#how to prevent identity theft

[lmsintmedia]

What’s at Risk When You Share Personal Information Online?

Ever Wonder What Happens When You Share Too Much Online? We all do it. Whether it’s posting vacation photos, sharing life updates, or even filling out an online form—our personal information is everywhere. But have you ever stopped to think about what could happen when that information falls into the wrong hands? Let’s break it down. The Real Risks of Oversharing Online 1. Identity Theft (A…

[macgyvermedical]

Moving vs Fleeing (and what you need to flee)

I was on a call last night with a very reputable LGBTQ+ organization in my state that discussed the difference between moving and fleeing.

Essentially, moving is planned. You get an apartment and a job in another city- hopefully you visit that city to scope it out. Then you move your life. It takes, at minimum, months.

Fleeing is unplanned. Something is happening that is so bad in your area that you have to cut and run. It may not be police at your door. But it might be legislation that prevents you from using restrooms without the risk of being killed or arrested. It might be lack of access to medications and something that makes it illegal to get those medications in a different state. It might be the classification of your life (as someone gay or tans) as a sex crime, and sex crimes being punishable by death (a goal of project 2025).

And, they recommended, get things together before it gets to that point, even if you aren't sure that it will happen, so fleeing is as easy as possible if you need to do it.

Here's what you can do:

Pick a location you can get to either by bus, train, or car that has a good track record for your needs and that you think you could live. Do your research- are there jobs there in your field? Housing?

Then get yourself a bag or large backpack.

Get a file folder and put your documents in it. I mean things like your passport, your birth certificate, your social security card, copies of any professional licenses you have, a checkbook, name change documentation, copies of financial documents like mortgages, copies of insurance cards and policies, copies of marriage licenses, and a copy of your driver's license. These are things you might need if you have to prove your identity or get a job or apartment. Then print out maps of several routes to your destination. Put the file folder in the bag.

Add to that: a couple of changes of clothes for each person including a hat and a cloth or disposable face covering (people don't question them as much since the pandemic, and they're convenient to hide your face). Lightweight, caloric foods for at least 3 days that don't require cooking (protein bars work great for this). A month of medications and an emergency script for each medication for each person (get a paper prescription from your doctor that is good for a year or the max allowed for each medication) if you can get it. Pay out of pocket with a coupon card if your insurance won't cover your refill early. 1-2 containers of baby wipes so you don't necessarily need to shower. An empty water bottle for each person. A phone charger.

Buy a gift card that can be used for anything. I won't say how much because I don't know your situation, but make it enough that you can pay for gas or bus/train/airline tickets to your destination and (if you can) temporary lodging/food once you get there. Gift cards are less traceable than debit/credit cards and aren't easy to cancel. An alternative is cash, but that can be an easier target for theft if people see you with it.

Finally, bring something of comfort, like a blanket or memento or stuffed animal.

[eden-writes-stuff]

@wolfstarmicrofic ~ property ~ word count: 94 ~ criminal x police officer

"Assault occasioning bodily harm; assault with intent to resist arrest; Bribery; Car chase; Concealment of a corpse; Dangerous driving; Forgery; Home invasion; Identity theft; obstruction of justice; offences against a police officer; organized crime; possession of stolen goods; preventing lawful burial of a body; property damage; robbery; theft; theft of government property; trespassing; vandalism. And all that in the 14 hours since you got out of prison. Did I leave anything out?"

Sirius grinned up at Remus, playing with his handcuffs. "The only real crime is how good you look in that police uniform."

[breadandblankets]

Bruce will never figure out how to apologize to Steph, he's physically incapable of it, even if he has personally acknowledged his own wrong doing and decided that he owes it to her. Here are some things he has done instead:

- deposits 250k (post tax) into an account Steph didn't know existed

- allowed Steph to yell at him when her tax returns were rejected due to the secret bank account

- allowed Barbara to yell at him about committing identity theft against his employees

- sends her w-2 to the correct address

- presented four modified Spoiler suits with advanced technologies and protection

- four Spoiler suits are summarily returned due to fitting a much younger Steph but not a twenty something Steph

- shoves his whole fist in his mouth when Cass prevents Steph from legitimately killing someone instead of lecturing her

[kaibutsushidousha]

Thoughts on SHIKI Tohno?

The central arrangement of Far Side is that the Toono family is always at risk of losing their human heart and involuntarily committing uncontrolled acts of violence, and the only way to prevent that is by casting away their human heart and voluntarily committing controlled acts of violence. Its tragedy is derived from how no one benefits from this arrangement and no one has the key to escape it. The biggest acting hands are also the biggest victims. The graph for that is a perfect diagonal upward.

And SHIKI is the perfect victim. Loss of agency is the thing everyone fears the most in Far Side Tsukihime. His oni blood inverted, he was invaded by Roa, and he was drugged by Kohaku. Three layers of loss of agency that he needs to fight off. Narrator Protag Shiki also has his struggles with multiple layers but never at the same time like him. It's thematic overkill, with a risk of Red Garden adding a fourth or fifth thing also wrestling for control of his mind.

All we see of SHIKI as himself is him as an 8-year-old telling his childhood friend to immediately kill him if he ever falls into a third of the state we see him at in the present day. The real human SHIKI was quiet, somber, mature, and self-aware, just like the ghost we see in Drinking Dreaming Moon. In contrast, the main personality trait he demonstrates in Tsukihime's main story is his inability to shut up. All he has is mad ramblings about Shiki's identity theft, Akiha's affections, and the morality of murder. It all feels like he's trying too hard to rationalize his irrational actions because he can't live with himself otherwise, and to say everything he feels he has to say because he doesn't know when or if he'll ever get a next opportunity to talk.

His plot part is essential and he executes it masterfully. Nasu could easily have made him cool, but he went for the wiser route of making SHIKI exactly as sad and pathetic as he needed to be. A delightfully pitiful monster almost veering on comic relief. Incoherent in a way that hurts because you need to empathize with him. Everything that can go wrong in Tsukihime went wrong for him.

[angelo-the-whistleblower]

Intellectual Property Thieves and Serial Killers Arrested: A Global Investigation Unfolds

Law enforcement agencies across the world have launched a large-scale investigation into a major crime involving intellectual property theft and serial killings. Authorities from multiple jurisdictions are now working together to uncover the full extent of these crimes and bring those responsible to justice.

Global Law Enforcement Agencies Take Action

FBI, EUROPOL, and INTERPOL Involvement

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), EUROPOL, and INTERPOL have formally launched investigations into this case. Given the international scope of the crime, these agencies are coordinating efforts to track down perpetrators and dismantle criminal networks involved in these illegal activities.

French Police Mobilized Across 50 Cities

Law enforcement officers from 50 different cities across France are actively investigating the case. Their efforts aim to identify suspects, gather evidence, and determine how deeply this criminal operation extends within the country.

27 European Union Member States Conduct Investigations

Police forces across all 27 European Union countries have also opened investigations, highlighting the severity and far-reaching consequences of the crime. This suggests that the criminal operation has had an impact across multiple nations.

All 56 FBI Field Offices in the United States Are Involved

The FBI maintains 56 field offices across the United States and its territories, and each one is actively participating in this investigation. The scale of the operation indicates that the crime may have widespread implications affecting individuals, businesses, and institutions across the country.

A Corruption Scandal That Can No Longer Be Hidden

This case is expected to uncover a significant corruption scandal with serious legal and financial consequences. The individuals involved can no longer hide their actions—the truth will be exposed to the world.

As the investigation continues, more details will emerge about the extent of the crimes, the identities of those involved, and the measures being taken to ensure justice is served. Authorities remain committed to holding all perpetrators accountable and preventing future crimes of this nature.

[kitcat992]

Identity Within: Part I︱Moments That Matter: Chapter 16, Every Flame Leaves Ash

───────

Identity Theft︱Chapter 19: When the Bad Things Happen

───────

Sitting next to him, Natasha had locked her gaze on Bruce, never taking her eyes off him throughout the discussion. If she hadn’t been looking directly at him, she would have sworn that she heard the man talk.

‘Amazing, isn’t it?’ rang in her ears, words that he never actually spoke, a personality normally so predictable faded underneath the stress of the situation.

It disturbed her how quiet Bruce had been. It disturbed them all. He was usually one to pitch in with giddy enthusiasm about how this type of technology functioned, proceeding to bore the team with details that they never asked for and could never understand.

Instead, he sat quietly, chin in the palm of his hands and elbows on his knees.

Natasha’s brows pulled together, concerned. “Bruce?”

His head snapped up, as if he now suddenly remembered where he was. Bruce looked at her, the deep lines across his face echoing her exhaustion.

Almost immediately he bowed his head again, taking his glasses off and pinching the bridge of his nose tightly.

“I’m sorry, it’s just...” Bruce heavily sighed, “this is bad.”

Wanda leaned forward, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. “How bad?”

“His blood is...well, it’s mutated,” Bruce said. “Beyond what’s compatible with any other cross-match. On the surface he still has a normal B positive blood type, but beneath that it...it’s more. The antigens and protein markers have been so abnormally altered by that spider bite that he’s...he’s essentially developed an ABO incompatibility.”

