Metaphor: ReFantanzio is one of 2024’s best games racking up a stack of Game Awards including best RPG, best art direction, and best narrative. But one category in which Metaphor particularly stood out was its music. The soundtrack, produced by Shoji Meguro – the long-time music director of the Persona series, is one of the outstanding achievements in video game music this year, particularly its battle theme which became a viral hit. In an interview with The Verge, Meguro talked about his work on the Metaphor soundtrack including what went into what is perhaps the coolest piece of video game battle music ever made.
Technology
Cheap Black Friday deals cost to your privacy
It’s the perfect time to pick up holiday gifts for your family and treat yourself to that pricey watch you wouldn’t splurge on otherwise.
Black Friday is a worldwide cultural and economic phenomenon today. It comes with much anticipation, great discounts and a shopping frenzy. Its success is such that it now lasts the whole month. But don’t let the excitement cloud your judgment.
The deals are enticing, but there are dangers lurking beneath the surface.
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The devil’s in the privacy policy
Particularly when it comes to online shopping, we give up personal data with every purchase. Information such as your email address, name and address is necessary to create an account or receive a delivery. And that’s fine as long as it’s used for these purposes only.
However, the fine print linked under “Privacy Policy” that you agree to at checkout often comes with a long list or, worse still, an unspecified number of third parties with which your data will be shared. Retailers often sell personal information and purchase histories to third parties, such as marketing companies and data brokers, who use it to build detailed consumer profiles. Once it’s out there, it’s very hard to remove your information from these third-party databases.
Arguably, this happens all the time, Black Friday or not. But with all the marketing strategies pushing us to buy quickly and buy more, we’re just less likely to pay attention.
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The spam and scam aftershock, a post-Black Friday hiccup
The term “Black Friday” was originally coined in the 1950s by Philadelphia police officers to describe the chaos that ensued the day after Thanksgiving, when hordes of shoppers and tourists flooded the city.
After the shopping extravaganza of Black Friday, your inbox and phone may experience their own dark moments. A surge in spam is widely reported during the month of November. This unwanted communication can come from several sources.
First, from the online shops where you’ve left your email and phone number. Second, from all the companies that received your consumer profile, the ones listed (or not) in the fine print of the privacy policy. Third, from all the retailers you bought from in the past, including that one-time purchase of a kettlebell set three years ago (that you’d rather forget).
But that’s not all; Black Friday is a fiesta for hackers, too, and the perfect time for social engineering attacks! The urgency and excitement of Black Friday deals encourage you to let your guard down. You’re likelier to click on links or open attachments without checking the source. And less likely to notice that a phishing email pretending to be sent by a big retailer has sneaked into your inbox. Your data is being collected, shared and sold as you read this article.
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How to buy without being sold at the same time
Reading privacy policies every time you buy something isn’t realistic. If you’re ambitious, use the search function (Ctrl+F or Command+F) to find terms like “opt out,” “unsubscribe” or “do not sell” to quickly locate sections where you can limit data sharing. Depending on where you live, these options may simply not be available to you.
An easier solution is to use a disposable email address whenever you open an account for the sole purpose of making a purchase. Once you receive your order confirmation, you can disable it so that no further communication is sent your way. You can also use privacy-focused tools or browsers that block tracking cookies and prevent companies from collecting your data.
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8 tips to safeguard your email after Black Friday
As the dust settles from the shopping rush, it’s crucial to be proactive; here are eight essential tips to help you protect your email and personal information from the surge of spam and scams that often follow.
1. Create alias email addresses. An alias email address is an additional email address that can be used to receive emails in the same mailbox as the primary email address. It acts as a forwarding address, directing emails to the primary email address. An email alias address is a great way for you to stop receiving constant spam mail by simply deleting the email alias address. See my review of best secure and private email services here.
