Last Samurai Standing begins with a familiar premise. Desperate samurai dispossessed by the restoration of the emperor enter into a deadly game for a life-changing cash prize — all for the entertainment of anonymous elites. Unlike its inspirations Battle Royale and Squid Game, however, Last Samurai Standing’s violence is chaotic, fast-paced, and kinetic, though it hides a careful choreography that makes the series a more electric proposition than its predecessors.
Technology
6 sneaky gift card scams to watch out for this holiday season
With the holiday season just around the corner, many of us are gearing up to spread some cheer with gift cards.
However, it’s important to remember that these convenient gifts are also a favorite target for scammers. We’re going to break down six sneaky gift card tricks that could leave you out of pocket during this time of year.
Don’t worry, though. We’ve got your back with solid tips on how to outsmart these scammers and keep your hard-earned cash safe.
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Image of a holiday gift card (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
1. Display rack gift card trick
One of the latest gift card tricks involves tampering with the gift cards on the display racks at retail stores. Scammers will record the activation code on the card or place a custom barcode sticker over the real barcode, which allows them to secretly load the cash onto their own card immediately after you purchase the gift card. This means that when you or your recipient try to use the gift card, it will be empty or invalid.
How to avoid this scam
Check the packaging of the gift card before buying it. Look for signs of tampering, such as the wrapping being torn or resealed or stickers placed over the barcode or card number. Also, choose a card from the back of the rack, as scammers often place their fraudulent cards at the front of the display.
Fake scratch-off label on top of already scratched-off gift card label (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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2. Impersonation gift card trick
Another common gift card trick scammers use involves impersonating someone you know or trust, such as a family member, a romantic interest, a company or the government. Scammers will contact you by phone, text, email or social media and create a fake story or emergency that requires you to send them money urgently.
They will ask you to buy a gift card or multiple gift cards and then send them a photo of the card or the numbers on the back of the card. Once they have the gift card information, they will disappear with your money and cut off contact.
How to avoid this scam
Never send money or gift cards to anyone you don’t know personally or haven’t met in person. If someone claims to be someone you know or trust, verify their identity by contacting them directly through a different channel.
Don’t trust caller ID, as scammers can spoof phone numbers. Don’t be pressured by threats or promises, as scammers use emotional manipulation to get you to act quickly and without thinking. And remember, no legitimate company or government agency will ever ask you to pay them with a gift card.
A person holding a gift card (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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3. Resale gift card trick
Another gift card trick involves buying or selling gift cards on online platforms, such as websites, apps or social media groups. Scammers will offer to sell you gift cards at a discounted price or buy your unwanted gift cards for cash.
However, they will either send you a fake or empty gift card or take your gift card information and money without sending you anything in return. They may also use stolen credit cards or hacked accounts to buy or sell gift cards, which can put you at risk of fraud or identity theft.
How to avoid this scam
Only buy or sell gift cards from reputable sources, such as official retailers, authorized resellers or trusted friends and family. Avoid buying or selling gift cards from strangers online, especially if they offer a deal that sounds too good to be true.
Don’t share your gift card information or personal details with anyone you don’t know or trust. And use a secure payment method that offers protection, such as a credit card or PayPal, instead of a gift card, wire transfer or cash.
A person giving a gift card as a present (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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4. Phishing gift card trick
A very popular gift card trick this holiday season involves phishing, which is a type of online fraud that tries to trick you into revealing your personal or financial information. Scammers will send you an email, text or pop-up message that looks like it comes from a legitimate company, such as a retailer, bank or tech support service.
They will claim that there is a problem with your account, your order, your device or your security and that you need to verify your identity, update your information or fix an issue. They will then ask you to click on a link, open an attachment or call a number and then request that you pay them with a gift card or provide them with your gift card information.
How to avoid this scam
Never click on links, open attachments or call numbers from unsolicited messages, as they may lead to fake or malicious websites or software. Don’t provide any personal or financial information, such as your passwords, PINs, account numbers or gift card numbers, to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
Don’t trust messages that create a sense of urgency, pressure or fear, as they are designed to make you act without thinking. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a message, contact the company directly using a verified website, phone number or email address.
Using antivirus protection will help to protect you against scammers and hackers who try to steal your money and personal information using gift card tricks, especially through phishing. The best way to protect yourself from clicking on any malicious links, fake websites, phishing emails and text messages is to have strong antivirus protection installed and actively running on all your devices. It’s the best to help stop and alert you of any malware in your system and ultimately protect you from being hacked.
Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
A person purchasing a gift card online (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
5. Loyalty program gift card trick
This gift card trick involves loyalty programs, which are rewards programs that offer you points, discounts or freebies for being a loyal customer. Scammers will pretend to be representatives of a loyalty program that you are a member of or that you are eligible to join.
