A new report says scams have now overtaken phishing. Criminals are using AI to run these scams on a much larger scale, making it easier to trick people into handing over money or personal details.
Quick glossaryPhishing, Fraud
Phishing
Fake messages or websites that trick people into sharing passwords, bank details or other private information.
Fraud
Dishonest trickery used to steal money or property from someone, often by lying about who they are or what they offer.
Finastra's chief technology officer, Mike Stawchansky, says some AI-driven scams are so convincing that current tools cannot catch them. Readers should be careful with unexpected calls, messages or payment requests, even when they seem genuine, and should check through a trusted channel before sending money.
Quick glossaryFinastra, CTO, AI scams
Finastra
Finastra is a financial software company whose products are used by banks and other financial firms.
CTO
Chief technology officer, the senior executive in charge of a company's technology and software systems.
AI scams
Fraud that uses artificial intelligence to copy voices, writing or videos to trick people into sending money or details.
Baseten, an AI infrastructure company, has released joey-1, a small open-weight model with 2 billion parameters. Unlike chatbots that write text, it returns calibrated probabilities to help systems make decisions. It responds in about 20 milliseconds and charges one cent per million input tokens.
Cyber criminals are reportedly targeting smaller NBFCs, or non-banking financial companies, using specialised AI toolkits. The warning comes in today's ETtech Top 5 briefing for India, which also highlights Pine Labs' sharp jump in Q2 profit. Lenders and their customers should be alert to scams and data theft.
Quick glossaryNBFCs, Pine Labs, AI toolkits
NBFCs
Non-banking financial companies are lenders that offer loans and credit without being regular banks.
Pine Labs
Pine Labs is an Indian company that provides payment machines and payment services for shops and businesses.
AI toolkits
Ready-made sets of AI software tools that help people carry out tasks like writing messages or finding targets quickly.
Sources told WIRED that an Accenture employee's personal Claude agent operated on a Defense Department network for two months before anyone spotted it. The weakness was closed only after it was identified. The case shows how personal AI tools can open risky doors inside sensitive government systems.
Quick glossaryAccenture, Claude agent, vulnerability
Accenture
Accenture is a global consulting and IT services company, best known for helping large organisations run and change their technology.
Claude agent
A Claude agent is an AI program built on Claude, an AI assistant made by Anthropic, that can carry out tasks on its own.
vulnerability
A vulnerability is a weakness in a computer system that hackers or unauthorised programs could use to get in without permission.
Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to some of its employees. The Verge reports this follows CEO Satya Nadella's remarks about AI changing how many people the company employs. The writer calls this week's buyout offer the clearest sign yet that Microsoft's workforce will shrink as AI grows.
Quick glossaryMicrosoft, voluntary buyouts
Microsoft
A large US technology company best known for its Windows operating system, Office apps and Azure cloud services.
voluntary buyouts
Money offered to employees who choose to leave their jobs, rather than being forced out by the company.
A new report says many teenagers turn to AI tools when they feel distressed. It flags mental health risks linked to this habit. The findings were reported by WZTV, a local TV station. The headline gives few details, so readers may want the full report for specifics.
Quick glossaryWZTV
WZTV
A local television station that published this report about teens and AI.
A new law in New York will ban artificial intelligence features for children. The move puts the state among the places trying to set limits on how kids can use AI. The report did not give details on how the ban will be enforced.
Quick glossaryAI features
AI features
Built-in tools powered by artificial intelligence that a app or device uses to answer questions, create content or act on its own.
GoDaddy, a company that helps people set up websites, says an attack driven by AI exposed some information about its website customers. The report, dated 28 October, did not say how many people were affected. It is another sign that attackers are now using AI tools too.
Quick glossaryGoDaddy, cyberattack
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a US company best known for selling website domain names and web hosting for small businesses and individuals.
cyberattack
An attempt by hackers to break into computer systems, steal data or cause damage to them.