Sam was the first to catch on. “He can’t receive blood.”

Bruce nodded. Clint audibly cursed under his breath, and Rhodey scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“It’s...incredibly unfortunate in the current situation, but yes. We had to stop transfusing the universal O negative to prevent a hemolytic reaction,” Bruce explained.

Natasha stayed neutral. “So what now?”

Steve sat up a little straighter. “Doesn’t he have accelerated healing?”

“Yes,” Helen simply answered. “And that healing factor has certainly kept him alive this long.”

“Where’s the but?” Clint asked, arms crossed and all but rolling his eyes.

Bruce didn’t seem to have the willpower to answer the question. The tension grew twice as thick between them, and Steve was silently appreciative when Helen finally took over.

“He can only regenerate so fast. With his injuries, with the hypovolemia...he spent days dehydrated, malnourished — his body needs twice as much intake as that of a normal individual, and consequently he loses it twice as fast,” she explained. “It’s not as if he’s been stripped of his healing factor. It’s that his body is simply too weak and injured to utilize it.”

Rhodey leaned into the side of the couch, his temple resting between two fingers that rubbed at his forehead. He appeared to be able to keep up with the medical details up until now. It was typically the case for him though, superpowers always had a tendency to complicate things.

“So what does all that mean?” he asked.

Bruce put his glasses back on. “Think of it like a muscle. It takes energy to use. Hematology has a theory — one I’m inclined to agree with — Peter used a lot of strength in just trying to stay alive. It’s not a...pleasant thing to think about, but his body more than likely went into hypovolemic shock multiple times. A normal person loses a certain amount of blood, they go into shock and if not treated, their heart gives out. Peter's body lost a certain amount of blood, fell into shock and began to regenerate the blood that was lost, until it couldn’t anymore. And then the process repeated.”

His hands spun and twisted around each other, mimicking a moving wheel.

Natasha frowned. “Until now.”

Steve didn’t need to see Bruce nodding to know the answer. He felt the cushions of the sofa lighten as Natasha stood up, her only response being that she walked away from the group. By the time Steve looked up, she was standing across the room and over the stairway banister.

They all knew her well enough to leave her be.

“I would like to reiterate what I said before,” Helen cut in. “By all accounts, he should be dead. He’s hanging on by the skin of his teeth but...he’s hanging on.”

Steve really didn’t know what to say to that. Of course the kid was hanging on. He was a hell of a fighter, a soldier beyond what they could have ever expected.

He was also just a kid.

“We’re not soldiers,” Tony had once told him, the words resonating in his ears. 

Steve was starting to agree with that sentiment.

───────

Identity Within: Part I︱Chapter 13: Unlikely Alliance

───────

When Peter came to, it was to the sound of splashing liquid.

The sound came from a distance — at least it sounded from a distance — and at first thinking, he assumed was a bucket of water being carelessly tossed into a tub.

His eyelids cracked open, slowly, barely reaching past half-mast slits. It felt like each individual eyelash on his eyes was suddenly replaced with lead, keeping him weighed down and flattened with exhaustion.

Despite it, Peter didn’t need coherency to know how bad things were. He was loosing blood — a lot of blood. He remembered that feeling a little too well; the feel of his heart gasping as it tried to pump depleting blood throughout his body, the arctic, bone-freezing chill that came from shock, his pulse weakening further as he lay there. Helpless.

It was a feeling he never wanted to feel, ever again.

And yet here he was.

Parker Luck really needed to cut him a break.

His vision swirled, blurry and doubling in layers that wouldn’t stay in focus. It took a handful of passing minutes until he managed to make out the rough silhouette of Norman on the other side of the room.

Peter watched blearily while the man squeezed a clear plastic bag between both his hands, with enough force that it caused a gush of liquid to splatter into the sink below; dousing the silver metal with a bath of crimson.

Not only could Peter feel the blood loss and all its similarity from before, but he could see it; watching with his head lolled to the side while Norman proceeded to paint the sink red.

“…what…a…waste,” Peter slurred, hardly recognizing his own voice. The sound was barely audible, swallowed up by the faint splashing that echoed through the lab.

“Indeed.” And yet still, Norman heard him. Responding so easily, with such chilling nonchalance, that it made the second gush of liquid sound all the more audible. “If I wouldn’t have had to keep drugging you, I wouldn’t need to dispose of so much.”

Norman tossed one empty bag and reached for another from the tray next to him.

The bag gushed into the sink, the metal glistening as crimson liquid pooled, spilling with every twist of Norman’s grip. Peter’s double vision made it difficult to make out the details, but even in his hazy state, he knew that tray of bags — those countless blobs swimming in his blurred view — had all come from him.

His blood.

Each bag being poured down the drain like May tossing out a pot of burnt pasta sauce.

“As long as the anesthetic is running through your system, I can’t use anything I take from you. It’s far too contaminated — trust me, I’ve tried.” Norman’s voice was calm, clinical, fading in and out of Peter’s earshot. “I can’t pull the DNA from your leukocytes while they’re actively charged from chemical abuse. The leukocytes won’t bind to the double helix strand. I need it pure, untainted. No trace of anesthetic can remain. Once the effects of hypovolemic shock fully kick in, I won’t have the need for any further intoxication to keep you subdued. The drugs will stop there shortly after, only once your blood loss becomes it’s own form of paralysis.” Another gush interrupted Norman. He made sure to wait until the noise went away before stating, “And only then can I use what I take from you. The rest, sadly, is indeed a waste.”

Peter desperately wanted to say something to that — the wit was on the tip of his tongue, begging to come out — but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get his lips to separate.

A splash of liquid sounded in the place of any witty remark he could’ve conjured up.

Norman noticeably squeezed the bag harder, twisting it to ensure every drop of liquid from inside the plastic had been wasted. Once done, he reached for another, clearing the tray in time.

Peter could feel his pulse quicken, the struggle to keep himself awake suddenly feeling more impossible than lifting a collapsed building off his back. A painful shiver coursed down his spine as he rolled his head to the side, forcing his cheek against the frigid, metal table — stiffening his muscles until they spasmed from the exertion of his own cold.

Blearily, he looked down at his hand. Watching in muted horror as his forearm gave a frail, pathetic tug against the leather restraint.

He just needed to get a signal out to Mr. Stark.

He just needed to get his wrist free.

He just needed to—

— weakly, Peter tugged.

“There’s only two percent inhalant of anesthetic being released to you at this very moment.” Norman’s voice was a faint drone, his words almost lost as Peter’s ears rang with the pounding of his own heavy pulse. “I’ve replaced the rest with oxygen to ensure your heart doesn’t give out too soon. Hypovolemic shock is tricky, easily fatal, if not treated quickly. As it stands, I’ve had to take such an extreme amount of your blood for your body to finally stabilize into that shock. It’s unfortunate, but I wasn’t able to use any anti-coagulant in the linings of the collection bags in fear of contamination to the purity of your samples. So returning all I’ve taken is simply not an option, and testing isn’t possible once the clotting takes effect. Sadly, all of it must be disposed.”

With eyelids fluttering and threatening to close shut, Peter could feel his grip on consciousness drifting. The only thing keeping him from blacking out was the harsh burn of leather rubbing relentlessly against his wrist, each pull and yank of his arm — as feeble was it was — digging the strap into the tender tissue of his arm.

He welcomed the pain. Each tug pulled harder then the last. Pushing him to muster the willpower to keep trying.

“You see, Mr. Parker,” Norman’s feet paced alongside his words. Peter could hear it, faintly, with the sound of splashing finally coming to the stop. Footsteps easily replaced the noise. “The way your mutation kept rebounding your hematorcrit levels — it’s as I’ve said, I can’t use anything taken from you with the sedative still effective in your bloodstream. And I saw, first hand, during the clinical trails of A.00…just how enhanced the immune system becomes — with an extraordinary degree of superhuman healing a result of your genetic modification.”

Norman’s words were accompanied with distant clinks and clanks of tinkering that Peter didn’t have the energy to try and locate. He was too busy using what strength he could muster up for each weak jerk of his shoulder, fighting to loosen the restraint, pulling at his arm over and over—

“Over and over again, your circulatory system replaced what I’ve taken, over and over — and by now, I’ve simply taken too much. When the body of .00 was tested against endurance, it was only at the point of near death we’d see its healing factor finally weaken,” Norman explained. “I’m afraid there’s very little volume left in your body at this point. I won’t have any left to spare for your mutation to rebound in effect again. What will remain is everything I need to fix me. And not a micro-gram less.”

Peter wasn’t sure if he could feel much of his face, but he was almost positive his eyebrows had furrowed together like a fuzzy caterpillar — it was an attempt, anyway.

The confusion was enough to halt his movements, combined with the surge of ice that shot down his back; sending a tremble through his body that he couldn’t fight.

Even disoriented, Peter knew something was off; the way Norman wasn’t shy about talking, giving answers to questions that had yet to even be asked…there was something deeply unsettling about that.

