Scammers Using Fake TikTok Profiles to Trick Unsuspecting TikTok Users to Sign Up For Adult Dating Websites

By

Satnam Narang

Senior Research Engineer,

Security Response at Tenable

TikTok, social media video app popular among teens, has quickly gained 88.6 million new Indian users in the first quarter of 2019 alone. As with any new and popular platform that launches in the market, scammers would always try their luck to manipulate it for personal gains and TikTok is no exception.

Since March 2019, Mr. Narang has been tracking the activity of a number of scam accounts on the popular short-form video platform TikTok. The social media site’s user base took off after it merged with musical.ly in August 2018, topping 1 billion monthly active users (MAUs) earlier this year.

Given TikTok’s meteoric rise in popularity, it comes as no surprise that scammers would take notice. So far, these scams appear to be in their infancy. There is no WikiHow entry for how to create TikTok scams yet. However, it’s clear the scammers are already reaping the benefits of using the platform to accomplish one or more of the following:

1. Boosting likes and followers in order to raise the popularity of a profile.
2. Game the cost-per-action networks of adult dating websites that pay for qualified leads.
3. Take advantage of cost-per-install networks, which offer monetary rewards to users who drive other users to install apps.

In this two-part series, Satnam Narang, Senior Research Engineer at Tenable explores three of the most common types of scam accounts he’s been tracking, which involve one or more of the following categories:

1. Adult-dating
2. Impersonation
3. Increasing followers/likes

In part one, Narang discusses on how scammers are using fake profiles to trick unsuspecting TikTok users to sign up for adult dating websites or pay for fraudulent “premium” Snapchat accounts. And in part two, he explores the tactics involved in creating imposter accounts and how these are used to increase followers and clicks , while also discussing the oldest trick in the scammer’s playbook – offering free likes and followers. We expect these activities to only increase as TikTok continues to dominate the Apple App Store marketplace, remaining at the top of the App Store Downloads page for multiple quarters,
while also trailing only behind Facebook properties WhatsApp and Messenger in Overall Downloads on mobile platforms.

Click here to view complete research report on TikTok Scams: How Popular Apps and Services Become New Havens for Scammers

Click here to view complete research report How Social Currency Fuels the Economy for Impersonation Accounts and Free Followers and Likes Services 

Satnam Narang, Senior Research Engineer at Tenable is available for a phone briefing to take you through his research.

 

If you need more information, please feel free to get in touch with me.

 

Sharath G

Team Lead

Enterprise Technology Practice

Change Agents PR

On behalf of Tenable

+91.80.41603144, 91.8088030853

sharath.g@changeagents.in

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ATEN unveils stylish and ultra slim docking station UH3234 to enhance laptop productivity

ATEN’s Docking station UH3234 with one single USB-C cable integrates user experience and workstation productivity. With solid build quality and sleek design, it’s a major add-on for any laptop/ultrabook

BENGALURU, India – August 16, 2019 – ATEN, the largest KVM manufacturer in the world and a leading provider of AV/IT connectivity and management solutions, today announced the addition of UH3234 to its docking series in India. The series has 7 unique products, divided in 3 categories for on-the-go travelers, for workstation setup and for speeding up graphic-intensive workflows. All the products under ATEN’s docking series come with USB-C cable and are designed to expand connectivity and create simplified, productive workspaces for any desktop environment.

UH3234, multi-functional USB-C multiport dock with power pass-through, is a one-step total upgrade for your laptop. It provides all the extra expansion, multi-display and single cable to add up to multiple devices to boost productivity at home or in the office.

“New generation laptops have become compact, leading to a rise in need of portable docking stations. Considering the evolving demands, multiport dock is definitely a choice to be made. It can make a laptop a powerhouse of productivity and creativity“, said, Vittal Salunke, Product Sales Manager – Sales Division I at ATEN. “Our docking series has been well received by other markets. In India, we are expecting the same response and aim to reach out to SOHO and SMBs“.

