#avoiding suspicious emails and links

[joetastic2739]

Someone accessed my Gmail 2 days ago, compromising my linked accounts like Twitter and YouTube. Here's how it happened, why I fell for it, and what you can learn to avoid making the same mistake:

The scam I fell victim to was a cookie hijack. The hacker used malicious software to steal my browser cookies (stuff like autofill, auto sign in, etc), allowing them to sign in to my Gmail and other accounts, completely bypassing my 2FA and other security protocols.

A few days ago, I received a DM from @Rachael_Borrows, who claimed to be a manager at @Duolingo. The account seemed legitimate. It was verified, created in 2019, and had over 1k followers, consistent with other managers I’d seen at the time n I even did a Google search of this person and didnt find anything suspicious.

She claimed that @Duolingo wanted me to create a promo video, which got me excited and managed to get my guard down. After discussing I was asked to sign a contract and at app(.)fastsigndocu(.)com. If you see this link, ITS A SCAM! Do NOT download ANY files from this site.

Unfortunately, I downloaded a file from the website, and it downloaded without triggering any firewall or antivirus warnings. Thinking it was just a PDF, I opened it. The moment I did, my console and Google Chrome flashed. That’s when I knew I was in trouble. I immediately did an antivirus scan and these were some of the programs it found that were added to my PC without me knowing:

The thing about cookie hijacking is that it completely bypasses 2FA which should have been my strongest line of defense. I was immediately signed out of all my accounts and within a minute, they changed everything: passwords, 2FA, phone, recovery emails, backup codes, etc.

I tried all methods but hit dead ends trying to recover them. Thankfully, my Discord wasn’t connected, so I alerted everyone I knew there. I also had an alternate account, @JLCmapping, managed by a friend, which I used to immediately inform @/TeamYouTube about the situation

Meanwhile, the hackers turned my YouTube channel into a crypto channel and used my Twitter account to spam hundreds of messages, trying to use my image and reputation to scam more victims

Thankfully, YouTube responded quickly and terminated the channel. Within 48 hours, they locked the hacker out of my Gmail and restored my access. They also helped me recover my channel, which has been renamed to JoetasticOfficial since Joetastic_ was no longer available.

Since then, I’ve taken several steps to secure my accounts and prevent this from happening again. This has been a wake-up call to me, and now I am more cautious around people online. I hope sharing it helps others avoid falling victim to similar attacks. (End)

(side note) Around this time, people also started to impersonate me on TikTok and YouTube. With my accounts terminated, anyone searching for "Joetastic" would only find the imposter's profiles. I’m unsure whether they are connected or if it’s just an unfortunate coincidence, but it made the situation even more stressful.

[ego13]

AFTER MIDNIGHT part. 1 – y.jm

PAIR ࿐ fem! reader x yu jimin. GENRE ࿐ pure angst/smut, detective, criminalistic. WARNINGS ࿐ murders, violence, semi-detailed description of corpses, references to child abuse/harassment, drug references, cheating, redflag!jimin, deception, complicated relationships, eventual smut, cunnilingus, kissing, impact play, misleading, praise kink, pet names (sweetheart , baby). SYNOPSIS ࿐ a series of suspicious murders have swept through a small town, raising it to its ears, which forces you to take up the case, not even suspecting that one of your "old" friends will return from the shadows. WORD COUNT 11,2k ࿐ PLAYLIST After Midnight ࿐

Jimin was holding her half of the headphones delicately, as if it were a secret she didn’t want the nobody to steal. The other half nestled in your ear, you leaned her head just slightly closer, lying it on her shoulder. The soft chords of "Sleepwalking" by Bring Me The Horizon drifted between you both, carried by the tiny MP3 player tucked in her hoodie pocket.

“We’ll always be together, right?” she asked, her voice quieter than the song, almost swallowed by the wind.

You turned to look at her. Her eyes were interested and serious, her dark hair tangled slightly from the breeze. There was something in her expression — an earnestness that made the moment feel like it was being carved into the wood beneath you.

“Always,” you said without hesitation, reaching out to pinky swear.

Jimin smiled then — bright, unguarded, and free. Your pinkies linked like the final note of a perfect song, sealed by laughter and that last chorus echoing in their ears.

"Why are you even asking me this? Is there something I don't know?" You asked with a ringing interest in your voice, clearly surprised by such a sudden interest in this kind of question.

"No... you know more about me than I do, even if I wanted to hide something from you, you would understand in the first moments," Jimin chuckled, clearly changing the subject, trying to avoid a direct answer to the question.

"You're right, so don't even think about hiding anything from me! I'll find out anyway," you giggled, turning your gaze into the distance, connecting the bright stars into small constellations in the clear sky with your gaze.

Noticing this, Yu smiled, she didn’t look at the stars, she didn’t need to, the brightest and most beautiful star in her life was now sitting in front of her, that's why her hand slowly crept up to yours, carefully intertwining your fingers together.

"Just... just suddenly, just suddenly, if something happens to me, will you promise to always remember me?"

The question made you look back at her, looking at her with eyes full of uncertainty. Why was she asking such strange things? The question was stuck in your head and you couldn't find the right words to answer, just nodding silently, taking a deep breath.

Seeing this, her hand tightened its grip on yours, smiling weakly as she brought it to her lips, leaving a few kisses on each of your knuckles as the last chords of the song slowly faded away.

The sound of wind faded. The song cut out.

Your eyes opened.

The room was dark except for the blinking light on her phone vibrating against the nightstand. Your head throbbed slightly — a dull reminder of falling asleep without eating. You blinked once before reaching the phone.

"Yunbin, Investigative Committee."

You answered, voice rough. “Yeah?”

“You’re awake! Thank god.” Yunbin’s tone was clipped. “Check your email. Right fucking now. It’s urgent.”

You sat up, rubbing the heel of her hand into her eye. “Can’t it wait until morning I have a fucking meeting with of Mr. Park tomorrow, if I don't get enough sleep I'll definitely spit in his face.

“No, this can't wait,” he said. “It’s him. We got new evidence. Check your inbox. The email with the archive is there. Password is the usual. Please don't delay. Let me know the second you open it.”

He hung up before you could say anything else.

You sighed, shoved the blanket aside, and dragged her laptop from under the bed. Fingers trembled slightly as you typed in her password — more from the chill than fear, or so you told yourself.

The email was already waiting. No subject. No text. Just an attachment named "SEASIDE_CASE_ARCHIVE.zip"

You clicked it. Entered the password. The archive opened.

There were four folders. Each named after a date. Each containing photos.

You clicked the first one.

The screen filled with images of a body — a young girl, no older than twenty, laid out in the sand. Her stomach was sliced open in a clean, straight line, the flesh parted but blood minimal, as if the cut had been made with professional precision. Her face was eerily calm. In her hands, arranged gently, was a small bouquet of white lilac.

You clicked through the other folders. The pattern repeated.

Four girls. All killed in the same way. All on the same spit of land by the sea — but each found in a slightly different spot. Their torsos opened. Their hands clutching lilac. There was no chaos in the scenes. No mess. Just death, arranged with cold care.

Your stomach turned.

The medical team had nicknamed the killer “The Reaper.” Well... you could see why.

There was nothing passionate or messy about the murders. Just clinical brutality. It didn’t look like rage. It looked like a statement. What was planned, damn, this bastard definitely has professional hands, you were willing to bet that the guys from the forensics team who have done more autopsies in their careers than you can imagine could do such a precise abdominal dissection.

You closed the last photo and sat still in the silence, the sound of the laptop’s fan the only thing filling the room.

Your phone buzzed again. A new message from Yunbin.

Yunbin:

Do any of the girls look familiar to you?

You:

No... I’ve never seen any of them before.

Yunbin:

Are you sure?

You:

One hundred percent. Why?

Yunbin:

All four girls were around your age. 15 to 18. No known family connections. Different backgrounds, no ties to each other on paper. But here’s where it gets strange.

You:

Go on.

Yunbin:

Three of them had registered visits to the same mental health clinic in Seoul. Same month. Same doctor. No details on the sessions — records sealed.

You:

What about the fourth?

Yunbin:

No clinic record... but get this — she was caught shoplifting from a pharmacy six months ago! Security footage shows her muttering to herself and holding a bouquet of lilac.

You:

White lilac? Same lilac?

Yunbin:

Exactly.

You:

So... he targets vulnerable girls?

Yunbin:

Looks that way. Victims showed signs of recent emotional stress — anxiety, insomnia, some hinted at suicidal ideation in personal journals or police interviews.

You:

How the hell does he pick them?

Yunbin:

That’s the question. There’s no digital link. No chatrooms, no shared devices, no obvious connection between them.

You:

And no one saw him?

Yunbin:

No witnesses. He moves fast. The bodies were all found within 24 hours of death. No defensive wounds either. It’s like they didn’t fight.

You:

Or couldn’t?

Yunbin:

Exactly! Autopsies show they were sedated before the incision. Carefully. Nothing messy.

You:

Listen... I need everything you have on that clinic.

Yunbin:

Already on it. I’ll send you the internal list of patients from the month they visited. Might be something there. Including staff rosters. Maybe someone slipped.

You:

Thanks. I’ll dig in.

Yunbin:

One more thing.

You:

Yeah?

Yunbin:

I was told that she, a woman, called the local clinic. She made a call to emergency services a week before the first victim.

You:

What did she say?

Yunbin:

The transcript’s short. She said: “He’s coming. He already took her. I saw it in her eyes.” Then hung up. The number is unavailable, geolocation cannot be calculated, apparently the phone is for one-time use.

You:

The owner of the phone could not be identified either?

Yunbin:

That’s what I'm trying to find out.

You:

Fine, going to sleep now, because I'm about to switch off. I'll meet you at the the office.

You set the phone face down on the desk and leaned back in the headboard. The screen still glowed faintly, casting a cold light across the room. Eyes burned from staring too long. The images from the archive were still there in the back of your mind.

The victims have no connection? This will need to be checked, because if this is really the case, how then do we even look for the maniac? How do we predict the next victim?

You closed the laptop. Stood up, your knees ached slightly from sitting too long. You pulled the curtains tighter and crawled back into bed without changing. The sheets were still warm. She lay flat on her back, eyes open in the dark.

Sleep came slowly, despite the mess that's going on in your head.

The alarm buzzed at 7:15. You slapped it off without even opening your eyes.

Body felt like it had been hit by a truck. You lay there for another minute, then rolled out of bed and dragged yourself to the bathroom.

You stared at herself in the mirror. Pale. Hair is a fucking mess. You looked like someone who hadn’t slept properly in days, and that... wasn’t far from the truth.

In the kitchen, you made yourself some black coffee and didn’t bother with breakfast. Just stood at the counter, sipping it in silence. Thoughts about what happened didn't leave your head. And that dream with Jimin, what was that all about?

You moved on autopilot — pulled on dark slacks, a white blouse, blazer, boots. Tied your hair back loosely. Slid the badge into the pocket, then her ID, then her USB drive.

Laptop in the bag. Phone charged. Everything is strictly according to the template by which you lived every fucking day.

You checked the lock on the door twice before leaving.

The hallway outside your apartment was quiet. Old floorboards creaked under your steps. You took the stairs instead of the elevator.

The city was waking up when she hit the street. Traffic already building. People on their phones, rushing to work, completely unaware that somewhere by the sea, four girls had died without a sound.

By the time you reached the corner, the noise and crowds were already too much. The city felt louder than usual. Head was still foggy. You made your way to the small underground garage behind the building and unlocked your jeep.

It was old, beat-up, but reliable. No tech distractions, just a manual engine and the low hum of the radio you never tuned.

You pulled out onto the main road, one hand on the wheel, the other gripping her coffee cup. And for a moment you thought about the dream again. The bridge. The music. Jimin’s face.

It hadn’t come out of nowhere.

She had been your best friend for years. From first grade to senior year, they were always together — school projects, sleepovers, summer breaks. You shared everything.

Then came the end of high school. Graduation. College applications. And suddenly, Jimin was just… gone.

No goodbye. No call. Not even a text.

Her number stopped working. Socials were wiped. Mutual friends knew nothing. A couple rumors floated around — that her family moved out of Seoul, maybe Busan or Incheon — but nothing solid.

Eventually, people stopped asking.

But the you hadn’t. You still remembered messaging Yu's old email once, months later, just to try. No response.

That bridge from the dream — it was real. It was the place they went when things were hard. When school got rough. When Jimin’s mom was drinking again. When they you both didn't wanted to go home.

