Unexpected snail mail packages are being sent with scammy QR codes, warns FBI

Receiving an unexpected package in the post is not always a pleasant surprise. The FBI has warned the public about unsolicited packages containing a QR code which leads to a website aimed at stealing personal data or downloading malware to the victim's device. The packages are often shipped witho...

Hackers Use Facebook Ads to Spread JSCEAL Malware via Fake Cryptocurrency Trading Apps

Cybersecurity researchers are calling attention to an ongoing campaign that distributes fake cryptocurrency trading apps to deploy a compiled V8 JavaScript JSC malware called JSCEAL that can capture data such as credentials and wallets. The activity leverages thousands of malicious advertisements...

iPhone vs. Android: iPhone users more reckless, less protected online

The smartphone wars have a winner, and it’s Android. No, this isn’t about which device has the best camera, the snappiest processor, or the flashiest AI features—this is about which device owners are safer online, and in many ways, it is Android users who take the crown. According to a new analys...

A week in security (July 14 – July 20)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Meta execs pay the pain away with $8 billion privacy settlement Adoption agency leaks over a million records Meta AI chatbot bug could have allowed anyone to see private conversations WeTransfer walks back clause that said it would train AI on your files Chrome fix...

UK Pet Owners Targeted by Fake Microchip Renewal Scams

Microchip renewal scam targets UK pet owners using leaked data from insecure registries. Emails appear legit but aim to steal money and personal info...

BaitTrap: Over 17,000 Fake News Websites Caught Fueling Investment Fraud Globally

A newly released report by cybersecurity firm CTM360 reveals a large-scale scam operation utilizing fake news websites—known as Baiting News Sites BNS—to deceive users into online investment fraud across 50 countries. These BNS pages are made to look like real news outlets: CNN, BBC, CNBC, or...

A week in security (June 30 – July 6)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Drug cartel hacked cameras and phones to spy on FBI and identify witnesses Catwatchful "child monitoring" app exposes victims’ data Microsoft, PayPal, DocuSign, and Geek Squad faked in callback phishing scams Qantas: Breach affects 6 million people, "significant"...

Big Tech’s Mixed Response to U.S. Treasury Sanctions

In May 2025, the U.S. government sanctioned a Chinese national for operating a cloud provider linked to the majority of virtual currency investment scam websites reported to the FBI. But a new report finds the accused continues to operate a slew of established accounts at American tech companies ...

Microsoft, PayPal, DocuSign, and Geek Squad faked in callback phishing scams

Microsoft, DocuSign, Adobe, McAfee, NortonLifeLock, PayPal, and Best Buy’s Geek Squad are being impersonated online through malicious emails that contain fake telephone support numbers and dangerous QR codes that can ensnare victims into phishing scams. The brands and their products are frequentl...

Identities of More Than 80 Americans Stolen for North Korean IT Worker Scams

The US Justice Department revealed the identity theft number along with one arrest and a crackdown on “laptop farms” that allegedly facilitate North Korean tech worker impersonators across the US...

Corpse-eating selfies, and other ways to trick scammers (Lock and Code S06E14)

This week on the Lock and Code podcast … There’s a unique counter response to romance scammers. Her name is Becky Holmes. Holmes, an expert and author on romance scams, has spent years responding to nearly every romance scammer who lands a message in her inbox. She told one scammer pretending to ...

A week in security (June 23 – June 29)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Gmail’s multi-factor authentication bypassed by hackers to pull off targeted attacks Thousands of private camera feeds found online. Make sure yours isn’t one of them Sextortion email scammers increase their "Hello pervert" money demands Many data brokers are faili...

Malicious AI Models Are Behind a New Wave of Cybercrime, Cisco Talos

Cybercriminals use malicious AI models to write malware and phishing scams Cisco Talos warns of rising threats from uncensored and custom AI tools...

Telegram Purged Chinese Crypto Scam Markets—Then Watched as They Rebuilt

Last month, Telegram banned black markets that sold tens of billions of dollars in crypto scam-related services. Now, as those markets rebrand and bounce back, it’s done nothing to stop them...

A week in security (June 15 – June 21)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: The data on denying social media for kids re-air Lock and Code S06E12 Reddit’s new AI-powered tools scan your posts to serve you better ads Smart air fryers ordered to stop invading our digital privacy WhatsApp to start targeting you with ads Scammers hijack websit...

Scammers Insert Fake Support Numbers on Real Apple, Netflix, PayPal Pages

Cybercriminals are injecting fake support phone numbers onto official sites like Bank of America and Netflix. Learn how 'search parameter injection' scams work and protect yourself now...

5 riskiest places to get scammed online

Scammers love your smartphone. They can text you fraudulent tracking links for packages you never bought. They can profess their empty love to you across your social media apps. They can bombard your email inbox with phishing attempts, impersonate a family member through a phone call, and even...

Scammers hijack websites of Bank of America, Netflix, Microsoft, and more to insert fake phone number

The examples in this post are actual fraud attempts found by Malwarebytes Senior Director of Research, Jérôme Segura. Cybercriminals frequently use fake search engine listings to take advantage of our trust in popular brands, and then scam us. It often starts, as with so many attacks, with a...

A week in security (June 9 – June 15)

Last week on Malwarebytes Labs: Been scammed online? Here’s what to do How and where to report an online scam Google bug allowed phone number of almost any user to be discovered 44% of people encounter a mobile scam every single day, Malwarebytes finds GirlsDoPorn owner faces life in jail after...

INTERPOL Dismantles 20,000+ Malicious IPs Linked to 69 Malware Variants in Operation Secure

INTERPOL on Wednesday announced the dismantling of more than 20,000 malicious IP addresses or domains that have been linked to 69 information-stealing malware variants. The joint action, codenamed Operation Secure, took place between January and April 2025, and involved law enforcement agencies...