Asia, Africa, and Australasia

News items from Asia, Africa and Australasia

Carfax: Catalytic Converter Theft: Which Vehicles Are Targeted Most Often

Thieves are removing catalytic converters from vehicles large and small, often cutting them away from directly beneath the vehicle. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks crimes reported to insurance companies, the number of reported catalytic converter thefts increased from roughly 1,300 in 2018 to more than 14,000 in 2020, the most recent year for which data is available. According to the National Insurance Crime…

Fraud exposure in auto lending exceeds $7.7B in 2021

The pandemic “laid the groundwork” for rising fraud risk in 2021 as fraudsters learned to use falsified information and identities to benefit from unemployment and paycheck protection programs, Point PredictiveChief Fraud Strategist Frank McKenna told Auto Finance News. “Not a day goes by that you don’t read of somebody that has taken advantage of [government] programs with fraud,” he said. Point…

Apple AirTags being used by car thieves: What you need to know to protect yourself

What are the thieves doing? According to police in the York Region, which is located in the Ontario Province, they have identified a new method that is being used by thieves to track and steal high-end vehicles. "Since September 2021, officers have investigated five incidents where suspects have placed small tracking devices on high-end vehicles, so they can later locate and steal them," read a portion of the statement. "Brand name…

4 Ways Your Car Can Be Hacked and How to Prevent It

Cybercriminals are finding ways to bypass your automotive security defenses and hack into your vehicles. It doesn't come as a surprise though, because modern cars are essentially computers on wheels. They are loaded with embedded electronic control units (ECUs) that monitor and control core vehicle functions, including the navigation, steering, brakes, entertainment, and the engine itself. Here are some of the ways cybercriminals can access…