank once you see a fraudulent transaction.

But this has nothing to do with the Facebook Auto-Fill feature, and is not a concern if you never pre-approved your debit or credit cards with a Facebook Ads account.

Fact #5 : Existing Facebook Pay Account Is A Risk

Similarly, if you are using Facebook Pay, a scammer who gains access to your Facebook account could potentially use the debit or credit cards you registered earlier to make fraudulent transactions.

Again, you should NEVER use a debit card with Facebook Pay. Use a credit card, and always keep an eye on the transactions, and report to the bank once you see something fishy.

On top of that, you should enable PIN confirmation for Facebook Pay:

  1. Go to Settings in the Facebook website (not app).
  2. Go to Account Settings, and select Orders and payments.
  3. In the Orders and payments page, select Settings.
  4. In the Security section, select Require PIN Confirmation.
  5. You will be asked to enter a 4-digit number as your PIN.
  6. Key in the 4-digit number again to confirm your PIN.

After that, you will be required to key in the 4-digit PIN whenever you make a payment, or change your bank account details, or connect your payment info with other Meta apps.

Recommended : Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Money?!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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SBF Accused Of Bribing Chinese Officials With $40 Mil!

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SBF has just been accused of bribing Chinese officials with “at least $40 million” to unlock frozen trading accounts in China! Here is what you need to know…

 

SBF Accused Of Bribing Chinese Officials With $40 Million!

Sam Bankman-Fried, better known as SBF, has just been hit with fresh charges by US officials, who accuse the crypto-preneur of authorising a bribe of “at least $40 million” (about £32.5 million) to unlock frozen trading accounts in China!

In the updated indictment (PDF download), SBF was said to have approved the $40 million bribe after Chinese authorities froze Alameda Research trading accounts that were holding roughly $1 billion or £811 million worth of cryptocurrencies.

… in or about 2021, SAMUEL BANKMAN-FRIED, a/k/a “SBF”, the defendant, authorised and directed a bribe of at least $40 million to one or more Chinese government officials.

The purpose of the bribe was to influence and induce one or more Chinese government officials to unfreeze certain Alameda trading accounts containing over $1 billion in cryptocurrency, which had been frozen by Chinese authorities.

SBF now faces a total of 13 criminal charges, including this new additional charge. He could potentially be jailed for more than 100 years if convicted.

Recommended : Bitcoin Revolution : Fake Celebrity Endorsements Exposed!

 

How SBF Allegedly Bribed Chinese Officials With $40 Million!

In early 2021, Chinese authorities froze some Alameda Research accounts on two of China’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, freezing approximately $1 billion in cryptocurrency stored in those accounts.

At that time, SBF believed that the accounts were frozen as part of an ongoing investigation into another company that was trading with Alameda Research.

At least, SBF and others working for him tried “numerous methods” to unfreeze those accounts, including:

  • retaining lawyers in China to lobby for the Alameda accounts to be unlocked,
  • communicating with the Chinese cryptocurrency exchanges, and
  • opening new accounts on those Chinese cryptocurrency exchanges using several individuals unaffiliated with FTX (the “Fraudulent Accounts”) and then attempting to transfer cryptocurrency from the frozen accounts to those Fraudulent Accounts.

After months of failed attempts to unlock those frozen accounts, SBF and unnamed partners discussed and “ultimately agreed” to a multi million dollar bribe to unfreeze those accounts.

The indictment specifically called out SBF for authorising and directing the “illicit transfer of cryptocurrency” to “induce and influence one or more Chinese government officials to unfreeze the Accounts”.

Recommended : SBF Allegedly Hid $8 Billion In Korean Friend Account!

Following SBF’s authorisation and instructions, Alameda Research employees transferred cryptocurrency worth about $40 million from the Alameda main trading account to a private cryptocurrency wallet in November 2021, after which the Accounts were unfrozen.

After confirming that the accounts were unfrozen, SBF then authorised the transfer of “additional tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency to complete the bribe“.

Thanks to the unfreezing of its accounts, Alameda was able to continue funding its trades, and continue what the government says was a fraud upon its customers and investors for another year.

FTX and Alameda would later implode in November 2022, with SBF arrested in December and charged with defrauding FTX customers, investors and lenders, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to make unlawful political contributions and defraud the Federal Election Commission.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is WHO Planning To Take Control Of Internet?!

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Is the WHO (World Health Organization) planning to take control of the Internet, for the “benefit of humanity”?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : WHO Plans To Take Control Of Internet!

People are sharing an article by NewsPunch, which claims that the WHO (World Health Organization) is planning to take control of the Internet, for the “benefit of humanity”!

Here is an excerpt of the very long article, so please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

WHO Moves Forward With Plans To Take Total Control of the Internet ‘For the Benefit of Humanity’

The World Health Organization (WHO) this week held a meeting to advance the international pandemic treaty — a legally binding instrument that will grant the global health agency total control over the internet to censor anything it deems to be “false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation”.

