A power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday that blacked out about 130,000 customers at its peak, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, but also caused another problem: stranded Waymo vehicles. Posts all over social media showed the company’s autonomous SUVs sitting still in the streets and causing traffic jams.

Some people posted videos of Teslas using their FSD feature to navigate the same streets, and Elon Musk tweeted that “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage.” On Sunday evening, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion said “We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

In response to an inquiry from The Verge, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion sent a statement saying, “We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco. We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.” PG&E reported as of 7AM PT that “Crews have restored about 110,000 customers and PG&E continues to work on restoring the remaining 21,000 customers, primarily in the Presidio, Richmond District, Golden Gate Park and small areas of downtown San Francisco,” as it continued repairs after a fire at a five-story power substation.

After this story was published, Philion sent a second statement:

We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.

“Throughout the outage, we closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials. We are focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.

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Exactly why the cars weren’t moving remains unclear, with no public updates we could find on the company’s social media channels, but speculation centered on spotty wireless data connections, with cell towers either down or overloaded by people who no longer had access to Wi-Fi, and/or the street lights that weren’t operating without power.

These problems have occurred before, though, as seen in TikTok videos from earlier this year showing Waymos frozen by a malfunctioning street light and during a power outage in Austin, Texas. In a reply to a Reddit post showing another similar situation last year, someone saying they were a former employee commented explaining that the vehicle would send a request to a remote assistant and wait for their response before proceeding.

According to a company blog post, it reaches out to a human response agent when the car encounters “unique interactions,” providing them with live and recorded views from its cameras in addition to a 3D map of what the sensors are picking up. However, those may require bandwidth that’s hard to find during a significant power outage. I couldn’t find any statistics on how many remote assistance operators Waymo has available at a given time, but in November, the company announced it passed a third-party audit by Tüv Süd, a German tech inspection company that evaluated its remote assistance program against industry best practices.

Update, December 21st: Added updated statement from Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion.

The FBI is warning about a disturbing scam that turns family photos into powerful weapons. Cybercriminals are stealing images from social media accounts, altering them and using them as fake proof of life in virtual kidnapping scams.

These scams do not involve real abductions. Instead, criminals rely on fear, speed and believable images to pressure victims into paying ransom before they can think clearly.

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How the fake kidnapping scam works

According to the FBI, scammers usually start with a text message. They claim they have kidnapped a loved one and demand immediate payment for their release. To make the threat feel real, the criminals send an altered photo pulled from social media. The FBI says these images may be sent using timed messages to limit how long victims can examine them. The agency warns that scammers often threaten extreme violence if the ransom is not paid right away. This urgency is designed to shut down rational thinking.

Signs the photo may be fake

When victims slow down and look closely, the altered images often fall apart. The FBI says warning signs may include missing scars or tattoos, strange body proportions or details that do not match reality. Scammers may also spoof a loved one’s phone number, which makes the message feel even more convincing. Reports on sites like Reddit show this tactic is already being used in the real world.

Why this fake kidnapping scam is so effective

Virtual kidnapping scams work because they exploit emotion. Fear pushes people to act fast, especially when the message appears to come from someone they trust. The FBI notes that criminals use publicly available information to personalize their threats. Even posts meant to help others, such as missing person searches, can provide useful details for scammers.

Ways to stay safe from virtual kidnapping scams

The FBI recommends several steps to protect yourself and your family.

• Be mindful of what you post online, especially photos and personal details
• Avoid sharing travel information in real time
• Create a family code word that only trusted people know
• Pause and question whether the claims make sense
• Screenshot or record proof of life photos
• If you receive a message like this, try to contact your loved one directly before doing anything else.

Staying calm is one of your strongest defenses. Slowing down gives you time to spot red flags and avoid costly mistakes.

How to strengthen your digital defenses against virtual kidnapping scams

When scammers can access your photos, phone numbers and personal details, they can turn fear into leverage. These steps help reduce what criminals can find and give you clear actions to take if a threat appears.

1) Lock down your social media accounts

Review the privacy settings on every social platform you use. Set profiles to private so only trusted friends and family can see your photos, posts and personal updates. Virtual kidnapping scams rely heavily on publicly visible images. Limiting access makes it harder for criminals to steal photos and create fake proof-of-life images.

2) Be cautious about what you share online

Avoid posting real-time travel updates, daily routines or detailed family information. Even close-up photos that show tattoos, scars or locations can give scammers useful material. The less context criminals have, the harder it is for them to make a threat feel real and urgent.

3) Use strong antivirus software on all devices

Install strong antivirus software on computers, phones and tablets. Strong protection helps block phishing links, malicious downloads and spyware often tied to scam campaigns. Keeping your operating system and security tools updated also closes security gaps that criminals exploit to gather personal data.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong 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.

NEW EMAIL SCAM USES HIDDEN CHARACTERS TO SLIP PAST FILTERS

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4) Consider a data removal service to reduce exposure

Data brokers collect and sell personal information pulled from public records and online activity. A data removal service helps locate and remove your details from these databases. Reducing what is available online makes it harder for scammers to impersonate loved ones or personalize fake kidnapping threats.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

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5) Limit facial data in public profiles

Review older public photo albums and remove images that clearly show faces from multiple angles. Avoid posting large collections of high-resolution facial photos publicly. Scammers often need multiple images to convincingly alter photos. Reducing facial data weakens their ability to manipulate images.

6) Establish a family verification plan

Create a simple verification plan with loved ones before an emergency happens. This may include a shared code word, a call back rule or a second trusted contact. Scammers depend on panic. Having a preset way to verify safety gives you something steady to rely on when emotions run high.

7) Secure phone accounts and enable SIM protection

Contact your mobile carrier and ask about SIM protection or a port-out PIN. This helps prevent criminals from hijacking phone numbers or spoofing calls and texts. Since many fake kidnapping scams begin with messages that appear to come from a loved one, securing phone accounts adds an important layer of protection.

8) Save evidence and report the scam

If you receive a threat, save screenshots, phone numbers, images and message details. Do not continue engaging with the sender. Report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Even if no money is lost, reports help investigators track patterns and warn others.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Virtual kidnapping scams show how quickly personal photos can be weaponized. Criminals do not need real victims when fear alone can drive action. Taking time to verify claims, limiting what you share online and strengthening your digital defenses can make a major difference. Awareness and preparation remain your best protection.

Have you or someone you know encountered a scam like this? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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