Hi Fraud Warriors,

Hope you had a nice Memorial Day Weekend 🏄️. It’s always nice to get that extra day particularly when it marks the start of summer. Now let’s get back to business.

Here are some of the top stories of the week!

Fraud Snippets This Week

• New AI Exploit Called “Repeaters” - Au10tix (the company that I can never remember how to spell) has discovered the emergence of "repeaters," a new AI fraud technique used to slightly modify documents to test security systems before major attacks. Read More

• Like Falling Dominoes- Police arrest a second fraudster affiliated with Miami's notorious South Beach Bust Out Syndicate. Rumors are that more arrests are coming soon. Read More

• Vietnam Bans Telegram - Citing that close to 70% of Vietnamese Telegram channels violate the countries laws on fraud and criminal activity, the Vietnamese government has banned Telegram. Read More

• Tortured For Weeks - An Italian tourist was kidnapped and tortured for 3-weeks in a New York home by a prominent crypto investor who was trying to get his password to steal his bitcoin. Read More

• Viral Documentary - Have you seen “Hey Beautiful” yet? People are raving about the documentary that explores a twisted international romance scam. Watch trailer

• What in the Zelle Is Going On Here? - A Reddit user is being sued after one of those “mistaken Zelle payments” he thought was a scam. His bank reversed the charges but the sender is coming after him. Read More

• From Bad To Worse - Toll scams were so effective that scammers now use spoof texts from the DMV to warn drivers of unpaid fees on traffic violations, and threaten to suspend their licenses. This isn't good.. Read More

• Google’s Trusted Bank Fraud Flaggers - Google has created a new fraud reporting program where banks can report policy violations like scam sites, harmful content, spoofing, and other frauds so that they are reviewed immediately. If your bank is a part of it, you can get a sign-on. Read More

• “Madame NGO” - A Vietnamese woman orchestrated a massive fraud against over 2,600 victims, operating 44 different call centers and hiring over 1,000 employees to scam people. She netted a staggering $300 million USD. Read More

• 184,162,718 - Thats the number of breached logins for Facebook, Paypal, banks and other websites that security researcher found being sold online this month. There is no indication of how hackers gained access to this massive trove of data. Read More

• $9 Billion in Fraud - In a recent report, Apple reports that they stopped over $9 billion in fraud attempts in the last 5 years. Read More

The Mysterious “Fraud Fighters Unite” Conference With 2,000 Fraud Fighters

I didn’t realize this conference took place, but apparently, it was billed as the biggest assembly of fraud fighters - over 2,000 in one place.

Even a hacker infiltrated, providing very stealthy, bad advice. 🥷 

Maybe I should put this on my calendar to attend next year?

Read More

Blockbuster: The Cambodian Government Is Behind Countries $19 Billion Scam Empire

A stunning new report reveals that the Cambodian Government is behind the countries massive scam compounds where hundreds and thousands of slaves are forced to work.

This effectively makes Cambodia a “true mafia state” where corruption runs to its core. Scams now account for $19 billion a year, or 60% of the GDP of the country. Garment manufacturing, the next largest industry only takes in $9.5 billion by comparison.

The report cites Chinese criminals who have infiltrated the country work hand in hand with the Cambodian government as the reason for this stunning development.

Read More

Fears Mount As “Clean Organs” Are Required For Scam Workers In Cambodia

An advertisement for scam workers from Malaysia is sparking concerns across the country as the advertisement references that one of the qualifications is “Clean Organs”.

This is the same terminology that has been linked with organ trafficking in the past and scam workers that do not perform face having their organs removed by greedy scam bosses.

Read More

A Wave Of Crypto Kidnapping In France and the US Is Building

In France, a brave man carrying a fire extinguisher stopped a high-profile kidnapping that was caught on a now-viral video that swept the internet. Three kidnappers in a white van tried to kidnap the woman to steal her bitcoin, but their plot failed.

This year, there have been 50 reported kidnapping cases, and a majority of those are happening in France and the US.

Read More

Bust Out Crime Bosses That Stole $83M From Amazon Arrested In Operation “Suppers Ready”

Whoever said bust out was a victimless crime?

Rival Armenian gangs in LA that resorted to murder, home invasions and torture were rounded up this week in a massive arrest. Their crimes were outlined in this sweeping 192-page federal indictment.

While the crews relied on old-fashioned credit card bust-outs, their biggest score was registering with Amazon as freight carriers and stealing entire shipments during transport.

Read More

Students’ Fraud Fighting App Gets Him Fired, Now His Employer Is Trying To Steal It

This isn’t the first time I have heard of something like this happening. If you are a budding entrepreneur fraud fighter, you must watch out for this! 👇️ 

A computer science student in Iowa created a fraud detection tool for a school project that caught thousands of dollars in fraudulent rebate claims for his employer.

The company loved it. And at first, they praised his innovative tool and said they could partner with him.

Within days, however, the student was fired without an explanation, and he faced very aggressive demands to turn over the software code. He claims the HR department sent threatening emails, texts, and certified letters demanding ownership of the software he used for school.

Read The Post

Dumb Apple Pay Fraud Prank Is Pissing People Off 😡 

Teenage influencers have a new gag that they are secretly filming to get reactions from people and score clicks.

Here is what they do 👉️ They approach a stranger in the mall and ask them to pull out their phone and give them the time. When the stranger pulls out their phone, they tap the phone with their own and play the Apple Pay chime.

The gag which has been making the rounds for a few weeks is starting to turn violent according to some reports.

Watch it

How Scammers Use Pictures Of Missing Kids On Facebook To Sell Houses

Scammers are posting pictures of missing kids on Facebook and ask people to share the post. Thousands of people are happy to help find the kids so they reshare the post on their profile.

A few days later the scammer completely edits the post to show rent-to-own properties with too good to be true prices. Unknowing victims will click on the ads which directs them to a fake website requiring their name and SSN to view the listings. Once they enter their information they are enrolled in expensive subscription services they cannot cancel.

Watch It

I hope y’all have a fantastic week ahead.

FrankonFraud