Dive into the world of scams and vulnerabilities! Discover a heartbreaking tale of a WWE impersonator scamming an elderly man. Learn about a sophisticated phishing scheme exploiting DocuSign's API to send fake invoices. The Better Business Bureau reveals new twists in online shopping fraud, including alarming 'card declined' messages. Plus, hear crucial tips on email authentication and how to navigate the evolving landscape of social media scams. Stay informed and protect yourself from becoming the next victim!
Romance scams can devastate families emotionally and financially, particularly during isolation, leading to estrangement and lasting pain.
Emerging phishing schemes exploit trusted brands like DocuSign to send fraudulent invoices, complicating detection efforts for organizations.
Deep dives
The Impact of Romance Scams on Families
A heartbreaking story illustrates the devastating effects of romance scams on families, particularly focusing on an individual who lost nearly a million dollars to a scammer impersonating a WWE star. The victim's son, Chris, discovered this tragic situation after his father's passing, finding both cherished family photos and evidence of financial ruin. The isolation heightened by the pandemic contributed significantly to the father's vulnerability, as he sought comfort in a false romantic relationship. The emotional fallout from this scam not only depleted the family’s financial resources but also led to estrangement and deep familial pain that persisted until the father's death.
DocuSign API Abuse in Phishing Attacks
A new phishing scheme has emerged, utilizing the DocuSign API to send fraudulent invoices that appear legitimate and exploit human error in organizations. Scammers create valid-looking invoices that contain unexpected charges, hoping recipients will overlook the discrepancies and unknowingly authorize payments to the scammers’ accounts. This tactic is particularly insidious as it leverages the genuine trust businesses have in familiar brands like DocuSign, complicating detection and response efforts. Organizations often resort to labor-intensive manual verification processes to combat these attacks, highlighting the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between cybersecurity professionals and scammers.
Holiday Shopping Scams on the Rise
As the holiday season approaches, new shopping scams are targeting consumers with fake websites and lookalike domains resembling trusted retailers. These scams often involve manipulated card decline notifications, prompting shoppers to enter additional credit card details under the false pretense of resolving payment issues. This scheme enables scammers to gather sensitive personal information and facilitate unauthorized charges, sometimes leading to significant financial loss for victims. To guard against such threats, consumers are advised to verify website legitimacy, be cautious of unbelievable offers, and use credit cards with robust fraud protection measures.
Tactics for Protecting Against Online Scams
In a landscape where online scams proliferate, consumer education is vital for prevention. The Better Business Bureau emphasizes validating the credibility of businesses before making purchases, particularly around high-pressure sales techniques often seen during the holiday shopping rush. Additionally, using credit cards equipped with strong fraud protection mechanisms can provide an extra layer of security against potential financial losses. By fostering awareness of common scam tactics, consumers can better navigate the online marketplace and protect themselves from the misleading and fraudulent schemes that threaten their finances.
On Hacking Humans, Dave Bittner, Joe Carrigan, and Maria Varmazis (also host of N2K's daily space podcast, T-Minus), are once again sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines to help our audience become aware of what is out there. This week, the team shares follow up about FEMA and Hurricane Helene relief. Dave's story is about romance scams involving an impersonator of a WWE star scamming a grandfather out of their retirement savings, Maria shares a story about a valid-looking document impersonating DocuSign's API (application programming interface). Joe's got a few stories including one about a CVE (Common Vulnerabilities Enumeration) relating to an Okta bug and one from the Better Business Bureau with a new twist on online shopping scams where your get a "card declined" message. Our Catch of the Day comes from listener William about an email from the "United Nations."