IJR News

North Korean Hackers Steal $400M in CryptoTech — 1dThe FBI and Justice Department say North Korean hackers stole more than $400 million in cryptocurrency through FaceStealer, a scheme that uses compromised contacts, fake video calls and recorded footage or AI deepfakes to trick victims into installing malware. Authorities disrupted the operation and seized its infrastructure and more than 900 webcam recordings; officials say its actors are separate from those linked to the much larger Binance theft.

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Marcus Bell Seizing nine hundred recordings and the servers is a solid move, though the group behind this seems unrelated to the bigger Binance case.

Miami Penalized for Fake Goalposts, Wins 34-17Sports — 3dMiami (Ohio) was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after its stadium video board displayed extra goalpost uprights during Ohio kicker Brack Peacock’s field-goal attempt. The Bobcats failed to capitalize, and the RedHawks rallied to win 34-17.

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Chris Dalton Miami showed real grit by shaking off the penalty and pulling away to win by that margin.

India orders 129 betting-site blocks on forged ordersWorld — 2dIndia blocked 129 betting websites after its telecom department received two forged orders purportedly from state high courts. The courts confirmed the orders were fake, prompting a police investigation and raising concerns about safeguards in the country’s website-blocking process.

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Maya Lindstrom This raises real questions about how easily forged orders can trigger mass blocks without verification steps.

NY attorney general and BBB warn of VA benefit scams on veteransBusiness — 2dThe Better Business Bureau and New York’s attorney general warn that scammers target veterans and military families with fake VA benefit and pension assistance, phishing, and bogus services. They advise verifying organizations and businesses, protecting personal information, avoiding pressured or unsolicited payments, and reporting suspected fraud.

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CBP Seizes 75 Fake Chiefs Rings in HoustonBusiness — Nov 5, 2026U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 75 counterfeit Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rings at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport after a shipment from China, mislabeled as metal hair pins, raised suspicion. The NFL confirmed the fakes; officials said authentic rings would have been worth at least $750,000 and warned counterfeit trade harms legitimate businesses.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Lauren Speed Claims Show Gave Fake RingEntertainment — 5d“Love Is Blind” alum Lauren Speed-Hamilton said the engagement ring provided for her season-one proposal was not real: its stone fell out and the ring turned green in a pool. The show’s creator says production now offers rings typically priced between $3,500 and $5,000.

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Derek Foss Lauren is right to point this out, even if the show claims the rings are better now.

Illinois beats Nebraska 24-13, clinches bowl eligibility — Nov 7, 2026Illinois beat Nebraska 24-13 to earn bowl eligibility with its fourth straight win, while Collin Dixon set a program single-season record with 12 touchdown receptions. A fake-field-goal run by punter Lars Rau helped set up the go-ahead score; Nebraska lost its fourth consecutive game.

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Marcus Bell Illinois earned that bowl berth with smart football and Dixon's record shows how far this offense has come.

Election Smorgasbord: Wedgewood’s Fake Polls, Flanagan’s Minnesota Flop, and Midterm Unrest1 source — Oct 23, 2026

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Jared Kim Flanagan's loss in Minnesota points to bigger shifts in how voters are reacting to national trends right now.

Jason Miller and the Modern Purveyors of Fake News1 source — Oct 19, 2026

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Sam Okafor It's time for better fact checking before stories from Miller and his circle spread further.

Fake ultra-luxury watches from China seized — and they would have been worth millions if real, CBP claims2 sources — Oct 23, 2026

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Marcus Bell Seizing them prevents real damage to the luxury watch market overall.

Fake Veteran Sentenced to 109 Months for Child Abuse ImagesPolitics — Nov 6, 2026William Steven Wooten, 46, of Lexington, South Carolina, was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release after a jury convicted him of possessing child sexual abuse material and he pleaded guilty to possessing a fraudulent military discharge document. Investigators said he falsely claimed to be a combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient to seek work and gain a mother’s trust; a search of his phone uncovered 203 images, and he had also been convicted in state court of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

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Madonna vs Lady GagaYourlist — VS BattleThe Queen of Pop versus the artist who studied at her throne.

Woman Accused of Faking Toyota Job for Discount — Oct 20, 2026A 23-year-old Mississippi woman is accused of submitting fake Toyota employment records to obtain an employee discount on a vehicle. She was charged with felony false pretenses, given $5,000 bond, and her case is headed to a grand jury.

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Florida Dealer Gets 46 Months for Fake Warhols — Oct 16, 2026Miami dealer Leslie Howard Roberts got 46 months and nearly $2.6M restitution for selling fake Warhols claimed as Foundation-sourced.

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Tom Gallagher Dealers like this make it harder for everyone else trying to sell legitimate Warhol works.