And now, for some reason, her face was blurred. Vivid. Sharp. Like she’d never existed.

You shook your head and blinked at the red light. The GPS buzzed even though you wasn’t using it. Just out of habit.

You turned down the quieter side street that led toward the committee offices — a large gray building tucked between an old bank and a private security firm. You parked in the lot, engine off, and sat for a second with the keys in your hand.

Jimin had vanished.

No note. No warning.

Just like that.

You rubbed her eyes once more, then grabbed your bag and stepped out into the morning air.

The curtains did nothing to block out the morning light.

Jimin squinted, groaned, and rolled over — but instead of a pillow, her face pressed into a scratchy throw blanket that smelled like gin and the couch she’d passed out on again. Her head pounded. Her mouth was dry.

Footsteps padded softly across the marble floor.

"Jimin," a voice said gently, like someone trying not to start a fight before breakfast. "You need to get up."

She didn’t move at first. Just let out a grunt and buried her face deeper into the cushion.

"Jimin." The voice came again, firmer now. "Come on. I asked you not to drink last night."

She opened one eye and turned her head.

There she was — her wife, Chanyeol. Dressed like always in something understated but expensive, with a fresh blowout and no visible sign of age despite being ten years older. Perfect. Fucking rich.

Jimin sat up slowly, her spine aching from the awkward position she’d slept in. She tugged her shirt down, even though it was wrinkled and smelled like cigarettes.

"I didn’t plan on drinking," she muttered, voice hoarse.

Chanyeol walked over and handed her a glass of water. "No one ever does."

Yu drank it in one go. Her throat burned.

"You need to pull yourself together," her wife said, crouching in front of her, her tone still measured. "She’s on the way."

Jimin blinked. "Who?"

"My daughter," the woman said. "I told you yesterday. She’s coming for dinner."

Yu exhaled. "Right."

"She hasn’t seen you in weeks. Please, at least try to be presentable. Don’t make this awkward, for me especially."

Jimin pushed herself up and staggered slightly. Chanyeol caught her elbow, steadying her for a second before letting go.

"I’ll go to shower," Yu said. "Give me fifteen minutes."

She nodded, then turned to leave, heels clicking softly on the floor. At the doorway she paused.

"And Jimin," she added without looking back, "if you’re serious about that novel, maybe open the damn laptop today."

Then she was gone.

Yu stood in silence for a moment, staring at the empty glass in her hand. The penthouse around her looked like something out of a magazine — all glass, leather, and minimalism. Nothing in it felt like hers.

She made her way to the bathroom, turning on the water.

Jimin stood under the shower, arms against the tile, water beating down on the back of her neck. She didn’t move. Just let it run down her body in unsuccessful attempts to sober up.

The heat should’ve helped — burned away the hangover, the taste of stale alcohol, the fog in her head — but it didn’t. It never did. Her thoughts kept circling the same drain they always did.

The book.

She had the idea three years ago. A crime novel about a detective chasing a killer who left flowers in the hands of his victims. She wrote the first chapter in a single night, drunk off cheap wine and inspiration. It wasn’t perfect, but it had something.

Then came the offers. A stipend. A sponsor. A publisher who’d "keep an eye" on her progress.

And then came her.

Her wife.

They met at a fundraiser she wasn’t supposed to be at, dressed in someone else’s suit, pretending to belong. But the woman had noticed her — really noticed her — and something about being seen by someone with power and money had hooked Jimin.

It didn’t take long. The penthouse came next. The promises. Then the wedding.

And then the slow drift.

Now the book sat untouched on her desktop — a document opened more times than she could count, each time filled with more a fucking guilt than words.

And every time she thought about writing again, she heard his voice.

Chanyeol’s father. The chairman. The old bastard who’d never said her name once but never stopped talking about her.

"She’s a loser with a shitty book and a dream with a hole in her pocket."

"She’s using you to play artist."

"She wants the money, not the marriage."

Every time he visited, he’d shake his head like she was a stray dog the family hadn’t managed to kick out yet. And the worst part?

He wasn’t completely wrong.

Jimin had needed the money. She’d needed a place to stay. She’d needed someone to say "just write and don’t worry about rent."

She never lied about that. But somewhere along the way, she forgot how to write at all.

The water started to run cold. She didn’t flinch.

Her palms were wrinkled. Her eyes burned. The hum of the ventilation fan filled the silence.

If she didn’t pull herself together, the old man would be right — again.

And worse, the girl showing up for dinner would see it too.

Yu shut off the water and stood in the silence for a few seconds longer.

Then she reached for the towel.

She rubbed the towel over her head, slow and distracted. The bathroom mirror was fogged up, but she didn’t bother wiping it down. She was still standing there, bare feet on cold tile, when her phone started buzzing from the counter.

"HANA - TV EDITORIAL OFFICE"

She stared at the name for a second, then picked it up and answered with a low, dry, "Yeah?"

"You sound like shit," Hana said without missing a beat.

"I feel worse."

"Still drinking yourself sideways?"

"Got a better hobby in mind?"

There was a pause on the line. Yu leaned on the sink and waited, eyes on the fogged-up glass.

"I’ve got something," Hana finally said. Her tone dropped into that serious register she used when she actually had news. "Real shit. Not clickbait."

"Go on."

"You know Mokpo?"

Jimin blinked. "Yeah. Port city. South coast."

"Right. So... a guy I know down there — small-time fixer, drinks with cops — he just told me there’s movement on a hush-hush case. Local police are losing their minds trying to keep it under wraps. No official statements, but he swears there’s a serial involved. Four dead girls, all in different parts of the city."

Yu straightened a little. "Confirmed?"

"Unofficially, yeah. But the details…" Hana hesitated, then said, "They’re all staged. Same exact pattern. Surgical stuff. Like out of a damn screenplay."

Jimin didn’t speak for a moment.

"You’re not calling just to tell me bedtime stories."

"Nope." Hana sounded like she was grinning now. "I’m saying this is your shot. Material. Real, dark stuff. You wanna finish your silly book? Go look death in the face again. You used to be good at that. Before all this…"

She trailed off, but Jimin caught the tone.

"Before I sold out," she finished flatly.

"I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to."

Another pause. Then Hana softened. "Look. We both need a piece of cake. I need a segment for the docuseries we’re pitching. You need to write something that’s not an apology email to your agent. Let’s both stop drowning in this shit."

Jimin closed her eyes.

She could already feel the pull of it — the adrenaline, the story, the clarity she hadn’t had in years. She wasn’t dumb, she knew why murder called to her more than love ever did. There was no room for lies in a post-mortem.

"Where do I start?" she asked quietly.

"I’ll text you the fixer’s number. Name’s Minseok. He owes me. If you head down there, he’ll grease the doors."

Yu nodded slowly, towel hanging in one hand.

"And Jimin," Hana added, voice low now, "don’t fuck this up."

Call ended.

Jimin stood for a second, still dripping slightly, staring at her reflection through the steam. The fog was starting to clear.

She stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, hair still damp and clinging to her neck. She moved quietly down the hall, the scent of coffee already drifting toward her.

Her wife was in the kitchen, setting the table with calm precision — warm bread rolls in a basket, little glass dishes with fruit and yogurt.

Yu cleared her throat.

"You clean up fast," she said without looking up.

"Didn’t have time to fall apart today."

The woman gave a soft snort — not quite amusement, not quite approval.

Jimin padded across the marble floor, pulling the towel tighter as she sat down. She’d usually throw on sweatpants or something loose, but there was no time, not with the idea burning in the back of her head.

"I need a favor," she said, cutting right into it.

Her wife finally looked at her. "What kind?"

"Money."

A pause.

"How much?"

"Enough to get to Mokpo. Couple nights in a motel. Bus ticket. Some gear. Call it two million won, give or take."

Her wife blinked. "Mokpo?"

"Yeah. I wanna clear my head. Change the scenery. That’s all."

Yu avoided her eyes and reached for the coffee, pouring herself a cup like it would distract from the lie.

"Thought you didn’t have any friends there."

"I don’t," Jimin said quickly. "That’s the point. No people, no distractions."

Before she could reply, heavy footsteps echoed from the stairs.

And then came him.

Mr. Nam.

Old money in a linen shirt, still somehow sharp at nearly seventy, with perfect posture and a permanent sneer. He didn’t even glance at Jimin as he walked in, just went straight for the fridge and poured himself a glass of water.

"Morning, Dad," her wife said politely.

"Hm," he grunted. He turned, saw Jimin, and finally acknowledged her with a dry look.

"Still drunk?" he asked.

"Morning to you too," she muttered.

He sat at the head of the table and took a sip of water, eyes flicking between the two women. "What are we talking about now? More ‘creative escapes’?"

Jimin exhaled, annoyed. "I said I wanted to go to Mokpo. That’s it."

"For what?" He asked, leaning forward. “A yoga retreat? One of those ocean-view writing camps?"

"She wants to clear her head," Chanyeol said carefully.

The old man chuckled. "Of course she does."

He turned his full attention to Jimin now, his smile thin.

"You know, I spent forty years building a company that pays people with actual skills. You’ve spent what — three years trying to write a book you won’t finish and draining my daughter’s account in the meantime?"

"Dad—" she started.

"No, it’s fine," Jimin said coldly, setting her cup down. "He’s not wrong."

She looked him in the eye, dead calm. "But I’m still going."

The man snorted again. "You’re gonna run to the coast, drink in some moldy motel room, and call it ‘research’? You’re not an artist. You’re a freeloader in designer socks."

Jimin didn’t flinch. She’d heard worse.

But her jaw tightened. "I’ll finish it. One way or another."

"Oh?" The man smirked. "Then stop begging for handouts. Go work."

Her wife stood suddenly, hands on the table. "That’s enough."

The old man shrugged, grabbed his coffee, and walked off like he hadn’t just spit on her entire life.

Jimin sat in silence. Her throat was tight, but she didn’t let it show.

After a few moments, her wife sat back down, quieter now.

"You really going to write this time?" she asked softly.

She looked up, her voice low.

"I’m not asking again."

She was quiet the whole time she packed. A cheap duffel bag, some old notebooks, charger, camera she barely used anymore, hoodie, jeans.

Chanyeol leaned on the bedroom doorframe, arms crossed.

"You're really going alone?" she asked, her voice low.

"Yeah."

"You’re not meeting anyone down there?"

She zipped the bag slowly. "No."

There was a pause. Then she asked, more gently, "Do you want me to book the hotel for you?"

Jimin shook her head. "I'll figure it out."

"I just— You don't really do well on your own, baby."

That stung more than she let on. She slung the bag over her shoulder and turned to face her.

"I need to try."

Chanyeol looked like she wanted to say something else — maybe ask her to stay, maybe tell her she was full of shit. But instead, she nodded once and stepped aside.

"Call me when you get there."

"Okay."

Downstairs, the old man was sitting on the patio with his paper and tea, pretending not to notice her walking out the door. She didn’t give him the satisfaction of a goodbye. Didn't deserve it.

The cab ride to Seoul Station was short, quiet. She stared out the window the whole time, sunglasses on even though the sky was gray. Her phone buzzed in her pocket — a message from Hana.

Hana:

Minseok’s expecting you. Meet him by the docks after 7pm. You still going?

Jimin:

Yeah.

She tucked the phone away and leaned back. Her head still ached from last night’s wine.

The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, steady and cold. You stood near your desk, arms crossed, sipping coffee that had long gone lukewarm. Office was silent that was broken only by the soft sounds of Yunbin peeling off bits of tape and slapping photographs against the glass wall.

One by one, the victims appeared — grainy photos, close-ups of lifeless eyes, slashed skin, and lilacs.

"You sure you want these out in the open?" Yunbin asked without turning, "it's not the most pleasant sight, you know."

"Leave them," you said. "I want to see them when I walk in every morning, besides, i've seen worse."

He paused, glanced at her over his shoulder. "You're not sleeping, are you?"

You didn’t answer. Just stared at the newest photo he’d placed — a girl no older than seventeen, her body half-buried in wet sand, arms crossed neatly over her chest, fingers curled around the wilted lilac.

"Medical report says the cuts were done post-mortem," Yunbin said. "Stomach opened with something precise. Scalpel, most likely, but it's not certain, Yunho from the medical sector is still conducting an examination, the results will be out within a day."

You set your coffee down. "No defensive wounds?"

"None."

"So they were drugged?"

"Or just caught off guard. No signs of sexual assault. No robbery. No struggle."

