Scams promoted in fake news articles and deepfake videos cost Australians more than $8m last year
The National Anti-Scam Centre has warned people to beware after it had more than 400 reports of these investment scams in 2023
The federal government has warned consumers to beware of fake news articles and deepfake videos that endorse online investment trading platform scams, saying they cost Australians more than $8m last year.
The National Anti-Scam Centre said it had received more than 400 reports of these scams in 2023, including one that saw an Australian man lose $80,000 in cryptocurrency.
The scams work by creating fake news articles and videos featuring a celebrity – they are sometimes known as the “Kochie scam” because many of the fake articles include the former Sunrise host David Koch – which are embedded on social media or appear as advertisements on reputable news sites.
“Scammers are creating fake news articles and deepfake videos to convince people that celebrities and well-known public figures are making huge sums of money using online investment trading platforms, when in fact it is a scam,” said Catriona Lowe, the deputy chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
“We know of an Australian man who lost $80,000 in cryptocurrency after seeing a deepfake Elon Musk video interview on social media, clicking the link and registering his details through an online form. He was provided with an account manager and an online dashboard where he could see his investment supposedly making huge returns. But when he tried to withdraw the money – he was locked out of his account.”
The National Anti-Scam Centre said it had received complaints about scammers using the fake online trading platforms operating under the names Quantum AI, Immediate Edge, Immediate Connect, Immediate X3, and Quantum Trade Wave.
Sonia, not her real name, clicked on one of these fake articles on Facebook. It reported that the Matildas captain Samantha Kerr had had an argument with former athlete and television presenter Matt Shirvington.
“It wasn’t an investment thing, it was just a bit of gossip,” she said. “I thought, ‘oh that’s interesting’.”
The fake story quoted Kerr as saying that she had created wealth for herself outside football through shrewd investing, including through a particular online trading platform.
Sonia went on to the online trading platform’s website and left her name and number. “I was like, I’m not committing to anything … someone’s going to give me a call and that’s when I was going to just ask some questions.”
Sonia said someone from the company called her straight away and tried to get her to hand over her credit card details, for the minimum investment of $350. When she refused and said she wanted more time to think about it, the man pushed her to sign up immediately and then said he would call her again the next day.
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That night, Sonia spoke with her husband, who works in fraud prevention at a major bank. They looked up the company and realised it was a scam.
When the man called back the following day, she told him she would not be investing, but tried to be friendly and to placate him, because she knew the company had her phone number and she did not want them to harass her. It did not work.
Since then, Sonia said the company had called her more than 60 times.
“He just calls every two hours, all through the night. Just full trolling me now. So I never invested anything, but had I known that I would just be constantly trolled … I never would have even provided my details. I’m just like: this is so silly, why did I do it?
“I’ve got a brain. You’ve just got to be so careful. You feel like you need to justify your intelligence. But there are a lot of dodgy people out there, who are good at their jobs.”
Mount Everest is too crowded and dirty, says last living member of Hillary team
Kanchha Sherpa, 91, says more respect should be shown to sacred peak that has been climbed thousands of times since 1953 ascent
The only surviving member of the mountaineering expedition that first reached the summit of Mount Everest has said the world’s highest peak is too crowded and dirty, and the mountain is a god that needs to be respected.
Kanchha Sherpa, 91, was one of the 35 members of the team that helped the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay to the top of the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) peak on 29 May 1953.
“It would be better for the mountain to reduce the number of climbers,” Kanchha said in an interview in Kathmandu on Saturday. “Right now, there is always a big crowd of people at the summit.”
Since the Hillary-Tenzing expedition, the peak has been climbed thousands of times, and it has become more crowded every year. During the spring climbing season in 2023, 667 climbers scaled the peak, bringing in thousands of support staff to the base camp between March and May.
There have been concerns about the number of people living on the mountain for months on end, but authorities have no plans to cut down on the number of permits they issue to climbers.