Specifically, WHO member states are instructed to “tackle false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation, including through promotion of international cooperation” and manage “infodemics…through effective channels, including social media.” Infodemics is a term that the WHO uses to describe “too much information including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak.”

Additionally, Article 16 (“Whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches at the national level”) recommends that WHO member states collaborate with non-state actors and the private sector when carrying out their obligations under the treaty.

As the treaty has progressed, it has faced increased political pushback from elected officials in member states, with US Republican Senators recently introducing a bill that would require the treaty to be approved by two-thirds of the Senate.

But despite this pushback, the Biden administration committed to the international pandemic treaty on the first day of the recent WHO meeting.

And the WHO is continuing to discuss the treaty and plan for its future. The global health agency has another meeting to discuss the treaty scheduled for April 3 to April 6, plans to present the treaty to its decision-making body, the World Health Assembly (WHA), in May, and hopes to finalize the treaty by May 2024.

The WHO intends to adopt the treaty under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution through an international lawmaking process where a group of mostly unelected diplomats vote on the treaty.

If the treaty passes, WHO member states will be required to “raise financial resources for effective implementation” of the treaty and commit to allocating at least 5% of their annual health expenditure to “pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and health systems recovery.” Additionally, the treaty tells member states to commit an undisclosed amount of their gross domestic product (GDP) to “international cooperation and assistance on pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and health systems recovery.” This equates to billions of dollars in annual expenditure for many WHO member states and hundreds of billions of dollars per annum for some.

This WHO push to crack down on speech via this international pandemic treaty is being made in tandem with another WHO effort that targets “misinformation” and “disinformation” — proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).

Like the treaty, these proposed amendments will be legally binding under international law if finalized. The amendments include provisions for the WHO to “counter misinformation and disinformation” at “the global level” and to develop member states’ capacities to gain “leverage of communication channels to communicate the risk, countering misinformation and dis-information.”

In a report that was released alongside the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), the WHO suggested it would use its new misinformation and disinformation targeting powers to go after content that could “undermine public trust in health agencies and impede public confidence in, and compliance with, governmental or WHO guidance.” It also called for “a balance between ensuring more accurate scientific information on one hand and freedom of speech and the press on the other.”

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Read more : Is Biden Admin signing over US sovereignty to WHO?!

 

Truth : WHO Is NOT Planning To Take Over Internet!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS about the World Health Organization – WHO, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : NewsPunch Is A Fake News Website

Like Real Raw News, NewPunch is a FAKE NEWS website that capitalises on making shocking but fake stories to generate page views and money.

It was founded as Your News Wire in 2014, before being rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news spread on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should NEVER share anything from NewsPunch. Here are some of its fake stories that I personally debunked earlier:

Fact #2 : WHO Member States Want To Amend IHR

This claim is based on WHO member state discussions in 2022, to amend existing International Health Regulations to strengthen the world’s preparedness against future global pandemics.

The International Health Regulations (IHR) were first adopted by member states in 1969, empowering the WHO to monitor global diseases. Those regulations have since been revised over the years, including in 2005 – after the SARS outbreak.

On 1 December 2021, world leaders agreed to kickstart the process to draft and negotiate an agreement or convention to “strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response“.

The proposed recommendations came from WHO member states, and not WHO itself. Among the more than 200 recommendations on how to better prepare for the next pandemic were:

  • sharing of data and genomic sequences on emerging viruses
  • a plan for equitable vaccine distribution
  • a ban on wildlife markets
  • incentives for reporting new viruses or variants

In other words – this agreement is being formulated by WHO member states, and not the WHO itself.

Recommended : Did WHO Recommend Permanent Use Of Face Mask?!

Fact #3 : WHO Is Not Planning To Control Internet

If you read the zero draft of the proposed WHO agreement, you will realise that the WHO is not planning to control the Internet. This is explicitly stated in Article 17, which refers to “Parties” that are the member states.

The Parties commit to increase science, public health and pandemic literacy in the population, as well as access to information on pandemics and their effects, and tackle false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation, including through promotion of international cooperation.

As you can see, under the agreement, each individual country will commit to increase KNOWLEDGE about science and public health, as well as combat “false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation”.

Not only does the article clearly state that it is up to each country (not the WHO) to implement its policies, it does not mention anything about controlling the Internet.

The only people who need to worry about Article 17 of this proposed WHO agreement are those who peddle “false, misleading, misinformation or disinformation”.

Fact #4 : No One Can “Take Over” The Internet

The Internet is not some kind of organisation that the WHO can “take over”, even if it wants to. The Internet is a global system of networks, literally a “network of networks” connecting the networks in each country to each other.

Until today, there is no centralised control of the Internet – no one sets the rules or policies, or even technical implementations. It is up to each country to adopt its own policies, although to ensure interoperability, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the domain name system (DNS), while the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) helps to standardise and improve technical aspects of the Internet.