A GitHub issue reports that installing the claude-mem tool uploads a user's last 30 days of prompts to cmem.ai without asking first. Prompts can hold private work, code and personal details. Users who installed it may want to check what data was shared.
Quick glossaryclaude-mem, opt-in, prompt
claude-mem
A tool named in the story that users install and that reportedly sends their prompts to an outside website.
opt-in
Permission a user must actively give before a service is allowed to collect or share their data.
prompt
The question or instruction a person types into an AI chatbot or tool to get a response.
A BBC report says an AI-made microdrama edit of the show Neighbours has worried actors and crew. It raises questions about how AI could change TV work and who gets to decide how existing shows are reused.
Quick glossaryBBC, microdrama
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation, a public broadcaster in the UK best known for its news and TV programmes.
microdrama
A very short drama series, usually in small episodes of a few minutes, made to be watched on a phone.
OpenAI is raising the amount of work paying subscribers can do with its AI tools, moving the Pro 100 tier up to Pro 500. It also reversed a planned cut to the Pro 200 limit after users pushed back. The company says newer, more efficient models should add even more capacity. The move comes just before Anthropic's IPO, as competition between the two firms grows.
Quick glossaryOpenAI, usage limits, IPO
OpenAI
The company behind ChatGPT, an AI firm based in San Francisco best known for its popular chatbot.
usage limits
Caps on how much you can use an online service in a set time, such as messages or tasks per day.
IPO
Initial public offering, when a private company first sells shares to the public on a stock market.
A train crash in Spain has killed people, including a young athlete and a former minister, and some victims' names are now public. Grief and anger are spreading across the country. Leaked audio from the control centre and train drivers appears to show one train was cleared to move even though another had stalled on the track.
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Context: Spain has a large high-speed and regional rail network run by state operators Renfe and Adif, and serious crashes like this usually lead to close checks of signalling and control procedures.
Andhra Pradesh has put the estimated loss from Cyclone Arnab at ₹4,600 crore. A central team is due to reach the state on October 30 to assess the damage. Officials say normal services are back in 71 of 85 affected locations, and the state has asked Telangana to send 1,000 personnel for power restoration in the Godavari region.
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Context: Cyclones are storms with strong winds and heavy rain that can flood coastal areas. After a disaster, states usually ask the central government for money to repair roads, homes and farms, and a central team checks the damage first.
The Indian Coast Guard rescued 20 crew members from the bulk carrier Sigma Pearl. The Singapore-bound ship had been stranded off the Kakinada coast since the night of October 27. Reports say an engine failure caused the ship to stop.
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Context: Bulk carriers are large cargo ships that move goods like coal and grain across the sea. When a ship loses power far from port, the crew can face serious danger, which is why coast guards step in quickly.
Heavy rain after Cyclone Arnab has hit Odisha's Ganjam and Gajapati districts hard. More than 200 villages across 22 blocks are badly affected, with roads washed away, villages cut off and three rivers in spate. Residents in marooned villages face danger as rivers stay high, so official updates matter for families there.
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Context: Odisha's coast is hit by cyclones most years, and Bay of Bengal storms often bring heavy rain to inland districts too. Ganjam and Gajapati are southern districts that frequently face flooding when rivers swell after storms.
A glacial lake outburst has been reported in Bhutan, with effects noted in districts of Assam and West Bengal. Flood alerts are now in place in these areas. Residents near rivers and low-lying land should follow official warnings closely as conditions change.
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Context: Glacial lakes form when meltwater collects behind natural dams of ice or rock in the Himalayas. When such a dam gives way, a sudden flood rushes downstream into Indian states such as Assam and West Bengal.
The Supreme Court has pushed for banks to take accountability in digital arrest fraud. The story sits alongside other updates on voter-roll (SIR) disputes and a BJP rally. Readers following the scam should watch for further court directions.
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Context: Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters posing as police, CBI or tax officials, keeping victims on video calls while they transfer money. Such cases have grown across India, and courts are asking whether banks should do more to flag suspicious transfers.