ATEN’s new ultra-sleek UH3234 simply allows one cable to add as far as 10 devices, with power delivery pass-through up to 60W to boost your productivity. UH3234 can charge your laptop, while connected to the docking station and allows customers to enjoy high quality 4K video or a dual HD monitor setup with HDMI, VGA, and Display Port functionality. This ergonomically sleek design ensures a minimalistic workstation compatible with all major operating systems.

Other UH3234 features include

• Lightweight with elegant aluminum enclosure
• Ergonomic design for typing comfortably and saving space
• Superior Anti- Interference (EMI) capability
• One cable which expands up to 10 ports for power, video, audio and data
• Enjoy a stunning 4K visual experience or boost productivity via dual HD monitor setup

ATEN’s docking series addresses the need for increasing user laptop potential by providing the extra expansion capabilities that peripherals need like video, audio, data and charging all at once. Ultra slim, space-saving, easy to use, undock on-the-go solution is perfect for travellers/ remote workers notably for speeding up graphic- intensive workflows.

For more information on the products visit:

https://www.aten.com/global/en/product-landing-page/docking-series/

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About ATEN India

ATEN India is the liaison office of ATEN International Co., Ltd., the leading provider of AV/IT connectivity and management solutions. Offering integrated KVM, Professional Audiovisual, and Intelligent Power solutions, ATEN products connect, manage, and optimize electronics in corporate, government, industrial, educational, and retail environments. ATEN has 579+ issued international patents and a global R&D team that produces a constant stream of innovative solutions, resulting in a comprehensive portfolio of products available worldwide. ATEN recently won the “2019 HR Asia’s best employer Award” (best companies to Work for in Asia 2019) awards. At the forefront of the seamless integration of A/V with IT, ATEN’s advanced ability to quickly develop customized solutions in KVM, Pro AV, PDU,USB, and data communication lines allows the company to build products that connect, manage, and optimize products based on customer need. ATEN’s comprehensive portfolio of innovative, reliable products is available worldwide, with local India support. For more information, visit: www.ATEN.com and follow ATEN India on LinkedIn. Twitter and Facebook

R&M showcases 4PPoE Standard Products for LAN cabling at BICSI Hyderabad

BENGALURU, India – August 14, 2019 – With an objective to tap into the vast knowledge base of the BISCI community, R&M, the globally active developer and provider of cabling systems for high-quality network infrastructures, based in Wetzikon, Switzerland, showcased their comprehensive set of cabling products and solutions to meet the standards of 4PPoE LAN cabling at the BICSI India District Satellite Seminar held at Hyderabad. The theme of BICSI revolved around the key topics of cabling infrastructure management, next generation data center solutions and futuristic smart connectivity solutions.

R&M’s main objective was to create awareness on the proper planning, installation and product selection to support 4PPoE applications. Mr. Shajan George, Technical Director at R&M India, conducted a detailed session on the new requirements of LAN cabling with special focus on 4PPoE.

The presentation touched upon the impact and newer requirements of LAN Cabling with due emphasis on the need for proper cabling project planning and execution, solutions for cable heat resulting in attenuation and loss of power as well as the need for reliable, long term 4PPoE support patch cords enhanced with IDC termination.

Interacting with the crowd at the seminar, Shajan George, Technical Director at R&M India said, “The ever increasing power demands in cabling solutions have led us to rethink the way we plan and execute PoE capabilities. Keeping the industry trends and organization requirements in mind, R&M has successfully come with reliable solutions for the Indian market that meet the standards of 4PPoE LAN cabling. R&M’s emphasis on 4PPoE has helped us to successfully leverage the BICSI platform and share our expertise and innovative technologies with other industry leaders and potential clients.”

R&M is the gold sponsor for all BICSI events this year and is actively leveraging this platform to learn and share insights with Information & Communications Technology (ICT) community experts, industry leaders and exhibitors.

