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E.g., Friday, July 25, 2025
E.g., Friday, July 25, 2025
Wed
23
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

Venmo Sextortion? How to Stop It (and Avoid These Mistakes)

If you're caught up in a Venmo sextortion trap and are desperate for a way out - you're not alone, and this in-depth, Q&A article is for you. If you are in full-on panic and need help now, you can contact me here for assistance . Otherwise, keep ... reading! Infopackets Reader Sanjay B. writes: " Dear Dennis, I paid someone on Venmo and now they're blackmailing me . Here's my story: a few days ago I met a woman on Adult Friend Finder claiming to be local to me. We chatted casually for a couple of days, but then moved to WhatsApp for privacy. As soon as I did, the tone changed; she was ... (view more)

Wed
23
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

Why Sextortionists Use CashApp (and How to Stay Protected)

Infopackets Reader Sam G. writes: " Dear Dennis, I came across your website and read two of your most recent articles: how to stop WhatsApp blackmail from Spanish scammer and what to do if sextorted on ThaiFriendly - thanks - these articles were ... very insightful. Now for my issue. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but until last week I've never even heard of being blackmailed on Facebook . I thought I was just chatting with someone new online - it started harmlessly enough. We flirted a little, exchanged some pictures , and then she casually asked me to send some money her way to help pay ... (view more)

Wed
23
Jul
John Lister's picture

Windows 11 System Tray Changes Dropped

Microsoft appears to have ditched plans to simplify the System Tray in Windows 11. It has confirmed the rethink was down to negative feedback in public testing. The System Tray is part of the Taskbar, the section at the bottom of the screen that's ... usually visible at all times. The System Tray is on the right and includes information such as the date and time, network connection details, speaker volume and (on portable devices) battery level. Last year it started testing a new design in the Beta Channel of Windows Insider. That's part of the voluntary public testing program and is usually the ... (view more)

Mon
21
Jul
John Lister's picture

Amazon Cancellation Email May Be a Scam

Amazon has warned customers that emails offering them the chance to cancel their Prime membership are scams from fraudsters. It's a targeted attack that is, to say the least, unfortunate for the company. According to Amazon, the bogus emails claim ... Amazon is raising the price of the Prime membership program and giving them the chance to cancel before it takes effect. The emails include a button marked "cancel subscription". As is common with such scams, clicking the button takes the user through to a fake Amazon page that asks the user for personal details along with details of the payment ... (view more)

Wed
16
Jul
John Lister's picture

'Click to Cancel' Law Blocked

A court has blocked a "click to cancel" rule that would have made it easier to end unwanted memberships and subscriptions. The rule, introduced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), would have made canceling as easy as signing up in the first ... place, meaning a simple website button in some cases. The rule was scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025, but was blocked by a federal appeals court. The block wasn't based on the measures themselves, but rather the procedural technicalities of the way the FTC made the rule. Auto-Renewals Restricted Officially titled the Negative Opinion Rule, the ... (view more)

Mon
14
Jul
John Lister's picture

Browser Extensions Laced With Malware

More than two million Chrome and Edge users installed extensions that later turned into malware. The 18 extensions all delivered their advertised functionality but some unwanted bonus features. Extensions (known as add-ons in Edge) are a third-party ... tool for web browsers that interact with the browser to bring additional features. Most have perfectly legitimate uses, for example sending the text of a long article on a web page to the user's Kindle e-reader, or blocking ads. Because the tools have varying levels of access to a user's browser and online activity, security is a must. That's why ... (view more)

Fri
11
Jul
Dennis Faas's picture

No USB-based TPM for Win11? Here's Why it Won't Work

In today's main article, we talked about the need for continuing Windows 10 support because the vast majority of PC's today Windows 11 requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) but only newer PCs (circa >2018) have it. I've always wondered why a ... tech company couldn't simply create a USB-based TPM device so that older machines would be able to meet the requirements of Windows 11, so I decided to ask ChatGPT some questions. I thought the answers were fascinating, so I decided to put together a Q&A style article. Here's a breakdown of those questions in case you want to skip right to the ... (view more)

Fri
11
Jul
John Lister's picture

Windows 10 Security Patches 'Must Continue'

A campaign group want users to sign a petition calling on Microsoft to automatically extend support for Windows 10. It says existing plans where users can sign up to an extra year of support cheaply or free of charge don't go far enough. The ... petition is the work of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), which describes itself as "an advocate for consumers, advancing solutions to problems that affect our health, our safety and our wellbeing." It commonly campaigns on tech topics including the "right to repair" as a way to benefit consumers while reducing environmental waste. Millions Of ... (view more)

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