You nodded, slowly processing.

"Victims don’t know each other. No online connections, no overlapping phone activity, no shared friends."

"Then how the hell is he choosing them?" you asked.

Yunbin shrugged. "Only common point is location. All dumped on that same stretch of coast, but spaced out by kilometers. Spit’s nearly eight kilometers long."

You walked over to the wall, looked at the photos again. "He wants them found."

"Obviously. Poses them like a fucking piece of art."

You tapped her nail against the glass. "And the lilacs?"

"White lilac means youthful innocence. In the old books, anyway."

"Jesus Christ," you muttered. "Fucking poet."

They stood in silence for a beat. Then he said, "You really don’t recognize any of them?"

You shook her head. "No. They’re all strangers."

He peeled the last photo from the file and smoothed it against the glass. The youngest. Maybe fifteen.

"Then maybe that’s the point," he said quietly. "They’re strangers to everyone. Nobody who’ll raise a fuss too soon. Easy to lose."

You stared at the girl’s face. Pale, half-lit by the camera flash.

"I want every missing persons report filed in that region for the past six months," you said. "Even ones that weren’t taken seriously."

"On it."

"And Yunbin," you turned toward him.

He paused at the door.

"Keep this in-house. No leaks. No press, I don't want some bastards from TV getting under our feet."

He gave you a small nod.

"Got it."

The door closed behind him, and you remained standing there, leaning against the edge of the table, examining each victim with a long-honed master's gaze.

The victims were not related.

But is it true?

Something made you reach for the file on one of the victims, opening the first page as if trying to find a catch in what was written.

"The victim's marital status... The father is an alcoholic, received a two-year sentence for robbery and fighting..."

It seemed that you had found absolutely nothing important in these lines, so you took the file of the last victim, but this time, opening it, your gaze instantly found the right line.

"The victim's marital status... Mother is an alcoholic, bad relationship with father after which he left the family, strained relationship with stepfather."

Fathers.

Perhaps there is a clue here.

And it was at that moment that you felt something click in your head. Reviewing the entire dossier for what seemed like the hundredth time, you began to understand something you had missed earlier.

All the victims had terrible relationships with their fathers.

How could you possibly miss this?

But that didn't matter now.

Taking a pen from the table, opening the cap with your teeth, you quickly wrote down the address of the last victim on a small piece of paper.

Yeosu, a city three hours' drive from Mokpo.

The hand grabbed the car keys lying nearby, as if a bullet flew out of the office. It seemed that you finally began to catch this invisible thread, and you had no right to lose it.

The rented Hyundai coughed as it climbed the hill toward the Investigative Committee building — a dull gray block of concrete with tinted glass and a security booth out front.

Jimin had one arm resting on the window frame, the wind tugging at her hair. She spotted Yunbin the second he stepped out — button-down shirt half untucked, lanyard around his neck, phone in hand.

She smirked and quickly pulled over near the curb.

"Yunbin!" she called out, snapping her fingers like she’d just remembered something. "Hey!"

He stopped, squinted toward the car, then took a step closer. His expression shifted from confusion to vague recognition.

"Jimin?" he asked.

"In the flesh. Hana’s friend. Fucking writer, remember?"

Yunbin looked at his watch, then at the sidewalk. "Right. She mentioned you might be in town with Minseok."

She leaned on the steering wheel. "Funny thing, I was just headed to the same coffee shop you’re probably walking to. Want a ride? I swear the air conditioning works better in here than it looks."

He gave the car a long, skeptical look, then shrugged. "Sure, I guess, I’ve walked enough today."

Yu grinned and unlocked the passenger door. "Hop in. First coffee’s on me."

As he climbed in, buckling up with one hand and glancing around the dashboard like he was checking for bugs, Jimin mentally took stock, easygoing, maybe a little overworked, but not the suspicious type. Getting him on her side would be no problem.

"Appreciate it," he said, settling in. "Didn’t expect to run into anyone I knew around here."

"I didn’t expect to end up here, either," she replied. "Small world, right?"

He chuckled lightly. "Or maybe Hana set us up."

"Wouldn’t put it past her."

They drove in silence for a few blocks. Jimin kept it casual, one hand on the wheel, eyes on the road, but her mind was already ten moves ahead — rehearsing how she’d ask about the case without sounding too obvious, wondering how close she could get to the real story without scaring him off.

"So," she said casually, "how bad is it in there? Everyone's walking around like there’s a bomb under their desks."

Yunbin didn’t look at her, just stared out the window. "Worse than that."

Bingo. Fucking bingo.

It seems that everything will be much easier than she thought.

The coffee shop was only a few blocks away, a corner place with dusty windows and a faded sign that read "24/7 Coffee." Jimin parked a little crooked, tossed the keys onto the dashboard, and followed Yunbin inside.

They grabbed a small table near the window. he ordered black coffee. Jimin asked for an iced americano, even though she hated the aftertaste.

"So," she said, stirring the straw like she cared, "what’s really going on out here? Hana made it sound like some true crime goldmine."

Yunbin leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. "Yeah. You could say that."

Yu kept her expression neutral, sipping through the straw. She didn’t want to push too hard. Let him talk.

"There’s been four bodies so far," he said. "All dumped on the same stretch of coast. Different spots, but the same pattern."

She nodded slowly. "The girls, right? I read something vague on some forum. Thought it was a hoax."

"It’s real," Yunbin said, his voice a little lower now. "Stomach cut open, organs left intact. No signs of struggle. Holding white lilac in their hands. No fingerprints. No suspects."

"And you?"

"I'm just the assistant, you know," he shrugged. "The real one doing the legwork is the lead investigator. She’s been glued to the case since the first body was found, I've been her assistant for two years now, I assure you, she's a pro at what she does."

Jimin raised an eyebrow. "She?"

"Yeah. Young investigator, moved down here six months ago from Seoul. Total hard-ass. Doesn’t sleep, doesn’t smile. Her name is—"

He didn’t finish. Yu's hand slipped on the condensation of her plastic cup and knocked it sideways, spilling coffee across the table.

"Shit," she muttered, fumbling for napkins.

He sat back, startled. "Hey, you good?"

She waved it off. "Yeah. Just... the cup slipped. What were you saying?"

"Her name. You probably don’t know her. She’s not exactly the social type."

"Try me."

He gave her a look. "Y/N."

Jimin froze mid-wipe. Her stomach twisted in a way she hadn’t felt in years. She forced a short laugh.

"No shit."

Yunbin nodded, sipping his drink. "You know her?"

She leaned back, staring past him, eyes unfocused. "We went to school together. Long time ago. Haven’t seen her in..." She trailed off.

"Small world, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," she said, swallowing hard. "Fucking small."

She tried to act normal, pretending to clean the mess she’d made, but her mind was running circles. She looked up at Yunbin, forcing a smile.

"So... this girl, right," she said, her voice carefully casual, "what’s her deal? You said she moved here from Seoul?"

He nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah. She got transferred a while ago. Some people say it was a demotion, others say she asked for it. She doesn’t talk about it."

She squinted. "How old is she?"

"Twenty five, but you know, she's the kind that looks like she hasn’t aged in ten years, but her eyes look like she’s lived three lives, after two years with her I can definitely say that she has seen a lot of shit, you know."

Jimin smirked. That sounded exactly like the you she used to know. But still... part of her didn’t want to believe it. It was too coincidental, too suspicious.

"She's like... well, she has a little scar under her eye, kind of quiet but sharp as hell, yeah?"

"That’s her," Yunbin said without hesitation. "She’s the real deal. Cold, maybe, but when she’s working a case. I swear she doesn’t even blink when looking at crime scene photos. Although, during all this time, I still haven’t gotten used to looking at fucking bodies that was teared apart, this shit still comes to me in terrible nightmares every day."

Yu didn’t respond right away. Her eyes drifted toward the window. The sound of cars passing by blurred into the background.

All at once, she was somewhere else.

Spring, maybe third grade. You sat cross-legged on the grass, a small smile tugging at her lips as she twisted little white flowers into a braid, slowly threading them through her hair. Jimin sat still, letting her do it, not because she cared how it looked but because it was your hands. Gentle, focused. Careful not to pull too hard.

"You look like one of those fairies in books," you had whispered, not even looking at her, too busy with the next flower.

Jimin had laughed. "Fairies don’t wear school uniforms!"

That memory hit harder than expected. She blinked and came back to the present.

She cleared her throat. "We were friends. A long time ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t think she had any."

"She used to."

Yu took a long sip of her watered-down coffee and sat in silence for a moment.

"Yunbin," she said finally, "think you could introduce me to her?"

He looked at her for a second, then gave a slow, suspicious smile.

"Depends. You here for research… or something else?"

"Does it matter?"

He chuckled. "It might."

Yunbin was still smirking, but there was a note of caution behind it now.

"Look," he said, "I’ll be straightforward with you. She isn’t exactly the welcoming type. Especially not lately. She doesn’t like outsiders sniffing around, and if she gets even a hint that you’re here for your own reasons..."

Jimin crossed her arms. "I’m not trying to mess up her case! I just want to—"

"Finish your book. Get some dirt for your show. Yeah, I get it ever since you first appeared here," Yunbin cut in. "But let’s not pretend this is a clean visit. You’re not a cop. You’re not a journalist with credentials. You’re someone with a fucking unfinished book, and she’s not the same girl you remember."

Yu looked away, her jaw tense. "Then don’t introduce me to her. Just... give me a way to observe. From the edges, you know? I won't be tossing and turning right in the middle of things."

Yunbin paused, thinking. He scratched the back of his neck.

"I can introduce you to the guys from our team. It’ll give you some access—secondhand, but still better than nothing."

"It's better than nothing," she said quietly.

"But we should go now," he added. "She's out of town for the day. Went to talk to the family of the last victim."

Jimin blinked. "That last victim?"

"Yeah. A girl was found three days ago. Same setup. Same flowers. Her mother finally agreed to talk this morning. And she left at dawn."

She nodded slowly. "Then let’s go."

Yunbin stood up and tossed his cup in the trash bin, wiping his mouth with his hand. "Don't ask dumb questions, you will arouse suspicion ahead of time."

Yu raised her eyebrows. "I wasn’t planning to."

"Right."

The living room smelled faintly of old wood. A beige lace curtain swayed in the open window. You stood silently beside the upright piano, your elbow resting lightly on the yellowed wood, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

The woman sat hunched on the worn couch, hands wringing a damp tissue until it tore in her fingers. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen.

"I still... I still can't believe it," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

You gave a brief nod. You didn’t write anything down yet. You just watched.

The silence lingered long enough to feel heavy before you finally spoke, your tone calm and.

"Mrs. Kang, I understand this is hard. But I need to ask some questions. About Minji."

The woman flinched at the name but nodded. "Okay."

"When did you start noticing a change in her behavior?"

"About six months ago. Maybe a little more. At first, it was small things — coming home late, locking herself in her room. But then..." She swallowed hard, voice cracking. "Then she stopped caring. She used to be such a good student. I never had to ask twice! And then her grades just... dropped. She started skipping school."

"Did she ever say why?"

"No," she whispered. "She never told me anything anymore. I asked, I begged. She’d just say I wouldn’t understand. She started wearing makeup I’d never seen before. Different clothes. And she’d come home smelling like soju."

You nodded, still not writing anything down.

"How was her relationship with her stepfather?"

The mother hesitated.

"Not good," she admitted finally. "They argued all the time. He’d try to talk to her like a father, but she’d shut him down immediately. Yell at him for stupid things. Like asking about her day."

"Did he ever hit her?"

The woman looked up, sharply. "No! Never! He’s not like that. He just… gave up after a while. Said she needed time. But I think she hated him. Just for being here."

You finally took out her notebook, flipping it open to a clean page.

"Did she mention any new friends? People you didn’t recognize?"

The woman shook her head slowly. "She stopped talking about her friends, too. I’d hear her whispering on the phone late at night, but when I asked, she’d say it was no one. I thought maybe it was just some boy. A phase."

"Did you ever hear any names? Maybe she was planning meetings with someone and mentioned it in passing?"

"No," she said, voice barely audible. "She changed her phone password. I couldn’t see anything. And now…"

She broke off again, her shoulders shaking. You looked at her, but didn’t move to offer comfort. You gave her space to cry without pity.

After a long pause, you asked quietly, "When was the last time you saw her?"

"Two nights before police found her," the woman said, eyes far away. "She was drunk again. Slammed the door on the way in. Yelled at me for cooking the wrong food. Then she locked herself in her room. I didn't even hear her leave that night."

