TECHNOLOGY: Here’s a new kind of gift card fraud!

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

FROM NEXTDOOR

Inez Avant

• Middlesex, NJ

This happened to me at Walmart. I purchased a 100.00 Play Station card. I took it back and explained I bought this card 5 min ago. I never left the store. I was sending the information to my nephew via text, and I noticed the pin number was already scratched off. They gave me my money back. But I was told by the manager that what is happening is someone is taking a picture of the card number & pin, and when WE buy the card and activate it, the scammers are able to retrieve the gift card funds. Especially around the Holiday time, this happens SO BE CAREFUL – CHECK THE BACK OF THE CARD BEFORE YOU PURCHASE

# – # – # – # – # 

Interesting.  A new type of fraud.  Sigh!

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TECHNOLOGY: Paper in=person voting with thumb ink is still the best imho

Monday, October 9, 2023

https://freedom-to-tinker.com/2023/10/06/switzerlands-e-voting-system-has-predictable-implementation-blunder/

Switzerland’s e-voting system has predictable implementation blunder
October 6, 2023 by Andrew Appel 

*** begin quote ***

Last year, I published a 5-part series about Switzerland’s e-voting system. Like any internet voting system, it has inherent security vulnerabilities: if there are malicious insiders, they can corrupt the vote count; and if thousands of voters’ computers are hacked by malware, the malware can change votes as they are transmitted. Switzerland “solves” the problem of malicious insiders in their printing office by officially declaring that they won’t consider that threat model in their cybersecurity assessment.

But the Swiss Post e-voting system (that Switzerland uses) addresses the malware-in-voter-computer problem in an interesting way that’s worth taking seriously. Each voter is sent a piece of paper with some special “return codes” that are never seen by the voter’s computer, so any potential malware can’t learn them. And each voter is instructed to follow a certain protocol, checking the return codes shown on their screen against the return codes on the paper.

*** end quote ***

This demonstrates that Gooferment can’t run “voting”.  

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TECHNOLOGY: SafeStop allows members of the public to video chat with police

Friday, September 29, 2023

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/weho-drivers-able-to-video-chat-with-deputies-during-traffic-stops/

Local News
WeHo drivers able to video chat with deputies during traffic stops
by: Cameron Kiszla 
Posted: Sep 21, 2023 / 07:29 AM PDT 
Updated: Sep 21, 2023 / 07:32 AM PDT 

  • With traffic stops carrying potential life-and-death stakes, a pilot program using SafeStop intends to lower the temperature, allowing drivers and officers to communicate virtually before meeting face-to-face.

*** begin quote ***

A new smartphone app may do for law enforcement interactions what telemedicine has done for doctors.

The app, SafeStop, allows members of the public to video chat with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies before the in-person traffic stop, which the app developers said will “de-escalate traffic stops and transform police-motorist interactions.”

Traffic stops in particular have become a point of contention in the ongoing cultural discussion around the role of police in American society.

Multiple deadly encounters between police and civilians began as simple traffic stops, including the high-profile killing of Philando Castile by Minnesota police.

*** end quote ***

I like the concept.

Perhaps if the app was always on, then it might be more useful and wiser friendly.

I’m thinking like Star Trek “open up a hailing frequency”.

I’m not sure I would want to be fumbling with my phone on a dark night when the police want to speak to me.  I was always taught to shut the car off, turn on the inside light, roll down the window, keep my hands at 10-2 on the steering window, and shut up.  

Still seems like the best advice.

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TECHNOLOGY: Pay attetnion to your dreams?

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

https://youtu.be/oXSFKcACs1g?si=un_vSQ__55Tc1PIF

What’s the Grappler Police Bumper?
FOX 10 Phoenix  — Sep 2, 2023 

*** begin quote ***

Police pursuits are unpredictable, dangerous, and in some cases, even deadly.

These pursuits put not only officers’ lives in danger, but also innocent people who happen to get caught up in the chaos.

Until recently, there was no safe way to bring them to an end. Officers would have to rely on something called a ‘PIT Maneuver’ (PIT, according to an article on the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, stands for Precision Immobilization Technique) to try to stop the vehicles they were after by forcing a vehicle to spin out and come to a stop. Another option is to lay down spike strips to deflate the tires, but even then, the suspects would often keep going on the rim only.

Five years ago, however, a new option emerged in the form of the Grappler Police Bumper.

*** end quote ***

What a great idea!

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TECHNOLOGY: ​Score one save for what3words.

