Cyber Crime
Top 10 Daily Cybercrime Brief by FCRF [15.11.2024]: Click here to Know More
Important global cybercrime news has been curated by Futurecrime Researchers to keep you informed about various types of digital fraud occurring worldwide and to provide insights into the best mitigation strategies. Read below to learn more in detail.
1. Guwahati Police Busts Cyber Fraud Syndicate, Arrests 8
Guwahati Police dismantled a cyber-fraud syndicate, arresting eight suspects during a raid in Boragaon. Seized items include 31 mobile phones, 36 ATM cards, and four cars. The gang exploited vulnerable individuals to create “mule bank accounts” for cybercriminals, earning Rs 80,000 per account.
2. JKP Cyber Cell Resolves 44 Social Media Hacks, Recovers 68 Phones
The Cyber Cell of JK Police in Ganderbal cracked major online scams, recovering 68 stolen mobile phones worth lakhs and resolving 44 cases of social media hacks and blackmail. They refunded Rs 1.63 lakh to victims of financial fraud and held Rs 11.45 lakh in suspicious transactions.
3. One Tap, Big Loss: APK Links Scam Costs Telangana Rs 40.20 Crore
Telangana citizens have lost over Rs 40.20 crore to APK link scams in just 10 months. Despite advisories from the Telangana State Cyber Security Bureau, APK frauds continue to rise, with 4,100 cases reported in 2024. Victims face unauthorized bank debits without sharing OTPs, highlighting growing cybersecurity challenges.
4. Hyderabad Police Recover Rs 1.18 Lakh in Credit Card Fraud Case
A Hyderabad resident swiftly recovered Rs 1,18,196 lost in a credit card fraud after reporting it to the cybercrime unit via NCRP. The victim was tricked into installing an APK file by a fraudster posing as a bank agent. Cyber police froze the fraudulent Flipkart transaction, ensuring a prompt refund within a day.
5. Mumbai Crime Branch Cracks SIM Card Scam, Arrests 8 for Illegal Number Porting
Mumbai Crime Branch’s Central Cyber Region arrested eight individuals for illegally porting mobile numbers and selling 30,000 SIM cards, bypassing KYC norms. These SIMs enabled stock investment scams, defrauding victims of crores. A complainant’s Rs 51.36 lakh loss led to the bust, exposing telecom employees’ involvement in aiding cybercriminals.
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6. Cybercriminal Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Borderless Crimes
Cybercriminal Robert Purbeck, 45, received a 10-year prison sentence for cyber extortion and fraud targeting 19 victims, including medical facilities, a domestic violence shelter, and public institutions. Purbeck extorted Bitcoin, causing over $1 million in damages. The FBI uncovered personal data for 132,000 people during his 2019 arrest.
7. Kids’ Shoemaker Start-Rite Faces Another Data Breach, Exposing Customer Card Details
Children’s shoemaker Start-Rite suffered a data breach exposing customer payment card details via malicious third-party code on its website. Compromised data includes cardholder names, addresses, and CVVs. Start-Rite advised affected customers to replace cards and monitor statements. The incident has been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
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8. AI’s Role in Cyber Threats Expected to Grow, Says Google Cloud
Google Cloud’s Cybersecurity Forecast 2025 warns of increased AI use in cyberattacks, with threat actors employing AI for advanced social engineering, code development, and reconnaissance. Rising geopolitical tensions and rapid cloud adoption, especially in EMEA, add to cyber risks, emphasizing AI-driven defenses as essential for the upcoming year.
9. Lazarus Group Hits macOS with RustyAttr Trojan Hidden in Fake Job PDFs
Cybersecurity researchers report that North Korea’s Lazarus Group is deploying a new macOS trojan, “RustyAttr,” hiding malicious code in extended file attributes. Using the Tauri framework, it displays fake job PDFs to execute hidden scripts, bypassing antivirus detection. Experts urge caution with unknown files and recommend enabling macOS Gatekeeper.
10. Experts Discover 70,000 Compromised Domains in ‘Sitting Ducks’ Attack
Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reports that the “Sitting Ducks” attack vector has enabled threat actors to hijack thousands of legitimate domains for phishing and fraud schemes. Nearly 70,000 domains have been compromised, including those of reputable brands and nonprofits, using DNS misconfigurations to evade detection and facilitate malware and credential theft.