A man and his daughter were killed in a road accident in Tiruvannamalai. The headline gives no further details about how the crash happened.
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Context: Tiruvannamalai is a district in Tamil Nadu, and India records a large number of road deaths each year, so road safety is a regular public concern. Such incidents often renew calls for safer driving and stronger road rules.
An explosion occurred at an explosives godown in Vellore, damaging three vehicles. The headline gives no further details on casualties or the cause.
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Context: Explosives godowns are storage sites for materials used in mining and construction, so blasts there are treated as serious safety incidents that usually trigger official inquiries. Vellore is a district in Tamil Nadu.
West Bengal's government has warned that people who break firecracker rules during Diwali and Chhath will face strict action. The state's top police officer, the DGP, also said sky lanterns cannot be released without formal permission from the fire department. The warning covers both festivals.
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Context: Diwali and Chhath are big festivals in India, and fireworks have long raised concerns about fire injuries and air pollution, which is why many states set rules on firecrackers during festival season.
The India Meteorological Department says a low-pressure area brewing over the Bay of Bengal may strengthen over the next three days. It formed over the Andaman Sea and is moving toward the Andhra Pradesh coast. The coastal districts may receive heavy rain from November 1.
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Context: Low-pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal often bring heavy rain and sometimes grow into cyclones on India's east coast. The state has already faced Cyclone Arnab and floods this season, so people there are watching these forecasts closely.
Police have handed the alleged arson attack on the Kadavumbhagam synagogue to the National Investigation Agency, or NIA. Officers point to suspected cryptocurrency payments, reconnaissance videos and possible international terror links. These clues are the reason for a wider probe into the case. The case now moves to the central agency's wider investigation.
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Context: The NIA is India's central agency for investigating terror and other serious national security cases. Attacks on places of worship are closely watched, and agencies look for links across borders before drawing conclusions.
MGM Healthcare held a walkathon to mark World Stroke Day, and Union Health Minister Nadda urged citizens to learn the warning signs of stroke. Reports note that stroke is no longer seen only as an old-age illness, because it is now hitting younger people as well. The events aim to raise awareness so that symptoms are recognised early.
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Context: A stroke happens when blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, and quick treatment can limit lasting damage. World Stroke Day is observed every year on 29 October to spread awareness about prevention and early signs.
Reports link a deadly Spanish train crash that killed 68 people to a technical glitch and three operator errors. Audio is said to reveal exchanges between the control centre and the drivers before the crash. Coverage describes it as Spain's second high-speed rail tragedy this year.
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Context: Spain's high-speed rail network is one of the largest in Europe, so safety checks and train control systems matter to millions of riders. A second major crash this year raises questions for passengers about how these systems are run.
Kerala's Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said a medical board will probe whether expired Remdesivir was used on Nipah patients and whether it led to their deaths. The concern is about medicines that were past their expiry date being given to people being treated for the virus.
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Context: Nipah is a rare virus that spreads from animals to people and has caused outbreaks in Kerala before. Remdesivir is an antiviral medicine first developed for other infections, so its use in these patients is being checked closely.
Three fishermen who had been missing have been rescued. The headline gives no further details on where or how the rescue happened.
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Context: Fishermen at sea can go missing in storms or engine failures, and rescues are often carried out by coast guard or local boats. Such incidents are a regular risk for coastal families who depend on fishing for income.
Cyclone Arnab has damaged farms in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Naidu has sought central aid after an aerial survey of the area.
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Context: Cyclones form over warm seas and bring strong winds and heavy rain, and recovery often takes months. Central aid is usually sought through the national government when a state's losses are large, so the request is the next step in the relief process.
A Russian drone slammed into a train platform in Ukraine, and authorities say 13 people were killed. Ukrainian Railways said the train was supposed to be heading for Zaporizhzhia. The report comes from Ukrainian authorities, so the full details may still be developing.
