Latest news with #Kain
India Gazette
20-06-2025
- India Gazette
Delhi: 80-year-old bookstore owner duped of Rs 15 lakh by cyber fraudster posing as NDMC official
New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): In a shocking incident, an 80-year-old bookstore owner in Delhi's Connaught Place was duped of over Rs 15 lakh by a cyber-fraudster impersonating an official of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), police said on Friday. The incident took place on June 16 when the victim received a WhatsApp call from an individual claiming to be an NDMC official. The caller claimed that the electricity bill for the shop had not been paid for a long time and warned that the electricity connection would be cut within 30 minutes unless payment was made immediately. According to the police, the caller sent the victim a link for an invoice of Rs 12 and instructed him to clear the dues urgently. In a state of panic, the victim followed the instructions and entered his bank credit card details. Soon after submitting the information, the victim began receiving multiple transaction alerts indicating unauthorized debits from his account, amounting to approximately Rs 15.45 lakh. Realizing he had been defrauded, the victim contacted his bank to freeze his credit card and account, police said. A complaint has been registered at Connaught Place police station on June 17 in this matter. Further investigation into the matter is underway. Earlier, on June 16, Delhi Police uncovered a cyber-extortion racket and arrested two persons, including the alleged mastermind, in a case involving blackmail through nude video calls. The investigation began after a complaint was filed by Ankit Kumar Kain, a resident of Shahdara, who fell victim to the scam, said the to the police, Kain met a woman named Nandini on the dating app QuakQuak. After exchanging WhatsApp numbers, she initiated a video call in a nude condition while recording Kain's later blackmailed him, threatening to leak the video unless he paid up. Fearing social humiliation, Kain transferred Rs 35,000 to a Bandhan Bank account provided by the blackmailer. When she demanded more money, he filed a complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), said the the transaction, police traced the money to a Bandhan Bank account opened in the name of Mangal Singh, a South Delhi resident, but operated by Shyam Singh from Rajasthan. Investigations revealed that Shyam Singh opened the account online using Mangal's details. The police said that the registered mobile number and email ID were linked to Shyam. Four mobile handsets used in the scam were recovered from Shyam's possession. The ATM card and SIM linked to the account were handed over to another accused, Aamir, who remains at large. (ANI)
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Five common mistakes that let criminals hack your online accounts
Attacks on British retailers like Marks & Spencer have highlighted how mistakes can let cybercriminals into online accounts with devastating consequences. M&S announced on Tuesday it had finally reopened its website weeks after a cyberattack in April that the company blamed on 'human error' and it said it would cost around £300m. The government's cybersecurity breaches survey, published earlier this year, found 43% of businesses had suffered a security breach in the last 12 months. But even for ordinary people, it's still very possible to make mistakes that can lead to criminals gaining access to your account - and then using your details for identity theft or stealing money. Research by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance found that 10% of Brits had lost money to scams or identity theft in 2023. Yahoo News spoke to security expert Truman Kain, a security researcher at cybersecurity firm Huntress, about the common mistakes people make - including one which almost all of us have never even thought about. In security questions on online accounts such as banking, people often put their real mother's maiden name or the name of a first pet. But this is a mistake, Kain explains - and instead you should make up a fake name, because hackers can potentially use a security question to reset accounts and gain access, and such information is often easy to find out. Kain said: 'Security questions are a relic. When used as originally intended, they aren't security, they're trivia that hackers already know. "Think of it this way: if you had to, could you answer your friend's security questions? Yes? Well, so could a hacker. Attackers can typically guess or find your answers to common security questions on your social media or elsewhere online. 'This is how accounts can get taken over even if you do have a strong password. So, treat security questions like passwords… lie! Generate and save fake answers to security questions with a password manager. Never assume that your real answers to security questions are private.' Browsers such as Chrome commonly offer the option to save passwords, which can be highly convenient for users - but using this is a mistake. So are other common ways of storing passwords like notes apps, Word documents or spreadsheets, says Kain. 'Lots of people store passwords in places they shouldn't: these are a problem, because they can all be quickly scraped by malware or someone with access to your device," Kain says. For example, if your PC gets a virus, it can be easy for criminals to find passwords stored in this way. Instead, Kain advises, you should use a separate password manager app on your PC or smartphone, and generate strong passwords using the app. Kain said: 'If you care about your accounts, use a dedicated password manager. It's the simplest way to keep your accounts secure. Storing passwords anywhere else is like locking your front door and then leaving the key under the doormat. Reusing passwords offers an easy way to log in, for example, when forced to create a password to order on a pub's menu. But if you use one password across a lot of accounts, it's only a matter of time before it leaks online, says Kain, due to the frequency of data breaches. Kain said: 'By reusing passwords, you're basically playing Russian roulette. A breach at some random site, at any point in the future, can hand attackers the keys to your most important accounts. 