News — Scams

The time we (almost certainly) got scammed by a dating app in Tokyo’s bar district

Dating Japan Kabukicho Scams Weird

The time we (almost certainly) got scammed by a dating app in Tokyo’s bar district

“Hey, let’s play a game,” she said, but maybe it was our reporter who got played. Our Japanese-language reporter Hirazi is one of a handful of eligible bachelors on the SoraNews24 team, and like most modern singles, he uses dating apps in his search for love. While checking his notifications one day he was happy to see that he had a match with a woman who we’ll call “A-ko.” According to her profile, A-ko is in her early 20s, and from her photos she appeared to have a slender build and a sweet smile. To get the ball rolling, Hirazi...

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How Are Fake Live Video Calls Made? Here’s How to Spot Them

Deepfakes Scams Security Skype VideoChat

How Are Fake Live Video Calls Made? Here’s How to Spot Them

Video calling is ubiquitous. You can video call your friends, family, and colleagues, sharing your face and surroundings at the same time. Being in the same location all time is boring, right? How about appearing with your regular face? Everyone knows what that looks like. What if you could make a fake video call that switched out your face, or the background, or other important features—would you fake call your family? Here’s how fake video calls work, and how you can spot one. What Is a Fake Video Call? A fake video call can mean a couple of things. For...

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