He knew enough about bad guys to know they didn’t want others knowing about their plans.

So why was Norman telling him his?

The leather burned against his chafed and torn-up skin. Peter kept twisting to loosen the strap — he really didn’t want to find out that answer.

“I do apologize, Peter,” Norman began, turning around to face him — all while squeezing another bag empty. He barely came into focus as he said, “But you should know that this procedure is going to kill you.”

Too late.

The answer Peter never asked for drained him faster than the blood that was leaving his body. He lolled his head to the other side, his cheek planting hard against the metal surface of the table, his skull rolling before it came to a stop. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone any control of his muscles.

Still, he fought for an escape.

“—how’s…how’s my…blood…even gunna…help you? ‘N’w?” Peter slurred, heavily. He blinked hard to force his eyes to stay open. Even then, he kept tugging. “…y’ve alr’eady…taken…Oz.. It’s…too l’te.”

With the strength Peter was almost positive could be outmatched by a premature new born baby, he kept tugging at the leather strap around his forearm — swearing to himself that after this, he would never, ever, ever take the small things for granted.

Things like being able to break free of a single restraint that tied him to a metal table, or knowing which way was up and which way wasn’t tossing him in a radically, never-ending, high-speed spin that put a broken carnival ride to shame.

The sink Norman stood at — once clean and sterile, now dripping with a deep, dark red — wasn’t far from the machines that surrounded them, each making their own noise and sounding an alarm that all tied back to Peter’s body.

Norman didn’t seem too concerned over those sounds.

Peter was.

───────

Identity Within: Part I︱Chapter 9: Bachelor Party

───────

“It was then that silly, strange man came and took you away, Banner,” Thor kept on, completely oblivious to the silent banter happening between the two men. While Bruce kept his finger high in the air, and Tony a smirk that was every bit his flavor, Thor’s brow creased with a sudden tightness. “I had no idea of what happened to you — I thought for sure you had perished there on Saakar!”

Clint noticeably squinted an eye as he gestured his drink off to the side, lazily pointing where the game of billiards was taking place.

“And so…” he trailed off, confusion already vividly laced in his voice. “You guys exchanged pen pals or something…?”

A sharp gasp sounded from across the lounge.

“We are pals, yes!” Mantis’ delighted chime couldn’t have reached any higher in pitch. Along with another shatter of glass from the kitchen.

Tony looked to the ceiling, briefly.

Steve caught glance of him; for a moment wondering if the man was calling for patience, or for his armor.

“These people — you see, I never thought I’d see of them again! They meant nothing to me!”

Thor’s enthusiasm felt misplaced with the words he spoke. Steve went as far to arch an eyebrow, and even Natasha looked on with an uncharacteristically expressive face.

“It was in our journey to find a new home that our ship was forced to land on a nearby planet for supplies and sustenance,” Thor continued on, never one to easily understand their social cues. “By the fates of Odin did I happen to find the Reigning Champions there! Surely it was a sign — someone across the nine realms speaking through to me, saying what needed to be heard at a time I needed to hear it most…”

Thor’s voice trailed off as he looked away, almost distantly, the cup still clenched in his hand but the rim neglected to touch his lips.

At the same time, another clatter sounded from the kitchen.

“I told Quill to hurry up and get to the Bentar running before he saw us,” Rocket droned on from across the lounge, slamming a kitchen cabinet shut along the way. It caused a rattle of noise that echoed through his tangent. “None of you listened to me! I’m tellin’ ya, all of this could’ve been prevented if we had just ditched Mantis at the fuelstop—!”

“We weren’t ditching Mantis!” Quill shouted back.

“And now we’re stuck with him! Congratulations!” Rocket wasn’t shy to holler in return.

“I knew my place was not on our ship,” Thor, to no ones surprise, kept on — even as their bickering continued, just more noise added to a room full of activity. “I knew my home, it laid elsewhere. That…that is what I believe was spoken through the nine realms. And to find it…I needed to venture on my own. And so I asked these good people if they would open their doors to me—”

“—you broke down into a blubbery wet mess until Gamora felt bad enough to let you stay!” Rocket hastily butted in.

Thor failed to notice, “And it is in my travels with the Space Lords—”

“How many times have I told you that ain’t our flarking name—!”

“—that I hope to find a home of my own.” Suddenly, against then harsh layer of chatter and activity nearby, Thor’s voice grew quiet. His face softened, noticeably, but with less grief than before. The lines that deepened the skin around his eyes weren’t that of sorrow, but surety. “And perhaps, though hope is thin, I may find my brother again along the way.”

Not even Quill striking against billiard balls could make the moment that followed any less uncomfortable than it already was.

That much, to everyone’s surprise, Thor wasn’t oblivious to.

“I apologize,” he started to say, leaning back against the couch as if to distance himself from the others. “I know that the mere mention of my brother here on Midgard brings up sour memories—”

“The past is in the past.” Steve held an open palm in the air, stopping Thor right in his tracks. He nodded, firmly. “Family’s important, it’s understandable.”

It had always been hard to gauge the Asgardian for his emotions — always stoic, always firm in his resilience. Steve was more than surprised to see that barrier had broken down since they last were together.

There was now an opennesses wearing on Thor’s sleeve now. If Steve didn’t know better, the God of Thunder almost looked relieved — heartened at the acceptance to his burden, regardless of the history attached to it.

“Yes, yes, right you are.” Thor nodded, many times, before coming to a stop. “Of course, Loki is adopted—”

“Still family.”

This time, it wasn’t anyone in the lounge who spoke up.

All heads turned over to the entertainment space, finding the source of words to have come from the green skinned woman at the pool table. She bent over with her cue stick ready to strike, barely giving those in the lounge a single glance when they all turned to face her.

Standing behind Gamora, Quill pointed his own cue stick in her direction.

“What she said,” he needlessly added.

No one spoke up to disagree.

For a minute, only the music played overhead — a new song overtaking the last, with no song having repeated itself so far.

It was certainly a wide range of tunes in Quill’s collection — no doubt all of which was as outdated as the music player it originated from, but at the very least it kept the atmosphere in the lounge steady; calm and positive, even when dialogue had taken a more somber tone.

Though the conversation came to a halt, things weren’t necessarily quiet. Rather, there was a loud contemplation that followed — internal, and brief. But still there.

“I thought the world of my brother,” Thor broke that shared introspective with his own thoughts spoken out loud. His vulnerability was genuine, bringing a shared nostalgia to the group that grounded them all. “I thought we were going to fight side by side, forever. But at the end of the day, he’s him…and our paths diverged a long time ago. Still. I hope to see of him, once more. To start anew, in this new chapter of our lives.” Thor brought his cup to his mouth, hesitating before it could touch down on his lips. “But if I should never see of him again…so be it.”

And with that, he tossed his drink back, taking a mouthful that emptied the cup dry.

Thor noticeably sniffed when finishing, and swallowed twice for good measure — ruffing his hand through the thickness of his beard in hopes no one would pay any mind to the spasm in his throat, even long after finishing the remains in his cup.

Tony noticed.

───────

Identity Within: Part 1︱Chapter 3: R.S.V.P

───────

“Oh my, my, yes, it’s been…it’s been quite the few months, for sure. A lot of preparation has gone into this, many things occurring behind the scenes — and now that OsCorp has reached the point of publicizing this announcement, well…I won’t lie, it’s a bit of a burden off the back.”

As Peter threw open the front door to the apartment, the first thing he heard was the distant voices coming from the living room television. It was at a volume that told him May wasn’t really paying attention, just using it for background noise. Yet it was loud enough that it reached over her struggle with pots and pans all the way inside the kitchen, and certainly quick to grab his attention.

Anything OsCorp related had a tendency to do that these days.

Peter hadn’t even crossed the threshold of the front door to living room when he looked over at the TV, frowning deeply.

“But of course, things are just beginning. We have a long future to look forward to, one that’ll far exceed my time on this earth.” The voice of the man sounded professional, each word said with a sharp precision and clarity to his statements. “It’s all about legacy, after all. And the Osborn dynasty has yet to untap their full potential in what lays ahead. I’m excited to be apart of these unfolding developments with them.”

Whatever channel was playing, Peter quickly deduced it was a news station. Something where someone was being interviewed — an old man, that much was obvious. He wore a business suit that Peter was sure cost five times May’s rent, and his grayish white hair matched perfectly with the deep wrinkles that dug harsh lines into his skin.

And yet, despite talking about OsCorp, the man was most definitely not Norman Osborn. Peter wasn’t sure he’d actually ever seen him before. Granted, he never paid much attention to these things until recently, but still.

He approached the back of the sofa, watching the TV and moving almost in a trance. So much so that he completely forgot his laundry detergent soaked socks were still gripped in his hand, and his bare feet still sticky with the residue they’d encountered.

“You sound quite optimistic about the longevity in OsCorp’s future, Mr. Symthe,” the interviewer said, his tone as serious and straitlaced as the much older man sitting across from him. “Does this mean you’re not worried about the dissolution of partnership with Bio-Labs? Their upstate, New York facility alone brought in OsCorp over thirty percent of their shares and profits last year.”

