Media Dragon: US Senate proposes doubling fines for fake caller ID’s

Scammers now calling claiming to be the bank, claim your account has been hacked, and you need to move money over to Zelle, crooks then steal it; also, if transactions are unauthorized banks must refund victims under Reg E; CFPB looking into payment apps

Note of the week: I hope all will have a great time with your families and those you love as the US celebrates Thanksgiving. Though these are trying times, we have much to be grateful for.

BBB Studies. Here are links to the study topics of my studies: puppy fraud, romance fraud; BEC fraud, sweepstakes/lottery fraud, tech support fraud, romance fraud money mules, crooked movers, government imposters, online vehicle sale scams, rental fraud, gift cards and job scams.

The Australian Taxation Office and AUSTRAC could be handed sweeping new surveillance powers, including the right to bug people’s phones and online communications, as part of an overhaul of telecommunications intercept laws.

The federal government could also seek to harmonise the states’ patchwork of laws regarding listening devices, which has complicated regulators’ attempts to prosecute corporate crime.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on Monday released a discussion paper about potential updates to surveillance laws, which have failed to keep pace with advances in telecommunications and rely on “outdated technology assumptions”.

Parts of the existing framework date back to the 1960s to cover the privacy of fixed-line phone calls and telegrams, with the government previously owning these networks.

“The government’s proposed reforms will better protect individuals’ information and data, ensure law enforcement and security agencies have the powers they need to investigate serious crimes and threats to security, and clearly identify which agencies can seek access to specific information,” Ms Andrews said.

In an attempt to keep up, governments have amended telecommunications intercept laws more than 100 times. Legislation runs across more than 1000 pages, covering 35 different warrants and authorisations.

Former spy chief and senior public servant Dennis Richardson flagged the need to modernise and streamline the existing regime in his 2020 review of Australia’s intelligence framework.

Currently, 21 Commonwealth, state and territory agencies can use electronic surveillance, such as police, anti-corruption bodies and ASIO…

Tax Office could be given phone bugging powers