2. Use a password manager to consistently use complex passwords that you can change frequently.
3. Avoid opening attachments or clicking on links from emails unless you are sure they are from a trusted source. Scammers or hackers can easily change the name of the sender to make it look like it came from a legitimate organization such as Amazon or an individual. But if you click the email header, you will see the sender’s actual email address. By pretending to be a reputable organization, the crooks send urgent messages to make you click on links, reply or provide personal information in an attempt to fix a problem or claim a reward. If you click on a malicious link, then a scammer may be able to access your email and other personal data.
4. Have strong antivirus software on all your devices: The best way to protect yourself from having your data breached is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. Having good antivirus software actively running on your devices will alert you of any malware in your system, warn you against clicking on any malicious links in phishing emails, and ultimately protect you from being hacked.
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Malicious links are often disguised as legitimate ones, but they can download malware onto your device without your knowledge. Malware is a type of software that can damage your device, steal your personal information, or give hackers access to your data. Hackers can then use your data for various purposes, such as identity theft, fraud or blackmail. This is why it is important to have antivirus software that can detect and remove malware before it causes any harm. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
5. Go directly to the official site where you have any accounts, such as your financial institution, to check if any changes or charges were made instead of clicking links in the email you received or responding to the email. This way, you can avoid falling for phishing scams and keep your account secure.
6. Limit the number of accounts or profiles you create with your personal email account.
7. Regularly scrub your personal information on the internet. You don’t want spammers to take your email and add it to their lists, do you? That would result in annoying and potentially dangerous messages flooding your inbox. To prevent that, you need to make sure your personal information is not exposed on the internet. 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.
8. Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service can enhance your privacy by encrypting your internet traffic, making it harder for hackers and third parties to intercept your data, especially on public Wi-Fi. A VPN masks your IP address, helping to obscure your location and online activity. While VPNs don’t directly prevent phishing emails, they reduce the exposure of your browsing habits to trackers that may use this data maliciously. With a VPN, you can securely access your email accounts from anywhere, even in areas with restrictive internet policies. See my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
I’ve been scammed! What to do next?
If a scammer gets hold of your email address, they can use it to access your other accounts, send phishing emails to trick you into revealing your passwords or personal details, or even impersonate you to commit fraud or other crimes. This is why it is important to protect your email address from falling into the wrong hands and to act quickly if you suspect that it has been compromised. Below are some next steps if you find you or your loved one is a victim of identity theft.
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 identity theft protection services to manage your personal information on and offline. Identity Theft protection companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address and alert you if it is 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.
One of the best parts of using identity theft protections services is that it can include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million 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 Communications Commission.
5. You may wish to 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, the most important thing to do is to take immediate action to mitigate the damage and prevent further harm.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Navigating the world of online shopping during Black Friday can be a thrilling yet daunting experience. While the discounts are enticing, they often come with hidden costs — namely, your personal data. As you prepare your shopping list, consider utilizing tools to safeguard your information. These resources can help you maintain your privacy while enjoying the benefits of online shopping. Also, remember that post-Black Friday, you may find yourself inundated with spam and unwanted communications from retailers and third parties. Taking proactive steps now can save you from future headaches.
Have you ever experienced a data breach or privacy issue while shopping online? How did you handle it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does
Meguro, known for his work producing the pop-y, jazzy vibes of the Persona soundtracks, acknowledged that Metaphor’s heavy orchestral / choral sound is not something Persona fans would expect from him and definitely outside his own wheelhouse. He said in order to effectively change gears from Persona to Metaphor, he had to relearn classical music theory.
“But that’s what makes creating this score so exciting,” he said. “When I was first told about Metaphor: ReFantazio, I was told it would be an epic, high-fantasy RPG. And immediately I heard the sound of great orchestras playing and thought this might be an opportunity to write songs I’ve never really written before, which excited me greatly.”
In developing the music for Metaphor, Meguro said that he wanted to evoke a classical, fantasy experience but feature a unique twist that he said fans have come to expect from Atlus games. That twist became what Meguro called a “spiritual musical style” that defines the soundtrack, particularly the battle music.
As it was nominated for Game of the Year, Metaphor’s music made an appearance during this year’s Game Awards.
