Wires Crossed #63 – December 2

Phishing Takes Xbox Live Users For A Ride
British gamers have fallen victim to a scam that has cost some of them hundreds of pounds. Cybercrims sent out hoax emails directing users to websites that promised free Microsoft points. Gullible gamers fell for it, giving over personal information that allowed the crims to access credit card details, and therefore the ability to take money. While Microsoft is sympathetic to the victims’ plight, unless the users can prove they didn’t hand over their password to the miscreants, then Microsoft will not cover the losses.

Facebook Threat Is Scam
If you receive a message from Facebook threatening to delete your account unless you hand over bank account details, just ignore it. It seems scammers are trying to scare the bejesus out of people by accusing them of putting up insulting remarks on Facebook, which is against the company’s policy. It’s hard to believe that anybody would 1) Fall for it; 2) Care so much about their Facebook account they would hand over such sensitive information. Then again, people are still falling for the Nigerian scams.

Mosley Mad Over Google Results
Controversial former Formula 1 president Max Mosley is suing Google over search results. Mosley successfully sued the now defunct New of the World tabloid in the United Kingdom over allegations that he attended orgies that were themed around Nazism. The accusations hit close to the bone as his father, Sir Oswald Mosley, was leader of the British Fascist movement back in the 1920s/30s. While Mosley has successfully lobbied Google to remove references from the search engine, he believes they should be more proactive, which is why he had brought the case against them.

Siri Not So Smart?
Guns, god and abortion are hot topics around the dinner table in America. It is the latter that is causing a little consternation amongst users of Siri, the virtual service offered up by Apple on its iPhone 4S. A blogger in the US has noted that when it asked Siri where the nearest abortion clinic was, it will not tell you. However, if you live in Washington DC and ask the question it will give you directions to antiabortion centres. Who knew? A supposedly inanimate service with a point of view!