Authorities have announced the indictment of Los Angeles resident Amir Hossein Golshan for a wide range of cyber crimes, including SIM-swap attacks, Zelle payments fraud, impersonating Apple support, and hijacking social media accounts.
Golshan, described in court documents as a “serial cybercriminal and scammer,” was recently sentenced in a California federal court to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution. Is.
Cyber criminal activities spanning four years
Over nearly four years, from April 2019 to February 2023, Golshan defrauded hundreds of individuals, earning approximately $740,000 from more than 500 victims.
“He showed little remorse for his victims or for being caught during the years of his crime, believing that he could hide behind an online screenname or the anonymity of a VPN, and his victims – who were on the other side of the computer – would Will never be found,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Diverse range of cyber scams
Golshan’s repertoire of scams was diverse and fraudulent. In a notable SIM-swapping attack, he seized control of an Instagram account belonging to a Los Angeles-based model and influencer.
He then contacted the victim’s friends and fraudulently requested money on her behalf through Zelle, PayPal and other platforms. He also tried to extort $2,000 from the victim by threatening to delete her social media accounts.
Another scam involved a fraudulent offer on Instagram, where Golshan promised to provide a verified badge for the victim’s daughter’s account in exchange for $300. After receiving payment through Zelle, the badge was never delivered.
Impersonating Apple Support
In one particularly egregious case, Golshan impersonated Apple support personnel to access victims’ Apple iCloud accounts.
He stole valuable digital assets, including NFTs and cryptocurrencies. In one example, he received an NFT worth approximately $319,000 and approximately $70,000 in cryptocurrency, which he later sold on an NFT marketplace for $130,000.
Enhancing Personal Cyber Security Measures
It is important to adopt advanced personal cyber security measures to effectively protect against persistent cyber criminals like Golshan. This includes not only basic precautions but also a deep understanding and implementation of safety practices:
- Use special security solutions: Dedicated software like Bitdefender Ultimate Security can help you thwart miscreants’ attempts to compromise your digital well-being.
- multi-factor authentication: Beyond two-factor authentication, consider using multi-factor authentication methods, involving biometrics or physical security keys.
- network security: Secure your home and mobile networks with solid encryption and avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions. Consider a reputable VPN for an extra layer of security.
- digital footprint awareness: Be conscious of your online presence. Limit sharing personal information on social media and be mindful of the digital mediums you leave behind.
- regular security audit: Perform regular security checks of your digital accounts. Look for signs of unauthorized access and review permission settings.
- Back up important data: Regularly back up important data to a secure location, such as an encrypted external hard drive or a trusted cloud service.
Source: www.bitdefender.com