There was a long silence again. You closed your notebook and stepped away from the piano.

"If you allow me, may I go into the girl's room?"

The woman didn't even raise her gaze, only silently nodding towards the elderly granny sitting next to her on the chair. Seeing this gesture, she stood up, took her cane and slowly walked towards you.

You followed the grandmother up the creaky staircase, the old wood groaning beneath her steps. The house was... dead quiet.

You reached the second floor, where a narrow hallway stretched in front of you. The grandmother turned toward the first door on the left and opened it slowly, letting you to enter the room.

"This is Minji's room," she said, her voice hoarse and filled with grief. "You can look, but... it's not much."

You stepped inside. The room was small but neat. A bed covered in faded pink sheets, a desk cluttered with half-finished homework, and a few stuffed animals scattered on the floor.

"She was always a good girl," the grandmother continued, standing in the doorway with her hands folded in front of her. "She never gave me any trouble, not like her father. But..." She paused, as if the words were too hard to say. "She was lonely. She used to cry, you know. Especially when she tried to reach her father."

You turned to face the grandmother, your expression neutral but her eyes sharp. "She tried to contact him?"

She nodded, her eyes watering. "Many times. She'd call him, leave messages. But he was always too busy, too angry to help. Always told her to stop bothering him."

"Did she say anything specific about that? About him?"

The old woman sniffed and wiped her eyes. "She... she just wanted him to come and pick her up once. She told me she was going to ask him to take her to Seoul. Said she couldn’t stand it here anymore." She swallowed hard. "That was the day before... the day she... well, you know."

You frowned, trying to piece it together. "So she asked him for help?"

"Yes," the grandmother said softly. "She sounded so desperate, like she was running out of time. But he just yelled at her. Told her she was being dramatic and to stop calling him." Her voice cracked. "She cried after that, poor thing. But she still called him. She called him the night before she..."

She couldn't finish the sentence. Her face crumpled as the grief overwhelmed her, and You felt a familiar weight in your chest. You couldn’t afford to feel sorry. You needed answers, not sympathy.

"I’m... I'm so sorry," you said quietly, though the words felt hollow. "Thank you for telling me."

The old woman gave a weak nod and stepped back. "I just wish he’d listened. Maybe if he had, maybe..."

"Maybe," you muttered, stepping back from the door. She gave the grandmother a final glance before leaving the room. She had all the pieces she needed. Now she just had to put them together.

Before leaving the room, you moved quietly toward the bed, your eyes scanning the surroundings one last time. Your gaze fell on the small diary that had been tucked under the pillow.

You reached down, careful not to make a sound, and slipped the diary under your jacket. It was a gut feeling, the kind that only years of experience could teach you. Of course you didn’t know what was inside yet, but it would be important.

You turned to the shelves filled with toys and felt your stomach tighten. One of the little bears, a soft, dusty pink, had its stomach torn open. The sight was... surprisingly terrifying, the plush fabric exposed, the soft cotton stuffing spilling out from the rough slit.

You stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as you crouched down to get a better look.

Your fingers brushed the torn edge of the bear’s stomach, your intuition didn't let you down, and your fingers felt something – something hard and unnatural. You carefully poked around inside, fingertips grazing a small ziplock bag that was tucked into the bear’s interior.

You didn’t know what was inside, but it was unmistakably suspicious. Drugs? Maybe. You didn’t want to jump to conclusions just yet, but the texture of the bag felt all too familiar. Poor girl, something was clearly wrong here, an ordinary child can't just go crazy one day. There's something there. Violence? Harassment? Possibly, given the strained relationship with her stepfather.

You pulled her fingers away slowly and stood up, you carefully placed that ziplock into your pocked. You wasn’t sure what this meant, but you knew it wasn’t a coincidence. This needed to get this tested — needed confirmation before you made any moves. It could tie into the case. Or it could be something else entirely. Either way, you was going to find out.

Finally you looked at the grandmother, who was sitting in the chair by the window, your hands still wringing the same tissue. You took a deep breath and walked over to her.

Without a word, you wrapped your arms around the old woman, holding her tightly. The moment was silent, but the weight of it was heavy. You could feel the pain radiating off her like a thick fog.

Your mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but in this moment, you allowed herself to just hold the woman who had lost so much.

"I swear, I’ll find the bastard who did this," you said quietly, voice low but firm. "I won’t let him get away with it."

The grandmother nodded against your chest, her body shaking with quiet sobs. "Please," she whispered. "Make him answer for his actions..."

You didn’t speak again. Simply pulled away, your eyes catched the fragile hope in the old woman’s face. You had to get to work.

As you walked back to her jeep, you lit a cigarette, the familiar burn settling in your lungs. You leaned against the vehicle, took a long drag and let out a slow breath, staring at the road.

You pulled into the parking lot of the Investigative Committee’s office, the weight of the day heavy on your shoulders.

You couldn’t let yourself dwell on it though—not yet. There was work to be done.

As you entered the office, you was greeted by the sounds of laughter. Your team, including Yunbin, was gathered around the small conference table. They were clearly enjoying something — Jimin’s jokes, no doubt.

You paused for a moment, standing at the door and taking in the sight. Yu was seated comfortably, laughing along with them, her presence like a familiar part of the group, even though you had never given her that permission.

You hand gripped the doorframe for a second as the irritation boiled under you skin, but you quickly masked it. There was no point in showing your frustration. You wasn’t about to let anyone see how much Jimin’s presence bothered you.

You stepped into the room, eyes cool as they swept over the group. Yunbin’s face lit up as he turned to you. "Ah, Chief! You’re back. We were just—"

"Keep the jokes for later," you interrupted, your voice flat, dismissing the tension in the room with the sharpness of her words. "There should be no strangers here."

Yu straightened in her seat, a flicker of something crossing her face. Maybe surprise, maybe just the usual deflection. Either way, it didn’t matter. You wasn’t going to acknowledge you in front of the team. Not yet. Not like this.

"Got it," Yunbin said, still grinning but sensing the shift in the room. He quickly moved to gather some papers, trying to ease the awkwardness.

You took her usual seat at the head of the table, pulling out the diary she’d taken from Minji's room. She laid it on the table, staring at it for a moment before opening it carefully. The words seemed innocent at first, but soon turned into pain, which the girl poured out onto paper, in the hope that it would not hurt so much inside.

You could feel Jimin’s eyes on you. But you didn’t look up. You wouldn’t let herself be distracted. Not yet.

She stayed seated for a moment after you sat down, unsure if she should say something. The mood in the room had shifted completely. The others went quiet, shuffling papers, pretending to look busy. She hated the tension, but even more, she hated that you hadn’t looked her in the eye once.

She finally stood up, slowly walking over toward the desk.

"Hey," Jimin started, her voice low, careful, like she was approaching a wild animal. "Can we talk for a second?"

You didn’t lift her eyes from the diary.

"It’s been a long time, I know," she continued, hesitating. "But I think I can help. With the case. I have media connections, people who’ll talk to me, not the cops. I know how to handle this stuff."

The room fell completely silent. Yunbin looked up from his seat, lips pressed into a line.

You flipped a page in the diary with deliberate calm. Then, you closed the textbook, sat back in her chair, and looked at Yu like she was something you'd scraped off her shoe.

"You show up out of nowhere, ten fucking years later, like nothing happened," you said flatly. "You want to play detective now?"

"Listen, dear—" Jimin’s voice cracked slightly.

"Don’t fucking call me that," you snapped, standing up. "You don’t belong here. This isn’t a goddamn joke. These girls are dead. You’re not going to use this case to write your little novel or impress your TV buddies."

"I’m not trying to—"

"Get the fuck out of my office, Jimin."

The words hit like a hammer, and she blinked, caught off guard by the raw anger in her tone. It wasn’t just professional — there was pain behind it. Real, personal pain.

Yunbin stood up too, putting a hand on your shoulder.

"Chief," he said softly. "I know how this looks, but Jimin’s not a bad person. She might actually be able to help. We can control what she sees. Just give her a chance."

You didn’t look at him. Her jaw tightened. Her eyes stayed locked on her, who now stood frozen in front of the desk, her hands curled into fists.

"One chance," you said, voice cold. "You step out of line, even once, I’ll have security drag you out the fuck out of here."

Jimin nodded, swallowing whatever pride she had left.

"I won’t get in your way."

"You already did," you muttered, sitting back down.

The Jeep moved steadily, tires humming quietly beneath them. You drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting rigidly in your lap. Jimin sat in the passenger seat, her hands clasped together, thumbs fidgeting.

You hadn’t spoken in almost ten minutes.

"Thanks for letting me come," she said, finally breaking the silence.

No reply.

She glanced sideways. Your eyes were fixed on the road, jaw tight.

"I mean it. You didn’t have to. I know that."

"You’re right. I didn’t," you said flatly.

She exhaled a short breath, more like a sigh. "You’ve changed... a lot."

You scoffed. "You haven’t."

"No, I have," Jimin said. "Maybe not in all the right ways. But I’m not the same girl who ran off after graduation."

"You didn’t run off, Jimin. You disappeared."

The word hit hard. she bit the inside of her cheek, watching the waves crash far beyond the roadside barrier.

"My parents dragged me to Seoul without warning. It wasn’t planned, it just... happened. And I should have called. Wrote. Anything. I know."

Your hands tightened on the wheel. "And ten years passed."

You thought about what was said, it was all a complete mess, does she seriously think that she can show up after so much time as if nothing happened?

You fell silent, talking to Jimin about personal things is the last thing you need, because what if you get carried away again, fall head over heels in love again, no. There is a patrol of the spit by the sea ahead, and getting close to her is the last thing you need.

[holycatsandrabbits]

Where to Find Out About Writing Scams

Writing is a highly emotional process, and publishing perhaps even more so. Whether writers are looking to self-publish or sell to a press, it’s not surprising we get taken in by scammers promising to help us achieve our dreams. Scammers may try to sell marketing or other services that supposedly get an author noticed by big names in the business, or just impersonate a real press or agent.

But we can fight back by educating ourselves. Here are a few places to check before logging into your Paypal.

Writer Beware

The best authority on writing scams. From their website: Writer Beware’s® resources include the Writer Beware® website, which provides warnings about literary schemes and scams, along with information on how writers can recognize and avoid them; the Writer Beware® blog, which covers schemes and scams in real time, as well as publishing industry news and other items of writerly interest; the Writer Beware® Facebook page, which links to writing-related articles, blog posts, and news items, and provides a forum for discussion; and the X (formerly Twitter) feed of Writer Beware® co-founder Victoria Strauss. 

Writers Weekly

A List of Publishers That ALL Authors Should AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Good advice and a constantly updated list by Angela Hoy. Recommended by Writer Beware.

Alliance of Independent Authors

Self-Publishing Services Rated A searchable list with ratings and concerns noted. Recommended by Writer Beware. 

Authors Guild

Publishing Scam Alerts Another well-updated list.

Reddit

r/writers You can check for posts on scams or ask a question of your own.

Scammers are very good at what they do. As writers, we owe it to ourselves and our work to be suspicious (especially of unsolicited emails) and to do our research before sending anyone money for anything.

This article was first published on my writing blog

DannyeChase.com ~ AO3 ~ Linktree ~ Weird Wednesday writing prompts blog ~ Resources for Writers

[lirotation]

Ascended Astarion x Female Tav, one shot exercise.

I don't do Ascended Astarion stuff usually, but I was exchanging emails with my friend, and he said, "I'm sure you let Astarion ascend since you were so in love with him you'd want to do anything to make him happy."

Ummm, end of friendship, hahahaha. No, I was so surprised he would think that. Ascended Astarion is a glaring relationship red flag. If there's one piece of advice I can offer to younger women, it's this: never allow your partner to have complete control over you. Always nurture your own freedom and power.

Keep pursuing your career aspirations. Maintain close ties with family and friends who support you. Develop your own interests and skills. Make sure you can simply get up and leave and that you can support yourself if you do need to leave.

I'm not suggesting you take a cynical or suspicious view of relationships. But entering any partnership as equals, with your own solid ground to stand on, is key. The joy of intimacy relies on mutual care, respect and consent between free individuals.

If you find yourself yielding your autonomy or goals to maintain a relationship, or walking on eggshells to avoid angering someone, those are major red flags. Have the courage to reevaluate any bond that becomes more confining than uplifting.

