fraud Archives

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

NJ AG sues Discord, claims the messaging app exposes kids to online predators

Law enforcement officials in New Jersey have filed a lawsuit against Discord, claiming the company misled parents about its safety controls and failed to protect children from sexual and violent content on its platform. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin stated that Discord has violated consumer protection laws, exposing children to risks from online predators. The lawsuit alleges that Discord's safety features were inadequate and that the app's claims of protecting young users were misleading. Specifically, it criticized the "Safe Direct Messaging" feature for failing to effectively detect or delete explicit content. The lawsuit seeks remedies including an injunction against further violations, civil penalties, and forfeiture of profits generated in New Jersey.

Tech Optimizer

April 23, 2025

Free webinar offers education on antivirus software and scams

AARP is hosting a financial security event on Wednesday afternoon from 1 to 2 p.m. to educate individuals on safeguarding their devices against digital threats. The webinar will cover antivirus software and malware, and is part of a series of financial security workshops. The Fraud Watch Network will provide insights on malware and strategies to eliminate viruses. Registration for the webinar is open.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

N.J. attorney general sues Discord messaging app over child predator concerns

New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against Discord, claiming the platform fails to adequately protect underage users from predators, thus breaching the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The lawsuit highlights that children can easily create accounts without proper age verification, allowing adult users to contact them. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin criticized Discord's safety measures, stating they can be easily bypassed. In 2023, an NBC News investigation linked 35 cases of serious crimes to interactions on Discord. Discord’s CEO acknowledged the severity of these issues and announced updates to child safety policies, including a ban on teen dating and AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Ubisoft lawyers say players never owned The Crew

Ubisoft's lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss a class action lawsuit from California gamers, arguing that players do not have an inherent expectation of ownership after purchasing a game. This lawsuit follows the retirement of the online game The Crew in 2024, ten years after its release. Ubisoft's legal team stated that the game's closure was communicated on the product packaging and noted that the plaintiffs' claims include violations of California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, as well as accusations of common law fraud and breach of warranty. The plaintiffs have amended their complaint to include a claim regarding unspent in-game currency, suggesting it may violate state law requiring gift cards to retain validity indefinitely.

Tech Optimizer

April 5, 2025

I put Trend Micro and McAfee antivirus in a head to head showdown – here’s how it went

McAfee and Trend Micro are two antivirus software options with distinct features. Specifications: - McAfee costs per year for a single user; Trend Micro starts at per year for 2 adults and 4 children. - McAfee supports Windows 10 and 11; Trend Micro supports Windows 8.1 to 11. - Malware protection is rated as good for McAfee and adequate for Trend Micro. - Both do not offer backup software. - System resource usage is light to heavy for both. Costs and Coverage: - Both do not have a free tier but offer a 30-day trial. - Trend Micro's entry-level Antivirus + Security is priced at , while McAfee's Basic plan typically retails for for a single device. - Trend Micro offers packages for 3 devices, 5 systems, and 10 systems, while McAfee's plans cover up to two adults and four children. Antivirus Protection: - Trend Micro uses heuristic behavioral analysis, while McAfee employs cloud-based infrastructure and machine learning. - Both provide periodic updates, but McAfee features Ransom Guard for monitoring file changes. Antivirus Performance: - McAfee has a 99.8% protection rate; Trend Micro has a 98.1% rate. - McAfee has fewer false positives (10) compared to Trend Micro (76). Security and Privacy Features: - Trend Micro includes a Firewall Booster; McAfee emphasizes phishing protection and personal data privacy. Performance and System Impact: - Trend Micro has minimal impact on system resources; McAfee uses more resources during scans. Interface: - Trend Micro's interface is user-friendly; McAfee's interface is simplified but less customizable. Installation and Support: - McAfee's installation takes under five minutes; Trend Micro's takes over twelve minutes. - McAfee offers 24/7 support; Trend Micro's support is limited to business hours unless on a premium plan. Overall, McAfee is rated higher in performance and features, while Trend Micro is noted for its efficient resource management and user-friendly interface.

Tech Optimizer

April 2, 2025

Shield up to 5 devices from the evil internet with McAfee Total Protection

McAfee Total Protection offers a two-year subscription for less than , covering up to five Apple devices, significantly reduced from the regular price of 9. The subscription includes AI-powered antivirus protection, a virtual private network, web protection, identity theft protection, and personalized safety education. It also features a password manager, personal data exposure protection, and credit monitoring. This limited-time offer allows stacking of codes for up to ten years of coverage, but the software can only be added to a maximum of five devices at once.

Winsage

April 2, 2025

Microsoft president reflects on 50-year anniversary, AI, innovation and community impact

Cookies and data are used to enhance user experience by delivering Google services, monitoring outages, protecting against spam and fraud, measuring audience engagement, and improving service quality. When "Accept All" is chosen, cookies are also used for developing new services, displaying and measuring advertisements, and personalizing content and ads. Choosing "Reject All" limits cookie use to non-personalized content and ads based on current viewing and location. Personalized content may include tailored video recommendations and customized ads based on user activity. Additional privacy management options are available at g.co/privacytools.

AppWizard

April 1, 2025

Google’s Play Store Warning—Do Not Update This Setting

A sophisticated trojan named TsarBot is targeting over 750 legitimate banking and shopping applications on Android devices. It overlays a counterfeit login screen on real apps to capture user credentials. TsarBot is believed to have Russian origins and can remotely control the device's screen, simulating user interactions and capturing device lock credentials through a deceptive lock screen. The trojan is typically installed from phishing websites, where a dropper application delivers the TsarBot APK file. Once installed, it disguises itself as the Google Play Services app and urges users to enable Accessibility services. Users are advised to avoid installing apps from outside the Google Play Store, ensure Play Protect is enabled, and only enable Accessibility Services when necessary to mitigate risks.

Tech Optimizer

March 31, 2025

Add an extra layer of protection to your devices with this all-in-one security solution

McAfee is offering a two-year subscription to its Total Protection service for a reduced price of .99, down from 9.98. This service secures up to five devices, including Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Key features include AI-powered antivirus protection, a VPN for private browsing, web protection against harmful sites, identity theft protection, personalized security education, a password manager, personal data exposure protection, and credit monitoring services.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

Google to Ramp Up Android Security With These New Features for Developers

Google has launched initiatives to enhance the security of its Play Store, focusing on reducing malicious and fraudulent applications. Key measures include upgrading the Play Integrity API to protect users from harmful apps and assist developers in addressing modified applications. Google Play Protect's threat detection will expand to target apps impersonating financial services, with Enhanced Financial Fraud Protection being rolled out to more markets. The app submission process will be streamlined with additional pre-review checks, and developers will receive notifications about policy compliance. Google has introduced "Government" and "Verified" badges for specific app categories and plans to expand this system. Over the past year, Google blocked 2.36 million apps violating Play Store policies and identified significantly more Android malware from third-party sources compared to those on the Play Store.