Podcast Summary: Hacking Humans
Episode Title: Nice to meet you, I'm a scammer.
Podcast: Hacking Humans (N2K Networks)
Date: November 27, 2025
Theme: Deception, Influence, and Social Engineering in Cybercrime
Overview
This Thanksgiving encore episode invites listeners into an engaging and in-depth examination of the various ways scammers operate in the modern world. Hosts Dave Bittner, Joe Kerrigan, and Maria Varmazes break down current scams and controversies, from the honey browser extension scandal to romance scams and the fallout of the Madoff Ponzi scheme. The show blends practical cybersecurity advice with witty banter, delving into social engineering tactics and the persistent threat of online deception.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Diamonds as "The Original Crypto" (02:04–04:23)
- Listener Feedback: Joe is challenged on his previous statement that "diamonds are a scam."
- Analogy Drawn: Diamonds are compared to cryptocurrency—value based on controlled supply/mining, used for anonymous transactions, but they differ in fungibility and physicality.
- Joe: “Diamonds are the original cryptocurrency. Production and value are almost entirely based on mining difficulties… used in illicit activities. They are both tracked, allegedly, by ledgers of sorts.” (02:22)
- Hosts agree that diamonds' value is artificially controlled, and real rarity is a myth, with a nod to De Beers tactics and even a fun fact about diamond rain on Jupiter.
2. Yubikey Policy Debate (04:34–09:15)
- Listener Bob: Pushes back against Joe’s advice to issue two Yubikeys per employee; says one key plus IT spares suffice when integrated with Active Directory.
- Joe’s Defense: Advocates two keys to cover personal and work needs, plus easier account recovery. He points to Twitter’s policy post-breach as rationale.
- Dave: “If you issue two and somebody loses one, they can still limp along with the backup while you’re taking care of replacing the lost one.” (08:09)
- Maria's calming presence is humorously noted, and the reduction in interviews to make room for Maria's stories is explained. (09:48–10:35)
3. [Main Story] The Honey Browser Extension Controversy (11:01–22:26)
- The Scam Allegations (13:35–18:50):
- Affiliate Hijack: Honey allegedly replaces influencers’ affiliate links with their own, diverting revenue from creators to Honey.
- Controlled Deals: Honey partners with brands to only show coupons they want advertised—sometimes less favorable than truly available deals—contradicting the “find the best deal” premise.
- Coverup & Lawsuit: Influencers like MKBHD denounce Honey and a class action lawsuit seeks over $5 million in damages.
- Hosts Reaction:
- Dave: “This idea of stealing the affiliate links… rubs me the wrong way. It’s just awful.” (21:25)
- Maria: “I never wanted one [coupon extension] on my browser… It just speaks more to the incredification of everything on the internet.” (19:08)
- Joe: “It’s like a pack of weasels that run a company.” (19:03)
- Broader Impact: Discussion on how tech companies exploit obscurity in affiliate marketing and whether the lawsuit will bring real change.
4. Romance Scams & Legislative Response (22:35–29:14)
- Maria: Shares a CBS story about "Sue", a retiree scammed out of $2 million in a romance scam after connecting on Match.com, highlighting the emotional and financial devastation.
- FTC Statistics:
- 64,000 Americans reported romance scams in 2024, totaling over $1.1 billion (double four years earlier).
- Maria: “I did not meet, as far as I know, a single scammer… And if my husband's a scammer, the scam's gone a long, long time.” (25:00)
- Online Dating Safety Act: Would require dating platforms to notify users if someone they interacted with is a banned scammer. Discussion explores possible impacts and the limits of legislation.
- Joe: “One of the first things they do, these scammers, is try to move you off this platform because they know they’re going to get banned.” (26:23)
- General Pessimism: Despite legislative attempts, the group is cynical about meaningful reductions in victimization, linking to the broader decay of online trust.
