Math problem pyramid scheme: A fake Facebook event disguised as a “genius-level math contest” has been a top post for half a year, somehow racking up 115M+ views. Spoiler: It’s just a viral engagement trap. People are still arguing about its fake equation in the comments a year later. My math teacher called me average. How mean.
Digital cash, physical threat
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Picture this: You’re worth millions in crypto. You think your money’s safe because it’s digital, anonymous and locked up behind a strong password. But there’s one security hole you didn’t count on, your physical body.
That’s exactly what happened in a terrifying case out of New York City.
Two men allegedly kidnapped a crypto investor and held him captive for weeks in a luxury town house. Why? To beat the password out of him. It’s called a “$5 wrench attack” by insiders.
Kidnapped for crypto
According to The Wall Street Journal, Michael Carturan, with $30 million in crypto, walked into a Soho town house expecting a pitch meeting … and left 25 days later barefoot and traumatized.
The goal? Force him to unlock his Bitcoin wallet. Kidnapped. Held hostage. Tortured, yes, even threatened with a chain saw, until he gave up his wallet info.
This isn’t a plot from a Netflix thriller, it’s real life. And it’s a terrifying new way criminals are going after digital riches.
Carturan finally escaped barefoot into the street, flagged down an NYPD officer and lived to tell the tale.
Two suspects were caught, including (because this story wouldn’t be complete otherwise) a former crypto CEO.
This isn’t just one wild story
It’s happening more than you might think.
A Connecticut couple cruising around in their Lamborghini get kidnapped. Six guys grab them not because they’re flashy but because they thought the couple’s son was sitting on a fortune in crypto. Federal prosecutors say the plan was to hold them for ransom.
21%
That’s how much of Business Insider’s staff just got axed in one morning. BI swung the layoff scythe again, shedding over a fifth of its workforce (paywall link) as SEO clicks vanish and AI floods the content pool. The memo called it “transformation.” Somewhere, a LinkedIn “Open to Work” badge just blinked to life. P.S. We’re hiring!
🎬 Not sure what to watch? Try FlixPatrol. It shows daily top 10 charts of what’s trending worldwide, from Netflix movies to HBO shows. Already have something in mind? Use JustWatch to find out where it’s streaming and go straight to the site. Saves time and all that endless scrolling.
📸 Google Photos turns 10: Happy 10th bday to Google Photos, now AI-powered and ready to remove your ex from pictures like they never existed. A new editing tool called “Reimagine” will let you circle a part of a photo and prompt it to redo reality. Also, QR codes for albums. iPhone owners? You wait.
Move over, DJI: A U.S. company called SiFly says its new drones are way better. The Q12 model can fly for up to three hours, and the Q250 can carry 200 pounds. That means longer range, more gear, better performance in emergencies and no secrets sent back to communist China.
1 million GB/sec
The internet speed in Japan. While our Wi-Fi is still buffering Zoom, researchers in Japan pulled off a world record by transferring 1.02 petabits of data per second (yes, that’s over a million gigabytes) across 1,100 miles, using a fiber no thicker than your average spaghetti strand.
Thank-you texts are in: Millennials are making a habit of sending warm, heartfelt messages after hanging out with friends. Something like, “Had such a great time, so nice to see you!” Polite? Nope, just easing post-hangout anxiety about whether everyone had a good time.
👾 Remote jobs, real spyware: A Minnesota woman ran a “laptop farm” letting North Korean IT workers pose as U.S. remote hires. Her setup funneled $17M to the DPRK before the FBI shut it down. Workers used stolen IDs, hacked into American companies and even got jobs at top tech firms. The woman says she didn’t know; the feds say, “lol, not ok.”
1,200 miles
How far Aurora’s self-driving 18-wheelers have already cruised through Texas. With no human behind the wheel, they’ve been hauling frozen pastries between Dallas and Houston. Just sensors, code and a CEO nervously vibing in the back seat.
🧢 Adidas x identity theft: Hackers hit an Adidas contractor and grabbed customer data. Adidas says it was just contact info, but still, change your password on adidas.com if you have an account. Adidas is now investigating this little cyber joggers’ detour and letting the impacted users know.
👨💻 Keep calm and Java on: Engineers say AI is pushing them to work harder and faster. Teams are shrinking, but expectations aren’t. Code that used to take weeks now has to be done in days. And with AI writing full programs instead of just suggesting lines of code? Yeah, junior devs’ glory days are over.
1,000 lashes: Some guys online are shaving off their eyelashes to look more masculine. PSA: They’re not just for looks, boys. Lashes protect your eyes from dirt and deflect air from your cornea. And once you start messing with them, it ups your risk of infections like pink eye. Just don’t.
Hiring? Don’t waste time on the wrong candidates. LinkedIn connects you with qualified pros fast. Right now, you can post your job for free. Tap into the world’s largest professional network and find your next great hire today!
🧨 Tap that update button: Apple quietly slid out an update that plugs a nasty hole where hackers can crash your apps or expose your private life with a malicious, cursed JPEG. Install the patch before a stranger’s selfie ends your career. iOS updates used to mean emojis. Now they mean survival.
“Oh sheet,” says Google: Perplexity AI is now doing spreadsheets, presentations and websites, all from a $20/month subscription. You can use it on iOS, Android and soon Mac and Windows.
🚘 Car wrap scam: You get a text saying big brands will pay you to wrap your car in advertising. After you fill out an application, a “rep” sends a cashier’s check and tells you to deposit it, then pay a local installer via Cash App. Plot twist: The check’s fake, it bounces later and you’re out thousands. Never stops.
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