On December 19, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published an Alert warning the public that it has data from as far back as 2023 that “malicious actors have impersonated senior U.S. state government, White House, and Cabinet level officials, as well as members of Congress to target individuals, including officials’ family members and
Universal Music Group Takes Center Stage with Recent California Court Narrowing of CIPA Class Action
By Roma Patel on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
The recent decision in Wiley v. Universal Music Group highlights how courts are scrutinizing website operators’ privacy controls and representations, particularly regarding cookie banners and opt-out tools. 2025 WL 3654085 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 17, 2025). In a recent decision, although Universal Music Group (UMG) dodged most of the putative class claims over its handling of…
Privacy Tip #473 – Rental Scams Fleecing Consumers Out of $65 Million
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
An analysis by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows that, since 2020, consumers have been swindled out of $65 million by rental scams. This statistic is particularly relevant during the holiday season when many people are traveling and renting places to stay.
According to the FTC, most of the scams involve fake rental listings…
FBI Warns of Account Takeover Fraud
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Cybersecurity
On November 25, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) published a Public Service Announcement warning that cyber criminals are “impersonating financial institutions to steal money or information in Account Takeover (ATO) fraud schemes.” These schemes target individuals and businesses of all sizes across all sectors. According to the announcement, “Since January 2025, the FBI…
Privacy Tip #471 – SMS Phishing on the Rise Before the Holidays
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
The holidays are always a busy time—sending holiday cards, cooking, present shopping and giving, and spending time with family and friends. It’s also an opportune and busy time for scammers too.
A new report by KrebsonSecurity reminds us that fraudsters use the holidays to launch new campaigns, in this case, SMS phishing scams. According to…
June Sees Significant Jump in BECs
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Cybersecurity
According to Cybersecurity Dive, “Americans lost $16.6 billion to cyber fraud and internet crimes last year (2024), up 33% from the previous year. Phishing, spoofing and extortion topped the list of complaints, but investment and business email compromise (BEC) scams cost victims the most money.” Yes, phishing continues to be a significant problem in…
Privacy Tip #451 – Disaster Victims Fall Prey to FEMA Impersonators
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
In the wake of the recent July 4th flooding tragedy in Texas, scammers and criminals are reaching out to victims to take advantage of their vulnerability. Unfortunately, this is not the first-time criminals have used natural disasters to prey on victims.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a scam alert to warn consumers about…
Privacy Tip #449 – Scammers Hijacking Websites to Insert Fake Support Number
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
Malwarebytes recently reported that it has found scammers hijacking websites of name brands, including banks, software companies, and social media platforms to trick victims into calling a fraudulent telephone number instead of a 24/7 support line.
According to Malwarebytes:
Here’s how it works: Cybercriminals pay for a sponsored ad on Google pretending to be a…
Privacy Tip #447 – Understanding Cybersquatting
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
We are seeing an increase in cybersquatting incidents. What is cybersquatting and how can it affect you?
According to Sentinel One, cybersquatting, or domain squatting, “involves the registration, selling, or use of an Internet domain name in bad faith to profit from the goodwill of a trademark that belongs to someone else.” Cybersquatting spoofs…
Privacy Tip #446 – Department of Motor Vehicles Warns Drivers About Smishing Text Surge
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
Smishing schemes involving Departments of Motor Vehicles nationwide have increased. Scammers are sending SMS text messages falsely claiming to be from the DMV that “are designed to deceive recipients into clicking malicious links and submitting personal and/or financial information under false threats of license suspension, fines and credit score or legal penalties.”
The Rhode Island…