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How criminals are exploiting personal information to target vulnerable seniors in elder fraud

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How criminals are exploiting personal information to target vulnerable seniors in elder fraud

Scammers are using leaked personal information to rob older Americans of their hard-earned money. 

In 2023, people over 60 lost a whopping $3.4 billion to scams, a 10.6% increase from 2022, according to the FBI’s IC3 reports. 

Tech support scams are the most common, affecting the most people and causing the biggest financial losses. Other common scams include investment fraud, romance fraud and identity theft.

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A man working on his laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How criminals use your personal data against you

According to the FBI’s IC3 reports analyzed by the data removal company Incogni, criminals are able to scam older folks because they have access to their personal data. They gain access to this data through data brokers who collect personal information from public records and sometimes also source it privately. This data can include anything from your name, contact number, address and financial details to your relationship status, the electronic gadgets you use and more.

When a criminal has your personal information, they can use many tactics to scam you. I discuss some of the common ones below:

1. Investment fraud: Criminals perpetrating investment fraud use personal information, such as financial details, names and contact numbers, to trap their victims. This type of fraud affected 6,400 individuals in 2023, causing total monetary losses of $1.2 billion.

2. Tech support scam: It’s one of the more common scams where a criminal uses information like your contact number and the electronic gadgets you use to scam you. They may also try to impersonate popular e-commerce companies like Best Buy and Amazon. Around 18,000 individuals have been affected by tech support scams in 2023, losing over $589.8 million.

3. Confidence or romance fraud: Personal data like income level, credit rating and assets owned can help criminals choose viable targets for this type of scam. Over 6,700 Americans have been affected by confidence or romance fraud and have lost over $356.9 million.

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Other examples of ways criminals scam elderly people include government impersonation, identity theft and harassment.

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A woman using her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What is the scale of these scams?

Seniors in the States have been significantly impacted by scams involving personal data. In 2023, there were a total of 101,068 reports filed by individuals over 60 years old, resulting in total losses of $3.4 billion. This represents a 14.5% increase from the 88,300 reports filed in 2022 and a 10.6% increase in the total amount of money lost (up from $3.1 billion in 2022).

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The numbers become even more shocking when you take reports from the last five years. Between 2019 and 2023, a staggering 455,000 reports were filed, with seniors losing a total of $10 billion. In 2023, the average amount lost per victim was $33,900, a slight decrease (3.38%) from the $35,100 in damages reported in 2022.

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A man working on this laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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10 ways to protect yourself from criminals exploiting personal information

If you think you’re at risk or have been affected by one of the many scams I discussed, follow these steps to protect your digital privacy and safety.

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1. Invest in data removal services: While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

2. Place a fraud alert: Contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and request a fraud alert to be placed on your credit file. This will make it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name without verification.

3. Be cautious of phishing attempts: Be vigilant about emails, phone calls or messages from unknown sources asking for personal information. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or providing sensitive details unless you can verify the legitimacy of the request.

The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have strong antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

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4. Check Social Security benefits: It is crucial to periodically check your Social Security benefits to ensure they have not been tampered with or altered in any way, safeguarding your financial security and preventing potential fraud.

5. Change your password: If you think your personal data has been compromised, you can render it useless to thieves simply by changing your password. Opt for a strong password, one you don’t use elsewhere. Even better, consider getting a password manager to generate one for you.

6. Regularly monitor your financial accounts: Check your bank accounts, credit card statements and other financial accounts regularly (at least every two weeks) for any unauthorized transactions or suspicious activity. This allows you to catch fraud early and take action.

7. Be cautious on social media: Be careful about the personal information you share on social media, as scammers can use details like birthdays, vacation plans and family/friend connections to target you.

8. Use multifactor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication on your important accounts to add an extra layer of security beyond just a password. This requires a second step like a code sent to your phone to log in.

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9. Back up your data: Regularly back up important data from your devices to an external hard drive or cloud storage. This protects you if your device is lost, stolen or infected with malware.

10. Use updated security software: Keep security software like antivirus and anti-malware programs updated on all your devices to protect against the latest threats.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Your data is now more valuable than gold for scammers and bad actors. They can use your personal information to cause not only financial but also mental harm. These bad actors especially target individuals above 60, knowing that they are vulnerable. It’s important that you stay extra careful when navigating online and don’t address unsolicited advice from anyone on the web or over the phone.

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Do you think government authorities should do more to prevent seniors from falling victim to online scams? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Technology

3D-printed housing project for student apartments takes shape

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3D-printed housing project for student apartments takes shape

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A quiet town in western Denmark is quickly becoming a testing ground for the future of housing.

Skovsporet, described as Europe’s largest 3D-printed housing project, is now taking shape in Holstebro. When finished, the development will deliver 36 student apartments built faster than many single-family homes.

The project sits near VIA University College and serves students in the area. NordVestBo, an affordable housing organization focused on student living, commissioned the development. SAGA Space Architects designed the project in collaboration with 3DCP Group and COBOD. From the beginning, the goal stayed simple and ambitious. Build high-quality homes faster, more efficiently and at a scale traditional construction often struggles to reach. So far, the progress speaks for itself.

