Tech Digest daily round up: Former policeman loses £3K in Royal Mail scam
A retired police officer was left “devastated and embarrassed” when scammers posing as the Royal Mail conned him out of £3,000. The man said he thought the con-artists were “legitimate and credible” when he spoke to them on the phone. He had fallen prey to a scam text message that claimed a parcel was awaiting delivery. Royal Mail has confirmed it would never send such a text message. The message then links to a website mocked up to look like an official site. The page requests personal and payment details, which fraudsters use to steal the victim’s identity and target them with further scams. BBC
A new air purifier containing sensing technology able to destroy potentially dangerous indoor pollutants has been unveiled by Dyson. The UK-founded technology firm says its new purifier range can create cleaner home environments through its ability to capture pollutants such as formaldehyde. A colourless gas pollutant, formaldehyde can be found in furniture and wooden products, insulating materials and DIY materials such as paint, wallpapers and household cleaning products and can cause health issues through prolonged exposure. Dyson says its new Purifier Formaldehyde range can precisely monitor levels of the pollutant in the home and remove it as needed using a new solid-state sensor and Dyson algorithms. Irish News
Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said he welcomes a rise in corporate taxes to cover the cost of “bold investments” into infrastructure in the US. US President Joe Biden last week singled out the technology giant for failing to pay federal income tax, as he proposed taxing businesses and the rich to cover his ambitious $2.25 trillion (£1.6trn) infrastructure plan. Amazon has often been criticised for alleged efforts to cut its taxes. Politicians are currently debating how to pay for Mr Biden’s ambitious overhaul, which includes investments in electric vehicles, revamping water systems and improving public transport. Mr Bezos said: “We support the Biden Administration’s focus on making bold investments in American infrastructure.” Telegraph
Riders for the app-based meal delivery platform Deliveroo held a strike in London Wednesday over pay and working conditions, part of a broader backlash against one of the U.K.’s biggest gig economy companies. Scooter and bicycle delivery riders waving flags and red smoke flares rode through the streets of Central London. Socially distanced protests were also planned in York, Reading, Sheffield and Wolverhampton to demand fair pay, safety protections and basic workers’ rights. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, which represents migrant and gig workers, expected hundreds of riders to take part. The strike coincides with the first day of unconditional share trading for Deliveroo, which went public last week in a multibillion pound stock offering that was one of Europe’s most hotly anticipated IPOs this year. Yahoo! News
Apple Inc said on Wednesday that in the coming weeks it will start enforcing a new privacy notification rule that digital advertising firms such as Facebook Inc have warned will hurt their sales. Apple said the notices will become mandatory when its iOS 14.5 operating system becomes available in the coming weeks, though it did not give a precise date. The one-time notices will require an app developer to ask a user’s permission before the app tracks activities “across other companies’ apps and websites.” Digital advertising industry experts have said the warning could cause many users to decline permission. Reuters
