Obligatory, PSA for those who don't already know about this:
THIS IS A SCAM/PHISH/HACK; DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK IF YOU SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS; REPORT IT, AND HAVE THE REPORT FORWARDED TO THE REMOTE INSTANCE IF APPLICABLE, AND THEN BLOCK SAID ACCOUNT, IN THAT ORDER.

So, I finally got my first one of these, ever, today.

This is hilarious for a number of reasons, and I'm not going to elaborate on that because I don't want to give anyone any ideas, and in so doing, become indirectly responsible for making these things—almost certainly unmarked bots, AFAICT—more effective in the performance of their intended function.

I'll just leave it at that; believe me when I tell you that I really want to write an entire essay right now, about whatever it is that I'm not saying right now, while laughing right now.

#Fediverse #Mastodon #PSA #Phishing #PhishingScam #PhishingAlert #AgeVerification #Verification #Scam #ScamWarning

FRAUD ALERT FOR RALEIGH RESIDENTS: Beware of Fake U.S. Treasury and CDFI Grant Scams

⚠️ Important Fraud Alert for Raleigh Residents

Residents across Raleigh and the Triangle should stay vigilant after reports of scammers falsely claiming to represent the U.S. Treasury Department and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). These scams typically involve fake grant offers designed to steal personal information or money.

If you receive a suspicious call, email, or message claiming you’ve been awarded government funds — proceed with caution.


💰 How This Scam Works

Scammers may:

Claim you’ve been awarded a federal grant or financial assistance Request personal information such as Social Security numbers or banking details Ask for an upfront fee to “release” the funds Use official-sounding titles or spoofed email addresses

👉 The U.S. Treasury Department and CDFI Fund do NOT run programs requiring advance payments to receive grant money.

Requests for payment to access government funds are a major red flag.


🏡 Why This Matters in Raleigh

With Raleigh’s growing small-business community, nonprofit sector, and entrepreneurial ecosystem, residents often seek legitimate grants or funding opportunities. Unfortunately, scammers exploit that interest.

Local entrepreneurs, freelancers, seniors, and community organizations are especially common targets.

Being informed helps protect not just individuals — but the broader Raleigh community.


🔎 Signs You’re Dealing With a Scam

Watch for:

Unsolicited grant or prize notifications Pressure to act quickly Requests for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency Requests for sensitive personal information Emails or calls claiming government affiliation without official verification

When in doubt, verify independently — never rely on contact information provided by the caller.

📞 What To Do If You’re Contacted

If you believe you’ve been targeted:

Report it immediately to the U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General (OIG):

Online reporting form available via Treasury OIG website Phone hotline: 1-800-359-3898

You can also report scams to consumer protection authorities and monitor alerts through federal consumer safety resources.

🛡️ How Raleigh Residents Can Stay Protected

✔ Never pay upfront for grants or government funds

✔ Verify information through official government websites

✔ Talk with trusted advisors before sending money

✔ Monitor your credit and financial accounts regularly

✔ Share alerts with neighbors, family, and local business networks

Community awareness helps prevent fraud from spreading.


Final Takeaway

Raleigh is a thriving, connected community — but scammers often target active and engaged residents. Staying informed and cautious protects your finances, identity, and peace of mind.

If something feels suspicious, trust your instincts and verify before acting.

Follow DoRaleigh.com for daily updates on government meetings, local festivals, and community happenings — your one-stop guide to everything Raleigh!

Post your community News, Events, and you can request placing a Paid ad on our Submissions Page.

Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | BSky | Linkedin

#CDFIFundScam #ConsumerProtection #DoRaleigh #DoRaleighSafetyAlerts #FraudAlert #GovernmentScams #IdentityTheftPrevention #News #raleigh #RaleighCommunityNews #RaleighNC #ScamWarning #TreasuryScam

A.I. slop & scam warning
DND
Do not buy DND 5e "Date Night."

It's promoted aggressively on social media with fake reviews and if not AI generated video recommendations than at least scam recommendations by people.

German video by OrkenspalterTV on YouTube (English Auto translated subtitles available)
https://youtu.be/Y5AeDdZ7YH4

English article to read by Professor Grimm
https://professor-grimm.com/blogs/ttrpg/the-1-million-dollar-rpg-maps-bundle-scam

#ScamWarning #TTRPG #DungeonsAndDragons #DND #DND5E #AISlop #Roleplay #RPG #RolePlayingGame #Rollenspiel #Rollenspiele #DoNotBuy

D&D Date Night ist der schlimmste AI SLOP und schlicht Betrug

YouTube

Cảnh báo: "Cần lập trình viên đồng sáng lập" nhưng lại xin bản kế hoạch kiến trúc miễn phí. Khi bạn bị yêu cầu cung cấp plan chi tiết 7–10 ngày, đánh giá rủi ro, ngân sách... mà không có cam kết thanh toán, khả năng cao họ đang "xin" chứ không phải thuê. Dấu hiệu nhận biết người có ý định thật: sẵn sàng trả phí cho giai đoạn khám phá nhỏ. #ScamWarning #StartupVietnam #FreelancerTips #CảnhBáoLừaĐảo #FreelancerViệtNam

https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/comments/1q4ebfp/psa_technical_cofounder_wanted_t

Bộ Công Thương cảnh báo khẩn về thông tin lừa đảo liên quan đến Hội chợ Mùa Xuân 2026. Cục Xúc tiến Thương mại cho biết có cá nhân, tổ chức giả mạo thông tin, sử dụng tên hội chợ không được cấp phép để thu tiền đặt gian hàng trái phép. Người dân và doanh nghiệp cần cảnh giác, chỉ tham gia qua các kênh thông tin chính thức.