No matter how tempting the fantasy, an unequal power dynamic will likely turn unhealthy over time. I am sure in the game, Ascended Astarion really loved Tav, but the heart is a fickle thing, and eternity is simply too long.

I used a base from talented SeraphicMayin on Deviantart as reference. Link below.

[ralfmaximus]

Want to keep using Windows 10 after 2025?

It'll cost you $61 the first year. Per machine.

And $122 in year two and $244 in year three, doubling every year after that until by 2038 it hits $499,712 bucks.

Just kidding. But not about that first part. Seriously, they really do plan to double the annual fee for the first few years. Yikes.

Assuming you want security updates. Honestly, I wouldn't mind a break from Windows Update doing secret shit to my workstation without asking.

It remains unclear what happens to Windows 10 users who opt out of the Extended Security Updates program. Nag screens? Windows goes into a throttled Limp Home mode?

I doubt they'd brick your machine, but based on Microsoft's recent disdain for its own customers anything is possible.

Honestly, if you avoid clicking on suspicious links and email phishing scams you're pretty safe even if you never update Windows. I've still got perfectly fine XP and Windows 7 machines in my network that have never been compromised by evildoers or malware.

All of this is engineered fear from Microsoft trying to move people off Windows 10.

[anti-lies]

Attention: After Talking to Another Real System, I've Come to Believe That the Endo Community is Being Infiltrated and Controlled by CIA Operatives

I need everyone to be aware and be vigilant because the threat is real. The endogenic community was invented to divide us and keep us distracted.

Having combed over several big potential CIA operatives, I've narrowed the field down to four possibilities. Remember that any or all of these could be CIA operatives, but I'm certain at least one has to be.

Possible CIA plants

@guardianssystem: This system claims to be a pro-endo "traumagenic" system as a way to give themselves authority. They have activity across multiple websites including TikTok and X. They're notable for compiling this document of "sources" to prove endos exist. This document is everywhere. It has suspiciously become the main compilation of endo sources that they love to link to at every turn.

@cambriancrew: They're a tulpa "system" who runs r/tulpas. For anyone who doesn't know, "tulpamancy" is essentially a form of brainwashing. Tulpamancers say they can change a person's brain to give them headmates, and they've convinced multiple "doctors" to back them. All of this sounds like MK Ultra stuff. Cambrian Crew, besides being an outspoken endo, appears to be well connected, and used those connections to help organize an AMA on r/tulpas. In this AMA, their CIA-paid doctors claimed to have conducted brain scans on tulpamancers that showed changes in brain activity when their tulpas were possessing limbs.

@sysmedsaresexist: A nefarious saboteur, Sysmedsaresexist posed as a prominent anti-endo voice for YEARS, building up a massive anti endo following on this site. Between their SysmedsAreSexist and JustAnotherSyscourse blogs, they practically single-handedly ran the "#shit endos say" tag dedicated to mocking endos. But then all of a sudden, they turn? And like CambrianCrew, SysmedsAreSexist appears to have a close relationship to "doctors," posting a screenshot of an email from Colin Ross, an expert in DID, that appears to support the existence of endogenic systems. All of this looks like a years-long psyop to gain people's trust and convert them.

@sophieinwonderland: Finally, that brings us to Sophie, another tulpa "system." She also has her own page filled with endo "sources" though not as detailed or widely disseminated as Guardians'. The more I looked into this one, the more disturbed I became. Sophie is, as far as I can tell, the system who started "The Future is Plural," the mass movement which we all know seeks to traumatize children en masse and give them dissociative disorders. She also openly brags about teaching people methods to dissociate and hallucinate, says that she believes she can rewire people's brains, and cheerfully is arguing in favor of propaganda.

Please, whatever you do, do not engage with these people. Not only to avoid harassing them, but because if they are indeed CIA operatives, it may not be safe to do so directly. I may be putting myself at risk just by talking about this aloud, and I believe they're already trying to discredit me, but I feel someone has to talk about this.

Community input in finding the spies is incredibly important.

Knowing all of the facts, I'd like to know who you all think is most likely a CIA operative.

[delcrepie]

‼️‼️ALL ARTISTS OUT THERE WHO DOES FREELANCE OR COMMISSIONS BE AWARE TO THIS SCAMMER OR PERSON!!

(scroll down to see screenshots I got and warnings and Infos)!

🚨 WARNING: PayPal Scam Alert 🚨 They’ll pretend to praise you and admire your artwork!

I want to warn everyone about a dangerous PayPal scam that I recently encountered. Please read carefully to avoid falling victim to this scam.

Here’s what happened: A person claimed to have sent me money and “upgraded" my PayPal account to a Business account without my consent. After checking my PayPal account directly, there was no such upgrade, and it was clear that the email I received was NOT legitimate.

But it didn't stop there. The scammer went as far as to say I would be arrested if I didn’t refund a payment they claimed to have sent me. This is a classic scam tactic used to create panic and pressure you into acting impulsively.

🔴 Red Flags to Watch Out For:

Suspicious Email Address: The email came from "paypal.services.couk", which is NOT an official PayPal domain. PayPal’s legitimate emails come from @paypal.com.

Unsolicited Account Upgrades: No one, not even PayPal, can upgrade your account without your consent. Only you can make such changes in your account settings.

Threat of Arrest: The scammer threatened that I would be arrested if I didn't issue a refund. This is not true! PayPal cannot and will not threaten you with legal action over a transaction unless you’re involved in illegal activity (which I was not). It's a manipulation tactic to scare you into sending money.

Phishing Attempt: The email seemed designed to trick me into clicking on malicious links or giving up personal information.

⚠️ What To Do If You Get a Similar Email:

Do NOT click any links or download any attachments.

Log in directly to PayPal via the official website (www.paypal.com) to check your account activity. Do not trust links in suspicious emails.

Report the Scam: Forward the suspicious email to PayPal’s fraud department at spoof@paypal.com and mark it as spam.

Contact PayPal Support: If you’re unsure about any email or threat, reach out to PayPal directly through their official customer service channels.

🚫 Remember: Scammers may use threats of arrest or other extreme tactics to manipulate you. Stay calm, protect your personal information, and do not respond to threats.

Let’s stay vigilant and help protect each other from these scams! 💡

[daydream-the-demon]

You should call or email the people at Design It For Us. They’re a pro KOSA group that are using Tuesdays to call Mike Johnson and others to agree with KOSA. Design It For Us thinks KOSA will help with mental health and I think they need to read your post.

Hello! Thank you, anon, for reaching out to me. The post in question: https://www.tumblr.com/daydream-the-demon/765283534054342656/i-hope-to-god-that-kosa-doesnt-get-put-in-place?source=share

If anyone wants to contact them for me, as I myself cannot, it would be very much appreciated. I am also free to be asked questions about the subject and what I think about them!

---

I want to add on a thing.

I also see a thing happening with KOSA: "For safety of our kids."

While I see the appeal of this statement, there are so many counter arguments to it that are much worse in consequence.

First, it is better to be informative than to be shielding. Knowing the dangers of the internet, knowing why they're dangerous, and knowing how to avoid them is better than to be shielded and uninformed when you actually encounter the danger. I know what pedophiles, groomers, scammers, sex trafficking and etc. is, I was not shielded from those ideas, and it's easy to avoid them when you already know how it works and what to avoid.

Second, it is up to the parent to decide whether their child is smart enough to use the internet. I started using the internet when I was about 7, getting social media at about 11 (with tumblr and such). I was taught: "Don't share personal information", "Don't show private parts of yourself", "Don't talk to suspicious people", and "Don't click on suspicious links", and I've gone by with that for the longest time and everything is going well. My mom decided that I was smart enough to use the internet, so I get to use it. It is ultimately the parents' decision whether the child is smart enough to use the internet.

Third, mental health support. Using the internet, I learned about the 988 crisis lifeline, and it has saved my life a few times. My friends have also saved my life many times. Without the internet, I might have actually died. What's better, a dead or alive kid? I think that's easy to answer. It helped me find community when I was heavily bullied, had no one to talk to, and no one to share my thoughts with.

Fourth, this isn't the strongest point, but artistic creation. I have written cringe fanfics, but, the thing is, my English grades have gone up way higher (even higher than the other students, and English isn't even my first language). One of the biggest points on the internet is to share what you create. I created art, and it motivates me to keep going and get better, and I am regarded as one of the best artists in my grade (with always being asked how to draw something). It greatly helps with my future creative career(s).

KOSA is bad, pretty much being objectively so. The bad effect outweigh the good ones. Thank you for listening to me.

[beyondthesocialmedia]

"Beyond the Screen: The Do’s, Don’ts, and Dangers"

Social media has evolved into a virtual platform where people share their lives, thoughts, and artistic creations in modern times. The digital landscape is incredibly powerful, offering everything from life-altering opportunities to viral trends. Beyond the screen, however, is a hidden reality that is full of obligations, dangers, and consequences. Making the most of social media while staying safe requires an understanding of its dos, don'ts, and hazards.

Understanding the dos, don'ts, and dangers of social media is essential to navigating the digital world safely and responsibly. Social media has completely changed how we connect, share, and consume information. The platform offers countless opportunities for communication, business, and education, but it also carries a number of serious risks.

The Do’s of Social Media

1.  Maintain Your Privacy

Modify your content's privacy settings on all platforms to limit who can view it. Your public information can be used by cybercriminals, so be careful what you share.

2. Think Before You Post

Consider whether you would feel at ease if this went viral before clicking "post" or "share." Your digital footprint may follow you for years because the internet never forgets. Be careful when sharing.

3.  Check Facts Like a Detective

Misinformation is pervasive. Don't trust everything you see; before sharing news or contentious posts, double-check sources, confirm assertions, and exercise critical thought.

4.  Distribute Encouragement and Support

An encouraging message, a shared success story, or a kind remark can brighten someone's day. Make use of your position to encourage others and foster a more positive online environment.

5. Taking breaks from social media

Scrolling endlessly can have an impact on mental health. To keep a healthy balance between online and offline life, set limits on screen time and schedule breaks.

The Don’ts of Social Media

1.  Avoid Cyberbullying and Online Drama.

On the Internet, negativity spreads quickly. Block, mute, or report offensive content rather than arguing. Be the answer, not a contributing factor.

2. Don’t Share Personal Information Recklessly

Don't share private information online, such as phone numbers, home addresses, or financial details. You may become vulnerable to identity theft and cyberthreats as a result.

3. Don't Believe Everything You See

A filtered reality is frequently displayed on social media. Steer clear of comparing yourself to idealized depictions because they might not accurately represent reality.

4. Don't neglect your relationships in real life.

Real-world relationships are more important than likes and comments. Get away from the computer and spend time with loved ones.

5.  Avoid clicking on every link that appears.

Not every eye-catching advertisement or viral link is reliable. Steer clear of phishing scams, dubious emails, and "too good to be true" signs. Cybercriminals are constantly searching.

The Dangers of Social Media

1.  Effects of Continuous Scrolling on Mental Health

Social media can become compulsive. Anxiety, depression, and stress can be exacerbated by comparison culture, online validation seeking, and the fear of missing out (FOMO).

2.  Threats to Cybersecurity

To gain access to personal information, hackers take advantage of public Wi-Fi, weak passwords, and unconfirmed links. These risks can be avoided by bolstering online security.

3.  False Information and Deception

Misinformation is becoming more and more prevalent, from deep fake videos to deceptive headlines. Keep yourself informed by asking questions about everything and sticking to reliable sources.

4. The Danger of Internet Predators

Not everyone on the internet is well-meaning. Never share private photos with strangers, exercise caution when conversing with them, and notify the authorities of any suspicious activity.

5. The Cost of Digital Addiction

Long periods of aimless scrolling can interfere with sleep cycles and lower productivity. To get back in control of your time, establish sensible boundaries and take up offline hobbies.

Conclusion:

Social media is a great way to connect with people, but there are risks involved. We can make the digital world a safer and better place for everyone if we use it carefully, protect our privacy, and spread positivity. Stay smart, stay kind, and always think before you click. The internet is forever, but so is the impact of your choices. Let’s use social media to inspire, connect, and create a better future, both online and offline.

Even though the internet is virtual, everything you do has an impact on the real world. "Behind every screen is a real person. Be kind. Be respectful."

How do you feel about social media awareness? Let's carry on the discussion in the comments section below! Although social media is an effective tool for connecting people, there are risks associated with it. We can make the internet a safer and better place for everyone if we use it carefully, safeguard our privacy, and spread positivity.