They will tell you that you have won a prize, sweepstakes or a promotion and that you need to pay a fee, a tax or a shipping cost to claim it. They will then ask you to pay them with a gift card or provide them with your gift card information.
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How to avoid this scam
Be wary of any unsolicited offers or notifications that claim that you have won something, especially if you don’t remember entering or signing up for anything. Don’t pay any money or fees to receive a prize, as legitimate loyalty programs will never ask you to do that. Don’t provide any personal or financial information, such as your passwords, account numbers or gift card numbers, to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
Don’t trust messages that create a sense of excitement, curiosity or greed, as they are designed to make you act impulsively. If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of a message, contact the loyalty program directly using a verified website, phone number or email address.
A person purchasing a gift card online (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
6. Fake balance checker scam
In this scam, fraudsters set up fake websites or phone services that claim to check the balance of your gift cards. Victims are lured into providing their gift card numbers and PINs under the guise of verifying their balance. Once the information is entered, scammers can drain the funds from the card almost immediately.
How to avoid this scam
To avoid this scam, always use official websites or apps from reputable retailers to check your gift card balance. Be wary of unsolicited calls or messages asking for your gift card information, especially if they claim to be from a legitimate company. It is important never to enter your gift card details on unfamiliar websites.
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How to safely give and receive gift cards
- Buy gift cards online instead of physical cards directly from the store, not from third parties. You can also use these favorite sites and apps that will reward you with a percentage back on all gift card purchases.
- Avoid gift card racks at retail stores like the grocery store. If you still want to buy one at the store, dig back into the pile without taking the first ones off the rack. Inspect them like a detective before you buy them to make sure they are unaltered.
- Register the gift card directly with the retailer if offered, which also helps track the card balance.
- Never engage in any gift card transactions from callers making unusual claims. It is likely a scam.
- Avoid buying gift cards from online auction sites like eBay.
- Never provide personal financial information beyond a method of payment to anyone offering gift cards in-store or online.
- Use strong antivirus protection. Strong antivirus software is a must-have to protect against scammers and hackers who try to steal your money and personal information using gift card tricks, especially through phishing. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
I’ve been scammed! What to do next?
Below are some next steps if you find you or your loved one is a victim of identity theft as a result of a gift card trick by scammers or hackers.
1. If you can regain control of your accounts, change your passwords and inform the account provider.
2. Look through bank statements and checking account transactions to see where outlier activity started.
3. Use an identity theft protection service: Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. Some of the best parts of using an identity theft protection service include identity theft insurance to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
4. Report any breaches to official government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the gift card company.
5. Get the professional advice of a lawyer before speaking to law enforcement, especially when you are dealing with criminal identity theft and if being a victim of criminal identity theft leaves you unable to secure employment or housing.
6. Alert all three major credit bureaus and possibly place a fraud alert on your credit report.
7. Run your own background check or request a copy of one if that is how you discovered your information has been used by a criminal.
If you are a victim of identity theft because of a gift card scam, the most important thing to do is to take immediate action to mitigate the damage and prevent further harm.
Kurt’s key takeaways
As we head into the holiday season, it’s important to keep an eye out for these six gift card scams we’ve talked about. If something feels off or sounds too good to be true, trust your gut and don’t be afraid to ask questions or walk away. Gift cards are meant to bring joy, not stress, so keep these tips in mind as you shop and share this season.
Have you ever fallen victim to a gift card scam? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Technology
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.
Technology
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.
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.
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
- 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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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
How Last Samurai Standing adds kinetic action to the Battle Royale formula
Viewers have Junichi Okada to thank for that. As well as starring in and producing Last Samurai Standing, he serves as the series’ action planner. Many will be familiar with the results of an action planner’s work — sometimes called an action director, elsewhere a “coordinator,” and even “choreographer” — though perhaps not what the role entails. In the case of Last Samurai Standing, it’s a role that touches on nearly every aspect of the production, from the story to the action itself.
“I was involved from the script stage, thinking about what kind of action we wanted and how we would present it in the context of this story,” Okada tells The Verge. “If the director [Michihito Fujii] said, ‘I want to shoot this kind of battle scene,’ I would then think through the content and concept, design the scene, and ultimately translate that into script pages.”
The close relationship between the writer and director extends to other departments, too. Though an action planner’s role starts with managing fight scenes and stunt performers, they also liaise with camera, wardrobe, makeup, and even editorial departments to ensure fight scenes cohere with the rest of the production.
Image: Netflix
It’s a role which might appear a natural progression for Okada, who is certified to teach Kali and Jeet Kune Do — a martial art conceived by Bruce Lee — and holds multiple black belts in jiujitsu. Though the roots of his progression into action planning can be traced back further, to 1995 when he became the youngest member of J-pop group V6.