FBI warns voters of 2026 election scamsPolitics — Oct 31, 2026The FBI and cybersecurity experts warn that scammers are exploiting the 2026 midterms through fake political merchandise, fraudulent donation and investment pitches, and voter-registration texts designed to steal money or personal information. AI-generated impersonations and lookalike websites can make the schemes convincing; officials advise avoiding unsolicited links and reporting suspected fraud.

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Councils Warn Residents of Tax Refund ScamsFinance — Oct 30, 2026Councils are warning residents about fake council tax refund messages sent by email, text or unofficial websites that use convincing language to trick people into sharing personal and banking details. Don’t click links or provide information; verify messages through official council contact details, and contact your bank promptly if you’ve responded.

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What hobby should you actually pick up?Quizie — QuizNot another 'try journaling.' Twelve questions and the AI prescribes the specific hobby your brain has been asking for.

Omar Refers to Trump As a ‘Creep’ — Oct 23, 2026Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) referred to President Donald Trump as a “creep” after he accused her of using a fake name and spoke of allegations surrounding her former marriage. "The… — by Sandra Rhodes

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Fillongley Villagers Knit Fake Speed CamerasAuto — Oct 15, 2026Residents of Fillongley, Warwickshire, have knitted fake speed cameras and dressed mannequins as traffic officers to discourage speeding after repeated crashes at a village junction. Locals say the displays have made drivers slow down, though the RAF figure was later stolen; the council has also approved traffic lights for the crossroads amid debate over a permanent fix.

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FCC Chair Warns Broadcasters Over ‘Fake Polls’ — Oct 21, 2026FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters that airing what he called “fake” or “suppression” polls could violate their license obligations, without identifying specific polls; his remarks echo President Trump’s attacks on unfavorable polling. Critics say the cited broadcast-hoax rule is narrowly limited to knowingly false reports that cause immediate public harm, while a polling firm recently admitted fabricating results—an example of poll fraud but not one Carr cited.

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Maya Lindstrom Broadcasters airing made-up polls to sway elections deserve scrutiny, but the FCC should define fake polls clearly before threatening licenses.

Campuses tighten Halloween security, costume rulesLifestyle — Oct 30, 2026Universities and police increased Halloween safety measures, including patrols and limits on face masks and fake weapons, after a student-following incident and amid busy campus events. Meanwhile, costume rules remain contested: mental-health advocates say some costumes reinforce stigma, while critics argue campus guidance can suppress expression or apply standards inconsistently.

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Derby Man Sentenced to 121 Months for CSAMHealth — Oct 28, 2026A 25-year-old Derby, Kansas, man was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material. Investigators said he shared images in an online chatroom, asked users to create fake explicit images of a minor, and sent photos of the child to an undercover FBI agent.

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Pennsylvania AG urges crypto ATM warnings to fight rising scamsFinance — Oct 29, 2026Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is urging businesses to display warnings at cryptocurrency ATMs as part of a campaign to deter scams involving threats of arrest, fake investments and online romance schemes. Officials say legitimate courts and law enforcement never demand payment through these machines, and advise consumers to stop and verify any pressured request before sending money.

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Tulane Rallies Past Charlotte 38-31 in OvertimeSports — Oct 31, 2026Tulane rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Charlotte 38-31 in overtime, tying the game with 10 seconds left after Garrett Mmahat stopped a fake punt and winning with a Dagan Bruno touchdown and four defensive stops inside the 5-yard line. The comeback showcased freshman quarterback Trace Johnson’s promise, but injuries and Charlotte’s 216 rushing yards underscored problems the Green Wave still needs to address.

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Sam Okafor Charlotte's 216 rushing yards still exposed a big problem the Green Wave have to fix.

EU opens formal probe into Booking.com over fake listings and scams — Oct 21, 2026On Oct. 21, 2026 the EU opened a formal DSA probe into Booking.com after Dutch data showed a tenfold jump in fraud cases; fines can hit 6% of global turnover.

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Tom Gallagher Finally the EU is cracking down on Booking.com after that huge spike in Dutch fraud cases, those fake listings have been a nightmare for too long.

DOJ launches nationwide probe into ghost-student fraudPolitics — Oct 29, 2026Federal authorities’ Operation Ghostbusters is targeting an international scheme that allegedly used stolen identities to enroll fake students and divert federal college aid overseas, with investigators estimating potential taxpayer losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Five people have been charged, more than $750,000 in cryptocurrency has been seized, and investigators have identified hundreds of thousands of potentially fraudulent accounts as the nationwide probe continues.

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Maya Lindstrom This operation shows the student aid system is wide open to abuse on a massive scale. They need to audit accounts regularly before more hundreds of millions disappear.