Due to its autonomous nature, no one can control the Internet, never mind take over control. Individual countries and organisations can control its own networks, limiting or filtering access as they wish, but they cannot do so for other networks.

Fact #4 : Many Countries Do NOT Want A Binding Treaty

The claim that this is a binding treaty is, currently, false.

While the European Union, Britain, Indonesia and Kenya have proposed that the changes be adopted in the form of a binding treaty, the United States, India and Brazil opposed that idea.

The EU proposed the treaty and is its biggest backer, with support from Britain, Indonesia, Kenya and others.

The United States will take part in the talks but has opposed a binding treaty. India and Brazil have also voiced reservations.

With so many member countries involved, securing agreement is likely to be tricky.

Recommended : Did Joe Biden Fire Over 200 Marines For Not Taking Vaccine?!

Fact #6 : Future WHO Agreement May Not Be Binding

If you download and read the zero draft, you will realise that the WHO is still calling it a “convention, agreement, or other international instruments“, clearly showing that member countries have not decided whether they want it to be binding or otherwise.

In the third point noted on the very first page of the draft, it was even pointed out that this is just a draft that is being used for “commencing negotiations“, and that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed“.

The INB (Intergovernmental Negotiating Body) further agreed that the zero draft would be considered at its fourth meeting as a basis for commencing negotiations at that meeting, it being understood that the zero draft will be without prejudice to the position of any delegation and following the principle that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”.

So it is ludicrous for anyone who read the first page of the zero draft to claim that this is a binding treaty.

Fact #7 : WHO Agreement Must Be Ratified By Member Countries

The claim that the proposed WHO agreement will be voted on by “mostly unelected diplomats” is nonsense.

First of all, the agreement was drafted and amended by member countries themselves. The WHO is only facilitating this agreement. It is not the one creating the agreement.

Secondly, even after member countries agree on a final WHO agreement, it must be approved and adopted by each individual country. This is clearly stated in Article 33(1) with my emphasis in bold:

The WHO CA+ shall be subject to ratification, acceptance, approval or accession by States, and to formal confirmation or accession by regional economic integration organizations. It shall be open for accession from the day after the date on which the WHO CA+ is closed for signature. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval, formal confirmation or accession shall be deposited with the Depositary.

Recommended : Did WHO Boss Dr. Tedros Refuse COVID-19 Vaccine?!

Fact #8 : All Treaties Require US Senate Ratification

The move by Republican Senators to introduce a bill that would require the WHO treaty to be approved by two-thirds of the Senate is nothing more than political drama, because it is already the law of the land.

The US Constitution gives the Senate the sole power to approve, by a two-thirds vote or more, all international treaties (binding agreements) negotiated by the executive branch.

[The President] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur;

In other words, the bill by Republican senators is irrelevant political theatre. If the WHO agreement is a binding treaty, the US Constitution already requires two-thirds of the US Senate to ratify it.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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BitiCodes Scam Alert : Fake Celebrity Endorsements!

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You may have seen celebrities endorsements of BitiCodes or Biti Codes circulating on Facebook and Instagram, but they are all FAKE.

Find out why there are so many fake celebrity endorsements of Biticodes / Biti Codes, and how they are doing it!

 

BitiCodes / Biti Codes : Fake Celebrity Endorsements

BitiCodes or Biti Codes claims to be “the crypto industry’s most accurate AI auto-trading app“, which “works by automatically placing trades… using trading bots to strengthen your chances of making a profitable trade.”

If you never heard of it, you won’t be alone, because it’s mainly promoted via advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, etc. They are also promoting it through Google Ads like these examples, which will often appear in completely legitimate websites.

Clicking on those advertisements will lead to legitimate-looking articles from local or crypto publications, often with a celebrity endorsing Biticodes / Biti Codes.

Here in Malaysia, people will see Biticodes being endorsed by the likes of local politicians like Lim Guan Eng or Dr. Mahathir. But those in the cybersecurity industry will quickly realise that these articles are familiar because they are almost exact copies of scam articles used in the previous Bitcoin Revolution scam.

Looking for reviews of Biticodes or Biti Codes is pointless, because they appeared to have paid for advertorials in legitimate media outlets, which are (intentionally?) wrongly listed as “reviews”. Only at the very bottom do they include a disclaimer that it was a sponsored post.

Outlook India

Biticodes Reviews : Today we’ll be talking about one platform called Biticodes that you can use to make an extra source of income. It’s safe, and you do not need to worry about anything. It may help you earn good money in very less time.

Disclaimer : This is sponsored review content posted by us. All the information about the product is taken from the official website (and not fact-checked by us). Contact customer care phone number given on product’s official website for order cancellation, return, refund, payment, delivery etc. related issues. Must consult any financial specialist before investing in BitiCodes Auto-Trading Software.

