Podcast Summary: Hacking Humans – "Lights, Camera, Scam!"
Podcast Information:
- Title: Hacking Humans
- Host/Author: N2K Networks
- Description: Deception, influence, and social engineering in the world of cybercrime.
- Episode: Lights, Camera, Scam!
- Release Date: May 29, 2025
I. Introduction and Chicken Chat
The episode opens with the hosts, Dave Buettner, Joe Kerrigan, and Maria Varmazes, engaging in their beloved segment, "Chicken Chat." This light-hearted exchange revolves around Joe's chickens, eliciting humor and camaraderie among the hosts.
- [00:47] Joe Kerrigan: "A lot of chicken, baby. Welcome to Chicken Chat, everybody."
Listeners were particularly invested in Joe's chicken stories, prompting the hosts to read listener emails filled with humorous anecdotes and photos of chickens in amusing situations.
- [02:27] Joe Kerrigan: "I didn't write this."
- [02:44] Dave Buettner: "This really rings of your style of humor, which is probably why Aaron enjoys listening to the show so much."
II. Tariff-Related Scams
The conversation shifts to a pressing issue highlighted in a recent CNBC story by Ana Teresa Sola. The hosts discuss how changing tariff policies have created fertile ground for cybercriminals to exploit consumer confusion.
- [07:12] Maria Varmazes: "Cyber criminals ... are sending fake tariff payment requests by email or text, posing either as retailers, delivery services, or government agencies."
Key Points:
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Exploitation of Confusion: Scammers take advantage of the general public's limited understanding of tariffs and import taxes.
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Phishing Tactics: Fake emails and texts mimic legitimate entities to deceive consumers into divulging personal information or making payments.
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Statistics: Researchers at B4AI identified over 300 scam-related domain names linked to tariffs registered in the first three months of 2025.
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[09:20] Dave Buettner: "Just wait. My day has come."
Notable Quotes:
- Maria Varmazes: "Scammers are using this information and the confusion around it to trick people into thinking that tariff-related charges are real." [08:15]
- Joe Kerrigan: "I think it's amazing that someone had been domain squatting on this one that was tariff related since 2003." [09:18]
III. Impersonation of US Officials Using AI
Another alarming trend discussed is the impersonation of senior US officials through AI-generated voicemails and spam texts, primarily targeting federal employees and their contacts.
- [16:55] Joe Kerrigan: "Senior US Officials are being impersonated in a malicious messaging campaign."
Key Points:
- AI-Driven Scams: Use of AI to create realistic voicemail messages and text communications (smishing and vishing).
- Phishing Objective: Directing targets to fraudulent websites to steal credentials.
- Espionage Concerns: Speculation that these attacks may be part of larger espionage efforts.
Notable Quotes:
- Joe Kerrigan: "AI generated content has advanced to the point where it's getting more difficult to identify." [22:30]
- Dave Buettner: "Don't let them dictate the pace and the urgency of the call." [23:37]
IV. Lee Goldberg and the Pitch Deck Scam
A compelling narrative is shared about Lee Goldberg, a renowned author and TV producer, who encountered a sophisticated scam targeting creative professionals.
- [26:47] Dave Buettner: "Lee Goldberg got an email from someone claiming to be the Hollywood Talent Agency about adapting his book, Calico, into a film."
Key Points:
- Initial Contact: Scam emails adorned with industry buzzwords like "award-winning film advisors" and "studio managers."
- Red Flags: Offshore call center in the Philippines, lack of genuine connections, and poor communication.
- Scam Mechanics: Requesting upfront payments for services like pitch deck creation, which are unnecessary for established professionals.
- Outcome: Lee recognized the fraud after verifying the legitimacy of the individuals involved.
Notable Quotes:
- Dave Buettner: "The scam is called a pitch deck scam." [30:15]
- Maria Varmazes: "Too good to be true. Nobody ever cares about your creative work that much." [30:42]
V. Scam Identification and Prevention Tips
The hosts provide listeners with actionable strategies to recognize and avoid falling victim to scams.
Recommendations:
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Verify Identities: Always confirm the legitimacy of callers or email senders before responding.
- Joe Kerrigan: "Verify the identity of the person calling you or sending you the voice messages before responding." [20:18]
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Examine Communication Details: Look for discrepancies in email addresses, phone numbers, URLs, and spelling.
- Maria Varmazes: "Carefully examine the email address, messaging, contact information, including the phone numbers, URLs, and the spelling of any correspondence." [21:03]
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Beware of Urgency: Scammers create a false sense of urgency to pressure quick actions.
- Joe Kerrigan: "Don't let them dictate the pace and the urgency of the call." [23:37]
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Spotting Voice Clones: Pay attention to unnatural cadence and mispronunciations in voice messages.
- Joe Kerrigan: "Listen closely to the tone and word choice... poor AI-generated voice because the cadence is off." [21:59]
Notable Quotes:
- Joe Kerrigan: "AI generated content has advanced to the point where it's getting more difficult to identify." [22:30]
- Maria Varmazes: "Be very, very, very cautious." [12:03]
VI. Cluck of the Day and Listener Interactions
In a return to their humorous roots, the hosts present the "Cluck of the Day," sharing a bizarre listener-submitted email featuring a PayPal invoice scam.
- [37:28] Joe Kerrigan: "Cluck of the day comes from Jonathan, who sent us a kind of a weird one..." [37:29]
- [38:15] Joe Kerrigan: "I think that is just to make it through the spam filters to get you to open the PDF attachment."
This segment underscores the diversity of scams while maintaining an engaging and entertaining tone.
VII. Sponsor Messages
The episode includes promotional segments for ThreatLocker, a cybersecurity platform emphasizing zero-trust endpoint protection.
- [25:36] ThreatLocker Sponsor: "ThreatLocker... deploys in a learning mode that analyzes the operations of your company using machine learning..." [25:36]
VIII. Conclusion
The hosts wrap up the episode by encouraging listener engagement and promoting upcoming content. They reiterate the importance of vigilance against evolving scams and humorously sign off with personal anecdotes and future plans.
- [40:18] Dave Buettner: "Thanks for listening, Sam."
Key Takeaways:
- Evolving Scams: Cybercriminals continuously adapt, leveraging current events like tariff changes and advanced AI to execute sophisticated scams.
- Public Awareness: Understanding and recognizing red flags is crucial in mitigating the risks posed by these deceptive tactics.
- Community Engagement: Interactive segments like "Chicken Chat" and "Cluck of the Day" foster a sense of community while educating listeners on cybersecurity threats.
Final Notable Quote:
- Maria Varmazes: "Don't get fooled by all this stuff because it is legitimately confusing and be very, very, very cautious." [12:03]
For more insights and to stay protected against cyber threats, visit Hacking Humans by N2K CyberWire.