Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k • Hacker News Board

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#21

Post by Swizec » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:24 PM UTC

civilized wrote: post #17

I feel like spammers and cyber criminals are getting better. Stuff is starting to get through Google spam filter by mashing up with elements that seem very real and urgent. Like yesterday I got this spam in my Gmail primary inbox with a subject line like "RE: Department of Education Case #295720186". It made me wonder if you could autogenerate filter-evading spam using GANs? Train a GAN to generate email that fools a…

On the other hand, I’m seeing more and more legitimate stuff land in Gmail’s spam filter.

Like virtually of San Francisco Marathon’s newsletters. Sure they’re pushy and really really want you to sign up for more races and I definitely need to unsubscribe … but I did subscribe and that means it isn’t spam.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#22

Post by gruez » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:26 PM UTC

yardie wrote: post #7

Just so we are all aware, crypto does not solve fraud. The result would have been the same if they paid in Bitcoin.

okay? I'm not aware of anyone who thought crypto solved fraud in the first place.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#23

Post by formerkrogemp » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:33 PM UTC

downrightmike wrote: post #8

Oof, if a $900,000 invoice doesn't trigger review from their accounting dept, kind of their fault for not having a process of the common sense to question that bill.

I hate to say it but a lot of "accounting depts" these days are someone with no formal training who just took on the role as another hat on top of other hats as the more experienced folks retired or moved on to greener pastures. There's a shortage of accounting folks in general as well.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#24

Post by formerkrogemp » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:35 PM UTC

redtriumph wrote: post #9

This is probably the first time I am seeing this. The ads served on website are local to MO, probably where the college is based. Rather than being customized to my browsing/locality.

I can confirm that, based upon google research, the "Ozark Technical Community College" is in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas. More or less.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#25

Post by slig » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:35 PM UTC

civilized wrote: post #17

I feel like spammers and cyber criminals are getting better. Stuff is starting to get through Google spam filter by mashing up with elements that seem very real and urgent. Like yesterday I got this spam in my Gmail primary inbox with a subject line like "RE: Department of Education Case #295720186". It made me wonder if you could autogenerate filter-evading spam using GANs? Train a GAN to generate email that fools a…

Gmail's spam protection has been broken for ages. I'm keeping getting obvious spam (pills, eggplants emojis, money from prince kind of stuff) directly into my inbox. At the same time, legitimate email is going to the spam folder.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#26

Post by formerkrogemp » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:36 PM UTC

gruez wrote: post #22

yardie wrote: post #7

Just so we are all aware, crypto does not solve fraud. The result would have been the same if they paid in Bitcoin.

okay? I'm not aware of anyone who thought crypto solved fraud in the first place.

No post body was provided.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#27

Post by formerkrogemp » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:37 PM UTC

fortran77 wrote: post #11

yardie wrote: post #7

Just so we are all aware, crypto does not solve fraud. The result would have been the same if they paid in Bitcoin.

Fake invoice scams have been around for a long time.

They have been getting more sophisticated over time as well. GPT and GAN generated or hand tailored phishing will do in even trained professionals at times.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#28

Post by CPLX » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:38 PM UTC

downrightmike wrote: post #8

Oof, if a $900,000 invoice doesn't trigger review from their accounting dept, kind of their fault for not having a process of the common sense to question that bill.

Going to go out on a limb and guess it wasn’t one invoice.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#29

Post by formerkrogemp » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:38 PM UTC

usrn wrote: post #10

yardie wrote: post #7

Just so we are all aware, crypto does not solve fraud. The result would have been the same if they paid in Bitcoin.

Right but usually people argue banks prevent this sort of thing and that's one of the main downsides to crypto. It turns out banks don't.

Banks and even western union at the gas station or grocery store do often catch fraud preying upon old people to send money. It just isn't foolproof.

Re: Ozarks Technical Community College robbed of nearly $900k

#30

Post by sealeck » Sat, Apr 23, 2022, 3:40 PM UTC

slig wrote: post #25

civilized wrote: post #17

I feel like spammers and cyber criminals are getting better. Stuff is starting to get through Google spam filter by mashing up with elements that seem very real and urgent. Like yesterday I got this spam in my Gmail primary inbox with a subject line like "RE: Department of Education Case #295720186". It made me wonder if you could autogenerate filter-evading spam using GANs? Train a GAN to generate email that fools a…

Gmail's spam protection has been broken for ages. I'm keeping getting obvious spam (pills, eggplants emojis, money from prince kind of stuff) directly into my inbox. At the same time, legitimate email is going to the spam folder.

Yup me as well.

A simple Bayesian model seems to be the only thing which works for keeping out obvious fraud, and for more sophisticated fraud it's tough to do it automatically.