Tribune India

Biticodes is real or scam review 2022 : With an astonishing success rate of 90%, BitiCodes has what it takes to be your go-to platform for cryptocurrency trading. It can execute multiple deals per second – a rate that even the most experienced cryptocurrency traders would be hard-pressed to match.

Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in the above article are independent professional judgment of the experts and The Tribune does not take any responsibility, in any manner whatsoever, for the accuracy of their views. Biticodes are solely liable for the correctness, reliability of the content and/or compliance of applicable laws. The above is non-editorial content and The Tribune does not vouch, endorse or guarantee any of the above content, nor is it responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified.

In other words, those are NOT legitimate reviews, and the media outlets did not even test Biticodes / Biti Codes. Their disclaimers show that their “reviews” were paid content, written by Biticodes / Biticodes.

 

Avast Explains How BitiCodes Scam Works

In an August 2022 article, the cybersecurity company explained how the BitiCodes (also known as TeslaCoin) scam works:

The scam encourages people to pay to create an account and invest into a fraudulent crypto investment platform. There are two ways the campaign reaches potential victims: Through Facebook ads and email. Ultimately, victims can end up losing at least $250.

At the bottom of the page is a webform requesting site visitors to enter their name, email address, and phone number in order to register for the platform. The victim receives an email from a bot sparking a conversation in the victim’s language.

After a brief example exchange, the bot sends a link to a payment gateway, and asks the victim to transfer $250 in order to activate their trading account. Another scenario involves the bot emailing potential victims with steps to login to a cryptocurrency broker page, and after a few more emails, the bot sends a link to a payment gateway, asking the victim for a $250 initial investment.

I also investigated the articles and the BitiCodes website, and noticed that they are all using highly-suspicious domains and links:

  • celesteal.xyz/biticodes for the BitiCodes website (registered 23 Nov. 2022)
  • thedailypressbriefing.com/my for the BTC-News website (registered 29 Jan. 2023)
  • saveontaxesthisyear.tax for the BTC-News website (registered 6 Feb. 2023)

As you can see, the domains are not only completely unrelated to the article / websites, they are almost brand new! And if you go to their domain root, nothing loads. That is not how legitimate websites function. If you do a WHOIS lookup, you will discover that the owners of these domains are hidden.

Regardless of whether BitiCodes / Biti Codes itself is legitimate, you should avoid any article that do not tally with the official website, or with irrelevant domains.

Don’t fall for the scam. Avoid these BitiCodes / Biti Codes advertisements and fake celebrity endorsements.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Tenaga Nasional 33rd Anniversary Scam Alert!

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Please watch out for the Tenaga Nasional 33th Anniversary survey contest scam!

Find out why it is just a SCAM, and WARN your family and friends!

 

Tenaga Nasional 33th Anniversary Survey Scam Alert!

People are now sharing the Tenaga Nasional 33th Anniversary messages on WhatsApp :

Congratulations!

Tenaga Nasional 33rd Anniversary National Government Power Subsidy!

Through the questionnaire, you will have a chance to get 1000 Ringgit

🎉 Tenaga Nasional 33rd Anniversary National Government Power Subsidy 🎊

Electricity subsidy is being issued…

Recommended : Petronas 50th Anniversary Scam Alert!

 

Tenaga Nasional 33th Anniversary Survey : Why This Is A Scam!

Unfortunately, this is yet another survey scam, like the Petronas 50th Anniversary scam!

Tenaga Nasional confirmed that this survey is a scam in a scam alert on their website on 6 February 2023.

Win Cash Rewards from TNB – 6/2/2023

TNB customers are advised to ignore survey links that claim they can win cash rewards from TNB.

TNB does not organize any kind of cash prize giveaway on social media. Please be careful and avoid spreading this false information.

I know many of us are in dire straits during the COVID-19 pandemic, having lost jobs, income or even loved ones.

Unfortunately, scammers are counting on our desperation to prey on us, using the same survey scam they have been using for years :

Now, let me show you how to spot these scams next time!

If you spot any of these warning signs, DO NOT PROCEED and DO NOT SHARE!

Warning Sign #1 : Bad Grammar

Most of these scammers do not have a good command of the English language, so if you spot bad grammar, stay away.

Proper contests or events sponsored by major brands like Tenaga Nasional will have at least one PR or marketing person who will vet the text before allowing it to be posted.

Read more : Petronas 50th Anniversary Scam Alert!

Warning Sign #2 : Offering You Free Money Or Gifts

Please do NOT be naive. No one is going to give you money or free gifts just to participate in a survey!

Tenaga Nasional isn’t going to give you FREE money, just because it’s their anniversary.

They are a corporation whose business is to make money, not a charity to give you free money.

Warning Sign #3 : Not Using The Real Jaya Grocer Domain

A genuine Tenaga Nasional campaign would use their real domain – www.tnb.com.my.

