Podcast Title: Hacking Humans
Host/Author: N2K Networks
Episode: Managing Online Security Throughout the Decades
Release Date: June 12, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of "Hacking Humans", hosts Dave Buettner and Joe Kerrigan, joined by Maria Varmazes, delve into the evolving landscape of online security. The conversation spans from contemporary scams to generational differences in cybersecurity practices, providing listeners with valuable insights and practical advice to navigate the increasingly complex digital world.

Nationwide Medical Insurance Scam

One of the episode's central discussions revolves around a burgeoning medical insurance scam that has garnered attention from both the FBI and local healthcare organizations like Health First Health Plans.

Dave Buettner introduces the scam:
“The scammers target individuals who are looking for cheap health insurance and urge them to pay for a full year upfront. Victims are contacted via calls, texts, emails, and social media ads, and are offered low-cost plans that ultimately provide no coverage at all.” ([07:44])

A Maryland resident's plight exemplifies the scam's impact:
A man incurred a $7,000 hospital bill after an emergency surgery, only to find his supposed insurance offer was nonexistent.

The hosts share personal experiences with health insurance challenges:

• Dave discusses the complexities of navigating the Affordable Care Act marketplace to secure insurance for his freelance son.
• Maria recounts her struggles with expensive COBRA insurance before Massachusetts introduced MassHealth, a program that alleviated some of her financial burdens during unemployment.

They emphasize the importance of verifying insurer legitimacy: “Verify the insurer's legitimacy with your state insurance department and check with healthcare providers to ensure they accept the plan.” ([13:30])

Google’s Survey on Privacy and Security

Maria Varmazes presents findings from a recent Google survey conducted in March 2025, which explores user perceptions of privacy and security across different generations.

Key Findings:

• 60% of users reported an increase in online scams over the past year.
• Confidence in Identifying Scams:
  • 52% are somewhat confident.
  • 32% are very confident.
  • 15% lack confidence.

Maria remarks on these statistics:
"I would really love to test those folks." ([16:42])
“It's more about people relying on out-of-date authentication methods and the need to transition to more secure alternatives like passkeys.” ([20:54])

Discussion Points:

• Email and Text Messages remain the top vectors for scams, each reported by 60% of respondents.
• Surprisingly, only 20% encountered scammy websites, a figure that Maria finds unusually low.
• Social Media Scams were reported by 27%, which Maria also finds underwhelming given the prevalence of such threats.

Security Practices:

• 60-75% of users employ strong unique passwords, with 75% of Boomers leading in this practice.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) usage remains stagnant at 50%, highlighting a significant area for improvement.

Generational Insights:

• Gen Z leads in adopting passkeys, with 40% using them as their primary login method, compared to 35% of Millennials and Gen X, and 26% of Boomers.
• Social Sign-Ins like "Sign in with Google" are more popular among younger users, but trust issues persist among older generations.

Quotes with Attribution:

• Joe Kerrigan on overconfidence:
  “I would like to say they are overconfident.” ([16:45])

• Dave Buettner on generational trust issues:
  “I don't trust those platforms to be my sign in.” ([22:54])

Real-Life Scam Anecdotes

The hosts share personal encounters with deceptive practices that illustrate the subtlety of modern scams.

Joe Kerrigan’s Brunch Experience: Joe recounts a misleading survey attempt at a brunch spot where he was tricked into leaving a Google review instead of completing a legitimate survey.
“I felt a little bit of betrayal there from the company... That's a little bit of an underhanded trick.” ([27:22])

Dave Buettner’s Vacation Scam: While checking into a resort in Florida, Dave and his family were pressured into creating accounts and providing personal information to retrieve their baggage.
“I would create an account... but I'm feeling trapped because he's got my bags.” ([28:55])

Catch of the Day: Fake Report Scam: A redacted scam message was shared, purporting to notify Dave of alleged drug use at his previous employer, McDonald's. The hosts dissect the elements that make such scams compelling:
“They’re trying to inject some fear here... Either you did do some drugs or you're being falsely accused.” ([37:14])

AI and the Illusion of Automation

Joe Kerrigan discusses the collapse of Builder AI, an AI startup backed by Microsoft, revealing that their touted AI capabilities were actually powered by 700 human engineers in India. The company's promise of a no-code AI development platform was a façade, leading to their downfall and receivership.

Key Insights:

• Builder AI's Collapse: Highlighting how reliance on human labor masked as AI can erode trust and lead to business failure.
• Round Tripping: Joe introduces the term, describing a fraudulent accounting practice where companies inflate revenues by billing each other without actual service delivery.

Maria relates this to similar schemes in the art world, where repeated transactions with the same few entities create an illusion of business activity.

Quotes with Attribution:

• Joe Kerrigan on Builder AI:
  “It's like Mechanical Turk, which was an old scam run by... It’s just 700 engineers writing code for people under the guise of AI.” ([33:04])

• Maria Varmazes on round tripping:
  “I'm familiar with this scheme because in the art world...” ([35:10])

Protecting Yourself from Scams

Throughout the episode, the hosts emphasize the importance of vigilance and education in combating online scams. They advocate for:

• Awareness of Common Scams: Understanding the tactics used by scammers to manipulate victims.
• Verification of Information: Always double-check the legitimacy of offers and communications.
• Adoption of Strong Security Practices: Utilizing strong, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Maria concludes with a positive note on password practices:
"We've been beating that drum for so long that we're at almost 3/4 of people say they actually do that. That is amazing." ([21:05])

Conclusion

This episode of "Hacking Humans" provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of online security threats, the psychological tactics employed by scammers, and the evolving practices across different generations to safeguard digital identities. By sharing personal anecdotes and analyzing recent surveys, the hosts equip listeners with the knowledge needed to recognize and defend against sophisticated cyber threats.

Notable Quotes

• Dave Buettner on prioritizing security:
  “I think I made the right choice [attending his son's graduation].” ([00:51])

• Joe Kerrigan on overconfidence in scam detection:
  “I would like to say they are overconfident.” ([16:45])

• Maria Varmazes on user confidence:
  “Have you tested it? Right? Like, I mean, I think I do, but how do you know?” ([08:55])

• Dave Buettner on the US healthcare system:
  “The irrationality of the US healthcare system... They pay $20 and people are apologetic their bills are so high.” ([10:13])

• Maria Varmazes on generational password practices:
  “At least strong unique passwords are at 60 to 75% so that feels like a win.” ([21:05])

• Joe Kerrigan on Builder AI’s downfall:
  “It's like Mechanical Turk... 700 engineers writing code for people under the guise of AI.” ([33:04])

Stay Informed: For more insights and to stay ahead in the rapidly changing world of cybersecurity, visit hackinghumans2k.com.