Hacking Humans

Latest Episodes:

My relationship status is “compromised.” May 14, 2026

Show notes

This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ alongside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Joe once again shares tales from his "stupid" chickens. Dave has the story on how sugar baby scams are evolving into broader cyber threats involving fake identities, financial fraud, and account compromise. Maria's got the story on a Michigan business owner whose hacked Facebook account was drained, banned, and effectively locked away by automated moderation systems. Joe has the story on a Virginia family who narrowly avoided a Facebook Marketplace rental scam after a fake landlord asked them to wire money for a home they didn’t own. Our catch of the day comes from Reddit, where a scammer was this close too fooling, not really.

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NIST (Noun) May 12, 2026

Show notes

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes.

A branch of the US Department of Commerce whose stated mission is to “promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.”

CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/national-institute-of-standards-and-technology⁠

Audio reference link: Center, M.I., 2022. 2022 Meridian Summit: Cultivating Trust in Technology with NIST Director Laurie Locascio [WWW Document]. YouTube. URL ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o43Y9Tk8ZVA⁠ (accessed 1.26.23).

DeepFake it till you make it. May 07, 2026

Show notes

This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ alongside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow, a sweeping DOJ-led crackdown and rare U.S.-China cooperation that led to hundreds of arrests and the dismantling of global scam centers targeting Americans. Maria has the story on a study finding over a third of FIFA World Cup 2026 partner domains lack strong DMARC “reject” protections, leaving fans and customers vulnerable to spoofed emails and event-themed fraud. Dave’s got the story on Americans losing $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, with shopping, investment, and romance fraud surging as criminals increasingly use platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram to target victims. Joe’s got the story on AI deepfakes fueling scams, from fake Taylor Swift videos on TikTok luring users into phishing schemes to a completely fabricated influencer persona run by a scammer, underscoring how convincingly synthetic identities are being used to deceive online. Our catch of the day is on a text message where a scammer is promising a big reward.

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CIRT (noun) [Word Notes] May 05, 2026

Show notes

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes.

A team responsible for responding to and managing cybersecurity incidents involving computer systems and networks in order to minimize the damage and to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/cirt⁠

Audio reference link: Avery, B., 2017. 24 TV May 05 Season4 [WWW Document]. YouTube. URL ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq_2xPuqI-E&list=PLGHedLavrFoGsea1ZCHBm9-nK5FdM3_Kd&index=10.

Mythbehavior under investigation. [OMITB] May 05, 2026

Show notes

Being a security researcher is a bit like being a detective: you gather clues, analyze the evidence, and consult the experts to solve the cyber puzzle. On this episode of Mythb…oops, we mean Only Malware in the Building, our hosts take on some cyber myths. Dave busts the idea that small organizations aren’t targets, Selena digs into whether AI is really making attackers smarter, and Keith breaks down why identifying a hacker doesn’t mean law enforcement can just go make an arrest. Three myths, one truth: in cybersecurity, nothing is ever that simple.

A game of loans. Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

This week, while Maria is on vacation, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by ⁠Michele Kellerman⁠ as they discuss the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up: a quick shoutout to Blood Cancer United and then we get into a listener “Chicken Chat” from Sue about handling an aggressive rooster. Joe’s got the story of how former Luther Davis allegedly teamed up with a partner to impersonate NFL players using fake companies, documents, and disguises to secure nearly $20 million in fraudulent loans—charges they are now expected to plead guilty to. Michele’s story is on how scammers are targeting families of recently arrested individuals by posing as officials who promise quick releases in exchange for hard-to-trace payments, prompting warnings from law enforcement—including changes like taking jail rosters offline—to cut off these schemes. Joe’s got the story on how Amazon is leaning heavily on AI, continuous monitoring, and global enforcement partnerships to proactively block fraud, counterfeit goods, and scams—often before customers or brands ever spot them. For our Catch of the Day, we have a string of texts from Reddit where a user could have possibly been talking to Sir Paul McCartney, possibly.

Resources and links to stories:

PUP (noun) [Word Notes] Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes.

A software program installed unintentionally by a user that typically performs tasks not asked for by the installer.

CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/potentially-unwanted-program⁠

Audio reference link: Butler, S., 2022. Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPS) EXPLAINED [Video]. YouTube. URL ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L429Iahbww⁠ (accessed 1.6.23).

SLAM, scam, thank you ma’am. Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

This week, while Maria is on vacation, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are joined by Michele Kellerman as they discuss the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Dave brings us a lively follow-up from his recent theater outing the conversation circles back to chicken talk. Michele also highlights the work of Blood Cancer United sharing insight into their mission and impact. Dave’s story is on the SLAM method, a simple phishing-defense framework that teaches users to evaluate suspicious emails by checking the sender, links, attachments, and message for common signs of deception and social engineering. Michele’s got the story on a potential turning point in online scams, where rising pressure—from revelations that Meta Platforms has profited from fraudulent ads, to banks and regulators like Jerome Powell and Scott Bessent warning about systemic risks—suggests liability may soon expand beyond banks to include social media, telecoms, and other upstream players. Joe’s story is on two cousins, Shray Goel and Shaunik Raheja, who pleaded guilty in a nationwide $8.5 million scheme using fake listings, double bookings, and last-minute cancellations across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to maximize profits while deceiving thousands of travelers. On our catch of the day, A Reddit user shares a message they got from a scammer posing as their child.

Resources and links to stories:

Ransomware (noun) [Word Notes] Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Malware that disables a system in exchange for a ransom, usually by encrypting the system's data until the user pays for the decryption key.

CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/ransomware⁠

Audio reference link: ⁠https://watch.amazon.com/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.d6a9f744-47b0-ac70-aa56-b31fd0f58482&territory=US&ref_=share_ios_season&r=web

Who is winning the scam game? Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ alongside ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. If you thought you could escape chicken talk, you we're wrong, this week Joe shares some more updates on his chickens. Joe’s got two stories this week, one on a New Jersey man arrested while attempting to collect $800,000 in gold as part of a widespread scam targeting elderly victims, and the second is on a new Google-tracked threat group using social engineering and phishing tactics to infiltrate BPOs and steal corporate data for extortion. Maria’s story is on a conversation she had with Sean Colicchio, highlighting how trusting human instincts, slowing down, and balancing security training can help individuals and organizations better defend against social engineering attacks. Dave’s got the story on a surge in traffic violation scams now using QR codes in phishing texts to trick victims, alongside ten hard-stop rules emphasizing verification, avoiding links or inbound requests, and slowing down to prevent falling for increasingly sophisticated scams. Our Catch of the Day comes from Reddit, where a user questioned a supposed “Google Play Console partnership” email, and the community quickly flagged it as a likely scam—citing red flags.

Resources and links to stories:

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