The effects of your decisions last forever, just like the internet. Social media is like a huge ocean, full of limitless opportunities and hidden dangers beneath the surface. Let's use it to inspire, connect, and build a better future both online and offline. You may tap into the power of technology without getting caught in its traps if you navigate it with awareness, responsibility, and kindness. Be mindful before posting, protect your privacy, and keep in mind that genuine relationships are more important than virtual ones. Together, let's make social media a positive force that helps everyone have a safer and better digital future.

Remember: "Your words have power. Use them to uplift, not to harm."

©: Rayn Gwyneth Genabe https://i.pinimg.com/736x/47/5b/2c/475b2cfa0e818b7fda0234070fa3c68a.jpg

[stepswowdsen]

【KagePro】 KuroEne AU: KuroEne's First Meeting 🖤💙📱🖥️

Summary:

KuroEne AU: KuroEne's First Meeting

Who of the KagePro cast would fall for Ene's pranks

Kuroha/Saeru arranges a meeting with Ene for the first time by sending her an e-mail

Saeru proposes to do a video call with Ene prior to meeting in-person

Who of the KagePro cast would fall for Ene's pranks

Made a KagePro tier list for fun ✌️

"Who would fall for a ph*shing link from Ene"

(Updated Seto’s tier from “Probably Would Not” to “Could go either way”)

Here's my logic. Saeru absolutely would not for obvious reasons

I think for the 2nd tier, their logic would kick in to not click suspicious links

Not sure about Seto tbh.

Shintaro would. Ene sent herself as an e-mail attachment to Shintaro that he clicked on, and that's how he ended up getting a virus girl living in his computer

Mary and Momo would especially if it's one of those Discord type sc*ms

"Hi! I want you to test a game of mine. Can you download it and run it?"

Hibiya probably would because he came from the countryside and Hiyori only recently got him a phone.

Konoha would, just cuz he’s clueless.

F: With Seto, it's a 50/50

The Dan would always be searching for a bargain with their budget 😭

Me: OH yeah true. I agree. Like I was unsure about Seto

Misc Rambles

Kagerou Daze: Ch. 4

I think the early chapters might imply Kido might've stolen things for the base's decorations (from Kano's words)

Also makes sense that they wanna avoid the eyes of authorities and stay low (since Kano knows about Saeru's existence)

Iirc, Saeru has control over entire departments thanks to his manipulations.

F: MF THEY ROB?!??!?!

Me: Actually wait, they could've just brought stuff over from their old family home once they moved out from the Tateyama household.

Me: I'm not sure. Hmmm.

Kano's words of "Sneak into dangerous places and borrow... stuff" makes me unsure. Not sure if he’s being legit there

F: IT'S KANO, YOU CAN'T TRUST THIS DUDE'S WORDS

Me: Yeah good point. So Ig it's up in the air whether they steal stuff or not

F: No wonder the Dan apartment has furnishing, they rob that shit /lh

Dialogue Scripts (WIP)

I need to refine this set of dialogue scripts later, but I wrote this a couple months ago.

Kuroha/Saeru arranges a meeting with Ene

I was just rereading my old dialogue scripts and I was just wondering...

How do you think Kuroha arranges his first meeting with Ene?

I suppose he could just find/track her location and then send her an e-mail asking to meet-up.

But I wonder how Ene could agree to such a proposition, especially since it must come off as so suspicious to get an e-mail from a stranger

Then I imagine Ene eventually agrees (since Saeru can be persuasive enough imo)

Saeru ensures Ene is in the general vicinity and lets her follow him (as she jumps through electronic devices to chase after him in the city)

He then heads to an abandoned building to talk to her privately

That's when Saeru introduces himself to Ene.

"Hello... I do believe this is the first time we've met?"

Me:

Prev messages:

Oh one thing I just thought about

I imagine that when Kuroha/Saeru first meets Ene, he shows up in the general vicinity she's in while she's travelling in the city via jumping through electronics

Ig he could tap her location and try to find where she is in the cyber world beforehand. Like he figures it shouldn't be too hard to find her

Ig it'd be easier for him to arrange a meeting with her if he sent her an email beforehand

And Ene receives an email from a mysterious sender signed with the initials "xxx"

(Azami's fave initials in her diary are xxx so I imagine Saeru likes using xxx too)

F:

(About your dialogue scripts)

This is already a nice start but didn't Ene send herself via e-mail to everyone? But with that option in mind, Kuroha has to be quick with his moves and accept it immediately before Shintaro does...

Sooo I guess Kuroha sending his email first is a nice start, tho it is rather suspicious (from Ene’s POV)

Would he be straightforward with the email tho?? For all we know, he could be disguising his words like "Congrats, you've been picked to test out a new robot body" or something

Me: Glad you think the beginning is nice ^^ Ty!

2 years ago, Haruka and Takane died, and Ene lost her human body and gained her cyber body through Opening Eyes.

From what I understand, Ene finds Shintaro after searching for a home for 1 year and then lives with him in his computer/phone. So she was on her own before that.

So all Saeru has to do is find and meet Ene within that one year timespan (before Shintaro does) 👍

Kagerou Daze: Ch. 1

Though Ene would constantly be on the move and moving from place to place.

It'd be a bit harder to find her since she's constantly moving from place to place in the cyber world (since he probably has ways to be able to tap/track someone's location)

But he has 1 year. That's more than enough time for him.

I have faith in him considering he's the one that creates Ene's android body (in this AU) in the first place 🙏

He's the only one in KagePro who could possibly pull off a feat like that. 👍

F: Yeah but his email would be very very VERY suspicious

Me: Yeahhh like it is pretty suspicious if Saeru sends an e-mail first

There are a few options we could go here

KuroEne's First Meeting

Option 1:

Ene is in the city and Kuroha/Saeru just shows up in the general vicinity ("chance meeting/encounter," but Saeru ensured that she'd be in the general vicinity)

Option 2:

Saeru emails Ene first. They could either go back and forth with emails until Saeru can relieve Ene's suspicions and Ene agrees to the meet-up (so she's still suspicious, but it's enough for her to agree to meet him)

Option 3:

Saeru emails Ene first.

Ene insists that the mysterious sender sends a video or audio clip of himself so that it cannot be faked.

She tells him that she'll know if the other person sends a duplicate photo from the internet or uses an AI voice.

I feel like Saeru would prefer for her to see his appearance for the first time in-person (when they actually meet-up, just cuz he wants to see her surprised reaction)

Saeru agrees to sending a short audio clip or going on audio call for a bit. Ene is shocked when she hears that the person on the other end has Haruka's voice.

Option 4:

Saeru emails Ene first. Ene asks about his identity, which prompts Saeru to ask if she wants to see his face.

He (or Ene) then proposes to do a video call. Saeru agrees in order to help "clear" Ene's suspicions of him.

Ene is shocked when he sees his face, though partially obscured by shadow due to the lighting.

F: Option 3 feels like giving her false hope with that statement

Option 4 is the best imo

Me:

"You've been selected to test a new robot!"

I definitely don't think Saeru would be THAT straightforward, because that'd just be WAY too suspicious.

The dude is really clever and cunning. He'd be way more subtle than that.

I think at first he just wants to arrange a meet-up with her.

Option 3 is honestly heartbreaking on her end 😭 So I'd rather not.

F: Yeaaah let's not, maybe arrange a small meeting first to gain trust and prove to her that he has no ulterior motives (even if he does)

Art: Highspeed Fujimori (@/highspeed_f)

Colour Edit and Detail Edits: Me

Me: I was thinking about something like this.

Ene: (What is this... This could just be spam mail.)

Ene: (They didn't even give me a name... Just "xxx" as their initials...)

Ene: (This is just too fishy...!)

Ene: (Besides, I don't want to be taken away by a stranger or something...! What if they're dangerous...!? What if this person is apart of the mafia or a criminal syndicate or something!?)

Ene: Give me some proof. How can I trust you?

Kuroha: You want me to give you proof?

Ene: (WHOA! That reply was instant!)

Me: I feel like a short video call could ease her worries instantly and get her interested in him, but I feel like he wants the element of surprise?

Unless he will acquiesce to Ene's demands just to get her to trust him.

F: What app do they use for a vid call tho?? AND HOW WOULD IT EVEN WORK?? Like what would show on Ene's camera??? 😭

Me: Oh good question

F: I guess just like Discord's streaming feature, it's possible

Tsumamare Series Rubber Strap Charms: COSPA

Upscaled Version: Me

Me: Also I feel like during this whole thing, Ene would be surprised at how fast Saeru (mysterious sender) sends his replies

F:

Ene: (!?)

Ene: (Does this person have their phone on standby? How much freetime do they have?!)

Me:

Ene: Ok, stranger. Video call me right now. Then I'll know for sure if you're fake, bozo!

Ene: (If it's a scammer, I bet that'll get them to shut up.)

Me: LMAO YEAH

F: Then Kuroha accepts it and now she's confused 🔥

Me: If Saeru uses a VPN or something (but is just somewhere else in the city while he talks to her), then she won't get the location of his house or lab via his IP address. Which is ideal for him.

F: OH RIGHT

Me: It'd be funny if Ene tried to bait the mysterious sender into clicking a "Grab IP address link" but you know… Saeru is super intelligent so he would obviously not fall for it

I’ve had friends do that before with art scammers 😂

F: He's smart enough to tell the difference so no :v

Me: Like I just don't think he'd want her to be looking into his lab's general location/vicinity THIS early

Me: I feel like even if she does, it would go like this:

Kuroha: (...)

Kuroha: Is that an IP tracker? That would work if I was a bot.

Ene: (Oof... This guy is more tech savvy than I thought.)

Misc Rambles

(Just gonna warn about these kinda sc*ms)

Also yeah.

Iirc the only way a hacker can compromise your account and get your IP address is if you click sus links (ph*shing) or open a malicious downloaded file (with a virus) and run the executable.

Ex. If you get a suspicious Discord server link (that usually has a weird font), and you click on it. It then asks you to login to Discord via a QR code or sus link they send.

It then compromises your account and sp*ms the same invite message to everyone in your Friend's List.

There's also a Discord sc*m where they disguise it as "Hey I need help testing a game. Can you run it?"

The above photo is a sc*m server. Every server invite that has that font is usually a sc*m server. The font is not like usual Discord server invites.

Saeru agrees to show Ene his appearance

Me: Ig the immediate option for Saeru to ease some of Ene's worries is for him to send her a photo as an e-mail attachment or video call her.

Cuz it'll help ease some of her worries and make her interested in him and want to figure out what his deal is.

Because of his uncanny resemblance to Haruka/Konoha (in appearance)

Me: Oh this just came to mind

Kuroha: You want to video call? I could arrange that, yes. Give me a moment.

Ene: You're agreeing?

Kuroha: Yes, I don't mind. (^-^)

Kuroha: (He turns on the video feed.)

Kuroha: ...Hello. I take it that this is satisfactory?

Ene: (!?)

Ene: (Who......? Who is this person......?)

Ene: (He looks just like......)

Kuroha: Can you see me?

Ene: ……Y-yeah……

Kuroha: Good, good. I can see your screen, too. (^-^)

Kuroha: Then, everything is working just as intended.

KuroEne's First Meeting (Continued)

One thing I thought about.

Do you think KuroEne would send e-mails back and forth when Ene tries convincing him to send a photo of himself or video call her?

Or would Saeru acquiesce immediately to her demands just to gain her trust?

I feel like she'd opt for a video call, since it's harder to fake

(Since she isn't aware of his appearance up until he agrees)

I feel like he'd be talking to her while in an abandoned building or on a rooftop or something in the city (so not his house or lab)

Kuroha: You want to see my face?

Ene: I need some proof that you're not just a scammer!

F: It really depends if he's in the mood to play around or not

He could be straight-forward about it, at the same time he could also do some back and forth conversation until Ene eventually asked him to reveal himself

Me: Oooh yeah so it depends if he's in a playful mood or not.

So if he feels in the mood to tease her or not.

I feel like, even when he can't see her face, he can absolutely read her tone through text 😂

F: Something like

Ene: How do I know if you're a real person or not?

Kuroha: Do you want me to show my face to you?

Me: OOOH yeah that's a good idea

F: Ngl this outcome would be so funny

Kuroha: Why are you so interested in seeing my face? Could it be… that you’re actually interested in me?

Ene: WHAT? NO NO NO NO NO!!!

Me: DAKLSLDKSKLSDKLDSKL

He wouldn’t flirt until much later imo. Like only when they start living together.