The man being interviewed gave a light chuckle — Spencer Symthe, Peter discovered, right as the lower third graphic appeared on the screen, displaying his name in whole.

It also gave him a title. Peter furrowed his brows as he quickly read it. Right next to his full name were the words, Co-chairman.

The man may have not been Norman, but there was no doubt that he was right up there in hierarchy.

“Last year is behind us, OsCorp looks only to the future,” Spencer simply answered, as smoothly as the words that came before him. “Bio-Labs served us well in the past, but OsCorp is moving forward with their endeavors in other ways. Having gained majority ownership in buying them out will only prove to serve us further than ever before. We have something quite exciting happening here very soon. I’m not at liberty to discuss the details just yet, but our acquisition of Bio-Labs has made way for something far better. Both for us and for mankind.”

The interviewer looked down at his lap and the sleek notepad in his hands. “Is it true OsCorp purchased that facility from Bio-Labs?” he read off his notes.

“We did, yes,” Spencer answered so quickly, the camera didn’t cut to him until mid-sentence. “We came to an agreement with Bio-Labs on a price, "acquired their and OsCorp is hoping to utilize the facility for further expanding their research studies across the east coast.”

Peter suddenly looked left and right, and then down to the sofa — finding the TV remote stuck in-between the armrest of the cushions. Discarding his socks, he grabbed the remote and hit the first button his thumb could get a hold of. It displayed the title of the show over the screen — ‘Executive Insights with Mark Mitchell.’

“There’s been…quite the controversy regarding those research facilities, Mr. Symthe,” Mark Mitchell, Peter correctly assumed, went on to say. “I’m sure you’re more than aware of the legal trial that took place this afternoon — any comment?”

Slowly, Peter dropped the remote down onto the end table next to the couch. All the while, he never looked away from the TV.

“Ridiculous claims made by ridiculous people.” Spencer waved his hand right alongside his answer. “Despite his rank in the air force, I assure you that Colonel Rhodes has no interest in the safety of this country. He sides with his interest and his team alone — that is, the Avengers. The only people we seem to allow to live above the law.” For a man who had kept his tone even and unwavering, there was a slight hitch in words that heated them up, something Peter couldn’t ignore. He suddenly sounded frustrated, angry. To the point where a pause followed, and he noticeably cleared his throat. “These claims made by him and subsequently, the team he participates with, are as foolish as they are deranged.”

Mark simply nodded. “It’s been no secret that Stark Industries very own Tony Stark has been pushing this case, advocating for the entire revocation of OsCorp’s funding and participation with the Institutional Review Board. He states that compliance with regulatory requirements have been, in his words, the biggest disgrace to not only the field of science but to humanity as a whole.”

“And yet Judge Whittaker has made it very clear today that he disagrees with those claims,” Spencer answered the question that had yet to be asked. “Tony Stark’s efforts to shut down OsCorp have been nothing but a blip on our radar. The court system sided with us on that today, making it very clear that there’s no grounds to the absurd accusations put forth by rumors and heresay.”

Mark cocked his eyebrow high, and so did Peter. Both of them for different reasons. “Is that your way of saying OsCorp’s research studies haven ’t been neglecting proper codes and regulations, and remain to demonstrate due diligence in maintaining public safety standards for both their participate and employees? ”

“By all means, yes,” Spencer easily answered. So easily, Peter went to fold both arms over his chest, the look that pulled at his face causing lines he was far too young to be dealt with. “If all goes well, the former Bio-Labs facility will be up and running within a few months, once converted into one of OsCorp’s technological facilities. And it’ll foster not only the community and development of science careers, but also expand the boundaries of research to pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.”

───────

Identity Crisis︱Chapter 15: Slithered Here From Hell

───────

Tony wasn’t too sure what exactly he’d been expecting, if he had been expecting anything at all. To his knowledge, he had never met with Osborn one on one, privately. He had never wanted to . They had exchanged handshakes and false pleasantries at conventions, perhaps public attendances — his time in the corporate life had a tendency to blur together into an incoherent mess of ‘that was boring, what’s next?’

But all things considered, Tony was positive he had never stepped foot inside Osborn’s personal office before.

The blatant contrast was what startled his eyes, a difference so broad that it almost didn’t seem real. The harsh silver, whites, and blues of the OsCorp building weren’t present with the modest sized office ahead — no, rather the opposite.

There was mahogany wood covering the walls, the bookcases, the desk against the center wall. Deep, rich colored tones accompanied the smell of leather and cedar, and there was a hint of strong alcohol still lingering somewhere in the air. Scotch, if Tony’s nose detected it correctly. The open-lid decanter backed that assumption.

It reminded him too much of Howard’s personal space. Traditional, dated. Musty and old-fashioned. Tony stepped inside, nodding a thanks to the guard for keeping the door open. With decor like this, it was hard to believe Osborn was in the same age bracket as Tony.

Speaking of the devil — in more ways than one — Tony locked eyes on the man of the hour, at his desk against the far end of the room.

Norman didn’t bother to lift his head, focused intently on the tablet in his hands.

“Stark,” he dryly greeted, no louder than the sound Natasha’s heels made as she entered the office. The glow from the tablet’s screen highlighted the wrinkles and stress lines engraved deep into his skin, an unflattering light in an otherwise dark room. “Should I invite you to take a seat, or do you think this meeting will be brief?”

Tony turned his back to the desk, stuffing his hands deep into his blazer pockets, casually strolling in without further invitation. He occupied himself by taking in the smaller details of the office — the floor to ceiling bookcases, the collection of fountain pens put neatly on display; he held the tip of his finger against antique globe nearby and spun it for amusement.

Anything to keep his eyes off Osborn.

“Should let some sunshine in here,” Tony mentioned in lieu of answering, looking towards the large yet covered windows of the room. Heavy, vintage curtains were drawn on them on, barely a creak of light sneaking in through the corners. “Vitamin D is good for your mood.”

Natasha hummed low in her throat, taking a place quietly against the door frame of the office. Her hands were clasped in front of herself, no doubt already having thought of five different ways to discreetly rid a body and any fingerprints left behind.

It was a disturbing comfort for Tony, knowing she held the same disdain for the man as he did. That if given the chance, they’d both serve him the punishment that was long overdue for the hell he’d put them through.

At the same time, he knew — and so did she — that they had one opportunity for this. One chance to get it right.

Tony wasn’t about to blow that in favor of giving Osborn the black eye he deserved.

“I’m not sure if my assistant made you aware,” Norman failed to hold back a sigh, the sound mixed with the opening of a drawer to his desk where he put the tablet away, “but I do have other meetings planned in my agenda today. Ones that were booked properly, with advance notice.”

Tony barely paid him any mind, peaking through the weighted curtains to catch a glimpse of the Manhattan skyline from outside.

“Mhm. A beaut.” Tony offered him a brief glance, drawing the curtain closed but pointing a finger towards it at the same time. “You just don’t get that view upstate. One of a kind, this city is. Nothing like it.”

Norman kept his gaze straight-on, never looking Tony’s way, going so far as to intentionally clear his throat with growing impatience. “My time today is limited, so if there’s something you’d like to discuss with me —”

The shrill ring of a cell phone interrupted him, catching him off guard. Even Tony had to admit that the noise was humorously loud, especially contained in such a small space.

Norman placed two firm fingers to his temple, eyes squeezing shut as the sound blasted through his office. Tony knew that look from a hundred miles away — a migraine. A pretty bad one, from how it appeared.

“I...as you say, apologize.” Natasha clumsily reached into her purse, finding and clutching onto her cell phone with a blooming tint of pink covering her cheeks. “I must take this call.”

Noticeably aggravated, Norman waved a hand in her direction, keeping his head low as he rubbed gingerly at his forehead.

“That’s not a problem, thank you.” The words didn’t seem to match his gruff tone, his fist gripping tighter with each click her heels made leading out of the office.

Tony watched discreetly from his place at the window, his fingers playing idly with the tassels of the curtain. Natasha closed the door on her way out — Natalie, he should say. The guards followed her out, leaving just the two men in the room.

Clucking his tongue, Tony made his way to the bookcases lining the walls, unable to deny the fact that the open decanter of scotch was smelling better by the second. The edge he felt was getting sharper, and from the look of it, the feeling was mutual.

Now he was starting to remember just how unpleasant those brief meetings at conventions always were, the forced handshakes and fake smiles for the cameras. Osborn had always been scum to him, long before these inhumane experiments ever came to the surface. 

Scanning the bookcases, Tony plucked out the first title that caught his eye, grabbing the book by its spine and pulling it out from its cramped spot in-between numerous other collections.

“The Art of War.” Tony flipped the book over to its back cover, his index finger trailing down the printed design. It was a limited copy edition, cloth-bound with a dust-jacket, kept in pristine condition. “Hm. Have a lot of memories with this one.”

