bzTECHBYTES250309

If your Zelle app is linked to a Chase account, the banking giant says it might “delay, decline or block” payments it identifies “as originating from contact through social media,” including online vendors. Many consumers have said they have lost money after using Zelle to pay for goods or services that never arrive. Chase advises that Zelle should be used only for “payments between friends, family and others you trust.”

More say ‘no’ to ransomware pay

Enabled by cheap do-it-yourself hacking kits on the dark web, ransomware attacks hit an all-time high in 2024, according to reports from several security researchers. But even as attacks increased, more victims refused to pay a ransom. The volume of ransom payments plunged 35% last year compared with 2023, Chainalysis said.

Sophos, meanwhile, said fewer companies paid ransoms because most victims were able to restore their data from backups. Still, recovery costs were staggering. Sophos said the average recovery costs for organizations hit by ransomware was $2.7 million — and that amount does not include ransom payments.

Those who paid a ransom paid more, however. Coveware said the average ransom payment in the fourth quarter was $553,959, up 16% from the third quarter.

Sound off

The Federal Communications Commission is sending a loud and clear message to TV advertisers: lower the volume. The FCC has a rule requiring commercials to be “at appropriate volume levels” but says it is considering further regulations after receiving thousands of complaints about “exceedingly loud commercials.” As for loud commercials in streaming and online services, the FCC says it doesn’t have the authority to address complaints about those platforms.

Apple unveils new iPads

Apple rolled out a new iPad Air with a faster processor, enhancing a device that helped lift holiday sales despite an iPhone slump. The tablets come in 11-inch and 13-inch size options, priced at $599 and $799. The new models are capable of running Apple’s suite of artificial intelligence features, called Apple Intelligence, and can handle AI-based workloads as much as 60% faster, the company said.

— BLOOMBERG NEWS