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AUSTRALIA DEBUTS FIRST MULTI-STORY 3D PRINTED HOME – BUILT IN JUST 5 MONTHS

The six buildings are arranged around shared outdoor areas, creating a village-style layout designed for student life. (SAGA Space Architects)

How 36 student apartments were printed at record speed

Skovsporet includes six buildings, and each one holds six ground-level student apartments. Crews printed the structures on site using the COBOD BOD3 3D construction printer. The machine extrudes a cement-like material layer by layer, following a digital blueprint with millimeter accuracy. 

At first, printing a single building took several weeks. However, productivity improved quickly as the team gained experience. By the final building, printing wrapped up in just five days. That pace equals more than one student apartment printed per day. 

Even more notable is the small crew required to run the system. Only three people operated the printer on site. As a result, automation handled the heavy work while the team focused on oversight, quality and precision.

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Inside the 3D-printed student apartments

Each apartment measures roughly 431 to 538 square feet. Despite their compact footprint, the layouts feel open and intentional. Every unit includes a full kitchen, a study area, a lounge, a bathroom with a shower and a bedroom with a double bed. Large roof windows and slanted ceilings pull daylight deep into the space, helping soften the concrete structure. Inside, coated plywood panels and glass elements add warmth and contrast. The result feels modern and livable rather than industrial. These homes are designed for daily student life, not just architectural headlines.

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Why 3D printed construction is changing how housing gets built

The real story at Skovsporet is not just speed. It is repeatability. As the team moved from one building to the next, efficiency improved without sacrificing quality. The BOD3 printer runs on a ground-based track system that allows uninterrupted printing of long wall sections. That consistency makes it easier to scale multi-unit housing projects. 

According to COBOD, this kind of automation reduces labor needs, shortens timelines and improves accuracy. For cities facing housing shortages, those benefits matter.

How sustainability is built into this 3D printed housing project

Skovsporet also shows how 3D printing supports more sustainable construction. The walls were printed using D.fab concrete with FUTURECEM, a low-carbon cement developed by Aalborg Portland. Because the printer deposits material only where it is structurally needed, waste drops significantly compared to traditional methods. The site layout also preserved 95% of the existing trees by carefully positioning print beds between them. In other words, faster construction did not come at the cost of environmental care.

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A COBOD BOD3 printer extrudes concrete layer-by-layer on site, forming the structural walls of Skovsporet’s student apartments with millimeter precision. (SAGA Space Architects)

What happens next for Denmark’s 3D-printed student housing

The 3D printing phase is now complete. Human crews have taken over to install roofs, windows, interiors, furniture and utilities. Landscaped gardens, walking paths and bicycle parking are also underway to create a shared village atmosphere. The project remains on schedule, with residents expected to move in by August 2026.

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What this means for you

If you care about housing affordability, this project is worth watching. Skovsporet proves that automation can deliver student housing faster while keeping quality high. It also hints at what could come next. Multiunit housing built with fewer workers, less waste and shorter timelines could ease pressure in crowded cities. While 3D-printed homes will not replace traditional construction overnight, they are clearly moving into the mainstream. For students, renters and communities, that shift could open the door to more accessible housing options.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Skovsporet is more than a construction milestone. It is a real-world example of how digital design, automation and sustainability can come together at scale. As Europe, the United States and Australia explore similar projects, this student village in Denmark may become a blueprint for future neighborhoods.

Printed concrete walls rise quickly across six buildings, showing how automation helped crews complete more than one apartment per day. (SAGA Space Architects)

If homes can be printed faster, cheaper and with less waste, what other parts of daily life are ready for the same kind of rethink? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Trump administration bars former EU official and anti-disinformation and hate researchers from US

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Trump administration bars former EU official and anti-disinformation and hate researchers from US

On Tuesday, the Trump Administration followed through on a threat of retaliation targeting foreigners who are involved in content moderation. The State Department announced sanctions barring US access for former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, as well as four researchers, while issuing an intentionally chilling threat to others, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming, “The State Department stands ready and willing to expand today’s list if other foreign actors do not reverse course.”

One of the researchers the State Department says is banned and now deportable, is Imran Ahmed, who runs the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), an organization aimed at identifying and pushing back against hate speech online that Elon Musk tried and failed to censor with a lawsuit that was dismissed in early 2024. In his decision, Judge Charles Breyer wrote that X’s motivation for suing was to “punish CCDH for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp. — and perhaps in order to dissuade others.”

The other researchers include Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, leaders of HateAid, a nonprofit that tried to sue X in 2023 for “failing to remove criminal antisemitic content,” as well as Clare Melford, leader of the Global Disinformation Index, which works on “fixing the systems that enable disinformation.”

The press release announcing the sanctions is titled “Announcement of Actions to Combat the Global Censorship-Industrial Complex,” the claimed target of Republicans like House Judiciary Committee leader Jim Jordan, as they’ve worked against attempts to apply fact-checking and misinformation research to social networks. Earlier this month, Reuters reported the State Department ordered US consulates to consider rejecting H-1B visa applicants involved in content moderation, and a few days ago, the Office of the US Trade Representative threatened retaliation against European tech giants like Spotify and SAP over supposedly “discriminatory” activity in regulating US tech platforms.