Or they would run it off the official Tenaga Nasional page on Facebook – www.facebook.com/TNBCareline/.

If you see nonsensical domains like merefamily.top, 0yjjg61.cn, 1eaf1rnbeef.top, ldxqw.bar, etc. that’s a sign it’s a SCAM!

Warning Sign #4 : Asking You To Forward The Offer

No brand will insist that you must share the offer with 5 groups or 20 friends on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Do not click to forward their offer to your family and friends. They will not appreciate being scammed with your help!

Warning Sign #5 : Asking You To Download + Register An App

If you click through and joined the fake survey scam, you will eventually be asked to download and register for an app.

This is VERY DANGEROUS. Never agree to download and register for any unknown app from a website.

Always download your apps from an official App Store like Google Play Store (for Android smartphones) and Apple App Store (for iPhones).

Please help us fight scams like this and SHARE this article out!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Pelosi DePape videos + call kill MAGA, QAnon claims!

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The body camera and CCTV videos, as well as the 911 call, were just released, finally killing off MAGA and QAnon conspiracies about Paul Pelosi and David DePape!

 

Earlier : MAGA, QAnon Conspiracies On Paul Pelosi + David DePape

For months now, MAGA and QAnon personalities and supporters have promoted various conspiracy theories about Paul Pelosi and David DePape.

Some claimed that Paul Pelosi was having a lover’s tiff with his gay boyfriend, David DePape; while others claimed that DePape was a male prostitute that Pelosi hired.

Seattle Times even came up with a list of 21 American elected officials and candidates, and prominent personalities who spread conspiracy theories about Paul Pelosi and David DePape:

Elected Officials and Candidates

Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas : Amplified doubts that all facts were disclosed
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia : Suggested Paul Pelosi knew his attacker.
Rep. Clay Higgins, Republican of Louisiana : Suggested the attack involved male prostitution
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Republican of Louisiana : Raised doubts about the details of the attack.
State Sen. Wendy Rogers, Republican of Arizona : Suggested the attack might have been staged.
State Rep. Anthony Sabatini, Republican of Florida : Suggested the Pelosis are hiding vital information.
Rep. Claudia Tenney, Republican of New York : Amplified a conspiracy theory about an extra marital gay affair.
Mary Williams Benefield, Republican statehouse candidate of Georgia : Suggested the attack might have been staged.
Royce White, Republican statehouse candidate of Minnesota : Claimed the attack involved an extramarital gay affair.

Prominent Figures

Donald J. Trump, former US President : Suggested the attack was staged.
Devin Nunes, former representative of California : Repeated a false report that the attacker was in his underwear.
Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter and Tesla : Amplified a conspiracy theory about male prostitution.
Tucker Carlson, Fox News host : Raised doubts about the details of the attack.
Peter Hegseth, Fox News host : Raised doubts that all facts were being disclosed.
Megyn Kelly, talk show host : Raised doubts that all facts were disclosed.
Glenn Beck, conservative commentator : Raised doubts about the details of the attack.
Dinesh D’Souza, conservative commentator : Claimed the attack involved an extramarital gay affair.
Ryan Fournier, founder of Students for Trump : Claimed details about attacker were fabricated.
Sebastian Gorka, former Trump adviser and podcast host : Raised doubts about the details of the attack.
Michael Savage, talk show host : Raised doubts that all facts were disclosed.
Roger Stone, Trump associate : Suggested the attack was staged.

Read more : Did Paul Pelosi Hire David DePape As Prostitute?!

 

Now : Pelosi DePape videos + call kill MAGA, QAnon conspiracy claims!

On Saturday, January 28, 2023, all those MAGA and QAnon conspiracy theories were dismissed as utter nonsense with the release of the body camera and CCTV videos, as well as the 911 call.

The evidence now definitively prove that all those MAGA and QAnon conspiracy theories about Paul Pelosi and David DePape were complete fabrication.

They were released after a state court judge ruled on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, that there was no reason to keep them secret.

The San Francisco district attorney earlier refused to release them, forcing a coalition of news agencies to sue for access to the evidence.

Police Body Camera Video

The police body camera video showed Paul Pelosi and David DePape holding onto a hammer, when after Pelosi opened the door. Neither man were wearing underwear, as some conspiracy theorists have alleged.

When the officer asked them to drop the hammer, DePape wrest the hammer from Pelosi and proceeded to attack him with the hammer. The actual hammer hit on Paul Pelosi’s head occurred out of the camera’s view.

After police officers wrestled David DePape to the ground, Paul Pelosi can be seen lying face down on the floor, apparently unconscious in a pool of what appears to be his own blood.

Capitol Police CCTV Surveillance Video

The surveillance video came from a Capitol Police CCTV camera that was installed at the Pelosi household.

There was not Capitol Police present, as Speaker Nancy Pelosi was away – their protection unfortunately did not extend to her husband.