Kanchha was one of three Sherpas to go to the last camp on Everest along with Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP
Rules require climbers to bring down their own rubbish, equipment and everything they carry to the mountain, or risk losing their deposit, but monitoring has not been effective.
“It is very dirty now. People throw tins and wrappings after eating food. Who is going to pick them up now?” Kanchha said. “Some climbers just dump their trash in the crevasse, which would be hidden at that time, but eventually it will flow down to base camp as the snow melts and carries them downward.”
For the Sherpa people, Everest is Qomolangma, or goddess mother of the world, and is revered by their community. They usually perform religious rituals before climbing the peak.
“They should not be dirtying the mountain. It is our biggest god and they should not be dirtying the gods,” Kanchha said. “Qomolangma is the biggest god for the Sherpas, but people smoke and eat meat and throw them on the mountain.”
Kanchha was a young man when he joined the 1953 expedition. He was one of the three Sherpas to go to the last camp on Everest with Hillary and Tenzing, but could not go any further because the three did not have a permit.
They first heard of the successful ascent on the radio, and were reunited with the summit duo at camp two.
“We all gathered at camp two, but there was no alcohol, so we celebrated with tea and snacks,” he said. “We then collected whatever we could and carried it to base camp.”
The route they opened up from the base camp to the summit is still used by climbers. Only the section from the base camp to camp one over the unstable Khumbu icefall changes every year.
Kanchha has four children, eight grandchildren and a 20-month-old great-granddaughter. He lives with family in the village of Namche, in the foothills of Mount Everest, where the family runs a small hotel catering to trekkers and climbers.
Two die in avalanches on Shishapangma mountain in Tibet
Avalanches have struck the slopes of the Tibetan mountain Shishapangma as more than 50 climbers were making a push for the summit, killing an American and Nepali mountaineer, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Shishapangma, at just over 8,000 metres (26,247ft), is the world’s 14th-tallest peak. It is widely regarded as one of the least difficult mountains of that height, known among climbers as the “eight-thousanders”.
Two avalanches hit its slopes at elevations of 7,600 metres and 8,000 metres on Saturday, killing the American climber Anna Gutu and her Nepali guide Mingmar Sherpa, Xinhua reported on Sunday.
Another US climber, Gina Marie Rzucidlo, and her Nepali guide, Tenjen Sherpa, were missing, Xinhua said.
Tenjen Sherpa was the guide for the Norwegian Kristin Harila when they climbed K2 in Pakistan in July to become the world’s fastest climbers to scale all of the 14 peaks over 8,000 metres. He wanted to become the youngest climber to scale all 14 peaks twice.
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Climbers posing on top of the Shishapangma summit in Tibet in April. Photograph: Lama Tenjing/AFP/Getty Images
A total of 52 climbers, including from the US, Britain, Romania, Albania, Italy, Japan and Pakistan, were pushing for the summit when the avalanches hit, Xinhua said.
All climbing activity on Shishapangma was suspended because of the unstable snow conditions.
Two Pakistani climbers narrowly escaped the avalanches on Saturday after calling off their summit attempt because of poor weather despite coming within a few hundred metres of the peak, Pakistani media reported. Had one of the Pakistani climbers, Sirbaz Khan, reached the top of Shishapangma he would have become the first Pakistani to reach the summit of all 14 mountains over 8,000 metres.
More than 300 successful summits of Shishapangma have been logged to date, with less than 10% of climbers who tried to reach the top dying in their attempts, according to private estimates. That compares with a near-30% fatality rate for Nepal’s Annapurna I, one of the world’s most dangerous peaks.
Among those who had previously died on Shishapangma was the famed American climber Alex Lowe in 1999, who was killed in an avalanche. His body, as well as the remains of his climbing companion David Bridges, were found in 2016 in a partially melted glacier.
October is a popular month for climbers in the Himalayas because of its traditionally more stable conditions as monsoon rain eases. But scientists warn that global warming is raising avalanche risks in high-altitude regions including the Himalayas.