If you’ve spent any amount of time on gaming social media this year, you’ve probably seen tons of posts talking about Metaphor’s battle music. For a battle theme it goes extremely hard, with one version starting off with an orchestra-backed choir singing with the kind of gusto you’d expect for a meeting with Sephiroth, not something that plays during every minor encounter in the game. Then, somehow, the song goes even harder with the addition of a Japanese monk chanting in a rapid-fire cadence that could go toe-to-toe with Eminem. To further elevate the songs, the chants were written in an original language inspired by Esperanto, a language that was invented in 1887 and designed to be used as an internationally universal secondary language.
But finding the right voice for the job wasn’t easy. “I was looking for a specific type of voice that could sustain a fast rhythm while reading Esperanto-inspired scripture,” Meguro said.
His search led him to YouTube, where scrolling through performances was how he found a monk named Keisuke Honryo performing in Nam Jazz Experiment, a musical group that combines jazz with the recitation of traditional Buddhist sutras. “It was so great, I immediately made [Honryo] an offer and luckily he accepted and was happy to be a part of this game.”
But there’s a reason why Metaphor’s battle music is so arresting and it’s not just because of the musical stylings of a Japanese monk chanting in an invented language inspired by another invented language. Meguro had to reframe his thinking in developing the soundtrack, leading to the creation of something truly unique that changes how players perceive the game.
“I’ve always considered game scores to be similar to UI elements, constructs that exist solely to service the player,” Meguro said. “Although the score has to capture the atmosphere of the story for the user, it’s worth reminding ourselves that this music is not actually playing directly within the world the characters are in.”
Meguro explained that in conversations with the game’s director Katsura Hashino, the two discussed ways to connect what players are hearing to what the characters are hearing as well.
He said the thought experiment allowed them to “approach the music composition through a different lens.” The idea wound up implemented in the game itself. In Metaphor’s opening hours, the player’s sidekick casts a spell that allows them to hear music as they roam about the world and, inevitably, get into fights.
That moment dramatically changes the context of all of Metaphor’s music, especially its battle themes. Taking those songs from fun bits of ambience for solely players and turning them into something the characters experience too, explains why the songs go hard as they do. Every fight for us is one more event on the way to the credits, for the characters it’s life or death and it makes sense that the music they hear as they fight for their lives, reflects that gravity.
Meguro used Metaphor’s music to bring the players further into the game and he’s delighted by how well his work has been received. The two battle songs, called “Warriors in Arms” and “Warriors in Valor” instantly resonated with players, inspiring memes and even animated shorts.
“That brings me so much joy that fans are responding enthusiastically to the music of Metaphor,” Meguro said. “It’s an honor to get that kind of reaction.”
Technology
Timeshare terror leaves retired couple $50K in the hole after being scammed
The FBI is issuing a stark warning to timeshare owners about a widespread telemarketing scam linked to a violent Mexican drug cartel. This scheme targets unsuspecting property owners, leading to significant financial losses. Here’s what you need to know and how to protect yourself.
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The Dimitruks’ devastating timeshare scam experience
In late 2022, Mr. and Mrs. Dimitruk, a retired Canadian couple, received a call about selling their Florida timeshare. The scammers, aware of their specific timeshare details, promised a Mexican buyer willing to pay above market value. The fraudsters employed an intricate process involving a fake New York escrow company, ecurrencyescrow[.]llc. The Dimitruks were asked to complete forms and wire more than $3,000 for “administrative” and “processing” fees.
For almost a year, the scammers made additional financial demands, citing various taxes and fees. The couple even sent $5,000 to pay off their remaining timeshare balance, believing it was part of the sale process. Mr. Dimitruk, a 73-year-old retired long-haul truck driver, revealed in an interview with KrebsOnSecurity that they lost more than $50,000 to this scam. Even after this substantial loss, the scammers continued to contact them, claiming their money was waiting and urging further payments.
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Cartel connections to fraud schemes
The FBI has linked these timeshare fraud schemes to the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel in Mexico. According to a July 2024 warning from the FBI and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, these scams are part of the cartel’s efforts to diversify their revenue streams and finance other criminal activities, including drug trafficking.