R&M is considered as first choice for network cabling solutions in all industry verticals. The capability of providing fiber & copper solutions and innovative products as per industry standards with after sales support, assisting in growth & expansion plans etc. makes them distinctive.

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About R&M

R&M (Reichle & De-Massari AG) is a leading global producer of future-proof products and systems for communication and data networks. The company’s close collaboration with certified partners results in pioneering connectivity solutions in the sectors LAN, Public and Telecom Networks as well as Data Centers. The Swiss family company stands for innovation, quality and proximity to customers. More information is available at www.rdm.com

iValue Records a Stellar Q1, Delivers 108% Growth YoY

• BFSI practice leads the way with over 400% growth followed by Enterprise at 167%
• Tier 2 Channel business spurs with 211% growth contributing to 70% of revenues
• New OEM partnerships have hit the bull’s eye by outperforming the plan

BENGALURU, India – August 14, 2019 – iValue InfoSolutions, The fastest growing premium Value-Added-Distributors in the Asia Pacific regions, welcomed the new fiscal with a momentous start by recording the best Q1 performance in the recent past. Post crossing USD 100 Million mark in previous fiscal, strong start to FY20 sets foundation for next milestone of INR 1000 Crore revenues in FY20. Consultative approach coupled with strong domain knowledge and reference along with continuous investments in growth have helped iValue consistently grow at 4X the market growth rates.

The customer focused practice, which is one of iValue’s core GTM continues to grow exponentially. BFSI has clocked a 409% growth YoY and the newly introduced practice for Enterprise has reaped a 167% growth. This reflects on the compelling offerings of the company around Data, Network and Application (DNA of every business) for high repeat business from its customer base leveraging on its focused partner relationships. iValue enjoys 75% repeat business from its partner base and 65% front its partners’ customer base thus helping its OEM and partner leverage in a focused way.

On the geography front, India region revenues have made multifold growth on revenues while 8 out of 10 locations have grown over 110%. South and West regions have contributed to the stellar growth lead by Enterprise and BFSI deals, respectively.

“To continue from where we left at FY19 has been satisfying. We continue to make significant investments on people, technology and infrastructure areas and we are excited to look at crossing 1000 Crore revenue in current fiscal with the strong Q1 start” said Krishna Raj Sharma, Director and CEO, iValue InfoSolutions. “With Creador investment our capability on business has enhanced by 4X and we are excited for our OEM’s and Partners in driving profitable growth for each other.”

The regional system integrators have played a key role by contributing to 70% of the overall revenues in Q1 of FY20 with a growth of 54% on revenues. This is largely due to a vast Channel eco-system of iValue comprising of over 700 Partners. iValue has dedicated teams working closely with regional and local partners, this is apart from teams handling the large and global system integrators. iValue is also set to host these key Partners in an overseas location for their Channel Partner Conclave during the 2nd week of September 2019. The event would see 100+ CXOs from the Channel fraternity attend with an intent to identify new growth opportunities and arrive at collaborative go-to-market approach required for ensuring profitable growth together with iValue.

iValue’s emphasis will be to deliver a measurable impact for clients by aligning, customizing and optimizing offerings for business across all verticals and sizes through EOM, consultants and channel partners. The major contributors for this growth include leading-edge technologies like security analytics, availability performance management from application and network perspective and next-gen security.

As a premium technology enabler, iValue strives to deliver a measurable impact for all stakeholders by leveraging niche solutions globally. iValue has 75+ compelling and complementing offerings through a direct partnership with 30+ “Best of Breed” OEM’s for its 6000+ customers through 600+ global, national and regional system integrators.              