Last week, a Chinese expedition set up a series of weather stations on the 8,201-metre Cho Oyu on Tibet’s border with Nepal to measure the impact of climate change in the Himalayas.
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Pankaj Udhas death: Ghazal singer leaves behind immortal notes
Pankaj Udhas, who captured imagination with his ghazals, died in Mumbai on Monday.
Pankaj Udhas, the immensely talented singer who breathed new life into ghazals, has died. He was 72. Udhas captivated listeners for decades with his inimitable style.
Pankaj Udhas death: The popular ghazal singer breathed his last on February 26, 2024
The Udhas family confirmed his death due to a prolonged illness. (Also Read: Pankaj Udhas death: 5 most memorable songs of the celebrated ghazal singer)
Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.
Udhas family's statement
Taking to Instagram, Pankaj Udhas' daughter Nayaab shared a statement on Monday which read, “With a heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness.”
Soon after Nayaab shared the news of the singer's demise, his fans swamped the comment section and posted their condolences. A fan wrote, “May his soul rest in peace.” "I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, stay strong and please accept my condolences," another user wrote. "Deepest Condolences and Prayers," another user posted.
Pankaj Udhas' career
Pankaj Udhas is best known for lending his voice to memorable tracks like Chitthi Aayi Hai from Mahesh Bhatt's 1986 crime thriller Naam, Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai from Pravin Bhatt's 1998 film Ek Hi Maqsad, Aaj Phir Tumpe from Feroz Khan's 1988 action thriller Dayavan, Jeeye To Jeeye Kaise from Lawrence D'Souza's 1991 romantic film Saajan, and Chhupana Bhi Nahi Aata from Abbas-Mustan's 1993 revenge thriller Baazigar among others.
His ghazal career includes reputed albums like Aahat (1980) and tracks like Na Kajre Ki Dhaar, Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein, Ek Taraf Uska Ghar, and Thodi Thodi Piya Karo.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Pankaj opened up on getting back on stage after a hiatus. “Before the pandemic, there used to be a lot of confidence in me before any concert. But the pandemic phase was tough, even psychologically. Though I did my riyaaz regularly and tried to keep up and not get rusted, there was a lack of exposure to the stage and audience. So, when I got back on stage after two years with a concert in Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), I was really nervous. But when I went up on stage and saw 6,000 people cheering for me, I had tears in my eyes. It was a very emotional moment, as I was deprived of the stage for so long," he said.
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Taylor Swift shares a deep-rooted history with Singapore, reveals personal experience: ‘My mom..’
Taylor Swift shares emotional ties to Singapore during Eras tour performance, expressing gratitude for honoring her family's history.
Taylor Swift's Eras tour has arrived in Singapore, marking her latest musical journey. As the pop sensation takes the stage for six nights in this exclusive Southeast Asian stop, fans eagerly await her performances. On March 2nd, the Cruel Summer singer kicked off her first performance for the night. Amid the excitement, Swift shared a touching moment during the opening part of the show in Singapore’s National Stadium, revealing a personal connection to the place.
Taylor Swift performs Mine x Starlight and I Don't Wanna Live Forever x Dress as surprise songs for the first Eras Tour show in Singapore (March 2)(X )
Also read: Taylor Swift's Singapore Eras Tour Day 1: ‘Rep TV’ chaos unleashed, I Don't Wanna Live Forever's surprise comeback
Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.
Taylor Swift’s personal connection to Singapore
The 14-time Grammy Winner opened up about her deeply personal connection to Singapore, shedding light on her family ties to the vibrant Southeast Asian region. “My mom actually spent a lot of her childhood with her mom and dad and sister growing up in Singapore.” A video taken from a fan cam saw Swift speaking to the crowd. She continued, “So, a lot of the time when we'd come here on tour, my mom would take me and drive me past her old house, where she used to go to school. So I've been hearing about Singapore my whole life.”
