Sophisticated British criminals exploited vulnerabilities in Australia's search engine and cryptocurrency infrastructure to dupe small investors, who were lured by the promise of high-yield funds badged by some of the finance world's most trusted brands.
The complex scheme involved stolen identities and fraudulent prospectuses that claimed to represent high-yield investment funds run by global managers Citibank, Nomura, and IFM Investors. It has ensnared millions from unsuspecting victims who sought better returns as interest rates collapsed during the COVID-19 crisis.
Now anti-money laundering regulator AUSTRAC and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission will attempt to mop up the mess that has upstart Australian payments companies and crypto-firms facing collateral damage after being used to siphon funds for crooks armed with hijacked identities.
An investigation by a AFR Weekend has discovered a series of fake investment-comparison websites that act as a front door to shunt prospective investors into fraudulent products through fintech payment companies.
Millions vanish into crypto world in high-yield bond scam - AFR
Powerful: Google Leaves Homepage Empty In Honor Of Jesus’s Empty Tomb.
To understand the experience of those who are victims of identity theft and fraud.
Mergers and Acquisitions in Digital Markets, March 30, 2021: “Some Members of Congress have expressed concern about mergers and acquisitions in digital markets, specifically those involving “Big Tech”—Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. Mergers can be separated into three categories: (1) a merger between competitors (i.e., horizontal merger), (2) a merger with a firm in the supply chain (i.e., vertical merger), and (3) a merger with a firm in an unrelated or adjacent market. Some Members have specifically raised concern about Big Tech companies’ acquisitions of nascent firms, which can occur across all three categories. A merger could potentially increase or decrease competition in digital markets, depending on the characteristics of the markets involved…Any legislative action, including a decision not to take action, could have significant effects on digital markets. Congress is not the only legislative body concerned about competition in digital markets; stateand foreign laws and regulations could also affect mergers involving U.S. companies..”
Tech Republic – “Ready to mix it up with a new virtual background? Here’s a selection of images you can use on Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You can opt for serious, or mix it up with something fun. It’s easy to switch images depending on the type of meeting, too. Opt for serious and more serene for something with the boss and VPs, and sit at Leslie Knope’s desk if you’re chatting with colleagues. Working from home a bit more fun when you can do it on The Simpson’s couch or while hanging out on retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard’s bridge aboard the USS Enterprise or even dialing in from the Batcave. Or, if you’re a sports fan, iconic scenes related to the NCAA March Madness might appeal…”
See also How to choose a Zoom virtual background
The enormous impact of eroded collective bargaining on wages Economic Policy Institute
Boston’s hospital chiefs moonlight on corporate boards at rates far beyond the national levelBoston Globe
Prolonged Isolation Can Lead to the Creation of New Accents Atlas Obscura
The rice of the sea: how a tiny grain could change the way humanity eats Guardian
The Vast Viral World: What We Know (and Don’t Know) Nautilus
Did climate change cause societies to collapse? New research upends the old story. Grist
Globalization Lewis Lapham, Lapham’s Quarterly
There’s Now a Tiny Washing Machine to Clean Your Wax-Encrusted Earbuds Gizmodo