Leaning over his desk, Norman poured himself a modest glass of amber-tinted scotch, barely managing a passing glance to Tony as he did. Norman's disinterest didn’t keep Tony at bay; rather, he found himself walking closer to the desk Norman sat at. His eyes never wandered from the book in hand.

“Not long after the folks passed, Obie made it mandatory to read this puppy front and back, five times over.” Tony cracked the book open, shuffling through it without much thought. The smell of old ink and dry, dated pages was more potent than the cedar and leather encompassing the office. “Had me studying it before I could even consider dipping my toes in the corporate world. Pretty sure I can still quote parts in my sleep.”

As quickly as he opened the book, he closed it shut.

“Let’s see…” Tony’s fingers tapped ceaselessly on the hardcover, his eyes looking far-off in thought. “The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent. Only once knowing both your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your adversary, can you begin to form a strategic plan.”

Norman moved to take a sip from the mountain glass in his hand, eyes meeting Tony’s squarely, green irises shrouded in the dim light.

“If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. Momentum is the life force of any conflict. When momentum is on your side, you have the advantage.” Norman set the glass down on the surface of the desk, condensation leaking onto the mahogany wood. “Sun Tzu was a wise man, a military strategist ahead of his time.”

Tony shrugged, chucking the book onto Norman’s desk, taking a seat in the empty chair on his opposite end.

“I tossed my copy,” he flippantly said, brushing some non-existent lint from his suit jacket. “Got tired of looking at it.”

“Why am I not surprised,” Norman drawled out, managing the slightest shake to his head. He placed both hands in his lap, casually and loosely folding them together.

[goetiae]

𝕭lack Butler has quite an interesting plot though, admittedly, we are of a belief that it could have been significantly more scandalous.

In one of our previous posts we have explained in detail why we believe that Ciel was written with transgender coding, specifically that of a transgender man. Keeping in mind the point made, we would like to expand on the idea of o!Ciel being a secret transgender (transmasculine) person with a younger brother instead of a "secret evil double".

The plotline that is currently true to the canon of the manga does not quite make sense: o!Ciel, if truly born a boy, no matter his health condition, would not be left with nothing. Yana portrays his fate as if it would have been miserable, but that is simply not how second sons — of Earls — were treated in the Victorian society. If r!Ciel was granted the title of an Earl, as it is an assigned title and not an inherited one, then o!Ciel would still have a significant say in family matters and inherit a large sum of money upon Vincent's death. After all, he would still be a son, even if the second son.

The current plot with multiple characters suspecting him of identity theft in order to gain inheritance and position does not quite make sense: if he were a born boy, he'd have inherited it anyways, and none of them would have suspected him in stealing an identity for that reason as he'd have benefits promised to him by the birthright. Second sons often became business owners, which would perfectly align with o!Ciel's dreams of owning a toy company — all the while r!Ciel would be handling political matters as an Earl.

However, the story would be entirely different if o!Ciel was born a girl: in this case, he would be experiencing the trouble he's met with in the canon of the current manga. As a born-girl, he'd be expected to either marry off early, stay at home under his brother's guardianship, or be sent off to a monastery. At least two of which are something o!Ciel is expected to do — we do not count his arranged marriage as Elizabeth was never meant for him.

If o!Ciel was an older sibling whose gender and health prevented him from gaining inheritance and position, then the in-manga concern other characters voice about identity theft would make sense. If he was an older sibling, in this case a born older sister, who was denied any position and rank despite being more mature than his brother due to the gender stereotypes and expectations, then the "identity theft" plot would make more sense. The younger, more immature brother would be given everything o!Ciel could never hope for. In this case, o!Ciel would indeed have a motif to steal his younger brother's identity. He could even be accused of the murder of his aunt, to make matters worse, as she would be the first in line to becoming his official caretaker and a claimant to her sister's and her in-law's wealth.

As a secret transgender boy, o!Ciel would be able to pass as the younger brother due to being genetically shorter. The arranged marriage to Elizabeth, once the truth is revealed, would be actually scandalous — in the current manga plot, it is not even remotely a matter of public concern. If seen as a queer individual, o!Ciel would be actually disowned in the public eye and brought into the moral court. He would be treated as a genuine criminal as matters of both transgender identities and homosexuality would be seen as gross indecencies in the Victorian era; he would, in fact, be both in all newspapers and under the danger of being imprisoned.

All of the already-present dancing around the subject of o!Ciel's gender that is present in the manga — at least in our reading of it — could be expanded to another degree. The plot of the manga is fine as it is, though we do have a preference for an even more scandalous idea.

[fincrif]

What Are the Common Fake Personal Loan Apps?

The rise of digital lending has made it easier than ever to apply for a personal loan. However, with this convenience comes an increased risk of fraud. Fake personal loan apps have become a major concern, preying on unsuspecting borrowers with promises of quick approval and low interest rates. These fraudulent apps often steal personal data, demand upfront payments, and leave victims in financial distress.

Understanding how to identify fake personal loan apps and protect yourself from scams is essential for ensuring a safe borrowing experience. This article will highlight the risks associated with fake loan apps, common red flags to watch out for, and tips to stay secure when applying for a personal loan.

The Rise of Fake Personal Loan Apps

The increasing popularity of digital lending has led to a surge in fake personal loan apps that exploit borrowers. Scammers create these apps to collect sensitive information, demand fraudulent fees, or even misuse the borrower’s identity for illegal activities. Many victims only realize they have been scammed after their money is stolen or their credit profile is misused.

How Fake Loan Apps Operate

Fake personal loan apps typically follow a deceptive pattern to lure borrowers into their traps. Here’s how they operate:

Attractive Loan Offers – Fraudulent apps promote personal loans with minimal documentation, low interest rates, and instant approval, enticing users to download them.

Fake Registration Process – Borrowers are required to enter personal details, including bank account numbers, identity proofs, and credit card information.

Upfront Fees – Scammers demand processing fees, security deposits, or verification charges before disbursing the loan.

Unauthorized Access to Data – These apps request unnecessary permissions, such as access to contacts, messages, and call logs, which scammers misuse.

No Actual Loan Disbursement – Once the borrower pays the upfront fees, the scammers disappear without providing the loan.

Common Red Flags of Fake Personal Loan Apps

Recognizing the warning signs of a fraudulent loan app can save you from financial loss. Here are key red flags to watch for:

1. No Registration with Financial Authorities

Legitimate lenders are registered with regulatory bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or other financial authorities. If an app does not have proper regulatory approval, it is likely a scam.

2. Demand for Upfront Fees

Genuine lenders do not ask for upfront payments before loan approval. If an app requests a processing fee, security deposit, or verification charge before disbursing the loan, it’s a major red flag.

3. Poorly Designed and Unprofessional Interface

Fake personal loan apps often have poor user interfaces, multiple grammatical errors, and lack proper customer support. A lack of professionalism in app design and communication indicates fraudulent intent.

4. Excessive Permission Requests

Fraudulent apps demand access to contacts, messages, location, and even the camera, which is unnecessary for a personal loan application. These permissions are used to steal data or blackmail victims.

5. No Physical Address or Customer Support

Legitimate financial institutions provide a physical address and reliable customer support channels. Fake loan apps usually lack transparency and offer no proper means of contact.

6. High-Pressure Tactics

Scammers often pressure borrowers to act quickly, using phrases like “limited time offer” or “instant approval guaranteed.” Genuine lenders follow a structured verification process and do not rush applicants.

Notorious Fake Personal Loan Apps

Several fraudulent personal loan apps have been flagged by financial authorities. While these scams frequently change names, some of the most notorious ones include:

Cash Advance Pro – Known for demanding high upfront fees and disappearing after collecting money.

Quick Loan Now – Requests excessive permissions and misuses borrower data.

Easy Loan Fast – Promises instant approvals but requires security deposits that are never refunded.

Swift Cash Lenders – Lures victims with fake customer reviews and unrealistic loan offers.

Loan Hub Pro – Uses phishing techniques to steal banking credentials.

How to Protect Yourself from Fake Personal Loan Apps

To avoid falling victim to a fraudulent personal loan app, follow these security measures:

1. Download Apps from Official Sources

Only download loan apps from reputable platforms like Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Avoid downloading APK files from unknown sources, as they may contain malware.

2. Verify Lender Credentials

Before applying for a personal loan, check whether the lender is registered with financial authorities. Visit their official website and read customer reviews.

3. Avoid Providing Unnecessary Permissions

Do not grant access to contacts, messages, or other sensitive data unless it is essential for the loan application. Be cautious of apps that request excessive permissions.

4. Read User Reviews and Ratings

Genuine loan apps have positive reviews from verified customers. Look for red flags in user comments, such as complaints about fraud, high fees, or data theft.

5. Check the Privacy Policy

Legitimate lenders provide a clear privacy policy detailing how your data will be used. If the app lacks transparency, avoid using it.

6. Use Strong Security Measures

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your bank and financial accounts to prevent unauthorized access. Keep your device protected with updated security software.

