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Organised Crime Stories - Page 3

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Security expert links NZ retail crime spike to inflation
Surveillance

Security expert links NZ retail crime spike to inflation

A security expert says NZ's retail crime 'wave' is overstated, blaming inflation and new reporting systems rather than a crime explosion.

By Kaleah Salmon • 4 min read • Tue, 10th Mar 2026

Global Stories

Organised Crime stories

North Korean IT workers infiltrate Western remote jobs
Human Capital Management

North Korean IT workers infiltrate Western remote jobs

North Korean IT workers using Western collaborators and fake identities are infiltrating remote jobs to funnel foreign salaries home.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Thu, 19th Mar 2026
AI-fuelled crime drives illicit funds to $4.4 trillion
Fintech

AI-fuelled crime drives illicit funds to $4.4 trillion

AI-fuelled scams help push illicit finance to an estimated USD $4.4 trillion in 2025, with fraud losses hitting USD $579.4 billion.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Sat, 14th Mar 2026
Bitdefender unmasks global Meta investment scam ads
Phishing

Bitdefender unmasks global Meta investment scam ads

Bitdefender exposes 26,000 Meta ads in 25 countries pushing fake investment schemes, impersonating banks, media and public figures.

By Sean Mitchell • 3 min read • Tue, 10th Mar 2026
Ransomware attacks surge 50% as industrial firms hit hardest
Malware

Ransomware attacks surge 50% as industrial firms hit hardest

Global ransomware attacks jump 50% to 7,874 in 2025, with industrial firms bearing the brunt as criminal groups reshuffle their tactics.

By Catherine Knowles • 4 min read • Fri, 6th Mar 2026
Israel-Iran conflict exploited in fresh email scam wave
Phishing

Israel-Iran conflict exploited in fresh email scam wave

Scammers hijack Israel-Iran war headlines for classic advance-fee email cons, security researchers warn, urging users not to respond.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Fri, 6th Mar 2026
Ransomware attacks dip but NCC warns threat evolving
Data Protection

Ransomware attacks dip but NCC warns threat evolving

Global ransomware attacks fell 17% in January, but NCC warns evolving tactics, AI and messaging apps mean risk is not receding.

By Kaleah Salmon • 4 min read • Fri, 27th Feb 2026
Horizon3.ai names Dan Bird MBE Field CTO for EMEA cyber push
DevOps

Horizon3.ai names Dan Bird MBE Field CTO for EMEA cyber push

Horizon3.ai appoints defence veteran Dan Bird MBE as EMEA field CTO to sharpen offensive security amid rising regional cyber threats.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Wed, 25th Feb 2026
INTERPOL cybercrime sweep in Africa recovers USD $4.3m
Firewalls

INTERPOL cybercrime sweep in Africa recovers USD $4.3m

INTERPOL's Africa cybercrime blitz nets 651 arrests, seizes 2,341 devices and recovers USD $4.3m after scams linked to USD $45m losses.

By Sean Mitchell • 3 min read • Fri, 20th Feb 2026

Stories from Other Regions

Organised Crime stories

Two-thirds of stolen identities reused in repeat fraud
Physical Security

Two-thirds of stolen identities reused in repeat fraud

Two-thirds of stolen identities are reused in fresh fraud, with many circulating for months as synthetic “Frankenstein” profiles, research warns.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Thu, 19th Mar 2026
AI & hardship drive surge in Australian loan fraud
Fintech

AI & hardship drive surge in Australian loan fraud

AI tools and cost-of-living strain see Australian lenders block AUD $1.5 billion in loan fraud as money mule cases almost double.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Wed, 18th Mar 2026
Vietnam fake account farms fuel global cybercrime wave
Malware

Vietnam fake account farms fuel global cybercrime wave

Vietnam-based fake account farms are fuelling a growing global cybercrime market, flogging cheap logins, bot tools and disposable email tricks.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 5 min read • Thu, 12th Mar 2026
UK fraud overhaul plans GBP £30m Online Crime Centre
Fintech

UK fraud overhaul plans GBP £30m Online Crime Centre

UK unveils expanded fraud strategy, pledging GBP £250m and a GBP £30m Online Crime Centre to target fast-moving online and overseas scams.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Tue, 10th Mar 2026
Canada boosts financial intelligence to fight extortion
Risk & Compliance

Canada boosts financial intelligence to fight extortion

Canada is boosting financial intelligence and policing ties to track money trails and crack down on organised-crime extortion schemes.

By Jake MacAndrew • 3 min read • Fri, 20th Feb 2026
Record ransomware surge as 7,458 victims named in 2025
Malware

Record ransomware surge as 7,458 victims named in 2025

Ransomware hits record 7,458 named victims in 2025 as 124 gangs crowd dark web leak sites and new “supergroup” alliances emerge.

By Shannon Williams • 4 min read • Wed, 18th Feb 2026
AI-fuelled romance scams spread beyond dating apps
Biometrics

AI-fuelled romance scams spread beyond dating apps

AI-driven romance scams now cost UK victims GBP £20.5 million, spreading from dating sites to everyday apps and evading bank checks.

By Shannon Williams • 5 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026
Romance scam losses exceed £106m as Valentine's Day approaches
Fintech

Romance scam losses exceed £106m as Valentine's Day approaches

UK romance scam losses top GBP £106m as organised fraudsters exploit Valentine's surge, with average victims losing more than GBP £11,000.

By Catherine Knowles • 4 min read • Thu, 12th Feb 2026