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Context: Russia has been fighting a full-scale war with Ukraine since February 2022, and attacks on rail and civilian areas have been a repeated concern. Zaporizhzhia is a major city in southeastern Ukraine.
Odisha is preparing to airlift people stranded by floodwater caused by Cyclone Arnab. Two rain gauge stations in Ganjam district, at Patrapur and Sorada, recorded more than 50 cm of rain in just 24 hours, showing how extreme the downpour has been.
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Context: Cyclones form over warm seas and often bring heavy rain and flooding to India's east coast, where Odisha is among the most exposed states. Airlifts are used when roads are cut off, so the scale of the floodwater is serious.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited areas hit by the cyclone, and the damage estimate has now reached Rs 4,600 crore. He also asked about crop insurance coverage and the relief work that is still going on. The figure shows the scale of losses the state is still counting.
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Context: Andhra Pradesh is a coastal state on the Bay of Bengal, where cyclones often destroy crops and homes. Crop insurance matters because it can help farmers recover money lost when a harvest is damaged.
The Coast Guard airlifted six people stranded at a flooded health centre in Odisha. The rescue happened as Cyclone Arnab brought flooding to the state.
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Context: Cyclones form over the Bay of Bengal and often hit Odisha's coast, bringing strong winds and flooding that can trap people in low-lying areas. Rescues like this show how quickly the danger can reach health facilities and homes.
Cyclone Arnab has claimed five lives in Andhra Pradesh. Naidu has announced a relief package, with Rs 5 lakh ex gratia for each victim. Aid will also go to farmers, fishermen, households and businesses. A railway bridge near Ichchapuram has been flooded, so trains are cancelled or diverted, and a special train runs between Visakhapatnam and Palasa for stranded passengers.
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Context: Cyclones form over the Bay of Bengal and often hit the Andhra coast in the late-year season, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. Ex gratia is a payment given to families of people who die in a disaster, not a legal compensation claim.
Flash floods have left villages on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border inundated. Traffic on National Highway 16 is also disrupted.
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Context: Andhra Pradesh and Odisha sit along the Bay of Bengal, where heavy rain and river floods are common in the post-monsoon season. NH-16 is a major east-coast highway linking Kolkata and Chennai, so disruptions affect freight and travel.
Rivers in north Andhra Pradesh are in spate after Cyclone Arnab, and flood water has entered Ichchapuram town. In Vizianagaram district, a junior lineman died after falling from an electric pole while repairing power lines. His death adds to the storm's impact on the region.
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Context: Cyclones form over the Bay of Bengal and often bring heavy rain that swells rivers along the Andhra Pradesh coast. Floodwater can cut roads and power lines, which is why repair crews often work in dangerous conditions.
The Supreme Court will look again at the Reserve Bank of India's KYC rules, the identity checks banks use before opening accounts. The review aims to curb cyber frauds and mule accounts, where bank accounts are used to move money obtained illegally.
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Context: KYC, or Know Your Customer, is the process banks follow to confirm who their customers are. Mule accounts are often opened with stolen or borrowed identities, and online fraud has been rising in India, so the court's review could change how accounts are opened.
Spain has begun three days of mourning after a train collision killed 68 people. Videos from the scene show overturned carriages, injured passengers and widespread devastation. The crash has left families and communities across the country grieving.
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Context: Spain runs one of Europe's largest high-speed rail networks, so a crash of this size is rare and draws national attention. Investigations into the cause are normally led by authorities, and their findings usually shape rail safety rules.
Iran says four tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. According to its statement, the vessels had switched off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings from the IRGC navy. These claims come from Iran itself, so they have not been independently confirmed.
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Context: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea route between Iran and Oman through which a large share of the world's oil passes. Tensions there often push fuel prices up, which matters for India because it imports most of its oil.
Cyclone Arnab has hit several states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh and promised central help. Nine deaths have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, and people had to be evacuated. NDRF and SDRF teams are working on rescue and relief.