'They'll turn right around and plug those credentials into every major service they can think of… and if you reused, they're in.' Kain said: 'Today's phishing attacks aren't poorly worded emails. They're polished, look just like the real thing and sometimes even come from real providers like DocuSign or Canva.' To deal with such attacks, it's best to be ultra-cautious around links in emails, particularly when they relate to banking or anything similar. Instead of following the email, use your banking app or navigate to your bank's website - or if you're really worried, call. Kain said: "Today, fake login pages are pixel-perfect and often use legitimate-looking domains. All it takes is one moment of distraction or misplaced trust, and your credentials or sensitive information are compromised. 'Attackers love evoking senses of fear or urgency because those emotions often cause you to act without thinking. So, always take a minute to stop and think: is this legit? Just because a site looks real doesn't mean it is. Check the URL before entering credentials and navigate to sites directly instead of clicking links in emails or text messages.' Multi-factor authentication (MFA) bolsters passwords by insisting on a second check (often via text or through a dedicated app) to prove people are who they say they are. This means that if a criminal finds your password in an online data breach, they still cannot access your account. Kain said: 'MFA is one of the most effective defences you have against account takeovers. However, it's often ignored because 'it's annoying', or put off with 'I'll do it later'. 'The reality is that passwords get breached. Phishing works. MFA adds a backstop that makes it much harder for attackers to get in when they inevitably get a hold of your credentials. App-based MFA is ideal, but any form of MFA is better than none.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
If You Feel Lonely Even Around People You Love, Psychologists Say To Ditch These 16 Habits
If You Feel Lonely Even Around People You Love, Psychologists Say To Ditch These 16 Habits originally appeared on Parade. Ever feel like you're standing alone in a crowded room full of friends and family members? It can feel incredibly ironic. However, experts share it's possible to feel like you have 100 friends and zero at the same time, even if you're standing next to someone you consider a ride-or-die."Loneliness is the gap between the connection you actually have and the connection you really want," explains , a clinical psychologist. "You may have people around you, but if you aren't truly expressing yourself, feeling understood and able to be vulnerable, you can still feel very alone."It's possible to shift these feelings. However, psychologists note that part of the Rx for loneliness often involves adjusting some habits as well. They reveal 16 habits that can contribute to loneliness (even around people you love), and offer tips for breaking Real talk: Our culture loves productivity—always saying yes to work projects and checking emails at 3 a.m. However, we often heed the memo to prioritize hustling over the connection we're hard-wired to crave as humans. It's no wonder why psychologists are stage whispering, "It's a trap.""There cannot be a balance in life if there is only busyness, which can keep us distracted from feeling lonely but does nothing to resolve the feeling long term," explains Dr. Michele Goldman, Ph.D., a psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation media advisor. "[Being busy] leaves us little time to focus on the self, sit with feelings and build meaningful social connections." Related: Chameleons need to blend into their environment to survive. However, Dr. Schiff says humans generally do not. In fact, trying to fit in with whatever crowd you're with can contribute to feelings of loneliness."If you are constantly trying to be who others want you to be, it prevents real emotional connection," she explains. "You lose the opportunity to be authentic, and people can't bond with someone they don't really know."Related: Humans cannot telepathically communicate (and that's probably for the best). However, Dr. Craig Kain, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist, explains that means we need to manage our expectations of one another."The belief that people should know what we're feeling and thinking—without our telling them—is a surefire way to feel lonely in a crowd of friends or family," he notes that letting people know when you're not feeling seen and understood can protect you from disappointment and disconnection. Dr. Kain gets it—"fine" rolls off the tongue. However, it doesn't open the door for connection, especially when it's not true."Answering 'fine' is a way of hiding by deflecting attention away from ourselves," Dr. Kain says. "It's very protective and can lull us into feeling safe, but hiding almost always guarantees we will feel lonely and alone."Related: Trying new things can be scary, but it can help you break out of a social rut or avoid one in the first place. "By pushing our boundaries and embracing the opportunity for new experiences, we can generate unexpected friendships," says , a psychologist with encourages people to travel, try foods and engage in other activities that open the door to making new friends and deepening connections with old ones. Dr. Goldman emphasizes that it's important to be gentle with yourself if you have this habit."Socially interacting with others can feel very threatening because it highlights how limiting our relationships can be, or we are reminded that our friendships are superficial," she points out. "Many people try to isolate instead, as they then will not feel as evident of their lack of meaningful connections. However, the problem with isolating is that it can increase [lonely feelings]."Related: