The security & privacy stories our desk judged worth your time, written so anyone can follow them.
Sumter, South Carolina police say scammers are using fake warrants and a real officer's photo to demand crypto for missed jury duty. Here is how to spot it.
Read more: Fake 'jury duty' calls demand crypto payments, police warnBlock, the company behind Square and Cash App, unveiled a voice AI called Dessa, and critics say tools like it could make phone scams easier.
Read more: Block launches Dessa, a voice AI, as critics warn of scam callsA 93-year-old in Japan spotted a fake police call, alerted real officers, and the man who came for her ATM card was arrested. Here are the warning signs.
Read more: 93-year-old woman fools scammer posing as police and gets him arrestedA researcher says one hacked device on a Tailscale network could give an attacker full control of other servers. No fix exists yet, so settings matter now.
Read more: Researcher says one hacked device on Tailscale can take over serversThe Ocala Gazette reports new details in a cyber scam that hit the city of Ocala, a reminder that scams reach governments as well as small businesses.
Read more: Ocala city government hit by cyber scam, new details emergeEU countries must offer a digital ID wallet by the end of 2026, and payment firms are being pushed to verify shoppers while collecting fewer personal details.
Read more: Phone wallets will soon hold your ID and cards. Payments must ask for lessThe FTC and FCC warn that a call that rings once and hangs up may be bait, because calling back can mean international or premium-rate charges.
Read more: A Phone That Rings Once and Stops Could Be a Scam TrapTwo cyber fraud cases in Mangaluru, India, left victims out more than Rs 1.9 lakh. The details are missing, but the warning applies to anyone who pays online.
Read more: Two online fraud cases in Mangaluru, India, cost victims Rs 1.9 lakhDelhi Police say two men posing as bank staff tricked more than 50 mostly older people on video calls. Here is how the scam worked and how to spot it.
Read more: Fake bank staff on video calls cheated 50+ people, police sayScammers can make your bank's real number show on caller ID, then pose as fraud staff to get your security codes or push you to move savings.
Read more: A call showing your bank's real number can still be a scammerScammers are using calendar invite files to put fake meetings on your calendar, and one scam led to remote access to a victim's computer.
Read more: Fake calendar invites can slip onto your calendar on their ownResearchers found a booby-trapped instruction file in a customer's Downloads folder that pushed an AI coding helper to install a rogue software package.
Read more: A hidden text file in Downloads can trick AI coding helpers into harmCalifornia's health department says scammers are posing as its staff and claiming a prescription was filled in your name, to get your personal and financial details.
Read more: Fake health officials are calling about prescriptions in your namePatientGain has launched ReputeMD, a $100-a-month service that helps doctors and dentists gather patient reviews while following US health privacy rules.
Read more: New service helps doctors and dentists collect patient reviews safelyA watchdog group says companies should treat customer trust as something valuable, which puts data handling and security in the spotlight for any business.
Read more: CitizenWatch says customer trust online is now a business assetScammers are copying the MyChart name and logo in fake emails, texts and websites to steal logins and card details. The real MyChart service was not breached.
Read more: Fake MyChart messages are circulating to steal logins and card detailsScam texts say an EBT card is locked and give a number to call, while skimmers on store card readers steal card data. Here is what to know if you hold a card.
Read more: Fake texts say your EBT card is locked. Don't call back.Google is working on a Messages feature to catch fake delivery and bank ID texts early, which could help protect your bank details.
Read more: Google Messages may soon flag fake courier and bank ID textsHMRC says fake texts asking for crypto tax details are rising. A real tax body will not ask for your personal or financial details by text.
Read more: Fake tax texts about crypto are targeting UK taxpayersThe Better Business Bureau warns that fake texts about donations, polls and voter registration are going around before Election Day, and one reply could cost you.
Read more: Fake political texts are targeting voters before Election DayA message called a 'phishing test' is usually a harmless drill from an employer, but scammers use the same words as bait, so check before you click.
Read more: That 'phishing test' message may be harmless, or it may be a scamPingCAP says hackers stole its source code and customer records, including names, emails and query text. TiDB Cloud users should swap access keys now.
Read more: Database company PingCAP confirms hackers stole code and customer dataDurham police say scammers posing as your cell company use your account to order phones, then trick you into sending them away and leave you with the bill.
Read more: Fake phone company calls trick people into ordering devicesCiti, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase are limiting outside AI agents, and Wells Fargo says their mistakes are on you.
Read more: Big banks are blocking AI agents from logging into your accounts
