Technology
FBI warns of fake kidnapping photos used in new scam
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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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FACEBOOK SETTLEMENT SCAM EMAILS TO AVOID NOW
Scammers steal photos from public social media accounts and manipulate them to create fake proof of life images that fuel fear and urgency. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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.
Limiting what you share online and slowing down to verify claims can help protect your family from panic-driven scams like this one. (Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty 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.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com
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.
The FBI warns that these virtual kidnapping scams often begin with a text message that pressures victims to pay a ransom immediately. (Getty Images)
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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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show
Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.
There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:
The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.
That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).
While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.
Technology
300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions
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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.
They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.
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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What you need to know about fake AI extensions
Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.
Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.
These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.
While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:
- AI Assistant
- Llama
- Gemini AI Sidebar
- AI Sidebar
- ChatGPT Sidebar
- Grok
- Asking ChatGPT
- ChatGBT
- Chat Bot GPT
- Grok Chatbot
- Chat With Gemini
- XAI
- Google Gemini
- Ask Gemini
- AI Letter Generator
- AI Message Generator
- AI Translator
- AI For Translation
- AI Cover Letter Generator
- AI Image Generator ChatGPT
- Ai Wallpaper Generator
- Ai Picture Generator
- DeepSeek Download
- AI Email Writer
- Email Generator AI
- DeepSeek Chat
- ChatGPT Picture Generator
- ChatGPT Translate
- AI GPT
- ChatGPT Translation
- ChatGPT for Gmail
FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE
These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)
How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works
These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.
Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.
In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.
The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.
Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.
If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.
We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”
BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK
Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions
If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.
1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions
On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.
2) Change your passwords
If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.
3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords
A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.
4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active
Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
5) Use an identity theft protection service
Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.
6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated
Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.
7) Use a personal data removal service
Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaway
Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.
Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance
Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.
It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.
In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”
He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)
The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.
Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”
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