“Dance experience connects directly to creating action,” he says. “[In both] rhythm and control of the body are extremely important.” Joining V6 at the age of 15, that experience has made Okada conscious of how he moves in relation to a camera during choreography, how he is seen within the structure of a shot, and, critical to action planning, how to navigate all of that safely from a young age.
That J-pop stardom also offered avenues into acting, initially in roles you might expect for a young pop star: comic heartthrobs and sitcom sons. But he was steadily able to broaden his output. A starring turn in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Hana followed, as did voice acting in Studio Ghibli’s Tales From Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. A more telling departure was a starring role in 2007’s SP, in which he played a rookie in a police bodyguard unit, for which he trained for several years under shootfighting instructor Yorinaga Nakamura.
“What I care about is whether audiences feel that ‘this man really lives here as a samurai.’”
In the years since, Okada has cemented himself as one of Japan’s most recognizable actors, hopping between action starring roles in The Fable to sweeping period epics like Sekigahara. Those two genres converge in his Last Samurai Standing role of Shujiro, a former Shogunate samurai now reduced to poverty, working through his PTSD and reckoning with his bloodthirsty past in the game. These days, it’s less of a concern that the character butts up against his past idol image, he suggests. “What I care about is whether audiences feel that ‘this man really lives here as a samurai.’”
For Okada’s work on Last Samurai Standing, as both producer and action planner, that involved lacing high-octane but believable action with the respect for history and character studies of the period dramas he loves. “Rather than being 100 percent faithful to historical accuracy,” he adds, “my goal was to focus on entertainment and story, while letting the ‘DNA’ and beauty of Japanese period drama gently float up in the background.”
A focus on what he defines as “‘dō’ — movement,” pure entertainment that “never lets the audience get bored” punctuated — with “‘ma,’” the active emptiness that connects those frenetic moments. Both can be conversations, even if one uses words and another communicates dialogue through sword blows. This is most apparent when Shujiro faces his former comrade Sakura (Yasushi Fuchikami) inside a claustrophobic bank vault that serves as a charnel house for the game’s less fortunate contestants.
“The whole battle is divided into three sequences,” Okada says. The first starts with a moment of almost perfect stillness, a deep breath, before the two launch into battle. “A fight where pride and mutual respect collide,” he says, “and where the speed of the techniques reaches a level that really surprises the audience.” It’s all captured in one, zooming take with fast, tightly choreographed action reminiscent of Donnie Yen and Wu Jing in Kill Zone.
So intense is their duel that both shatter multiple swords. The next phase sees them lash out in a more desperate and brutal manner with whatever weapons they find. Finally, having fought to a weary stalemate, the fight becomes, Okada concludes, “a kind of duel where their stubbornness and will are fully exposed” as they hack at each other with shattered blades and spear fragments.

Image: Netflix
It’s a rhythm that many fights in Last Samurai Standing follow, driven by a string of physical and emotional considerations that form the basis of an action planner’s tool kit: how and why someone fights based on who they are and their environment. Here it is two former samurai in an elegant and terrifyingly fast-paced duel. Elsewhere we see skill matched against brutality, or inexperience against expertise.
“I define a clear concept for each sequence,” Okada says, before he opens those concepts up to the broader team. From there, he might add notes, but in Last Samurai Standing, action is a collaborative affair. “We keep refining,” he says. “It’s a back-and-forth process of shaping the sequence using both the ideas the team brings and the choreography I create myself.”
There is a third factor which Okada believes is the series’ most defining. “If we get to continue the story,” he says, “I’d love to explore how much more we can lean into ‘sei’ — stillness, and bring in even more of a classical period drama feel.”
As much of a triumph of action as Last Samurai Standing is, its quietest moments are the ones that stay with you. The charged looks between Shujiro and Iroha (Kaya Kiyohara) or their shuddering fright when confronted with specters of their past. Most of all, Shujiro watching his young ward, Futaba Katsuki (Yumia Fujisaki), dance before a waterlogged torii as mist hovers. These pauses are what elevate and invigorate the breathless action above spectacle.
The pauses are also emblematic of the balance that Last Samurai Standing strikes between its period setting and pushing the boundaries of action, all to inject new excitement into the genre. “Japan is a country that values tradition and everything it has built up over time. That’s why moments where you try to update things are always difficult,” Okada says. “But right now, we’re in the middle of that transformation.”
That is an evolution that Okada hopes to support through his work, both in front of and behind the camera. If he can create avenues for new generations of talent to carry Japanese media to a broader audience and his team to achieve greater success on a global stage, “that would make me very happy,” he says. “I want to keep doing whatever I can to help make that possible.”
The first season of Last Samurai Standing is streaming on Netflix now, and a second season was just confirmed.
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