Google blocks this blog, because it thinks it's a virus??

Hmm, Google is getting wacky, blocking access to one of its own blogs, because it thinks it's dangerous???



Ok, this blog is about viruses etc., but it gives warnings, it doesn't spread them...
And even so, if Google blocks their blogs in their own site, does it mean www.blogger.com is infected?? Or did the ads from Google's very own adsense pose a threat?
Well, let's see this blog will ever be readable again at some point...

The biggest pyramid scheme of them all... 50 Billion dollars gone

This is arguably the biggest con of all times: It is the pyramid scheme of former stock exchange chairman Bernard "Bernie" Madoff. Over 50 Billion U$ have disappeared, see these BBC reports: 1, 2.
The old adage holds true: If it's too good to be true, it's not true. This should be a wake-up call to all people investing into HYIPs, and other investments that promise high returns. These things are just plain fraud. In case of Madoff, he got away with it for so long, because he "only" offered 10% in return. But as can be seen, even in this case it was a scam.

Telephone and mobile phone SCAMS

Telephone and mobile phone scams are going around.
For example, you may get a phone call saying you won a cruise, and to claim your prize you have to press a number on your phone. This will pass you to a line for which you have to pay dearly - and no prize.
Or you get a short phone call (they don't really wait for you to answer) from some number (e.g., +88213229003) on your mobile. The hope is that you call back - for a hefty fee, of course. These 88213 calls are usually a scam. 88213 is a virtual country code to Telespazio S.p.A. in Italy, see this link. The 88213xxx callers try to lure you to call back, and you would have to pay quite a lot for it (e.g., 9 Euro/min). See also this list of suspicious numbers:
whocallsme.com

Thousands of Columbians defrauded in pyramid scheme

Defrauded investors have rioted in several cities in Columbia. They were cheated out of their savings in a pyramid investment scheme, and now the crooks have closed shop, though some have been caught.
See the BBC News for the full report.

Trojan virus steals banking info

BBC reports that the Sinowal trojan has infected computers world-wide and stolen information for more than 270'000 bank accounts and 240'000 credit cards... Infections can happen simply by visiting a booby-trapped web site, and users wouldn't be aware of the infection.
Here is another report from the register.

Crooks make $5m a year from fake Windows security software

Criminals can make as much as US$5 million a year by planting nearly-worthless security software on PCs, said Joe Stewart, director of malware research at SecureWorks Inc.
Read the full report.

Spam and Malware sites receive a hit

A commentary on the Register.co.uk revealed that Directi provides the PrivacyProtect service. Behind this service many fraudulent web sites were hiding. The service itself (Privacyprotect.org), when a whois is performed, is hiding behind a mail box in New Zealand - with a note that all mail is rejected. The contact phone number given is in Denmark. A call to that number results only in an answering machine, telling you that nobody answers the phone. The service is provided by Directi, and they promise now to suspend abusive services within 24 hours.
The article revealed also other sites, such as Knujon (no junk backwards), which has a large list of junk email. Further, there is TeMerc Internet Countermeasures (a forum for adware, malware, spyware), Hostexploit, and Scaminvestments. Catty Shaq, mentioned in a previous post, has closed down, but the information was transferred to $caminvestments$.
In a joint statement from Sept. 7., 2008 from Directi, HostExploit and Kunujon, they promise collaboration in suspending fraudulent services.