Re: "'Scammers stole £40k after EDF gave out my number"

Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> wrote:
[...]

    Think of the average person. First there was the SIM swap,

  *That*, the SIM-swap, was the security breach, which never should have
happened. 'the average person' has nothing to do with it.

so
now the scammer is getting all texts. They're also getting
2FA codes. With the email address they go to that and say they
forgot their password. Then there are two possiiblities. They may
need to know security questions, or they may have a password
reset link sent to their cellphone.

  That would be yet another security breach. Generally, unauthorized
persons will *not* get access to e-mail and other accounts. That why
it's strongly advised to give your next of kin access to passwords,
etc., because if you get indisposed or die, etc., your next of kin will
not get access without them.

      If it's the latter then they have
email access. That's part of the lesson here. 2FA is not safer. It's
riskier.

  Nonsense. Of course 2FA/2SV is safer. It's less *convenient*, but
safer. Especially 2FA. That you say "2FA" while the context you describe
is 2SV, not 2FA, doesn't do your 'argument' any favours.

   It's bringing an insecure, portable device into the mix and
trusting that device fully.

  Here you go again! A smartphone is not insecure. That *you* do not
understand - and apparently do not want to understand - how it really
works, invalidates your claim.

  But stop your ranting and put your money where your mouth is:

  You have my smartphone in your hand. Now pray tell, *how* are you
going to abuse (i.e. get into in) that "insecure, portable device" and
do all those terrible things, upto accessing my bank accounts. After
all, you are the expert and we are only gullible ostriches.

[More of the same FUD ranting deleted.]

    Anyone who assumes they're safe conducting their life online
is simply an ostrich who doesn't want to know the facts. In
their defense, the facts are well hidden. But it's still ostrich
mentality, driven by laziness.

  As has been said many, many times before: *Your* life *is* online.
That you don't realize or/and acknowledge that, doesn't make it any less
a fact. So also yours is "ostrich mentality'.