Thursday, September 7, 2023
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/farmer-nearly-crushed-huge-bale-hay-saved-father-two?utm_campaign=USA B2C Newsletter 2023
 
​Score one save for what3words.  Everytime I read one of these stories, I think how valuable a (FREE) tool it is.  I then share these stories on social media to encourage others to download it and have it when needed.  Forewarned is forarmed. IMHO
 
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TECHNOLOGY: Put an airtag on every child!

Friday, September 1, 2023

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12442763/Moment-five-year-old-boy-rings-doorbell-help-child-dropped-WRONG-stop-school-bus-driver.html

Moment five-year-old boy rings doorbell for help after he and another child were dropped off at the WRONG stop by school bus driver

  •     Kelly Mulholland said her son and her boyfriend Jonathan Vanderlois’ daughter, both 5, were abandoned at a bus stop together desperately looking for home
  •     Mulholland uploaded the ring video and explanation to TikTok and it went viral

By Aneeta Bhole For Dailymail.Com
Updated: 17:45 EDT, 24 August 2023

*** begin quote ***

Two five-year-old children were abandoned at the wrong bus stop in Edmond, Oklahoma and left to wander a neighborhood miles from their home for more than an hour.

*** end quote ***

Air tags on everything important.

I’d love to be able to hide one in sneakers.

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CHROMEBOOK: This is a fraud and I’m surprised at WalMart

Monday, August 21, 2023

https://www.androidauthority.com/expired-chromebooks-on-sale-3352831/?utm_campaign=weeklyauthority&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=Weekly%20Authority

Computing
You shouldn’t buy these Chromebooks, even on sale

  • Thanks to Automatic Update Expiration, these Chromebooks will no longer receive any software updates.

By Aamir Siddiqui  —  August 7, 2023

*** begin quote ***

The US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) (via ArsTechnica) pointed out how end-of-life Chromebooks are still sold on various marketplace platforms, like Amazon, Walmart, and possibly others, in new and unused conditions. These include devices like the ASUS Chromebook Flip C302, which was launched in 2018 and reached its Automatic Update Expiration (AUE) date on June 1, 2023. This means the laptop will no longer receive any security or platform updates for its Chrome OS from Google.

*** end quote ***

Google maintains a full list of AUE dates for all models.

Please check BEFORE you buy!

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TECHNOLOGY: Brazil heads down the CBDC route

Saturday, August 19, 2023

https://www.activistpost.com/2023/08/and-just-like-that-the-brazilian-central-bank-goes-live-with-a-cbdc.html

*** begin quote ***

The ease and speed of Pix also drew the attention of criminals, and all sorts of imaginable hits and scams related to the system soared almost immediately. People now keep a second smartphone with their primary banking apps at home, in fear of being robbed or hijacked and having their accounts wiped clean in minutes.

*** end quote ***

Beware of “technology theft” leading to an empty bank account.

And CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) is just a step forward from the Hollywood Nazi character’s “Where iszt your PAPERS!”.

Just use cash.

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TECHNOLOGY: Never heard of a “parenting app” for custody disputes

Sunday, August 13, 2023
 
Divorced – ex wants 13 yo to have a passport
 
*** begin quote ***
 
Let him file a motion. Until you go to court communicate only through a parenting app and show the judge/commissioner the texts. Dont let him scare you. You have every reason to be concerned.
 
*** end quote ***
 
I didn’t know there was such a thing.  Great idea.  Especially if someone is an a-double-q.  Not very expensive and a lot of choices.
 
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TECHNOLOGY: What program can “unlock unknown numbers”?

Friday, August 11, 2023

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12364573/A-stalker-hounded-years-sexually-explicit-calls-used-secret-phone-trick-expose-discovered-uncle.html

A stalker hounded me for years with sexually explicit calls – I used a secret phone trick to expose him and discovered it was my uncle

  • Kristen Kime, 30, from Sheffield, turned detective to catch her mystery stalker

By Chelsea Heatley and Ellen Coughlan For Mailonline

Updated: 08:05 EDT, 5 August 2023

*** begin quote ***

In November 2018, her mum suggested she should download a program onto her phone to unlock unknown numbers.

One day, when her stalker called, she received a message, revealing the real number.

After typing it into Facebook, Turner’s profile popped up.

Thinking it was a mistake, she checked with her sister and mum. But they confirmed, the number was her uncle’s.

With her mum’s support, Kristen went to Turner’s house to confront him.

*** end quote ***

I’d love to know more about the technology and chronology.  For example, was it reported to the police and the “phone company”.  As an old phone company guy, I know they have tools to uncover the culprit.

Hope he gets to be “bubba’s gal pal” for a long time.

I can’t imagine torturing a family member like that.  Well maybe even if I didn’t like that family member, that’s just cruel.

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