Anne Helen Petersen's Substack account
October 1, 2025
•[ phishing, account takeover, impersonation ]
Former Buzzfeed journalist Anne Helen Petersen received a phishing email that imitated a security alert from Substack, warning that her ability to send emails would be frozen unless she verified her account. After she responded, attackers captured her credentials and gained unauthorized access to her Culture Study Substack newsletter and podcast account, which has more than 25,000 followers. The intruders changed the newsletters name to impersonate cryptocurrency wallet company Trezor and added thousands of new email addresses to the mailing list, hijacking her distribution channel to push a crypto-related scam through her audience.
Jaaved Jaaferi / X (Twitter) account
April 5, 2025
•[ account takeover, phishing, scam ]
On April 5 2025, the verified X (formerly Twitter) account of Indian actor Jaaved Jaaferi was hijacked and used to post cryptocurrency scam and phishing messages. The actor warned followers via Instagram not to engage. Control was restored within hours, and no data theft or cross-platform compromise was reported.
At least one individual in Singapore
January 11, 2025
•[ malware, extortion, data leak ]
Singapore Police warned of a malware-enabled sextortion scam in which victims were lured via social media offers of online sexual services and deceived into downloading a malicious application. Police said the malware enabled scammers to remotely access victims photo galleries and contact lists, and in some cases capture or retrieve compromising content. Attackers then threatened to send the images to the victims contacts unless payments were made. Police reported at least six cases since November 2025 with total losses of at least S$20,000.
Private individuals (elderly victims in Encino, California)
January 1, 2025
•[ malware, phishing, ransomware ]
Malware infection launched by phishing email locked elderly victims computer, prompting payment of 25,000 USD to scammers; suspect Tai Su was arrested when he arrived to collect another 35,000 USD and later sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.
At least one individual tricked by scam network impersonating CNN, BBC, CNBC
January 1, 2025
•[ phishing, scam, impersonation ]
Global phishing and investment scam campaign impersonating CNN, BBC, and CNBC; CTM360 identified over 17,000 fake sites used to steal identity and financial data through bogus crypto platforms like Eclipse Earn, Solara, and Vynex