It's nice to get invited to happy hours and intramural adult softball leagues. However, if the Paperless Posts aren't flooding your inbox, send one yourself."If you don't want to be lonely, be the first to say hello," Dr. Kain says. "Be the first to ask someone you already know a meaningful question. Be the one to get the conversation going, and you will begin to feel more connected and less lonely."Bonus: You might help someone else feel less lonely too. "Closeness requires two things: time and proximity," Dr. Kain says reserving just a few dates on your calendar per year for loved ones can lead to loneliness and a lack of connection. Of course, not everyone can get together for weekly coffee dates, especially if you live hundreds of miles away or more. Still, frequent connection is critical."We need to talk to [friends and family] and see them frequently, in person if possible, but via something like FaceTime if not," he Showing up is only part of the battle against loneliness."Even if you're not good at games, if that's what people are doing, join in," Dr. Kain says. "Instead of standing off in a corner because you don't know what to do at a party, offer to help. We have to be involved, to participate and to feel like we belong." Dr. Vaughan warns that if you're constantly putting others first in the name of connection, you can burn out physically, mentally and socially."When we are mentally and physically exhausted, we will withdraw, isolate and avoid social interactions," she says. "It is not selfish to take care of yourself first; it is necessary for true and meaningful connections with others."Related: Psychologists warn that social media has created an illusion that we're connected and that our Facebook friend count represents closeness IRL."People who are lonely might be very focused on their online social media presence or will use technology as a distraction from their emotional experiences of loneliness," Dr. Goldman says. "Being online is not a direct way to social connection for many you need to go do things to meet people and have meaningful connections." It steals more than joy."If you tend to measure your relationships against social media or idealized standards, it makes your own connections seem inadequate," Dr. Schiff reports. "Focus on fact, not fantasy, and appreciate and deepen what you do have."Related: Some people do more than compare themselves to others—they negatively judge people."Often, when people are in a social space and feel a lack of acceptance, they will make negative statements or judgments about other people," Dr. Goldman says. "For example, [someone may have the] passing thought of 'Well, I wouldn't want to be friends with them anyway.'"She says people often make these statements when they want to deflect hurt, but it usually worsens the problem. "Judging other people and seeing negatives in others will keep us further guarded and potentially prevent us from fully engaging with others in the future," she adds. "If we expect to see the negative in others, why would we want to connect to them in a meaningful way? We won't. This keeps us feeling stuck, isolated and lonely." The inner critic in you acts way more judgmental of you than others."Folks who are lonely tend to have an internal narrative they have constructed about themselves," Dr. Goldman says. "The thoughts about self might include statements such as. 'No one really likes me' or 'I'm not worth getting to know.'"However, she warns that these thoughts can make you feel lonelier and more inclined to keep people at a distance—a self-fulfilling Dr. Vaughan warns that neglecting inner work—like healing from childhood issues—limits how we understand and connect with others on a deep level."We not only disconnect from ourselves, but we also disconnect from others by allowing our fears and insecurities to keep us from genuine happiness and effectively being of service to others," she says. Believe it or not, difficult discussions can increase connection, even if conflict is often seen as a relationship-ender."Burying your problems instead of addressing them builds unresolved tension between people, which creates a wall," Dr. Schiff says. "Honest, open communication is how intimacy grows."Related: Even in a digital world with Zoom access, nothing beats intentional and unstructured in-person interactions, like a stroll around the park or a coffee date."In those relaxed moments where you are physically present with someone, we allow for deeper bonding and building closeness," Dr. Schiff Dr. Vaughan suggests engaging in meaningful hobbies and activities that you like. You'll find people with similar interests and can connect with them. She loves activities that promote relaxation, including meditation, time in nature and yoga."You can also focus on self-care while with others," she says. Dr. Goldman advises people who are feeling lonely to push past the discomfort of initiating contact. Remember, you're not alone in feeling lonely, and others may also crave connection."Most people are looking for connection but are uncertain about how or when to take the risk and approach another person," she says. "The worst that happens is you walk away not having made a connection, which is how you entered that space—AKA nothing changes. The best that happens is that you begin to form a connection with someone." "The antidote to loneliness is vulnerability," says Dr. notes he'll sometimes ask clients: "Who do you feel closer to? A person who shares a secret with you or the person you share your secret with?""Most will say they feel closer to the person they share with," he explains. "Yet, we are reluctant to open up to others, but that's exactly what we have to do. If we want to feel close to others, we have to make the effort not to get to know them, although that is certainly important, but to let them know us."Related: Take a page from an athlete's playbook and use affirmations. Dr. Kain recommends saying things to yourself throughout the day like, 'People will love me when they really get to know me.' "Affirmations are great because we don't actually need to believe what we're saying is true when we first start repeating them to ourselves," he says. "We're rewiring our brains to override earlier messages of being unlikeable and unlovable that keep us isolated and lonely. We're replacing thoughts that reinforce our mistaken belief we deserve to feel lonely with the deep-seated understanding we deserve to be seen and understood and connected." Up Next:Dr. Holly Schiff, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist Dr. Michele Goldman, Ph.D., a psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation media advisor Dr. Craig Kain, Ph.D, a licensed psychologist Dr. Denitrea Vaughan, Psy.D, LPC-S, with Thriveworks If You Feel Lonely Even Around People You Love, Psychologists Say To Ditch These 16 Habits first appeared on Parade on Jun 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