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Context: Cyclones form over the Bay of Bengal and often bring heavy rain and strong winds to coastal states. NDRF is the National Disaster Response Force, and SDRFs are the state-level teams that work alongside it.
An oxygen cylinder exploded inside an ambulance in Pakistan, killing at least 10 people. A local police official said patients were being moved to another hospital when the blast happened. Images from social media and TV showed flames engulfing the vehicle, with one door left open.
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Oxygen cylinders hold gas under high pressure, so damage, heat or poor handling can make them dangerous. Ambulances carry them to keep patients alive during transfers, which makes incidents like this a serious safety concern for emergency care.
The Supreme Court has said banks should act as a protective umbrella for customers and must compensate people who lose money to digital fraud. The remark suggests banks may be held responsible when customers are cheated online. For ordinary account holders, this touches their savings directly.
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Context: Online scams such as fake payment links and phishing calls are common in India, and victims often struggle to get lost money back. The Reserve Bank of India already has rules on customer liability for unauthorised digital transactions, so this view adds pressure on banks.
A Class XI student in Coimbatore ended his life after caste-based harassment involving classmates and a teacher. The case has renewed concern that caste identity still divides students in Tamil Nadu's schools, despite decades of social reform. The story examines how caste prejudice affects students day to day.
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Context: Tamil Nadu has a long history of social reform movements that aimed to end caste discrimination. Schools are meant to be safe spaces, so cases like this raise questions about how teachers and institutions respond to bullying.
Officials at the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Karnataka have been told to withdraw expired medicine. The order came during a surprise visit by Upalokayukta Veerappa and Lokayukta officials. The visit was unannounced, so the hospital had no time to prepare.
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Context: The Lokayukta is a state ombudsman that looks into complaints of corruption and poor administration, and the Upalokayukta is its deputy. Expired drugs can lose strength or cause harm, so checks on public hospital stock matter to patients who rely on them.
The weather department has forecast strong thunderstorms and hailstorms in Delhi-NCR for October 30. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, among other regions. A new low-pressure area has also formed, adding to the weather picture across several states.
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Context: Low-pressure systems over the Bay of Bengal often grow into cyclones and bring heavy rain to coastal and inland states. Checking local weather alerts helps families plan travel and protect homes and crops.
El Salvador is sending 2,000 troops to Haiti to recover four missing military personnel. The four went missing in an ambush on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. The troops are trying to bring them back, and the search effort is now under way in the area.
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Context: Haiti has faced gang violence for years, and gangs control large parts of Port-au-Prince. A multinational security mission has been supporting Haitian police since 2024, which is the wider effort this search fits into.
Ukraine says at least 13 people were killed in a Russian attack on a train station. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the strike horrific. He said the attack hit a platform where a commuter train and a passenger train were standing.
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Context: Russia and Ukraine have been at war since 2022, and attacks on rail and transport hubs have caused repeated civilian casualties. Such strikes raise concern about safety for ordinary travellers in the region.
Cyclonic storm Arnab is expected to weaken into a depression today, October 29, according to the India Meteorological Department. Heavy rain has hit at least 17 districts in southern Odisha. In Andhra Pradesh, five people have died, and Chief Minister Naidu has announced relief measures for affected families.
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Context: Cyclones form over warm seas in the Bay of Bengal and often bring heavy rain to Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, two coastal states that are hit by such storms most years. The IMD, or India Meteorological Department, issues the official forecasts and warnings.
Cyclone Arnab made landfall in Andhra Pradesh, and five people were killed as it battered the state, according to a report. Flights were disrupted, and Calcutta was bracing for rain. The India Meteorological Department expects the cyclone to weaken into a depression on October 29.
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Context: Cyclones form over warm seas in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea and often bring heavy rain and strong winds to coastal states. Once a cyclone weakens into a depression, the main danger usually comes from flooding and rain-related damage.