Me:

Ene: This isn't a dating app!!! I just want to confirm if you're a real person!!! (>3<)

Me: Jokes on her cuz he does have a face she's attracted to 😔

F: HOW UNFORTUNATE WWWW

F: Is he wearing some kind of hood?? If he is and it's only showing his bangs then Ene would probably get some flashbacks

Ene: (His voice... It's like Haruka's, but deeper.)

Me: OH good idea ‼️

Reminds me of the Daze MV KuroEne chibis with cat ear hoodies…

Though Ig he could always wear a black hoodie like the MekaDan does in some arts.

Me: That's honestly a good idea. So Saeru can keep his appearance reveal for when they actually meet up in person 👍

F: So he only shows like 3/4 of his face

Me: If he's in a playful mood, they could go back and forth with e-mails:

Kuroha: How come you're so intent on seeing my face? I'm not in a place to disclose my identity at the moment.

Ene: Hmph! Then I don't have a reason to trust you if you don't! I'll just stop replying to your e-mails! (>3<)

Me: HOOOO THIS IS A GOOD IDEA

Imagine if Ene hears the sound of Saeru's low chuckle when he turns on the video feed

His voice is hot. Ty Mamoru Miyano 🙏

F: RIGHT.

Idk who was in the studio that decided "You know what? Black Konoha's voice, you! (Mamoru Miyano) Do Haruka's voice, but deeper and sexier"

Me: ❤️

Me: God I wish MCA could've given us more Drama CDs to make up for the terribad anime.

Iirc Shintaro and Ayano got one together?

Give us Drama CDs about the MekaDan members and Saeru ‼️

I swear with the limited budget they probably blew the budget on the song covers /lh

Me: I could imagine Saeru's face being partially obscured in shadow (since the abandoned building he's in is probably really dark)

Me: And then KuroEne's video call probably starts like this

Kuroha: (Turns on the video feed)

Kuroha: ...Hello. I take it that this is satisfactory?

Ene: (...!)

F:

Kuroha: Is this enough proof to you?

Ene: (...)

Kuroha: ...Hello? Is the signal that bad over there, or is it just my screen?

Ene: (...)

F: She's stunned for a while 😭😭

Me: He's probably repressing the urge to smirk when he sees Ene's shocked expression.

Me: OOOH THIS IS SO GOOD

Me: (Later on in the convo)

Kuroha: In any case, I want to meet you in-person.

F:

Ene: WOAH THERE, slow down, will ya?! (//>~<//)

Me: (Some time after Ene agrees to a meeting)

Kuroha: Let's keep in touch until we meet.

Kuroha: ...Until then.

Me: DAZE MV OUTFITS' CAT EAR HOODIES 🐈‍⬛ ‼️

Ig it'd make him seem a little less intimidating.

Me: Just thinking about how this is Ene's POV while sitting in Shintaro's computer...

Saeru has such an intense gaze, so I imagine Ene gets flustered easily by him staring at her.

640 px 2 MB wife 💙

She just comes closer to the screen or has the screen zoom up on her (to adjust how her video cam footage looks to the person on the other side)

Me: Oh yeah the MekaDan has been drawn with black hoodies before.

So Saeru could just be wearing a black hoodie here.

When Ene asks him through e-mail, "How do I know if you're a real person or not?"

I could just imagine Saeru at first having a contemplative look as he runs through possible options he could propose and thinks them through in his head.

Saeru: (...)

And then he just smirks to himself as he comes up with the idea of showing his face (while it's still partially obscured by shadow cuz of how dark the abandoned building he's in, is)

And that’s when he decides to go along with Ene’s whims and proposes doing a video call with her

Daze MV: Kuroha and Ene Chibi Charms by Sidu

Scan: @/ayara-resara

Speaking of, I love the Daze MV chibis by Sidu. The Daze MV outfits are iconic. 🖤💙

Their expressions are SO cute too! 💗

I love how their outfits are drawn.

Sidu designed these charms, which were used for acrylic keychains, acrylic stand, and rubber strap keychain merch.

Everyone else has a hexagon acrylic stand, while Saeru's hexagon stand BG has a "cracked/shattered" looking appearance.

Which makes it resemble the boulder that his snake form wraps around (like that scene in MCA and MR2 where he taunts Azami's love for his family)

[wisekarma]

Privacy Concerns: How Gen Z is Protecting Their Data?

What’s the first thing you do when a pop-up asks, “Do you accept cookies?”—immediately click “Accept” or hesitate as if pondering the secrets of the universe?

If you’re Gen Z, the answer might surprise you. While they’re often labelled as the oversharing Snapchat generation, they’re also becoming the poster children for digital privacy warriors. Want to know how? Stick around. By the end of this blog, you’ll not only uncover Gen Z’s surprising strategies for safeguarding their data but also pick up a few tips to reclaim control of your own.

The Paradox of Gen Z: Masters of Oversharing, Yet Privacy-Conscious

On the surface, Gen Z seems like the generation that lives for Instagram reels, TikTok challenges, and viral tweets. But underneath the filters and hashtags lies a surprising truth: they care—deeply—about their digital footprints. They may post a dance video on TikTok but won’t hesitate to use pseudonyms on Facebook or create private Instagram accounts (finstas) to keep their personal lives personal.

How Did Gen Z Get So Privacy-Savvy?

Growing Up With Data Breaches

From hearing about massive breaches (remember the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal?) to watching documentaries like The Social Dilemma, Gen Z grew up knowing that even their memes could fuel someone’s data-mining empire. Lesson learned? Share strategically.

Cybersecurity 101 Is Their Second Nature

For this generation, two-factor authentication isn’t optional—it’s a lifestyle. “123456” as a password? Please, that’s so 2010. Gen Z knows their passwords should look like they smashed their keyboard in frustration.

Tech Education in Schools

Unlike older generations, who stumbled their way through the internet’s dark corners, Gen Z often received digital literacy education. They know the difference between a phishing scam and an actual email from their bank. (Pro tip: If it starts with “Dear Customer,” run.)

Privacy Tips We Can All Steal (Ethically, of Course)

Gen Z is showing us the way, and here are some of their best practices:

Think Before You Link

Clicking on that shady “You’ve Won a Free iPhone!” ad is the digital equivalent of walking into a trap. Gen Z gets it—they avoid suspicious links like the plague.

Limit Permissions

Why should a weather app need access to your contacts? Gen Z regularly audits app permissions, keeping unnecessary snoopers at bay.

Use Burners for Fun

They know that creating a “throwaway” email address for subscriptions keeps spam out of their primary inbox.

The Ironic Humor of Gen Z’s Privacy Stance

Isn’t it ironic that the generation branded as addicted to screens is leading the charge for digital privacy? They’ll meme about data breaches but won’t let companies snoop on their Spotify playlists.

Conclusion: A Balancing Act

Gen Z proves you can live your best digital life and protect your data. Whether it’s using VPNs, switching to encrypted messaging apps, or simply saying no to invasive permissions, they’re rewriting the rules for online privacy.

The takeaway? Protecting your data doesn’t mean going off the grid; it means being intentional with your digital choices.

Do you think Gen Z has cracked the code on balancing online presence and privacy, or are they just lucky digital natives? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

[13eyond13]

Hi. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you get hacked? And how did you realize it happened? It's just that it's something of an anxiety of mine, and I feel that by learning from other people it happened to, I can learn to avoid it. No worries if you don't feel like talking about it, though.

I don't honestly know for sure, but I THINK it was because my desktop computer is pretty old and has been running on a very outdated version of Windows for quite a while now. I don't normally do things like click on suspicious links or answer suspicious emails or calls or messages from bots, but I'm quite lazy about things like updating my hardware and software when the older stuff is still working fine for me. Unfortunately this eventually makes you more vulnerable to being hacked remotely, because you can't get stuff like the current security updates and support on your computer's programs and all after a bit. Over the past couple of weeks I've had someone using my Facebook account to post fake ads for cars and motorcycles on Marketplace, someone using my Steam account to list all my trading cards for sale, somebody flooding my email address to receive literally hundreds of spam emails (like signing me up for random newsletters and junk mail and so on), and somebody using my credit card to attempt to buy a big purchase for themselves on Amazon. Basically since I don't know exactly how it started and the fact that it seems to be happening on multiple of my accounts I just had to go cancel my credit card and report the fraud to my bank, change every password on every personal account I could think of and add more 2 factor authentication steps to everything, and then wipe my computer of as much personal info as possible and lock it up a bit better too. I undid all the settings like the automatically saved passwords on my browser, and I'm not leaving it connected to the internet or leaving any of my personal accounts logged in when I'm not using them anymore. The security breaches seem to have stopped with me changing these passwords and everything else, but it's definitely a very violating and annoying experience to say the least. I should probably be more freaked out about it than I actually am, which is kinda just feeling a bit like the exasperated Ben Affleck smoking meme instead hahaha

[sahzadahmad]

How to Brand Short Links for Professional Apperance

How to Brand Short Links for Professional Appearance

In the age of social media, email marketing, and fast-paced digital communication, the way your links look plays a big role in how users perceive your brand. Long, clunky URLs are not only unattractive — they often appear suspicious or untrustworthy. That’s why branded short links have become a key component of professional digital marketing.

But creating branded links goes beyond simply shortening a URL. It involves strategy, customization, and branding to ensure your links reflect your brand identity and build trust with your audience.

In this article, we’ll explore how to brand short links for a professional appearance — and how to make them effective, recognizable, and conversion-focused.

 What Is a Branded Short Link?

A branded short link is a customized, shortened URL that uses your own domain name rather than a generic shortener like bit.ly or tinyurl.com.

Example:

Generic link:

arduino

CopyEdit

bit.ly/2Gt4Ftr

Branded link:

bash

CopyEdit

go.yourbrand.com/summer2025

This branded link uses a custom short domain and a meaningful slug to promote clarity, trust, and brand consistency.

 Why Brand Your Short Links?

Here’s why branding your short links matters:

Builds trust: People are more likely to click links from sources they recognize.

Increases engagement: Branded links can boost click-through rates by up to 34%.

Enhances visibility: Even when links are shared by others, your brand name remains visible.

Looks professional: Clean and branded URLs elevate your brand image.

Improves tracking: Most branded short link tools include advanced analytics.

 Steps to Brand Short Links Professionally

Let’s walk through how to set up and use branded short links in a way that looks clean and communicates professionalism.

1. Get a Custom Short Domain

The foundation of a branded short link is a custom domain. Choose a domain that reflects your brand but is short and easy to remember.

Examples:

For mybrand.com, a short domain could be:

go.mybrand.com

mybrnd.co

mybn.link

mb.to

 Tip: Use creative domain extensions like .link, .to, .sh, or .co.

2. Choose a Link Shortening Platform

You’ll need a service that supports custom domain integration. Popular options include:

Rebrandly (best for branding and custom slugs)

Bitly (popular and integrates well with social tools)

Short.io

TinyURL Pro

BL.INK

These platforms allow you to:

Connect your short domain

Create branded links

Track analytics

Add UTM parameters

3. Use Descriptive and Clean Slugs

The “slug” is the part of the URL after the domain, e.g., go.brand.com/**summer-sale**.

Avoid random characters like /Xy29aT. Instead, use human-readable and campaign-specific slugs:

/free-trial

/july-offer

/product-guide

/webinar-signup

This improves:

Professional appearance

Click-through rates

SEO visibility (when indexed)

4. Integrate with Marketing Tools

Many branded short link platforms integrate with:

Email marketing software (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.)

Social media schedulers (Buffer, Hootsuite)

CRM systems (HubSpot, Zoho)

Ad managers (Facebook Ads, Google Ads)

This allows seamless usage of branded links in all your campaigns while maintaining consistency across platforms.

5. Add UTM Parameters for Campaign Tracking

For deeper insights, append UTM parameters to your URLs before shortening them. These tags help you track:

Traffic sources

Campaign names

Ad performance

Example:

bash

CopyEdit

go.mybrand.com/summer-deal?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=summer2025

Don’t worry — the short link will still look clean and professional, while behind the scenes it’s full of valuable data.

6. Use Link Retargeting Pixels

With advanced link shorteners like Rebrandly or PixelMe, you can add a retargeting pixel even if the link points to third-party content.

This allows you to show follow-up ads to users who clicked on:

Blog articles

Product pages

External content

It boosts engagement and keeps your brand in front of the audience — even after they leave the page.