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About iValue InfoSolutions

A premium technology enabler, iValue InfoSolutions drives “Go to Market” for Niche, Compelling and Complimentary offerings, Digital Asset Protection, Optimization & Transformation area, leveraging Customer Life Cycle and Product Life Cycle Adoption frameworks.

iValue mission is to optimize, protect & transform “Digital Assets” of Organizations, with leading edge & proven offerings, in collaboration with trusted partners. iValue offerings are aligned, customized & optimized for organizations, across vertical & size, through its OEM, consultant & global, national, regional and local system integrators partnership.

iValue has direct partnership with 35+ “Best of Breed” OEM’s with 6000+ Customers through 700+ partners. iValue has a direct presence across 13+ locations in multiple continents, with channel, solution, vertical & horizontal focused teams, addressing pre-sales, sales & post sales needs of Customer, Consultants & Partner, for Private, Public and Hybrid cloud needs. Apart from India, iValue overseas presence include Nairobi, Kenya office for Africa foray.

The team at iValue leverage Analytics for its structured and targeted business development at Customers along with AI driven CRM solution for ensuring profitable growth for its partners and OEM.

iValue has been growing consistently at 4+ times market growth rates, at 50%+ CAGR for the last 10+ years. For more information, visit iValue and Twitter and follow us on LinkedIn.

Stream Video to Your TV from Any of Your Smartphones with PremiumAV Wi-Fi HDMI Dongle Wireless Display

• Compatible with apple devices android smartphones, tablet pcs, etc.
• Supports miracast, dlna, airplay protocol and HDMI interface

NEW DELHI, India – August 13, 2019 – PremiumAV, a leading provider of computer peripherals, today announced the launch of Wi-Fi HDMI Dongle Wireless Display. This receiver is specifically designed to meet the new age needs of customers who expect capable and high performing wireless display technology, along with the security and IT manageability features.

“We are happy to introduce PremiumAV Wi-Fi HDMI Dongle Wireless Display in the Indian market. This device is apt for customers who like to broadcast photos, videos, music and enjoy other multimedia content from their mobile device or PC to their TV,” said Sanjay Garg, CEO at PremiumAV.

The Wi-Fi display dongle is a special device to cast your mobile phone/MID/Notebook screen to another big screen through WIFI connection, under the popular standards like DLNA, Miracast, and Airplay. The PremiumAV Wi-Fi HDMI dongle wireless display provides uncompromising functionality and performance. It wirelessly sends the mobile devices’ display to your TV, enabling users to surf the web, watch favorite movies right from the couch with just a push of a button. The device also leverages best-in-class 802.11n/g/b wireless connectivity for a top-quality viewing experience even with HD quality video.

Specifications 

Supported Video Format	AVI, DIVX, MKV, TS, DAT, MPG, MPEG1, 2, 4, MP4, RM, RMVB, WMV.
Chipset	real TEK 8188CU
Wireless Standards	IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b
Frequency Band	2.4ghz ISM (Industrial Scientific Medical) band
Frequency Band	2.4ghz ISM (Industrial Scientific Medical) band
Peak Throughput	600mbps channel 1 – 14 channels (Universal Domain Selection)
Data Security	16/128-bit WEP encryption WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2- PSK, TKIP/AES
Supported Operating System	Windows 2000, XP, VISTA, WIN7, WIN8, WIN10
Host Interface	High speed usb2.0/1.1
Interface antenna gain	2DBI

Contents of the package

Wi-Fi dongle antenna 600 mbps x 1

Driver CD for WLAN and Wi-Fi

Price, Availability and Warranty

Wi-Fi HDMI Dongle Wireless Display comes with a MRP of Rs. 799/ – carrying a warranty of a month and is available immediately on Amazon.

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About PremiumAV

PremiumAV (formally known as Maya Software) started its operations in 2010. Since its inception, it has been the Anti-virus solution provider for laptops and mobile devices. It is better known as the lightest anti-virus software in the market. PremiumAV entered into the gadgets and mobile accessories segment in 2016 and it has built an impressive product range of more than 3000 across these segments. PremiumAV range of products is built by keeping in mind the needs of younger generation. All the products are available on Amazon. One can also make a purchase of products or read more about Premium AV www.maya123.com