#SpringFair2026 #HoiChoMuaXuan2026 #BaoDong #CanTrong #BoCongThuong #XucTienThuongMai #FraudAlert #ScamWarning #Vietnam

https://vtcnews.vn/xuat-hien-thong-tin-lua-dao-ve-h

⚠️ Nhiều người dân bất ngờ trở thành "giám đốc" công ty ma do bị lừa đảo, dẫn đến bị cấm xuất cảnh. Cảnh giác khi cung cấp thông tin cá nhân!

#LừaĐảo #CôngTyMa #CảnhGiác #FraudAlert #ScamWarning #ShellCompany #LegalIssues

https://vtcnews.vn/nhieu-nguoi-bi-lua-dao-bong-dung-thanh-giam-doc-cong-ty-ma-ar994748.html

Nhiều người bị lừa đảo, bỗng dưng thành giám đốc công ty 'ma'

Nhiều trường hợp người dân bị lừa đảo, bị lợi dụng đứng tên làm giám đốc công ty hoặc chủ hộ kinh doanh mà không hay biết, dẫn đến việc bị cấm xuất cảnh.

Báo điện tử VTC News

Here we go again.
Honey company being an absolute bunch of scumbags.
You should 100% make sure none of your computers have that extension and that none of your family and friends are using that crap.

Also, MrBeast continue to be as souless as ever, his profit over children continues to show no bounderies.

F all the youtube "creators" that take advantages of people.

------------------------------
Me shouting into the void if you have children, nephews, nieces, etc.

Teach your children about the dangers of the internet and not in a generic fashion, be specific, tell them exactly what is happening. Don't go with the easy "Z is bad", your will only motivate them to try Z.
Explain all the intrinsics and all the ways they will be abused, because it will happen. What is important is that they know how to avoid the big bulk of it.

https://youtu.be/ryyCEyl-6nA

#chromextension #firefoxextension #chrome #firefox #honeyextension #scam #scamwarning #mrbeast

The Honey Situation Keeps Getting Worse...

YouTube

⚠️ Doãn Tiến Kiên (Hà Nội) giả danh cán bộ ngân hàng, công an, sử dụng giấy tờ giả để lừa đảo chiếm đoạt 33,6 tỷ đồng của nhiều nạn nhân. Vụ việc đang được điều tra làm rõ.
#LừaĐảo #CảnhGiác #AnNinh #FraudAlert #ScamWarning #CyberCrime

https://vietnamnet.vn/gia-danh-cong-an-can-bo-ngan-hang-lua-dao-chiem-doat-hon-33-ty-dong-2470915.html

Giả danh công an, cán bộ ngân hàng, lừa đảo chiếm đoạt hơn 33 tỷ đồng

Tạo vỏ bọc là cán bộ ngân hàng, công an, Doãn Tiến Kiên ở Hà Nội làm giả giấy tờ và đưa ra thông tin gian dối để chiếm đoạt hơn 33,6 tỷ đồng của nhiều người.

Vietnamnet.vn

Anatomy of a well-done scam email:

Legitimate signals:
- Comes from a place where I have an account. This email isn't spoofed, and it's sent from [email protected].
- Reads like a press release. Proper grammar, professional formatting.
- It wasn't uncommon for cryptocurrencies to do "airdrops" where a cohort of people are just given a supply of a cryptocurrency to try to kickstart its economy.

Scam signals:
- Cryptocurrency.
- Link to grants dot github dot com slash apply actually goes somewhere else
- Message is actually a notification of a new github issue (i.e. a bug report) with many accounts tagged (the pixelated bit at the bottom)
- "Please note: The authorization requires a refundable deposit, which will be fully returned after the process is complete." This is a hallmark of an advance fee scam. Usually associated in modern times with a deposed Nigerian prince who needs a western partner to help move funds out of the country.
- Claims association with and implies endorsement by Github, but if this were actually endorsed by Github, it would have been sent directly and not by abusing the issue notifications feature.

Note: I am not saying outright that gitcoin is a scam, just pointing out the things I would look for in an email like this to determine whether it's phishing or legitimate. Any site with social components that puts user generated content in emails can have something like this happen.

#ScamWarning #infosec #github #cryptoscam

🚨 Warning: Scam Involving Kasikorn Bank & Siam Commercial Bank 🏦⚠️

This scammer and their associates at Kasikorn Bank denied processing a 50MM transaction, giving endless excuses to avoid payment. They use Siam Commercial Bank for processing and Kasikorn for payouts—both involved in suspicious activity. Stay far away to protect yourself.

More info:- http://tfscammerslist.com/

#ScamWarning 🚫 #BankFraud 💰 #StayAlert 🛑 #ReportScammers #InterpolReport 📢