What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Fake Loan App

If you suspect that you have been scammed by a fake personal loan app, take immediate action:

1. Report the Scam to Authorities

Notify your country’s financial regulatory body, such as the FTC, RBI, or Cyber Crime Cell, about the fraudulent app.

2. Inform Your Bank

If you have shared banking details, contact your bank immediately to block transactions and secure your account.

3. File a Police Complaint

Report the scam to local law enforcement and provide evidence such as screenshots, messages, and transaction details.

4. Check Your Credit Report

Monitor your credit report for unauthorized loans taken in your name. If you find fraudulent activities, report them to credit bureaus.

5. Warn Others

Share your experience on online platforms to alert others about the fake loan app and prevent further scams.

Conclusion

Fake personal loan apps are a growing threat, targeting vulnerable borrowers with deceptive offers. By understanding the red flags and taking preventive measures, you can protect yourself from financial fraud. Always verify lender credentials, avoid upfront payments, and stay cautious when applying for a personal loan online. If you suspect fraudulent activity, act quickly to report and safeguard your financial security.

By staying informed and vigilant, you can ensure a safe and hassle-free borrowing experience in the digital lending space.

[hopeymchope]

I am having trouble paying attention to ANYTHING other than the collapse and end of the United States of America. It's happening RIGHT NOW.

I doubt most people realize how fucked up things are getting in America, but basically the entire system is breaking down around us.

Trump gave Elon Musk and whomever he chooses complete access to all governmental branches without any kind of security clearance or vetting.

Musk and his gang of 18-to-26-year-old groupies have used this to uniterally shut down numerous very important government branches and programs. USAID provides 50% of the foreign aid in the world, and they have been ordered to halt all actions. There are literally 100,000s of tons of food sitting in docks and in crates rotting because Elon and Trump won't let the food be delivered to the the starving communities who it was promised to.

Last week they shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Burueau — the only government oversight for banks that ensures that their investigators actually have to rule in YOUR favor if you are robbed of money or defrauded. Instead, banks are now free to tell you that if you become the victim of identity theft, it's your own fault and you're just absolutely fucked now! Banks are no longer secure.

All funding for research to universities and hospitals? CUT! It's fucking gone, thanks to Elon. Doctors are saying this will set back cancer research years - maybe decades - if it isn't turned around IMMEDIATELY. Without funding, all current experiment treatments are OVER. Without funding, current biological sample cannot be preserved and fucking DIE, killing studies that have been going on for years.

That cutting of funding includes all Health departments, who have been ordered not to talk each other. As a result, their attempts to curb the bird flu outbreak have been halted completely. Grocery prices have skyrocketed as there is no longer any system in place to prevent masses of livestock succumbing to bird flu. I just saw $13.99 for one dozen fucking eggs.

Earlier, you likely heard that Trump ordered that all federal funding be halted and frozen until reviewed. A judge then ordered that he couldn't do that — the budget was paid and approved by Congress already. However, reports are now coming in that the White House is ignoring the court orders and refusing to reinstate funding. "Head Start" pre-schools are shutting down as a result.

They are also making moves to end the Department of Education forever, which they have announced as a goal. No national educational standards so that no state is "forced" to teach people about the history of slavery or other "DEI" initiatives, according to Trump. History will be fully whitewashed and kids will be lied to from birth. After that, they're hoping to defund libraries.

The ignoring court orders thing is the most awful issue happening right now. Vice President J.D. Vance and a couple other Republican lawyers have come forth to say that judges who attempt to place any restraints on the executive branch are committing illegal acts and will be ignored/punished. But the judiciary literally exists to oversee our system of checks and balances; Vance and friends are full of shit.

Ah, but who enforces the judges' orders? U.S. Marshalls. Who are under the orders of the attorney general. The new attorney general is 100% loyal to Trump. You see the issue... ?

Judges are declaring things illegal in light of actual established checks and balances and rules. Trump and Musk are ignoring that they're declared illegal, and no one is enforcing the law to keep the judges' rules in effect.

In summation: - The law no longer matters. Even when something is declared illegal, the rule of law is ignored.

- Banks are no longer secure or safe.

- Hospitals, schools, pre-schools are losing funding/shutting down.

- YEARS of infectious disease research is being ruined/lost.

- We are leaving other countries who are dependent upon our assistance for food / medicine to starve and die.

- Farms are struggling as livestock (especially chickens) die en-masse while disease runs unchecked and the government has stopped trying to fight it.

- And of course, as per usual: If Trump or Musk are confronted about this, they just make up lies about it and provide zero evidence. Because their followers will always trust them, no matter how egregious the lies. No matter how many times they repeatedly lie. No matter if the lies even start to conflict with each other. The lying always works.

"America" is over. We are now forced to live in the crevasses of its rotting corpse.

[duckapus]

Detective Luigi and The Spletzer Conspiracy

There's been a string of high-profile thefts over the past week, and all evidence points to Meggy, so the police detain her despite her having alibis for most of the incidents. It's up to Luigi and Hal, assisted by Welony and Lily since they were nearby, to investigate and clear her name!

Eventually it's discovered that the culprit was... Inkling Meggy? In her Western Spaghetti outfit!?

As you might imagine, it's more complicated than that. This is actually a young Inkling girl who happens to look almost identical to Meggy's original form, and who stumbled upon one of Mr. L's lairs he forgot to clear out when he moved to the CCC servers. Here, she found a corrupted, but mostly complete, archive of the Western Spaghetti simulation, which L had been combing through to find the source of the equipment.

Due to the interference of a mysterious Benefactor, the Inkling got electrocuted by the equipment, somehow transferring data from the simulation into her brain. This caused her memories and personality to be overwritten by the fabricated memories Wren used to prevent Meggy from realizing what was going on before his Torment started.

Or rather, an alternate version of those memories, from an earlier build where he would've been the heroic sheriff and she would've been the dangerous outlaw, before he and Mr. Puzzles realized it would've been too out-of-character for her.

And so Dead-Eye Meggy was created, and proceeded to go on a crime spree both to frame the real Meggy and ruin her reputation and run some "errands" for her Benefactor... and also because that's just how she's programmed.

She gets away, but there's more than enough evidence to clear Meggy, so now we're left with a new mystery.

...One that's at least partially solved for the audience, as we get a flashback to the scene in the alley during A Snake in Horseland, where after the Crew teleported after Ozzy and Garyboy the severed super suction ear slithered off like an actual snake once night fell and froze partway under a dumpster when it heard something approaching. It turned out to be a Rabbid, who spotted the ear snake, mistook it for a normal plunger and grabbed it to play with it.

This turned out to be a horrible mistake, as the ear sprung back to life and lunged at the Rabbid's neck (as much as it has one anyway).

The Rabbid screamed in pain and fear and the shot jumped to the alley wall, where the shadow of the Rabbid's futile struggles could be seen.

Rather than simply dying to the venom like you'd expect, the shadow instead became distorted as the Rabbid was somehow transformed, becoming larger with more exaggerated propertions.

Eventually the screams gave way to rasping laughter, and the shadow on the wall, still somewhat recognizably a Rabbid (albeit an oddly shaped one like some of the major ones in the Mario + Rabbids games) but with disconnected ears and large, three-digit claws in place of mitten hands.

It was the same silhouette seen in the flashback to Dead-Eye's origin when she mentioned her Benefactor.

[donotdestroy]

Musk's Social Security Claim

Social Security fraud does exist, but it's relatively small compared to the total benefits paid. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has multiple fraud prevention measures, but errors and fraud still happen.

How Much Money Is Lost to Fraud?

1. Annual Estimated Losses

The SSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigates fraud cases. In 2023, their reports estimated that around $8 billion in improper payments occurred. However, not all of this is fraud—many are errors (such as overpayments due to outdated records).

True fraud cases (deliberate deception) are harder to quantify but likely in the range of hundreds of millions rather than billions.

2. Types of Social Security Fraud

Receiving Benefits for a Deceased Person – Sometimes, relatives fail to report a beneficiary’s death and continue collecting payments.

Disability Fraud – People who falsely claim to be disabled while working or living a normal life.

Identity Theft – Criminals use stolen Social Security numbers to claim benefits fraudulently.

Representative Payee Fraud – A person managing benefits for someone else misuses the funds.

3. SSA’s Response to Fraud

The SSA cross-checks records with government death databases to prevent improper payments.

Banks are required to report deaths, and any checks sent to deceased individuals are supposed to be returned.

In 2022, the OIG recovered over $100 million in fraud cases.

How Big Is the Fraud Problem?

Compared to the $1.4 trillion Social Security pays out yearly, the fraud and improper payments make up less than 1% of total spending. While it’s a concern, it’s not a major drain on the system.

By ChatGPT

[wickedsrest-rp]

Luciano "Luc" Ramires He / him

"You can’t say you have bad luck as long as one amazingly lucky thing happens to you, especially if that thing is love."