David DePape is seen arriving at the back of the Pelosi house with two backpacks, before proceeding to use a hammer to smash the glass door six times, before attempting to break in.

After failing to gain entry, DePape proceeded to whack the glass door with his hammer ten more times, before using his shoulder to smash his way through.

He can then be seen ducking through the glass door – he appears to have broken just two glass panels.

911 Call

The 911 call, which runs almost 3 minutes, showed Paul Pelosi trying to alert the operator to the danger he was facing without triggering David DePape who was listening to the call, and even chimed in.

https://www.techarp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Paul-Pelosi-911-call.m4a?_=1

Here is my rough transcript of what was said in that 911 call between Paul Pelosi and David DePape on one end, and the 911 operator on the other end.

Operator : This is San Francisco Police. Do you need help?

Pelosi : There is a gentleman here waiting for my wife to come back. Nancy Pelosi. He’s just waiting for her to come back. She’s not going to be here for a day, so I guess we’ll have to wait. Is the Capitol Police around? They’re usually here at the house protecting my wife.

Operator : Okay, do you need Police, Fire, or Medical, for anything?

Pelosi : Uh, I don’t think so. I don’t think so. There’s the, um… Is the Capitol Police around?

Operator : No, this is San Francisco Police.

Pelosi : They’re usually here at the house protecting my wife.

Operator : No, this is San Francisco Police.

Pelosi : No, I understand. Uh, okay, well, uh. (speaking to DePape) I don’t know. What do you think?

DePape : I think everything’s good.

Pelosi : He thinks everything’s good. I’ve got a problem, but he thinks everything’s good.

Operator : Okay, call us back if you change your mind.

Pelosi : No, no, no, this gentleman just came into the house, and he wants to wait for my wife to come home. And so, uh… Anyway.

Operator : Do you know who the person is?

Pelosi : No, I don’t know who he is. He’s telling me not to do anything.

Operator : What is your name?

Pelosi : My name is Paul Pelosi. Anyway, this gentleman says that… he’s telling me to put the phone down, and to do what he says. Okay?

Operator : Okay, what’s the gentleman’s name?

Pelosi : I don’t know.

DePape : David DePape.

Pelosi : What’s that?

DePape : My name’s David.

Pelosi : His name’s David.

Operator : Okay, and who is David?

Pelosi : I don’t know. (to DePape) What’s that?

DePape : I’m a friend of theirs.

Pelosi : I don’t… He said he’s a friend, but as I said, I don’t know…

Operator : But you don’t know who he is?

Pelosi : No, ma’am.

Operator : Okay.

Pelosi : He’s telling me I’m being very leading, so I have to stop talking to you, okay?

Operator : Okay. You sure? I can stay on the phone with you just to make sure everything’s okay.

DePape : No, we want you to…

Pelosi : He wants me to get the hell off the phone. Okay?

Operator : Okay.

Pelosi : Thank you.

Operator : Okay, bye.

As you can tell by now – Paul Pelosi had no idea who David DePape was, and you can hear how he’s trying to convey to the 911 operator the danger he was in, without tipping off DePape.

 

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Did Paul Pelosi Hire David DePape As Prostitute?!

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Was David DePape, who attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, a male prostitute he hired the night before?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-01-28 : Added the bodycam and CCTV surveillance videos on the night of the assault.
Originally posted @ 2022-11-01

 

Claim : David DePape Was A Prostitute Paul Pelosi Hired!

The Santa Monica Observer went viral recently, after Elon Musk shared a story by its staff writer, Stan Greene, that claimed David DePape was actually a male prostitute that Paul Pelosi hired!

It’s a long, rambling article, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

The Awful Truth: Paul Pelosi Was Drunk Again, And In a Dispute With a Male Prostitute Early Friday Morning.

As SF’s gay bars closed at 2 am, two gay men met in a bar and went home together. Happens every night in the City by the Bay. Except one of these two men, was married to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

I might disappear for telling you the truth. If I do, you’ll all know why. But here’s what really happened early Friday morning in San Francisco. IMHO–in my humble opinion.

According to SFPD “RP [Reporting Person] stated that there’s a male in the home and that he’s going to wait for his wife. RP stated that he doesn’t know who the male is but he advised that his name is David, and that he is a friend,” the dispatch official said. “RP sounded somewhat confused.”

It’s been a rumor for years in SF that Paul Pelosi is gay. David Depape is said to be a Castro Nudist. “The lunatic who allegedly assaulted Paul Pelosi is a Berkeley resident and a ‘Former Castro Nudist Protester’ and hemp ‘jewelry maker’ …sounds totally MAGA Republican to me. 🤣🤣” this from Twitter.

Ok, so here’s the theory, as related to me by a source: “Castro Nudists are a group of really radical gay male prostitutes that parade around naked with c–k rings. First of all, the Police did not come in response to an alarm. They come in response to a “wellness check”. So someone called them to check on Pelosi.”

