“Your spouse is cheating on you.” That’s the shocking line behind a new sextortion scam. The message includes a link claiming to offer “proof,” but it’s a trap to get you to click. Plus, Gen Z is moving away from Google, and strange science wins big at the Ig Nobel awards.
5 things you should never put on a resume
In life, few rewards come without risk. Take your dream job, for instance. If you want to land that position you’ve been dreaming about, you’ll need to make a great first impression.
When you’re applying for jobs, that all comes down to your resume. Every little detail makes a big difference. For example, a small mistake could take you out of the running for a job you’re qualified for.
In this article, we’ll tell you about the biggest mistakes you need to avoid, from simple typos to significant oversights like leaving out relevant unpaid experience. Some of these mistakes may surprise you. Here are five resume mess-ups you need to avoid, brought to you by our sponsor, LinkedIn.
1. So you know to avoid spelling mistakes. But how do you do that?
One good way to ensure you’re not making silly errors is by taking advantage of some free online editors. For instance, Typely is a free, easy and reliable tool that edits your resumes, essays, creative writing and more.
All you have to do is head to the site, open the editor, clear out the example text (which you’ll see on the left-hand side of the image below) and you’re good to go. Here’s what the website looks like:
Typely notices all types of errors, from typography errors to cliches, redundancy, cursing, consistency and more. It also analyzes your writing’s statistics, like characters, words, reading time, difficulty reading and vocabulary. (Most interestingly, it can analyze your sentiment to let you know if you’re coming across as positive or negative.)
Plus, you can use Typely to manage documents or export them to Google Docs. There’s also the option to generate a PDF report or use a text-to-speech program to see how your words sound to your readers. Overall, you’re getting many helpful features without spending a penny.
You may also want to check out Grammarly, an all-encompassing spelling and grammar checker.
2. Don’t use an old and unprofessional email address
If you’re still using the same address you had when you were 12, it’s time to stop. Create a new inbox for your professional needs with your first and last name so people know it’s you.
Massive data leak impacts 1 in 3 Americans
Data broker MC2 Data left more than 100 million records of Americans exposed online for anyone to copy, grab, forward, sell on the Dark Web — you name it. This comes only a month after the National Public Data breach of 2.9 billion records. I’m getting so tired of these data broker companies and people-search sites screwing up, and it’s you and me who have to pay for their mistakes.
🚨 AI voice scams spreading: An elderly father was duped out of $25,000 after scammers called him using an AI-generated voice of his son. The caller, his “son,” claimed he’d hit a pregnant woman while driving and needed bail money ASAP. The father withdrew the cash, an Uber picked it up, and the con artists disappeared. Reminder: Scammers thrive on fear and urgency, so always verify phone numbers and set up a family safe word for emergencies.
Scam watch: 3 scams spreading like fire across the U.S.
Scammers are clever, but they’re not very creative. Most of their tricks are recycled versions of tricks that worked in the past. There are a few I’ve seen cropping up again because criminals know they work every time.
Elder fraud is on the rise – These are the most common scams
Here’s a stat that blows me away: One in every 10 seniors is a victim of identity theft each year. Americans over the age of 60 lost $3.4 billion in fraud schemes in 2023. That’s almost an 11% increase from the year before, and things are only getting worse.
Take a good look at these real-life examples hackers and scammers are using right now to steal your login credentials.
🚨 QR code scam spreading: Watch out for malicious QR codes in your email, posing as your bank or shipping services. Scan one and you’ll land on a fake login page hungry for your real username and password. Always check the sender’s full email address, watch the URL you’re redirected to, and turn on multifactor authentication for every app and service you can. I know it’s a pain.
🐶 Don’t fall for it: Fake animal rescue videos are the new way scammers are making money on social media. They show kittens, puppies or monkeys in horrible situations. In reality, it’s these sickos putting the animals in danger. The accounts look like genuine organizations asking for legit donations. Report these posts to stop the engagement.
Double trouble: Scammers are creating copycats of major retail sites and hitting you with “card declined” messages when you try to pay. It’s a trick to get you to enter another card number so you pay twice. The sites are spreading in search results, social media ads and email links. Always check the URL closely, and if your card declines, call your bank first.
🚨 Scammers are gonna scam: When there’s a Big Tech product release like the iPhone 16, scammers get busy. They used trusted names (think Apple and Microsoft) to get into search results and lure you into opening spam emails. Their tricks hide in pop-up ads, too. Stay safe: A trusted brand will never ask you for personal information out of nowhere.
🏠 Buying or selling property? Scammers are targeting you. A sharp title company owner just stopped a fraudulent sale. The first clue: The seller’s driver’s license was from West Virginia, but the property tax bills had been sent to the Bahamas since 1978. They asked the seller to video chat to confirm, and the seller, a woman who said she was deaf, turned out to be a looped AI video. Here’s what the faker looked like.
🚨 “Hello pervert”: Scammers are sending emails claiming they’ve recorded you through your webcam and will release the footage unless you pay up. They’re using details like your home address or an old password to make it more believable. Don’t reply, and if any accounts still use that old password, change it immediately.
💸 $260 million heist: Two men were arrested at a Florida mansion, surrounded by jewelry and luxury cars, after stealing 4,100 in bitcoin from a Washington, D.C., tech billionaire. The scammers laundered the money through crypto exchanges and went on a wild spending spree (paywall link). I bet the scammers SIM-swapped the billionaire’s phone. Here’s how it works and how to protect yourself.
Human-trafficking scammers: What a sad story. A Ugandan man was lured to Thailand with the promise of a $2,500-a-month data entry job. In reality, he was trafficked into working as a pig-butchering scammer. He made $400 a month working 17-hour shifts, seven days a week (paywall link). If his productivity dropped, he was punished with hundreds of push-ups and forced runs around a parking lot. After seven long months, he escaped and is now telling his story to warn others.
Buying a house or wiring money? A former Mastercard exec nearly lost $100,000 after scammers got into her real estate agent’s email account. They posed as a title company, requesting an “accelerated” payment (paywall link). The wire instructions had the same letterhead and typography, but the phone number and email were off. Luckily, she called the original number and dodged the scam. Always double-check the details.
⚠️ Scammers can be victims, too: A woman calling herself “Sara” told ABC News her heartbreaking story. She was living in South Africa and applied for a customer service job in Bangkok. Before she knew it, she was taken to a compound in Myanmar, where her passport was taken and her cellphone’s SIM card was destroyed. She was held prisoner, told to play the part of an Asian woman and forced to scam others online. She escaped but not everyone does.
Zip it: If your phone rings and someone says, “Can you hear me?” or “Is this [your name]?” hang up. Scammers record your “Yes” to create voice authorizations for bank account access. Bonus points if you report shady numbers to the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker.
His password is 1Forrest1: Tom Hanks is warning fans about online ads promoting “miracle cures and wonder drugs” using an AI-generated Tom. The vids are fakes, of course, created without his permission. This isn’t the first time scammers have stolen Tom’s voice; last October, a deepfaked Hanks was promoting a dental plan online.
Scams on social media
Why are people willingly sending money to scammers they’ve never met? There’s shocking new trend where social media traps victims into losing big bucks.