SPECIES: Human (Non-powered) OCCUPATION: Actor / model AGE: 29 Years Old PLAYED BY: Hera FC: Rafael Silva

BIOGRAPHY:

What even is luck? It’s entirely intangible and something people cling onto when they don’t have a solid ethic and a can-do attitude! At least that’s how Luciano always chose to view his own life even when people constantly brought up the topic of luck and more importantly, his complete lack of it. Which, if he’d even believed in superstitions like luck, they might have had a point… 

Luc never really knew his home country nor his biological father, two things whose absence never really bothered him. His mother’s American girlfriend convinced her to move back with her and so at only three years old, Luc was headed for sunny California. He was perfectly content with two loving parents and entirely unbothered by where they happened to be living because it didn’t matter– as long as wherever they were, they had good coverage on their health insurance. Perhaps it was a bit of luck that his mother was a nurse but that didn’t prevent the frequent ER visits following freak accidents; burns on the stove that had somehow managed to turn itself on, getting attacked by usually peaceful birds, falling down literal holes. At one point, his moms got investigated by CPS but they came to a simple conclusion: Luciano was simply a clumsy, maybe even pathologically unlucky, child. 

Contrasted by his mother, the nurse, and his mom, the lawyer, Luc never felt like the household’s brightest member. His senior year finally brought with it a diagnosis of dyslexia and only a year behind, Luc finally did manage to graduate high school with all interest in traditional learning dead and buried. The only enjoyable thing about high school had been the drama classes (his moms had agreed that keeping him away from sports was safest for everyone), even if he’d never quite managed to snag the lead roles - but he’d get lucky one of these days! It didn’t deter him from pursuing a career in acting, even if they couldn’t afford fancy academies for dramatic arts and what he lacked in classical training, Luc made up for in positive attitude and almost unbridled support from his moms, even through the endless lack of a call backs. The right role had to be around the corner! Maybe a change of scenery was the way to go? London had plenty of theaters and film studios and perhaps a better ratio of supply and demand than San Francisco. With support from his moms and money scrounged together from the odd commercial and strange hand modelling gig, Luc set off for Britain. 

The scene in London gave San Francisco a run for its money. Refusing to admit defeat, the young aspiring actor persevered despite every setback. And there were… plenty of those. Twisting his ankle during an audition, pouring hot coffee over a casting director, identity theft; and those were just during his first month there. At least some modelling gigs managed to keep him fed and even though the audition scene provided ample opportunity for interesting dates, those were usually cut short by lightning strikes. Literally, one of his dates got struck by lightning. Others got off easy with table cloths catching fire, an active robbery or their ex showing up to propose. Luc had all but given up on dating when Sebastian Bhati changed his mind. 

The confident art student that approached Luc after a side gig modelling at an art class just took the string of accidents that followed the young actor around in stride. They could have fun with it! And how could Luciano be so unlucky if he’d managed to find someone as wonderful as Sebastian? Sure, they were broke and Luc rarely got callbacks and Seb’s art had a hard time selling but when they were dealing with it together, nothing felt too difficult to take on. He had no intention of losing him and so, after only eight months of dating, Luc asked his favorite artist to marry him. He’d never felt as lucky as when Sebastian said yes. Their same night engagement party consisted of drunk art students, plenty of shots and Luc wondering how one person could make him feel this whole. 

Two days after that, Luc arrived at Sebastian’s apartment to find that it had been abandoned in a hurry. 

No one knew where Sebastian had vanished off to, neither his parents nor classmates and least of all, his brand new fiance. Luc’s worry turned into fear and then full blown panic. The police refused to help, finding no sign of foul play - people sometimes decided they needed a change, was the explanation a grieving Luc was left with. They hadn’t known Sebastian the way he had, there was no universe in which he left without an explanation. Something was wrong, either his fiance was hurt or scared or the bad luck that Luciano refused to admit followed him around had caught up to Sebastian. Whatever it was, Luc had been willing to make a vow to stand by this man, no matter the circumstances, mysterious disappearance included even if ‘sickness and health’ didn’t explicitly cover this.  

Months of digging finally provided results. With every spare cent he made, Luc had hired a private investigator who eventually tracked down someone who was possibly Sebastian all the way back to the States. A small town in Maine called Wicked’s Rest. Whatever the reason for Sebastian relocating to the middle of nowhere, Luc was hopeful that he might finally get some answers and maybe even reclaim the love of his life. Surely, he was due for another stroke of good luck right about now… right?

PERSONALITY:

Sweet · Ambitious · Clumsy · Hopeful · Overtly Positive · Naive · Emotional · Insecure · Stubborn 

OTHER INFO:

Luc’s instagram is an interesting thing to follow and not for the negative of heart. Although regular posting slowed down after Sebastian’s disappearance, it is still a page of unbridled positivity, hope and manifesting your reality - along with some of his modelling work, of course. Stay on that grind xx

His most successful job to date, going by numbers? A commercial for wet food. For a better part of a year, Luc regularly got recognized on the street as the ‘hot cat food guy.’ Luc plays it off like all recognition is good but secretly, he wants to throw a small fit each time the name resurfaces which happens every three months or so. The worst part is he got paid up front and not by air time. 

It took almost four whole years for Luc to properly start speaking but when he did, it was an endearing mix of Portuguese and English. He now speaks both languages fluently as his mamãe did not let him get away with fully losing touch with his Brazilian roots. 

Luc’s dyslexia still poses an issue from time to time, especially when auditioning for roles with long scripts. Before Sebastian, he used to record the whole scripts for himself to listen back to but then Sebastian got roped into it. There exist dozens of voice recordings of Sebastian reading all sorts of scripts, from theater works to commercials.

[khaire-traveler]

How are ya doing mate?

This ended up being kind of venty, so I put it behind a read more. The long and short of it is that I'm doing terribly and do not feel well. Thank you for caring to ask; it does mean a lot and makes me feel a little less alone. Take care, Nonny. 🧡

In all honesty, Nonny, I'm not doing well at all. I've had an incredibly hard week. I found out that I can't get any financial aid for college (I'm ineligible, apparently), I've been struggling immensely in finding a job, I'm trying to get a replacement for my birth certificate that USPS lost in the mail, I'm trying to prevent identity theft for my social security number that USPS also lost in the mail, and now I've found out that my dog is struggling with some pretty intense health issues and apparently all the responsibility for booking his appointments and giving him his eye drops falls on me I guess. Oh, and on top of my dog's health issues, I am also having issues that I haven't been able to address throughout any of this because I don't have a doctor and can't find one. I'm doing terribly. What's worse is that it feels like I'm mostly alone in this. I don't blame my friends for this, obviously, but all of them are too busy to talk these days, and my online friends are the only ones I'm close enough with to talk about these kinds of issues. The few friends I've made in this new state (US) aren't close enough for me to be able to talk about this stuff without it being super weird. The whole friend things has also been a huge issue: I am crushingly alone right now. I haven't gotten the chance to hang out with anyone one on one, and not having a job means in basically spending the entire day with only seeing my pets and my parents. Walking to see people isn't an option here, and driving to see people is also not an option due to gas prices. Idk, there's a lot to it.

Anyway, yeah, I'm doing pretty bad. I feel like shit, and I also feel entirely alone and a little bit like no one cares, although I logically know that people do care and are just busy with their own lives (which is obviously completely ok). I feel exhausted. I even got woken up by a call from the vet, asking if I was going to cancel some appointment they had me schedule for my dog. I have to schedule something else for him later as well. Life is hell, and I am burning in the lake of fire. ✨

[warningsine]

Unnecessarily compiling sensitive information can be as damaging as actively trying to steal it. For example, the Cybernews research team discovered a plethora of supermassive datasets, housing billions upon billions of login credentials. From social media and corporate platforms to VPNs and developer portals, no stone was left unturned.

Our team has been closely monitoring the web since the beginning of the year. So far, they’ve discovered 30 exposed datasets containing from tens of millions to over 3.5 billion records each. In total, the researchers uncovered an unimaginable 16 billion records.

None of the exposed datasets were reported previously, bar one: in late May, Wired magazine reported a security researcher discovering a “mysterious database” with 184 million records. It barely scratches the top 20 of what the team discovered. Most worryingly, researchers claim new massive datasets emerge every few weeks, signaling how prevalent infostealer malware truly is.

“This is not just a leak – it’s a blueprint for mass exploitation. With over 16 billion login records exposed, cybercriminals now have unprecedented access to personal credentials that can be used for account takeover, identity theft, and highly targeted phishing. What’s especially concerning is the structure and recency of these datasets – these aren’t just old breaches being recycled. This is fresh, weaponizable intelligence at scale,” researchers said.

The only silver lining here is that all of the datasets were exposed only briefly: long enough for researchers to uncover them, but not long enough to find who was controlling vast amounts of data. Most of the datasets were temporarily accessible through unsecured Elasticsearch or object storage instances.

What do the billions of exposed records contain?

Researchers claim that most of the data in the leaked datasets is a mix of details from stealer malware, credential stuffing sets, and repackaged leaks.

There was no way to effectively compare the data between different datasets, but it’s safe to say overlapping records are definitely present. In other words, it’s impossible to tell how many people or accounts were actually exposed.

