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    <channel><title>Bitdefender Labs</title><description>Daily source of cyber-threat information. Established 2001.</description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/</link><image><url>https://download.bitdefender.com/resources/images/favicon/favicon-32x32.png</url><title>Bitdefender Labs</title><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/</link></image><generator>Bitdefender Blog</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:44:38 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.bitdefender.com/nuxt/api/en-au/rss/labs/scam-research/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>1800</ttl><item><title>Global Scam Machines: Inside a Meta-Powered Investment Fraud Ecosystem Spanning 25 Countries</title><description><![CDATA[In February-March 2026, Bitdefender Labs identified and mapped a sprawling global scam infrastructure and scalable disinformation-for-profit network that uses trusted news brands, real personalities, fabricated media narratives, emotional hooks, and advanced evasion techniques to drive victims into investment fraud funnels.

On February 9-March 5, 2026, we analyzed 310 malvertising campaigns distributed through paid advertising on Meta platforms.


Key findings:

 * This is a global, coordinated]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/global-investment-scam-network-using-meta-ads</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69a97b63a89a0404d6eab38e</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam Research]]></category><dc:creator>Alecsandru Cătălin DAJ</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:06:14 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/labs/content/images/2026/03/global-scam-machines.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[In February-March 2026, Bitdefender Labs identified and mapped a sprawling global scam infrastructure and scalable disinformation-for-profit network that uses trusted news brands, real personalities, fabricated media narratives, emotional hooks, and advanced evasion techniques to drive victims into investment fraud funnels.

On February 9-March 5, 2026, we analyzed 310 malvertising campaigns distributed through paid advertising on Meta platforms.


Key findings:

 * This is a global, coordinated]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Active Subscription Scam Campaigns Flooding the Internet</title><description><![CDATA[Bitdefender researchers have uncovered a surge in subscription scams, both in scale and sophistication, spurred by a massive campaign involving hundreds of fraudulent websites.

What sets this campaign apart is the significant investment cybercriminals have undertaken to make these fake sites look convincingly legitimate.  

Gone are the days when a suspicious email, SMS, or basic phishing link could easily fool users. As people grow more cautious and cyber-aware, scammers are stepping up their ]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/active-subscription-scam-campaigns-flooding-the-internet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6810e6e8d38c8a0502eefa55</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam Research]]></category><dc:creator>Răzvan GOSA</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:02:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/labs/content/images/2025/04/advanced_persistent_threats.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Bitdefender researchers have uncovered a surge in subscription scams, both in scale and sophistication, spurred by a massive campaign involving hundreds of fraudulent websites.

What sets this campaign apart is the significant investment cybercriminals have undertaken to make these fake sites look convincingly legitimate.  

Gone are the days when a suspicious email, SMS, or basic phishing link could easily fool users. As people grow more cautious and cyber-aware, scammers are stepping up their ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Deep Dive on Supplement Scams: How AI Drives ‘Miracle Cures’ and Sponsored Health-Related Scams on Social Media</title><description><![CDATA[Sponsored social media content has become increasingly present on feeds. Sponsored ads can often be beneficial as they are customized to suit online personas, offering relevant content tailored specifically for you. While personalized ads can help enhance your online experience, not all are legitimate. In fact, scams originating from phony ads on social media have increased dramatically, with potentially severe consequences for consumers.


Sponsored supplement scams on social media platforms


]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/deep-dive-on-supplement-scams-how-ai-drives-miracle-cures-and-sponsored-health-related-scams-on-social-media</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66d5c3d2d0ec1aefc7d722d1</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam Research]]></category><dc:creator>Ionut Alexandru BALTARIU</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/labs/content/images/2024/07/pexels-pixabay-161688.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Sponsored social media content has become increasingly present on feeds. Sponsored ads can often be beneficial as they are customized to suit online personas, offering relevant content tailored specifically for you. While personalized ads can help enhance your online experience, not all are legitimate. In fact, scams originating from phony ads on social media have increased dramatically, with potentially severe consequences for consumers.


Sponsored supplement scams on social media platforms


]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>AI meets next-gen info stealers in social media malvertising campaigns</title><description><![CDATA[The impact that AI has on society has steadily crept into the darkest nooks and crannies of the internet. So much so that cybercrooks are hitching free rides on the AI bandwagon by leveraging the increased demand of AI-powered software for content creators.

Cybercriminal groups constantly adapt their operating methods and tools to stay a step ahead of potential victims. Highly focused on enhancing their deceptive practices, threat actors have, unfortunately, found a most reliable and powerful a]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/ai-meets-next-gen-info-stealers-in-social-media-malvertising-campaigns</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66d5c3d2d0ec1aefc7d722cd</guid><category><![CDATA[Anti-Malware Research]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam Research]]></category><dc:creator>Nicolae POSTOLACHI</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/labs/content/images/2024/04/malvertising-campaigns-Bitdefender-Labs.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[The impact that AI has on society has steadily crept into the darkest nooks and crannies of the internet. So much so that cybercrooks are hitching free rides on the AI bandwagon by leveraging the increased demand of AI-powered software for content creators.

Cybercriminal groups constantly adapt their operating methods and tools to stay a step ahead of potential victims. Highly focused on enhancing their deceptive practices, threat actors have, unfortunately, found a most reliable and powerful a]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sponsored Ad Fraud: Mystery Box Scams Flood Social Media</title><description><![CDATA[Social media platforms are overflowing with scams.

In the past couple of months, Bitdefender Labs has been monitoring a steep increase in fraudulent social media ads on Facebook promoting various swindles ranging from crypto-doubling to AI-generated celebrity-endorsed giveaways.

Our latest analysis has spotted a consistent trend, with fraudsters continuing to exploit Meta’s ad system to deceive consumers.

The hustle? A long-established ruse that involves peddling so-called mystery boxes from ]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-au/blog/labs/sponsored-ad-fraud-mystery-box-scams-flood-social-media</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66d5c3d2d0ec1aefc7d722cc</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam Research]]></category><dc:creator>Andrei ANTON-AANEI</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/labs/content/images/2024/02/Sponsored-Ad-Fraud-Mystery-Box-Scams-Flood-Social-Media.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Social media platforms are overflowing with scams.

In the past couple of months, Bitdefender Labs has been monitoring a steep increase in fraudulent social media ads on Facebook promoting various swindles ranging from crypto-doubling to AI-generated celebrity-endorsed giveaways.

Our latest analysis has spotted a consistent trend, with fraudsters continuing to exploit Meta’s ad system to deceive consumers.

The hustle? A long-established ruse that involves peddling so-called mystery boxes from ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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