5. Current Fraud Trends & Tax Scams (32:14–34:21)
- Joe: Alerts that tax scam season follows the holidays; IRS will never ask for crypto or gift cards—watch for official communication.
- Dave: Recalls news of some state taxes being payable by crypto, but advises against it.
6. Madoff Victim Fund Payouts (34:24–41:13)
- Joe's Story: The BBC reports $4.3 billion has been returned to 40,930 Madoff Ponzi scheme claimants by a victims fund—about 94% of proven losses.
- Analysis: While most principal has been recouped, victims have irreversibly lost years of potential investment growth.
- Ponzi vs. Pyramid Schemes: The group clarifies differences, with anecdotes on multi-level marketing and a rare “millennial upside” (lack of invitations to invest because “everyone I know is broke.”)
- Notable quote: “The problem with multi-level marketing is that eventually you run out of friends.” — Friend of Dave (40:11)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Joe on Diamonds: “Diamonds are the original cryptocurrency… They can be engraved with identifiers – although you can just sand those identifiers off, I guess.” (02:22)
- Maria on Scam Browser Extensions: “There have been so many browser extensions like this… They’re just a dime a dozen. It just speaks more to the incredification of everything.” (19:08)
- Dave on Affiliate Link Hijacking: “This idea of stealing the affiliate links, though, rubs me the wrong way… how could anyone think that’s the right thing to do?” (21:25)
- Maria on Romance Scams: “Over a billion dollars a year, again, that we know about… This is an unbelievable amount of money.” (29:14)
- Joe on Tax Scams: “Keep an eye out… [The IRS] will never say, send me cryptocurrencies. Send me gift cards—that is not how you pay the IRS.” (32:44)
- Hosts on Multi-Level Marketing: “We have somebody in our family who is big in the multi-level market. We don’t talk to him anymore. And I don’t care if I ever see him again.” — Joe (40:27)
- Maria’s Comic Relief: “Well, the benefit of being a millennial in this case is everyone I know is broke. So I’ve never been approached about financial stuff.” (38:09)
Catch of the Day – Romance Scam Script Reading (41:13–50:12)
An extended, humorous dramatization of a real “romance scammer script” from Reddit's scambait community. The scammer (“John”) attempts to cozy up using formulaic lines, dodges personal questions, and ultimately tries to move the conversation to Google Chat—classic signs of romance scams.
- Memorable exchanges:
- “Do you live alone?”
- “How many bedrooms your house?”
- Group commentary:
- (Joe) “Does anybody else get really creeped out by that question?” (42:57)
- The group debriefs how scammers probe for financial and personal vulnerability, and invents comedic scenarios of deceiving the scammer in return.
Notable Timestamps
- 02:04 – Diamonds as crypto scam discussion
- 04:34 – Listener’s Yubikey deployment feedback
- 11:01 – Introduction of the Honey browser extension “scam”
- 13:35 – Allegations against Honey begin
- 18:50 – Influencer reactions and lawsuit news
- 22:35 – Discussion of holiday-time romance scams
- 26:23 – Scammer tactic: move victim off platform
- 32:14 – End of holiday fraud, start of tax scam season
- 34:24 – Madoff fund payout news
- 41:13 – Catch of the Day: Romance scam script readthrough
Takeaways & Advice
- Be wary of browser extensions that promise savings—they may be hijacking your personal data and financial support for others.
- Romance scams are emotionally and financially devastating—warn loved ones, especially those turning to online companionship.
- Tax and Ponzi/pyramid scams continue to adapt—question unusual payment methods and watch for schemes that promise improbable returns.
- Social engineering remains the linchpin in online scams, relying on emotional manipulation, curiosity, and obscurity.
Tone and Style
The hosts combine humor, banter, and deep skepticism with practical security wisdom. There are comic detours and candid assessments of the modern internet's pitfalls, providing both laughs and sobering reality checks for listeners.
For further reading, listeners are encouraged to check the show notes for direct links and resources referenced by the hosts.