7. Customize Links by Platform

Tailor your branded links for different platforms to maintain a clean look and optimize performance:

Instagram Bio: Use short and clear links like brand.to/shop

Email: Use branded links to increase trust and avoid spam filters

Print Ads or Flyers: Make links easy to type and remember

YouTube Descriptions: Add short branded links to product pages or landing pages

 Branding Tips for a Professional Look

Here are a few extra tips to keep your branded links looking sharp:

Tip

Why It Matters

Keep slugs short and relevant

Easier to read and remember

Use hyphens for clarity

Example: /free-guide vs /freeguide

Avoid capital letters in URLs

They can confuse users or cause errors

Create a consistent naming structure

Example: /promo2025, /promo2026

Don’t use unnecessary numbers

Avoid slugs like /sale1234

Real-World Examples

Amazon uses amzn.to for affiliate links.

The New York Times uses nyti.ms.

Pepsi could use something like go.pepsi.com/campaign2025.

These links look professional, consistent, and brand-aligned.

Visit this websites to get more useful tools and knowledgeable helpful to grow in SEO tny.ws 

 Conclusion

In today’s competitive digital world, branding your short links is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Every link you share is an opportunity to boost brand recognition, build trust, and encourage user engagement.

From setting up a custom short domain to crafting readable slugs and tracking user behavior, branded links are a small detail that brings big results. Whether you're a startup, influencer, or enterprise, mastering branded link creation can significantly improve the professional image of your marketing campaigns.

So take control of your links. Brand them. Track them. Share them with confidence.

[zee-man-chatter]

JPMorgan Settles Jeffrey Epstein Case For $75 Million, Avoiding Trial by Tyler Durden - Tuesday, Sep 26, 2023 - 11:25 AM

JPMorgan Chase has agreed to pay the US Virgin Islands (USVI) a scant $75 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the bank knowingly aided Jeffrey Epstein's underage sex-trafficking operation, ending a legal battle that exposed all sorts of embarrassing ties between the bank and the dead pedophile.

The settlement was reached one month before the sides were scheduled to go to trial in Manhattan, where the USVI sought $190 million from the bank.

JPMorgan admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement.

Earlier this month we learned that JPMorgan flagged over $1 billion in suspicious transactions linked to Epstein, which they claimed to have reported to the US government, according to a filing by the USVI.

"JPMorgan was a full-service bank for Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking," said Mimi Liu, an attorney for the USVI, which said that the enormous sum bolsters key allegations in their legal action against the bank. According to the lawsuit, JPMorgan knowingly benefited from Epstein's wrongdoing, Bloomberg reports, noting that this is the first time in the case that the 'sheer volume of Epstein's financial activity at JPMorgan over a 16-year period has been disclosed.'

The suspicious activity was detailed in a 2019 filing to the US Department of Treasury, according to the lawsuit. The report was made after Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell a month after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. Epstein had been with the bank from the late 1990s through 2013, when they finally cut ties with him.

Epstein notoriously trafficked some of his victims to a private island in the USVI.

JPMorgan denies that it let Epstein's activities slide, and says it reported around 150 cash transactions to a federal regulator between 2002 and 2013.

Last month, the USVI told the judge in the case that the bank facilitated over $1.1 million in payments from Jeffrey Epstein to "girls or women," many of whom had Eastern European surnames.

Over $320,000 of the payments were made to "numerous individuals for whom JPMorgan had no previously identified payments," according to USVI attorney, Linda Singer, who accused the bank of failing to disclose the payments until after the end of discovery - the period in which parties in a lawsuit exchange evidence.

The bank claimed that's irrelevant, because the USVI doesn't have legal standing to claim JPMorgan obstructed a trafficking investigation because it wasn't a victim.

"The only reason that JPMorgan after 16 years reported the $1 billion in suspicious transactions was because he was arrested and then he was dead," singer added.

In June, former PMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley threw CEO Jamie Dimon under the bus over the bank's relationship with Epstein - claiming in legal documents that he and Dimon communicated about the convicted sex offender.

Epstein died in jail following his 2019 arrest on federal sex-trafficking charges. The pedophile, who became a JPMorgan client around 1998 - bringing the bank hundreds of millions of dollars, formed a close bond with Staley, who eventually oversaw JPMorgan's investment bank.

According to the filing, Staley says that he and Dimon communicated when Epstein was arrested in 2006 and 2008 when Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution, and served 13 months in a work-release program. Staley also claims that Dimon communicated with him several times through 2012 about whether to maintain Epstein as a client.

In one July 2010 email exchange between Staley and Epstein, Staley discussed 'Disney princesses' with Epstein.

"That was fun," Staley allegedly wrote to Epstein. "Say hi to Snow White."

To which Epstein replied: "[W]hat character would you like next?"

"Beauty and the Beast."

Epstein also emailed Staley photos of young women in seductive poses, the filing continued, with the USVI alleging that the exchange referred to young women and girls procured by Epstein.

Staley, according to the filing, "visited Epstein’s properties in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere," and "exchanged hundreds of messages with Epstein from his JPMorgan email account in full view of JPMorgan, including some with photos of young women, discussed Epstein’s provision of services to him during his travel on dates that closely corresponded with Epstein’s payments to the same young woman from his JPMorgan accounts, and discussed young women or girls procured by Epstein using the names of Disney princesses."

Epstein and Staley exchanged more than 1,200 emails over several years. Staley - who left JPMorgan to become CEO of Barclays two years later, stepped down from the latter in 2021 following a UK Financial Conduct Authority probe into his relationship with the pedophile financier.

[prestigebfs]

🛡️ Cybersecurity and Fraud Prevention in Finance: How to Protect Your Financial Systems in 2025

 In today’s digital-first financial world, cybersecurity and fraud prevention in finance are more critical than ever. With the rise of online banking, mobile payments, and digital assets, financial institutions face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and fraud tactics.

🔍 Why Cybersecurity Is Crucial in the Finance Industry

The financial sector is one of the most targeted industries by cybercriminals due to its vast access to sensitive personal data and high-value transactions. From phishing and ransomware to account takeover and insider threats, the risk landscape continues to evolve.

Google Keyword: financial cyber threats

💣 The Cost of Poor Financial Cybersecurity

Average cost of a financial data breach: $5.9 million

70% of consumers will switch banks or services after a breach

Identity theft and digital fraud rates are up 34% YoY

Trending Search Term: banking data breaches 2025

✅ Top Strategies for Cybersecurity and Fraud Prevention in Finance

1. Adopt Multi-Layered Security Protocols

Layered security (also called “defense in depth”) uses a combination of firewalls, encryption, anti-virus software, and secure authentication to prevent unauthorized access.

Related Term: secure financial transactions

2. Leverage AI and Machine Learning for Fraud Detection

Artificial intelligence plays a key role in identifying unusual patterns and suspicious behavior in real-time. AI-powered fraud detection systems can:

Flag fraudulent transactions instantly

Analyze thousands of data points in seconds

Continuously learn and adapt to new fraud tactics

Keyword: AI in cybersecurity

3. Implement Real-Time Transaction Monitoring

Real-time monitoring tools allow institutions to track and respond to threats instantly, reducing loss and minimizing damage.

Search Intent: fraud detection systems for financial services

4. Enhance Customer Authentication Protocols

Using multi-factor authentication (MFA), biometric verification, and one-time passwords (OTPs) helps protect accounts from unauthorized access.

Search Trigger: how to protect financial data from hackers

5. Train Employees and Clients on Cyber Hygiene

Human error remains one of the top causes of breaches. Train staff and customers on:

Recognizing phishing scams

Using secure passwords

Avoiding suspicious links and public Wi-Fi

Keyword Phrase: digital financial fraud prevention tips

🔐 Top Tools and Technologies for Financial Cybersecurity in 2025

Darktrace & Vectra AI: Behavioral threat detection

Splunk & IBM QRadar: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

Okta & Duo: Identity and access management

ThreatMetrix: Real-time fraud analytics

📉 Common Types of Financial Cyber Threats

Phishing Attacks

Credential Stuffing

Account Takeovers

Ransomware Attacks

Insider Threats

Synthetic Identity Fraud

Search Phrase: types of financial cyber fraud

🧠 Real-World Example

In 2024, a regional credit union prevented over $2 million in fraud losses using AI-based transaction monitoring and customer biometrics. This proactive cybersecurity investment boosted customer confidence and reduced fraud-related downtime by 75%.

🚀 The Future of Cybersecurity in Finance

In 2025 and beyond, expect to see:

Widespread use of zero-trust security models

Enhanced biometric authentication

Increased use of blockchain for transaction verification

AI-powered fraud prevention as the industry standard

Keyword Used: future of cybersecurity in banking

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📌 Final Takeaway

As digital transactions continue to grow, so does the threat landscape. Prioritizing cybersecurity and fraud prevention in finance is no longer optional—it’s essential.

Businesses and institutions that invest in AI-driven security tools, real-time monitoring, and fraud prevention protocols will not only protect their assets but also build long-term customer trust and compliance.

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[msalammedical]

Crypto Scam Recovery: How to Spot, Report, and Recover from Online Frauds

The world of cryptocurrency is booming, offering investors a decentralized and promising way to grow their wealth. But with that growth comes an increasing number of scams targeting unsuspecting users. From fake investment platforms to phishing attacks, online fraud is a real threat. The good news? Victims can take action. In this post, we’ll guide you on how to spot crypto scams, report them, and increase your chances of recovery.

How to Spot a Crypto Scam

Knowing how to recognize the signs of a scam can save you from massive losses. Below are common types of cryptocurrency scams and the red flags to watch out for.

1. Fake Investment Platforms

These websites or apps promise guaranteed returns on crypto investments. They often look professional and mimic real companies, but they operate purely to steal your funds.

Red Flags:

Promises of high, risk-free returns

Urgency to deposit funds quickly

No verifiable company background

2. Phishing Attacks

Scammers send emails, messages, or pop-ups that look like they’re from trusted platforms. These messages trick users into giving away private keys or login credentials.

Red Flags:

Misspelled URLs or suspicious email addresses

Requests for sensitive information

Offers or warnings that seem too good or too urgent

3. Pump and Dump Schemes

Fraudsters hype up a worthless coin to drive demand and inflate prices. Once the price peaks, they dump their holdings, causing massive losses for late investors.

Red Flags:

Unusual hype in online forums or social media

Sudden spike in price without real news or updates

Unverified claims about partnerships or technology

How to Report a Crypto Scam

If you’ve been scammed, it’s essential to report the incident immediately. Doing so not only helps protect others but also increases your chance of recovery.

1. Report to Local Authorities

File a police report or contact your country's cybercrime unit. Include all details—transaction history, wallet addresses, emails, and screenshots.

2. Notify the Exchange

If the scammer used a known exchange to receive your funds, contact that platform’s support team. Many exchanges can freeze the funds if reported in time.

3. Report to Online Watchdogs

Organizations like the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), FTC, or Action Fraud (UK) collect reports to investigate and track online scams.

4. Alert Blockchain Forensics Firms

Specialized companies like Chainalysis or CipherTrace can trace stolen crypto on the blockchain. In many cases, they collaborate with law enforcement and legal teams to initiate recovery.

How to Recover from a Crypto Scam

While recovering lost crypto isn’t easy, it’s not impossible. Here’s a structured plan from crypto recovery experts:

1. Secure All Accounts

Change passwords and enable two-factor authentication on your wallets, exchanges, and email. Run a malware scan on your devices to ensure no backdoors remain.

2. Collect Evidence

Document every aspect of the fraud—wallet addresses, transaction IDs, email conversations, social media links, and screenshots. The more information you gather, the better.

3. Consult a Crypto Recovery Expert

Work with a reputable crypto recovery agency or blockchain forensic specialist. These professionals use tracking software to trace your funds across wallet addresses and exchanges.

Note: Be cautious—scammers also pose as recovery agents. Only trust firms with proven results, legal backing, and strong online presence.

Prevention Tips to Avoid Future Crypto Frauds

Use hardware wallets for secure storage of your crypto assets.

Double-check URLs before entering credentials.

Avoid platforms or individuals promising “guaranteed returns.”

Do your research before investing—verify reviews, company registration, and team transparency.

Final Thoughts

Crypto scams are becoming more sophisticated, but with awareness and the right actions, you can fight back. Spotting red flags early, reporting to the proper authorities, and seeking expert help are key steps toward recovery.

If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a crypto scam recovery, don’t delay. Act fast, gather your data, and reach out to professionals who can help you trace and possibly recover your stolen funds.