Since at least 2012, the cartel and other Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations have increasingly targeted U.S. owners of timeshare properties in Mexico, particularly older adults who are often more vulnerable to such scams. The proceeds from these fraudulent activities not only support the cartel’s operations but also contribute to the manufacturing and trafficking of dangerous substances like fentanyl into the United States.
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How these scams work
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has expanded its criminal activities beyond traditional drug trafficking into sophisticated scams, including timeshare fraud targeting unsuspecting individuals, particularly Americans. Here are some of the methods employed by the cartel in executing these scams:
Impersonation of legitimate entities: Scammers often pose as legitimate real estate agents, escrow companies or even officials from U.S. government agencies like the Treasury Department. This tactic is designed to instill a sense of trust and urgency in potential victims, making them more susceptible to fraud.
Targeting vulnerable populations: The cartel primarily targets elderly Americans who own timeshares in Mexico. These individuals are often contacted with offers to buy their timeshares at inflated values, but they are required to pay various fees upfront, such as taxes or closing costs, before any transaction can be completed. Once these payments are made, the scammers disappear, leaving victims with significant financial losses.
Use of call centers: The CJNG operates illegal call centers where employees, often unaware of the cartel’s true nature, engage in telemarketing schemes. These centers are strategically located in regions with high unemployment rates, providing a pool of workers who may be desperate for jobs. The call centers not only facilitate scams but also serve as a means for the cartel to exert control over local populations through intimidation and violence.
Complex fraud schemes: The scams can involve multiple layers of deception. For instance, victims may be contacted multiple times by different scammers posing as various professionals (e.g., lawyers or real estate agents) who claim they can assist with selling their timeshares or recovering lost funds. This re-victimization often leads to further financial exploitation.
Violence and intimidation: The cartel employs extreme measures to maintain control over its operations and silence potential whistleblowers. Reports indicate that workers attempting to quit these call centers have faced dire consequences, including murder, which serves as a chilling message to others considering leaving the cartel’s employment. This brutal enforcement mechanism not only protects their operations but also instills fear within communities.
Digital infrastructure: The CJNG utilizes a network of fraudulent websites and domains that appear legitimate at first glance. These websites often mimic real escrow and real estate firms, making it difficult for victims to discern the authenticity of their interactions. Many of these domains have been linked back to a central hub that manages multiple scam operations simultaneously.
By understanding these operational tactics, you can better appreciate the complexities and dangers associated with scams perpetrated by organized crime groups like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. This knowledge is crucial for potentially preventing future victimization.
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Protecting yourself from timeshare scams
To avoid falling victim to similar scams, it is crucial to take proactive steps to safeguard your financial interests:
1) Verify the buyer’s identity and offer legitimacy: Always confirm the identity of any potential buyer and the authenticity of their offer. Contact the timeshare company directly to validate any claims made by the buyer.
2) Research any company that contacts you: Conduct thorough research on any business reaching out to you. Look for reviews, complaints and verify their credentials through reliable sources.
3) Be wary of upfront fees: Legitimate transactions typically do not require upfront fees for administrative or processing purposes. If a company requests such payments, exercise caution.
4) Use secure communication channels: Avoid sharing personal or financial information over unsecured methods such as phone calls or emails. Opt for secure communication channels whenever possible.
5) Do not click on links: Avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments from unsolicited emails. Scammers often use these tactics to steal your personal information. 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.
6) Consult with professionals before proceeding with transactions: Seek advice from a real estate attorney or a trusted financial advisor before engaging in any transactions. Their expertise can help you navigate potential pitfalls.
7) Report suspicious activity to authorities: If you suspect you’ve been targeted by a timeshare scam, don’t hesitate to promptly report it to local authorities, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or the Federal Trade Commission. Reporting can help protect others from falling victim to similar schemes.