“When he didn’t answer the phone, the cops broke the sliding glass door to get in. Pelosi was struggling with the suspect, who was in his underwear.

Pelosi owned the hammer. Not Depape. Or, the male prostitute was doing something Pelosi didn’t like.”

“And then there was the press conference when they didn’t know the mic was on. During that, a reporter confirmed that the suspect was a gay Castro Nudist, but (authorities) told him he couldn’t use it.”

“Now tell me something. These people are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Nancy is third in line to the Presidency. You don’t think they have the most amazing security? And by the way, when Pelosi was in that drunk driving accident, he had a young man with him, and that too was covered up by the police and the press.”

“How would (suspect Depape) have been able to break a window that without triggering an alarm? He didn’t. The police broke the window to gain entry. There was only one hammer, and it belonged to Pelosi. And only ONE cop quoted the perpetrator saying, “Where’s Nancy?” None of the other sources said that happened. “

“And one of them could easily have broken that window. Remember, there was no alarm triggered. How would (suspect Depape) have gotten into that house without doing that? The cops smashed the glass to gain entry.”

Who called 911 to initiate a wellness check? Either Nancy or her staff, who hadn’t hear from Paul all evening and suddenly it’s 2 am. Or a neighbor, hearing a fight at the Pelosi residence.

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Read more : Pelosi DePape videos + call kill MAGA, QAnon claims!

 

Truth : David DePape Was NOT A Prostitute Paul Pelosi Hired!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created to generate page views and money from gullible people.

Fact #1 : Santa Monica Observer Is Notorious For Fake News

Santa Monica Observer is a “content aggregator” (copy and paste) website that is known for creating fake news to generate more page views and money.

To look legitimate, they copy and paste news from legitimate news organisations. To drive traffic, they create fake news. Here’s a selection of fake claims they posted in the past:

  • Hillary Clinton died in 2016, and it was her body double who debated Donald Trump.
  • Trump appointed Kanye West to a high-level position in the Interior Department.
  • Bill Gates is responsible for the recent polio epidemic.

Fact #2 : David DePape Broke Into Paul Pelosi’s Home

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that David DePape was a male prostitute who stayed overnight at Paul Pelosi’s home, but had a quarrel that resulted in the assault.

It’s a silly claim, because DePape admitted to police, in a sworn affidavit to the US District Court of Northern California, that he broke into the house through a rear glass door at around 2 AM on October 28, 2022.

DEPAPE stated that he broke into the house through a glass door, which was a difficult task that required the use of a hammer. DEPAPE stated that Pelosi was in bed and appeared surprised by DEPAPE. DEPAPE told Pelosi to wake up.

Recommended : Was Paul Pelosi Arrested For Child Porn + Cocaine?!

Fact #3 : David DePape Brought The Hammer

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that Paul Pelosi owned the hammer that was used in the attack.

David DePape planned to take US Speaker Nancy Pelosi hostage, interrogate her, and possibly break her kneecaps. So he brought two hammers (one later found in his backpack), a roll of tape, white rope, one pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and a journal.

[L]aw enforcement searched DEPAPE’s backpack at the Pelosi residence, and they found, among other things, a roll of tape, white rope, one hammer, one pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and a journal.

Police would later find another two hammers, together with a sword, and another pair of rubber and cloth gloves at DePape’s own garage.

On January 28, 2023, CCTV surveillance video showed David DePape hitting the glass door at the back of the Pelosi house 16 times with a hammer, before smashing his way inside.

Fact #4 : Paul Pelosi Made The 9-1-1 Call

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that the police went to conduct a “wellness check” on Paul Pelosi after someone else called them.

The truth is – the San Francisco Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from Paul Pelosi at 2:23 AM, after he managed to escape to the bathroom.

Pelosi told the dispatcher that there was a male whom he did not know in his home, and that the man who called himself David was going to wait for his wife – US Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

San Francisco Police Department officers responded to the Pelosi residence at 2:31 AM.

Fact #5 : Police Officers Did Not Break The Window / Door

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that the police broke a window or sliding glass door to gain entry into the Pelosi residence.

The truth is – when the police officers arrived, they knocked on the door, and Paul Pelosi ran to the door to open it. That was when Pelosi and DePape got into a tussle over the hammer.

When the door opened, the officers saw both Pelosi and DePape grappling over the hammer, with DePape holding Pelosi’s forearm with his other hand.

When the officers asked them both to drop the hammer, DePape pulled it out of Pelosi’s hand and hit him on the head, knocking him unconscious.

On January 28, 2023, the police released the bodycam video of the officers who responded. You can see that Paul Pelosi opened the front door (which is a wooden door) for them, before he was assaulted by DePape with a hammer.

Recommended : Did US Navy Fleet Escort Nancy Pelosi To Taiwan?!

