Independent

In an extremely fortunate bit of timing, I visited my parents just as my father nearly fell for one of the worst scams floating around on the Internet. He had inadvertently clicked on a bogus link that popped up an equally bogus blue screen claiming his computer had been compromised and he needed to call a toll free “Microsoft” support line to get help.

Of course it wasn’t Microsoft and the pop up was fraudulent, but he didn’t know that. I practically screamed “hang up!” at him and explained why after he did.

These tech support scams have always been growing in frequency and severity, and the fact that they have an 800 number (or some derivative) not only gives them validity and makes people more willing to call, but also shows they are flying under the radar and using legitimate means against their victims.

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While some people are still fretting about WannaCry ransomware and possible variants of it, hackers are reportedly threatening to release Disney’s upcoming Johnny Depp film if Disney doesn’t pay a ransom.

Although Disney would not confirm that the stolen film is the fifth in the Pirates franchise, it doesn’t intend to bow to extortion. The ransomed movie is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, according to Deadline; it is scheduled to hit theaters on May 26.

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The WannaCry ransomware attack has created at least tens of millions of dollars of damage, taken down hospitals, and as of the time of this writing, another round of attacks is considered imminent as people show up to work after the weekend. Of course, the perpetrators of the malware are to blame for all the damage and suffering that has resulted. It’s not right to blame the victims of a crime, right?

Well, actually, there are cases when victims have to shoulder a portion of the blame. They may not be criminally liable as accomplices in their own victimhood, but ask any insurance adjuster whether a person or institution has a responsibility to take adequate precautions against actions that are fairly predictable. A bank that leaves bags of cash on the sidewalk overnight instead of in a vault is going to have a hard time getting indemnified if those bags go missing.

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