8) Invest in personal data removal services: While the advice provided is valuable, the most crucial step in protecting yourself from such scams is to minimize your online presence. By reducing the amount of personal information available on the web, you make it significantly harder for scammers to target you. No service promises to remove all your data from the internet. However, 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.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Here’s the deal. These timeshare scammers are clever, they’re persistent, and they’re backed by some seriously bad dudes. But don’t let that scare you into inaction. Remember, knowledge is power. By staying informed and skeptical, you’re already one step ahead of these fraudsters. Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. And don’t be afraid to ask for help or report suspicious activity. Let’s make life a whole lot harder for these scammers and keep your hard-earned money where it belongs: in your pocket.
What additional steps do you think authorities should take to combat telemarketing scams targeting vulnerable populations? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact. For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Technology
2024: a good year for earbuds
The year 2024 has been another very good one for wireless earbuds. We’ve reached a point where every tech giant is firing on all cylinders. Apple’s AirPods Pro, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, and Google’s Pixel Buds Pro 2 are each fantastic in their own right and fairly comparable in the features they offer. Are there advantages depending on which you pick? Sure. Samsung’s new voice controls are super convenient. Google wins out on comfort. And Apple’s new hearing health features really level up what we expect from consumer earbuds. But in terms of everyday performance, they’re all within spitting distance of each other.
As for over-ear headphones, Sonos introduced its long-rumored Ace headphones this year. Their marquee trick, TV Audio Swap, is the ability to receive audio from a Sonos soundbar for private listening — a good example of a brand trying to muster a unique selling point in a competitive market, while Apple, Samsung, and Google are laser-focused on interplay within their own respective ecosystems. (Of course, Sonos’ headphones were all but forgotten in the avalanche of controversy brought on by the company’s overhauled mobile app.)
But this year has reinforced that you don’t need to spend big to find great value. Apple brought active noise cancellation to its less expensive AirPods 4. With the Nothing Ear and budget-priced Ear (a), Nothing proved yet again that it can compete with long-established earbud makers — and outdesign many of them. Style-wise, it’s hard to choose between the flashy yellow of the Ear (a) or Beats’ candy red Solo Buds, but Nothing gives you more for your money than Apple’s brand.
2024 also saw Jabra make an exit from the consumer earbuds market. The company spent years producing worthy alternatives to the AirPods and other products back during the early waves of true wireless earbuds, but Jabra lost its momentum and failed to meaningfully stand out with its more recent Elite earbuds. The Elite 10 Gen 2 are excellent by all accounts but hard to recommend when they represent the end of the line.
As for where the category is headed, earbuds are quickly evolving into devices with a purpose that extends well beyond audio consumption. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 now offer a powerful trifecta of hearing health features: you can wear them as hearing protection, take a test to gauge your own hearing loss, or use the earbuds as clinical-grade over-the-counter hearing aids. I’d expect we’ll see other industry heavyweights like Sony, Samsung, and Google bring similar capabilities to their own future buds — perhaps as soon as next year.
Fitness tracking is another area where we’ll continue to see earbuds offer new advantages. Heart rate tracking is becoming relatively common, and the next-generation Powerbeats Pro, due early in 2025, are rumored to include the useful feature.
As for the new year, Sony’s long-popular 1000X series is due for a refresh. The 1000XM6 earbuds (and headphones) seem like a lock for 2025. I think the same is true of the next AirPods Pro; Apple will reportedly release a redesigned third-gen pair sometime next year. On the other hand, with Samsung and Google having both released new models in the last six months, I wouldn’t expect much from them in the near future.
For you audiophiles out there, 2025 is likely to see the introduction of more earbuds that can wirelessly stream lossless audio as Qualcomm’s most advanced chips start to proliferate across new products from various brands — potentially including Sennheiser, Bose, and others. As for other features, I’m curious to what extent earbud makers will tap into AI chatbots. Google’s Pixel Buds Pro make it possible to carry on entire conversations with Gemini Live. Will other brands look to provide a similar experience with different AI platforms?
The new year is certain to get off to a busy start right out of the gate, with headphones and earbuds from dozens of brands expected at CES 2025. Hopefully there’ll be some genuine surprises among the bunch.
Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge
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