Meta bans 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked to scam operations
Meta said today that it had banned more than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts this year linked to scam operations.
A wave of criminal activity on the internet has wrangled billions of dollars out of victims' savings.
Scam accounts were often linked to criminal centres across Southeast Asia, where
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NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Meta bans 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts linked to scam operations
A security expert said in a video accompanying Meta's blog post that users should pause before responding to messages on internet platforms, noting that scammers often create a fake sense of urgency to get people to respond quickly. Photo / Getty Images Meta said today that it had banned more than 6.8 million WhatsApp accounts this year linked to scam operations. A wave of criminal activity on the internet has wrangled billions of dollars out of victims' savings. Scam accounts were often linked to criminal centres across Southeast Asia, where
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Book of the day: Liar's Game by Jack Beaumont
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. Beijing airport: Scene of the crime in a twisty tale featuring the Chinese secret service. Photo / Getty Images Jack Beaumont is the pseudonym of an ex-operative for the DGSE, the French equivalent of the CIA. Liar's Game is the third thriller featuring spy Alec de Payns, which has seen Beaumont become a surefire bestseller in Australia, where he now lives with his wife and children. When an apparent North Korean defector is killed at Beijing airport while de Payns is attempting an extraction, questions begin to be asked: is there a traitor in the service, or is this an elaborate power play by a faction in the government to wrest back power over the agency? Will the blame for the botched operation be laid at our protagonist's feet? There's also an ongoing case of a wealthy Russian businessman who is buying up South-East Asian cybersecurity technology, and a French tech executive who is unwittingly in the cross hairs of the Chinese secret service. If that's not enough, de Payns is trying to salvage his relationship with his wife, an OECD economist, who is becoming increasingly resentful of his job and the effect it has on him. He's day drinking and mentally brittle after decades of service – a job where most burn out in five years. Beaumont's intelligence background means there are plenty of authentic trade craft and real-world operational details, as well as vivid descriptions of the challenges of working clandestinely in cities across Europe and Asia. De Payn's day-to-day life – clearly based on Beaumont's experience – involves living under various aliases as required by the job, one day a man 'working in computers', the next a post-grad tech student, the next a European tourist. There's also – inevitably – a beautiful Russian woman, who de Payns must befriend, a process helped by his good looks and quick wit. But will she be the first to challenge his rule of not having sex with a target and remain true to his wife? While Beaumont's not the prose master John Le Carré was, his writing is clear, concise and engaging and shines in action set pieces, which are never overplayed. A daring, airborne escape from Vietnam after another botched operation is a highlight. And, like Le Carré, Beaumont writes of the unending bureaucracy of the service, budget constraints and inter-departmental rivalries (Beaumont provides a handy diagram of the complex French intelligence agencies as an afternote). That leads to some levity in what is otherwise a pretty dense narrative, as our protagonist laments the strict service allowance for DGSE meals while on the job and contends that '… if you wanted to find the French spy on a plane, just ask all the passengers to empty their pockets; the one with a small pile of €10 receipts was probably from the DGSE.' Much of the novel's plot focuses on AI, cybersecurity and quantum computing, and the competition between powers to gain advantage in the escalating tech race ‒ all timely subjects. Beaumont is excellent at describing the mental toll that clandestine work can take while also relaying the sense of camaraderie built between team members whose lives depend on each other, because, as de Payns will find out, sometimes those you work for will turn their backs as soon as things go wrong. Liar's Game is another excellent addition to the series and a must-read for spy-fiction aficionados.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Booze store staff call cops on drunk driver
The 28-year-old woman was denied service when she tried to buy alcohol. File photo: Getty Images A drunk driver nearly four times over the legal alcohol limit was dobbed in by a Dunedin liquor store after she tried to buy booze, police say. The 28-year-old woman was denied service when she tried to buy alcohol at a liquor store in Anderson's Bay Rd, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said. Staff called police after seeing the woman get into a car and drive away at about 7.55pm yesterday. Police found the car ''leaving from outside a bottle shop on Princes St''. It was unknown if the bottle store had served her, or if she had been getting food elsewhere, Snr Sgt Bond said. The woman recorded a breath alcohol level of 917mcg — nearly four times over the legal limit for adults. The limit is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. The woman had her driver's licence suspended for 28 days, was forbidden to drive and summonsed to appear in the Dunedin District Court at a later date. Police were thankful the bottle store had alerted them about the drunk driver, Snr Sgt Bond said. ''They've done the right thing. ''It's common sense and the good Samaritan approach of seeing an issue and calling us about it.'' The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 states it is an offence for the licensee or manager of any licensed premise to sell or supply alcohol to an intoxicated person — punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or a liquor licence suspension of up to seven days.