How a 'Hero' Tennessee Gamer Stopped a Mass Shooting Allegedly Being Plotted in a California Town
Two teen boys caught allegedly planning a school shooting on an online gaming chatroom were arrested by authorities in Northern California A young gamer from Tennessee shared their disturbing alleged plans with local authorities Improvised explosive devices and firearms were allegedly found in both boys' homesA young gamer's quick thinking in an online chatroom thwarted an apparent school shooting plot 2,000 miles away. Two boys, 14 and 15, allegedly planned a school shooting at Evergreen Institute of Excellence in the Northern California town of Cottonwood, intending to kill up to 100 people, Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain said at a Tuesday news conference. The two teens, who were not named due to their status as minors, allegedly intended to kill one of their parents before carrying out the attack. The co-conspirators allegedly wrote a manifesto, posed for photos wearing the same clothing as the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine mass shooting and divulged their scheme in an online game's chat. "This was serious," Kain said at the Tuesday conference. "It would have changed our community as a whole." A Tennessee boy read the alleged would-be shooters' disturbing messages and took action. He called the Tehama County Sheriff's Office on the evening of May 9, providing them with the suspect's gamer tag and the contents of the chat. Kain said that the boy's sharp instincts could have saved lives. "This young man had the courage and heroic instincts to call our agency and notify us in order to mitigate any possible threat to our citizens and, possibly, our young people," the sheriff said. "Our investigators took that tip seriously since the beginning."Kain said investigators sent the photos of the two teens posed as the Columbine shooters — sent along with chat logs by the teen — to school administrators, who quickly identified the two teens. Improvised explosive devices, which investigators believed were made for the prospective attack, and firearms were found in the teens' homes when search warrants were executed, Kain said. The California duo had intended to carry out their attack on May 9, per the sheriff, but reversed course after one of them backed out of the plan. It is unclear what motivated the two boys — Kain said that one talked about being bullied when he was interviewed by investigators. Both boys were charged with suspicion of making criminal threats, possession of a destructive device, manufacturing a destructive device and conspiracy to commit a felony, Kain said. Investigators are also working with prosecutors and looking at a potential additional charge of conspiracy to commit mass murder. The teens appeared in court on Thursday, where they were denied bail, the Tehama County District Attorney's Office wrote in a statement. Kain said that the threat was isolated to the two minors in custody, but that sheriff officials had spoken with administrators about instating additional security measures at the school. The sheriff said that as a sign of confidence, his son returned to classes at the same middle school on Monday. Although the department did not provide any details about the quick-thinking Tennessee boy, Kain said that his parents had been invited to Tehama County to be recognized. Read the original article on People
Newsweek
15-05-2025
- Newsweek
'Hero' Teen Gamer Thwarts 'Mass Casualty' Attack on California School
File photo of a young man gaming, taken at the Comic Con festival, in Moscow, Russia, 2019. File photo of a young man gaming, taken at the Comic Con festival, in Moscow, Russia, 2019. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A "hero" gamer seemingly thwarted a plan to carry out a school attack intended to kill more than 100 people. The Tennessee resident called the Tehama County Sheriff's Office on May 9 to report that a teenager they had been playing online games with was speaking about school violence. When officers investigated, they found that a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old had built and tested two improvised explosive devices as part of their plans to attack Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, California, Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain said at a press conference on Tuesday. "The suspects were hopeful to amass a casualty count in excess of 100 individuals," Kain said. Both teenagers were arrested for criminal threats, possession of a destructive device, manufacturing a destructive device and conspiracy to commit a felony. They were booked into Tehama County Juvenile Justice Center. Kain said: "In the end, I'd like to celebrate this young man—this particular young man out of Tennessee—this young hero, and focus the attention of this event on what it deserves to be: that this young man had the courage and heroic instincts to call our agency and notify us in order to mitigate any possible threat to our citizens, and particularly our young people. "I think this is a good case of where it's evident—if you see something, say something. And in this case, it worked." More to follow.
