SNS makes Online Scamming Much Easier

Back in the days, online scams were perpetrated via emails, forums or instant messenger (YM mostly). I think it was way harder then to successfully run a scam compared to nowadays. The MO is still the same but they are much more convincing now than ever.

Thanks to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and FourSquare, these scammers have much more information they can use to their advantage.

First, the MO (modus operandi) — a scammer pretends to be an old/close friend you haven’t met for some time and contacts you asking for money.

• With your Facebook account, scammers are able to pull out photos and personal information (i.e. school or office/company, contact numbers, email) they can use to profile you.
• With Photo tagging, they are able to identify the faces with the names of your close friends, relatives and loved ones. This can be used to select which identity they can use as bait for you.
• With Twitter, they are able to profile your regular habits — where you eat for lunch, who you’re with, what time you go to office or back home or if you bring your car or commute.
• With FourSquare, they can pin-point where you are at specific times of the day, where you regularly hang out or park your car. Worse, you could be giving them your home address.

With all these information about you readily available on social networking sites, it becomes much easier to scam you or use your identity.

Credit Card Fraud – with your birthday, mother’s maiden name and home address combined with some social engineering, a secondary card can be issued under your account.

SSS Loan Fraud – we’ve heard stories about people taking on loans under a different name and SSS number. SNS now becomes another source for picking out personal data for the application (and even an SSS ID).

Emergency eLoad Scam – scammers posing as friends or relatives asking for money via eLoad or call cards (or Smart Money/GCash) due to some accident or health emergencies.

Lottery Scam – people calling you up telling you won a lottery from PAGCOR or some agency or network and asking for money to process the reward.

Akyat Bahay Gang 2.0 – burglars stalking your Twitter/Facebook/FourSquare status and hitting your home or car while you’re away.

There are so many more scam stories and fraudulent transactions I’ve heard both from regular folks and merchants. That doesn’t include those extortion stories of people being visited in their homes by suspicious personalities.

Social networking sites encourage you to share information, be connected all the time and be transparent or public. However, this transparency can also work against you. The more info you share about you, the better the over-all social experience but at the same time the higher the risk of being a scam victim.

First Look Images: Sparks, Dolly, and Mr. P of ‘Toy Story 3′

Sparks will fly — literally — during electrifying playtimes with your new robot friend Sparks! This retro-inspired toy has flashing red LED eyes and a blaster cavity that actually spits out real sparks when he’s rolled along on his sturdy rubber wheels. Sparks also sports telescoping arms with working pincers, and an elevator action that raises his entire body to new heights. Sparking action completely child-safe. Requires two AA batteries (not included).

Etude House

If you happen to pass by this cutesy pink store in a small area in SM Megamall on a weekend, you might be surprised by the multitude of women — young and old alike who are stuffing their baskets with what I think, are the best beauty products around. If you aren’t a fan yet, get ready to step inside Etude House.

Meyer to Publish New Twilight Novella

Just when you thought Stephanie Meyer was done writing Twilight, she has put pen to page again, this time to write a mini story within the story.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

This novella will revolve around Bree, one of the newborn Vampires we briefly meet in Elipse as part of Victoria’s army. Giving us a behind the scenes look at Bree’s life, turning to a vampire, and being trained and lead into Victoria’s gang before being lead to the slaughter at the hands of a Wolf or Cullen.

Myer’s own site says:

My publisher approached me with the idea of releasing the Bree story on its own. One of the major benefits of this plan was that it would be out before the movie, so people would get to know Bree before they saw her in the film. That made sense to me, and we decided to go ahead with it.

There was one thing I asked for: since this story had always been an extra for me, and was meant to be released with the Guide, I wanted to be able to offer it to my fans for free. You all have bought a ton of my books, and I wanted to give you this story as a gift. My publisher was awesome and embraced this idea. We still wanted to also produce a physical book with a cool cover (see below) that you can add to your set if you like, but starting at noon on June 7th until July 5th, it will also be available online at www.breetanner.com

And of course a dollar from the sale of the novella will go to the Red Cross, and the rest will go towards completing Meyer’s diamond studded swimming pool.

Jodelle Ferland will be playing Bree in the film. The petite 15 year old will surely give a haunting look at a child vampire.

I don’t think Meyer’s book The Host did as well as maybe she hoped (I am sure it sold plenty) but there is no eager movie deal lining up to score this author with a new franchise hit.

So why not publish more Twilight. The fanbase will eat it up!

Personally I think the world created in Twilight is very interesting and I would love to see it franchised out to different Authors to tell other stories that are no so emo-teen girl romance driven. There is a lot of potential for this to expand outside of its core romance story.

Political intrigue of the Volturi, rough inner city newborn gang stories, other Veggie tribes, shapeshifters vs real werewolves. So much potential.

Redband Survival of the Dead Trailer Online

Immediately following the events of Diary of the Dead, (spoiler – everyone is a zombie but a scrap of humanity survives – surprise!) SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD is the 6th film of the “of the Dead” series from George A. Romero. We have the redband trailer of what actually looks like… well every other -of the Dead movie he has done.

I just can’t get excited for a George A Romero film anymore. I think the guy is just coasting now.

I don’t dislike a good zombie movie, but seriously this is getting tired.