The 34-year-old, who recently wrapped up her Australia concert with beau Travis Kelce in attendance, flew solo to her next destination before taking a two-month break to work on her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department. She said that visiting Singapore was always a pleasure and that returning here meant the world to her because she had heard about this country her entire life. "To get to come here and play a show this big with so many beautiful, generous people who are essentially honoring my family with what you just did with that song, it means the world.” The Grammy Winner said before adding, “I already love you. We're going to have a blast tonight.”
Rihanna blasted for 'lazy-lackluster’ show at Indian billionaire's wedding, paid double Beyoncé's fee
Rihanna's $6.3 million fee for a performance in India sparked controversy over her lackluster show.
Rihanna is not stopping making music! Fans of RiRi were thrilled to see her return from her temporary retirement, which she announced back in 2019. The R&B singer recently graced the pre-wedding festivities of Asia’s richest man’s son in India, delivering a 40-minute electrifying performance. However, despite bagging a whopping fee for her appearance, the internet went wild over what many perceived as her bare minimum efforts once videos of the performance went viral.
Rihanna faces backlash over her bare-minimum efforts in Indian wedding show
Also read: Rihanna performs barefoot at Anant Ambani’s Party in India and the reason shows her ‘queen attitude’
Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.
The Wild Things singer arrived in Jamnagar, India, a day before her scheduled performance. Accompanying her was a 12-foot-tall luggage, which quickly went viral. The Grammy Award-winning artists took the stage on Friday night at the pre-wedding celebration for billionaire Anant Ambani and his bride, Radhika Merchant. However, she is now facing criticism for delivering what some have described as a "lackluster" and "boring" show. The pop star's performance, which reportedly came with a hefty price tag double that of Beyoncé's fee for a similar event a few years back, has ignited intense debate and disappointment among attendees and fans alike.
“Rihanna was paid twice more (8-9mils USD) as Beyonce to perform in India. Went home with a fat check and business deal after her lazy performance. There’s something about this woman we need to study,” an X user wrote after the videos of her performance started getting traction on social media.
Taylor Swift's Singapore Eras Tour Day 1: ‘Rep TV’ chaos unleashed, I Don't Wanna Live Forever's surprise comeback
Taylor Swift kicked off her Singapore leg of the Eras Tour on March 2. From unexpected surprise songs to potential Rep TV hints, here are the Day 1 highlights.
From performing enchanted in a spell-binding, majestic purple gown to Taylor Swift reflecting on her family ties, the Singapore Eras Tour Day 1 kicked off on a wholesome note. The Cruel Summer enchantress will perform at her sole Southeast Asian tour stop for six nights before a two-month hiatus. Taking the National Stadium crowd in her embrace, the 14-time Grammy winner took some extra time to detail while Singapore held a special place in her heart.
Taylor Swift performs Mine x Starlight and I Don't Wanna Live Forever x Dress as surprise songs for the first Eras Tour show in Singapore (March 2)(X )
A fan-shot video showed her opening up: “My mom actually spent a lot of her childhood with her mom and dad and sister growing up in Singapore”. Recollecting old family memories, she revealed that her mother would drive her past their old house whenever she came on tour. She's practically heard these Singapore stories her “whole life”. Opening her heart to the audience, she expressed her love to her fans.
Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.
“I love old and new friends the exact same amount. Whether you've been a fan for fifteen seconds or fifteen years, I'm just happy you wanted to spend your evening here with us,” added Taylor, welcoming all her fans with open arms.
Taylor Swift's Singapore Eras Tour Day 1 highlights:
Singapore Eras Tour Surprise Songs/Mashups: Resuming the widely loved trend of her surprise mashups, Swift tuned into some unexpected hits from the past. The Blast to the Past had her blending Mine (Speak Now - Taylor's Version) with Starlight (Red - Taylor's Version) on the guitar. As for the second acoustic twist, she turned to her piano and played the mashed-up fusion of I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker OST) and Dress (Reputation). She opted to rock out in the same iconic yellow dress she's donned on several occasions during the Eras Tour.
Also read: Sneak a peek into Taylor Swift's $17M Rhode Island Holiday House