However, the information that the team managed to gather revealed that most of the information followed a clear structure: URL, followed by login details and a password. Most modern infostealers – malicious software stealing sensitive information – collect data in exactly this way.

Information in the leaked datasets opens the doors to pretty much any online service imaginable, from Apple, Facebook, and Google, to GitHub, Telegram, and various government services. It’s hard to miss something when 16 billion records are on the table.

According to the researchers, credential leaks at this scale are fuel for phishing campaigns, account takeovers, ransomware intrusions, and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.

“The inclusion of both old and recent infostealer logs – often with tokens, cookies, and metadata – makes this data particularly dangerous for organizations lacking multi-factor authentication or credential hygiene practices,” the team said.

What dataset exposed billions of credentials?

The datasets that the team uncovered differ widely. For example, the smallest, named after malicious software, had over 16 million records. Meanwhile, the largest one, most likely related to the Portuguese-speaking population, had over 3.5 billion records. On average, one dataset with exposed credentials had 550 million records.

Some of the datasets were named generically, such as “logins,” “credentials,” and similar terms, preventing the team from getting a better understanding of what’s inside. Others, however, hinted at the services they’re related to.

For example, one dataset with over 455 million records was named to indicate its origins in the Russian Federation. Another dataset, with over 60 million records, was named after Telegram, a cloud-based instant messaging platform.

“The inclusion of both old and recent infostealer logs – often with tokens, cookies, and metadata – makes this data particularly dangerous for organizations lacking multi-factor authentication or credential hygiene practices,”

While naming is not the best way to deduce where the data comes from, it seems some of the information relates to cloud services, business-oriented data, and even locked files. Some dataset names likely point to a form of malware that was used to collect the data.

It is unclear who owns the leaked data. While it could be security researchers that compile data to check and monitor data leaks, it’s virtually guaranteed that some of the leaked datasets were owned by cybercriminals. Cybercriminals love massive datasets as aggregated collections allow them to scale up various types of attacks, such as identity theft, phishing schemes, and unauthorized access.

A success rate of less than a percent can open doors to millions of individuals, who can be tricked into revealing more sensitive details, such as financial accounts. Worryingly, since it's unclear who owns the exposed datasets, there’s little impact users can do to protect themselves.

However, basic cyber hygiene is essential. Using a password manager to generate strong, unique passwords, and updating them regularly, can be the difference between a safe account and stolen details. Users should also review their systems for infostealers, to avoid losing their data to attackers.

No, Facebook, Google, and Apple passwords weren’t leaked. Or were they?

With a dataset containing 16 billion passwords, that’s equivalent to two leaked accounts for every person on the planet.

We don’t really know how many duplicate records there are, as the leak comes from multiple datasets. However, some reporting by other media outlets can be quite misleading. Some claim that Facebook, Google, and Apple credentials were leaked. While we can’t completely dismiss such claims, we feel this is somewhat inaccurate.

Bob Diachenko, a Cybernews contributor, cybersecurity researcher, and owner of SecurityDiscovery.com, is behind this recent major discovery.

16-billion-record data breach signals a shift in the underground world

According to Cybernews researcher Aras Nazarovas, this discovery might signal that criminals are abandoning previously popular methods of obtaining stolen data.

"The increased number of exposed infostealer datasets in the form of centralized, traditional databases, like the ones found be the Cybernews research team, may be a sign, that cybercriminals are actively shifting from previously popular alternatives such as Telegram groups, which were previously the go-to place for obtaining data collected by infostealer malware," Nazarovas said.

He regularly works with exposed datasets, ensuring that defenders secure them before threat actors can access them.

Here’s what Nazarovas suggests you should do to protect yourself.

"Some of the exposed datasets included information such as cookies and session tokens, which makes the mitigation of such exposure more difficult. These cookies can often be used to bypass 2FA methods, and not all services reset these cookies after changing the account password. Best bet in this case is to change your passwords, enable 2FA, if it is not yet enabled, closely monitor your accounts, and contact customer support if suspicious activity is detected."

Billions of records exposed online: recent leaks involve WeChat, Alipay

Major data leaks, with billions of exposed records, have become nearly ubiquitous. Last week, Cybernews wrote about what is likely the biggest data leak to ever hit China, billions of documents with financial data, WeChat and Alipay details, as well as other sensitive personal data.

Last summer, the largest password compilation with nearly ten billion unique passwords, RockYou2024, was leaked on a popular hacking forum. In 2021, a similar compilation with over 8 billion records was leaked online.

In early 2024, the Cybernews research team discovered what is likely still the largest data leak ever: the Mother of All Breaches (MOAB), with a mind-boggling 26 billion records.

16 billion passwords exposed: how to protect yourself

Huge datasets of passwords spill onto the dark web all the time, highlighting the need to change them regularly. This also demonstrates just how weak our passwords still are.

Last year, someone leaked the largest password compilation ever, with nearly ten billion unique passwords published online. Such leaks pose severe threats to people who are prone to reusing passwords.

Even if you think you are immune to this or other leaks, go and reset your passwords just in case.

Select strong, unique passwords that are not reused across multiple platforms

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible

Closely monitor your accounts

Contact customer support in case of any suspicious activity

[wanderingmind867]

Johnny Quick (Barton Allen): First, let's discuss Speed Juice. A young college research assistant named Jason Garricks discovered speed juice on complete accident one day. Jason accidentally created it and dosed himself with it, and he realized just how great it truly was. A drug that increases people's strength and endurance by giving them superspeed. Jason realized he could use it to make himself a star, so he pumped himself full of speed juice and took on the identity of Johnny Quick (not to be confused with the postive matter superhero johnny quick)!

For a few years, Jason lived the high life as a superhero. It was amazing, being worshipped for all he did. But then he discovered that speed juice had some horrible side effects. Namely, it's more addictive than even a mixture of cocaine and heroin. Once you take that first hit, everything feels so fast and speedy. Coming down, you feel like everyone is moving at a snail's pace. You begin to feel both overstimulated and understimulated. It's hellish. So to overcompensate, Jason began taking the juice every hour. But then everything felt too fast. His muscles began to atrophy and his internal body parts began to burn up. He was killing himself by being a hero.

So…this ends exactly as you'd expect it to. Jason Garricks ended up killing himself. The police found his body in the back alleys of central city one day, still in his johnny quick costume. It was a real mess. But the funny thing was…when they forced down their nausea and actually searched the body, the police found that his vials of speed juice were missing.

And this brings us to Barton Allen. Barton had a horrible childhood. When he was 9 years old, his mom died. He was the first one to find the body, and that image messed him up. It still haunts him at night. After that, he called the police, and they conducted a through investigation. And after roughly two years of investigation, they were successfully able to convict Barton's father for the crime of murdering his wife.

Since Barton had no other family members who wanted him, he ended up in an orphanage by age 11. Until he turned 18 and legally became an adult, barton was raised in the orphanage. It was a hellish environment, and it bred resentment in him. Tired and apathetic, he became numb to all feeling. A sluggish teen with an attitude problem, he eventually ended up getting himself kicked out of the orphanage when he was 16.

Now homeless, barton sunk even further into his feelings of apathy and depression. His life from the years of 16-20 were all a blur to him. It was only a week or two after his 21st birthday that things began to turn around for him. One night, barton found the emaciated from of jason garricks dying in the gutter. Barton heard his story about speed juice, and then watched as the light flickered from his eyes. But when he heard cop sirens coming, he stole the speed juice off jason's body, drank it and ran like the wind!

Just like jason, barton ends up hooked on the speed juice. But unlike barton, the juice became more than an addiction for him. The juice became a reason to live. It made him feel alive, in a way he hadn't felt alive since he was nine! So he rapidly worked to develop a cure for the internal organ failure problem with the juice. Holing himself up in an abandoned chemistry lab, barton worked around the clock until he finally perfected the formula. And eventually, he did it!

He found a way to prevent the speed juice from killing him, and then he proceeded to hook millions of IVs into himself, so his body could constantly be full of speed juice. And then he turned to petty theft, because the thrill of the chase was all that seemed to bring him pleasure anymore. He took on the name of Johnny Quick, and he became the world's most notorious bandit.

This is what eventually leads him to the Crime Syndicate. They asked him to join because they admired his skill as one of the world's seven biggest crooks, and he was too busy experiencing a drug high to ever listen to a word anyone said there. Him and Power Ring were the only members of the league that got along in a really genuine way, since they were both lonely, miserable men just trying to cope with life. Harold would cry as volthoom made him kill, while Barton would be comforting him while high on the world's worst drug.

But eventually, the justice league canada ends up on the anti-matter earth. And barton and power ring follow them back through a portal into the positive matter universe. And as a strange twist of fate, speed juice doesn't work in the positive matter universe. So for the first time in forever, barton's lost his life blood. And it drives him completely catatonic. For months he just lays in a coma at the justice league canada's ottawa headquarters. But eventually he wakes up. And then him and harold try to settle down and live normal lives on the positive matter earth, finally free of their pain and/or addictions…