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Android Sound Notifications help you catch key alerts

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Android Sound Notifications help you catch key alerts

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Staying aware of your surroundings matters. That includes hearing smoke alarms, appliance beeps or a knock at the door. Still, real life gets busy. You wear headphones. You get focused. Sounds slip by. That is where Android Sound Notifications help. This built-in accessibility feature listens for key sounds and sends an alert to your screen. Think of it as a gentle tap on the shoulder when something important happens.

Although it was designed to help people who are hard of hearing, it is useful for anyone. If you work with noise-canceling headphones or often miss alerts at home, this feature can make a real difference.

Now, if you use an iPhone, here’s how Apple’s Sound Recognition can alert you to alarms and other key sounds on your device. 

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Android Sound Notifications alert you when important sounds happen around you.  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What Sound Notifications do on Android

Sound Notifications use your phone’s microphone to listen for specific sounds nearby. When it detects one, it sends a visual alert. You will see a pop-up, feel a vibration and may even see the camera flash.

By default, Android can detect sounds like:

  • Smoke alarms
  • Fire alarms
  • Sirens
  • Door knocks
  • Doorbells
  • Appliance beeps
  • A landline phone ringing
  • Running water
  • A baby crying
  • A dog barking

That range makes the feature practical at home or at work. Even better, you control which sounds matter to you.

Why this feature is worth using

Here is the simple truth. You cannot hear everything all the time. Distractions happen. Headphones block sound. Focus takes over. Sound Notifications fill that gap. While you stay locked into a task, your phone keeps listening. When something important happens, you still get the message. As a result, you worry less about missing alarms or visitors. You gain awareness without extra effort.

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How to turn on Sound Notifications

Getting started only takes a minute. Note: We tested these steps on a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra running the latest version of Android. Menu names and locations may differ slightly on other Android phones, depending on the manufacturer and software version.

  • Open the Settings app
  • Go to Accessibility
  • Tap Hearing enhancements
  • Select Sound Notifications
  • Turn the feature on

Turning on Sound Notifications only takes a few taps in Android’s Accessibility settings. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When you enable Sound Notifications for the first time, Android will ask how you want to start the feature. Choose the option that works best for you:

  • Tap the button in the quick settings panel
  • Tap the Accessibility button
  • Press the Side and Volume Up buttons
  • Press and hold the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons for three seconds

After you select a shortcut, Click Ok.  Then, Sound Notifications will start listening in the background.

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If you do not see the option, install the Live Transcribe & Notifications app from the Play Store. You can enable Sound Notifications from there. Once active, your phone listens for selected sounds and alerts you when it detects one. 

Choose which sounds trigger alerts

Not every sound deserves your attention. Thankfully, Android lets you fine-tune alerts.

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Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

  • Go back to Settings
  • Tap Accessibility
  • Click Hearing enhancements
  • Tap Sound Notifications
  • Click Open Sound Notifications. This opens the actual Sound Notifications control screen.
  • On the Sound Notifications screen, tap Settings or the gear icon in the top corner
  • Tap Sound types

You will now see the full list of detectable sounds.

  • Toggle on the sounds you want alerts for, such as smoke alarms or doorbells
  • Toggle off sounds you do not want, like dog barking or appliance beeps, if they are not important to you

You can choose exactly which sounds trigger alerts, helping you avoid unnecessary interruptions. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Check the sound history log

Sound Notifications keep a log of detected sounds. This helps if you were away from your phone and want to see what happened.

You can also save sounds and name them. That makes it easier to tell the difference between your washer finishing and your microwave timer.

The log adds context, which makes alerts more helpful.

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Teach your phone custom sounds

Android does not stop at presets. You can train it to recognize sounds unique to your space.

Maybe your garage door has a distinct tone. Maybe an appliance uses a nonstandard beep. You can record it once, and your phone will listen for it going forward. To add a custom sound:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

  • Open Sound Notifications
  • Tap the gear icon
  • Select Custom sounds
  • Tap Add sound
  • Hit Record

Record a clear 20-second clip. The better the audio, the better detection works later.

Customize how alerts appear

By default, Sound Notifications use vibration and the camera flash. That visual cue is helpful for urgent alerts. However, not every sound needs that level of attention. You can adjust how alerts appear based on importance.

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

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  • Open Sound Notifications
  • Open the gear icon
  • Tap Ways to be notified
  • From there, choose which alerts vibrate, flash or stay subtle

This flexibility keeps the feature working for your routine.

Your privacy stays on your phone

It is reasonable to question constant listening. Here is the key detail. Sound Notifications process audio locally on your device. Sounds never leave your phone. Nothing gets sent to Google. The only exception is if you choose to include audio with feedback. That design keeps the feature private and secure.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Android Sound Notifications quietly solve a real problem. They help you stay aware when your ears cannot. Setup is fast. Controls are flexible. Privacy stays intact. Once you turn it on, you may wonder how you lived without it.

What important sound have you missed lately that your phone could have caught for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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