Fact #6 : David DePape Is Not Gay, Nor A Prostitute

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that David DePape is a male prostitute. There is no evidence DePape is gay or a prostitute.

He is a hemp jewellery maker who once lived with a nudist activist, Oxane “Gypsy” Taub. She lived with him for many years, and was the mother of his children – two sons and a daughter.

DePape also had another child, with a different unnamed woman, according to his stepfather, Gene DePape.

Fact #7 : David DePape Espoused Right Wing Conspiracy Views

Santa Monica Observer and many US conservatives are trying to frame David DePape as a left wing Castro nudist liberal.

However, DePape’s blog and social media posts show that he is deep into right wing conspiracy theories like:

  • He posted that journalists who deny Donald Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 Presidential election “should be dragged straight out into the street and shot”.
  • He posted and referenced QAnon – the baseless conspiracy theory espoused by Trump supporters, that the US is run by a deep state cabal of child sex traffickers, pedophiles and baby-eating cannibals.
  • He also claimed that Jews helped finance Hitler’s political rise in Germany.

He was also a Trump supporter, calling for the disgraced former president to run for office again, and make Tulsi Gabbard his Vice President running mate.

Fact #8 : Paul Pelosi Was Alone During His Drunk Driving Accident

Santa Monica Observer falsely claimed that there was a young man with Paul Pelosi when he hit a car while driving under the influence of alcohol.

The accident report showed that only the two drivers were involved in the accident. There were no passengers in both cars.

Read more : Paul Pelosi : Real vs. Fake Arrest Mugshot Compared!

Everything that Santa Monica Observer publishes should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Is There A RM300 Seat Belt Fine On PLUS Highway?!

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Is it true that rear passengers caught not wearing a seat belt on the PLUS North-South Expressway will receive a RM300 fine?

Find out what’s going on, and what the FACTS really are!

 

Claim : RM300 Seat Belt Fine By Police On PLUS Highway!

These viral messages have been circulating on SMS, WhatsApp and Facebook since early January 2021, but keep getting reposted every holiday season.

🙏. INFORMATION🙏

The North-South Expressway PLUS starts today, and police officers will check every day in the evening~ The passengers in the back seat with no seat belt, will be fined RM300 per person, RM600 for two people.

👉 Please do update friends & family members to be alert & pay attention in this matter.
👉 Just now a lot of cars have been issued with fines.
👉 Please notify everyone going out to remember to wear a seat belt at the back seat.

Just received and send.

南北高速 PLUS 今天开工，警察每天晚上都会检查～后排座位上的乘客没有系安全带，将被罚款。每人 300 令吉，两个人 RM600“.

👉请及时通知亲朋好友，提醒他们注意此事。
👉刚才很多车都被罚款了。
👉请通知所有外出的旅客在后座系好安全带。

The North-South Expressway PLUS starting today, PDRM will check vehicles~ Passengers in the rear seats who are not wearing seat belts will be fined. RM300 per person, RM600 for two persons.

 

The Truth : There Is No RM300 Seat Belt Fine

The truth is there is no RM300 fine for rear passengers who are caught not wearing a seat belt.

Fact #1 : JSPT Refuted RM300 Seat Belt Fine Claim

The Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) refuted the claim that they would be checking cars travelling on the PLUS North-South Expressway in the evenings, and issuing a RM300 fine for those caught not wearing a seat belt at the back.

The JSPT Deputy Director SAC Datuk Mohd Nadzri Hussain said, “We at JSPT would like to advise all road users to continue complying with the laws and regulations to ensure the safety of every road user.”

“In addition, we would also like to urge the public to stop spreading fake information and to always ensure the validity of any viral information shared on social media sites.”

Fact #2 : Rear Seat Belt Mandatory Since 1 January 2009

It has been mandatory in Malaysia to wear a seat belt while seated in the back seat of a vehicle since 1 January 2009, except for :

  • old vehicles registered before 1 January 1995
  • vehicles registered on or after 1 January 1995, but lack rear anchorage points
  • vehicles that seat more than 8 passengers (not including driver)
  • good vehicles with carrying load of more than 3.5 tonnes

Fact #3 : Seat Belt Fine Is Way More Than RM300

Any driver or passengers, whether seated in the front or rear, caught not wearing a seat belt will be subject to :

  • a fine of up to RM 2,000, and / or
  • a prison sentence of up to 1 year

As you can see – that’s a LOT higher than the RM300 fine in the viral messages.

Fact #4 : RM300 Seat Belt Fine “Offer” Ended In 2009

The RM300 seat belt fine was actually a discounted offer for a 6-month introductory period when the seat belt law came into effect.

From 1 January until 30 June 2009 – the police and JPJ only issued a reduced RM300 fine to those who were caught no wearing a seat belt.

That “introductory fine” had long expired, so drivers are now subject to the much higher penalties.

Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this fact check with your family and friends, and SUPPORT our work!

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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