How Hacks Happen

Credit card fraud is on the rise, but not in the usual way: hackers are cobbling together synthetic accounts from real and fake names, addresses, social security numbers, and credit histories. Children's social security numbers are particularly at risk. Find out how it all works, and what you can do to help prevent synthetic account fraud, and help with inflation in the process.

Resources

• FBI: Combating Threats in the Cyberworld
• LawPay: Guide to Securely Storing Credit Card Information
• How Can Someone Use My Credit Card Without Having It? A Complete Guide to Theft Prevention
• Motley Fool: Identity Theft and Credit Card Fraud Statistics for 2024
• Mastercard: What is Synthetic Identity Fraud? 

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QR codes are a super convenient way to access a website or app from your phone without having to type anything in. And while some scammers use QR codes to try and steal your personal information and money, most QR codes are just fine. Learn how to spot a scammy QR code so you can use them safely, and confidently enjoy all the conveniences they offer.

Resources:

• Thieves are using fake QR codes on parking meters to scam drivers. Here's how to protect yourself 
• FBI issues new warning about QR code scams
• Alerts issued over a rise in QR code scams, known as ‘quishing’
• 'I fell victim to clever scam when trying to park'
• Redondo Beach warns drivers of parking meter scam involving fake QR codes
• How to spot a fake QR code scam
• A brief history of QR codes
• What Is a Drive-by Download Malware Attack?

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How can you keep hackers from getting your Social Security Number? You can't. Between breaches of Equifax, the healthcare industry, and the recent National Public Data leak, your SSN is probably already making the rounds on the dark web. But you can fight back with some simple security measures.

In this episode, we call back to our very first episode on the Equifax breach of 2017, and revisit the lessons learned and how they pertain to cybersecurity today, and in the future.

Resources

• Krebs on Security: NationalPublicData.com Hack Exposes a Nation’s Data
• SBA: COVID-19 Pandemic EIDL and PPP Loan Fraud Landscape
• A Third of Americans Have had Their Social Security Numbers Leaked in Healthcare Breaches
• Usa.gov: How to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report
• Troy Hunt: Inside the "3 Billion People" National Public Data Breach
• Watchdogs: SBA handed out over $80 billion in potentially fraudulent loans
• NBC News: 'Biggest fraud in a generation': The looting of the Covid relief plan known as PPP
• WIRED: LifeLock CEO's Identity Stolen 13 Times
• YouTube: Lifelock Commercial

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A new bank regulation in the United Kingdom promises refunds to customers who are victims of fraud through bank transfers. We'll likely see the same regulations in other countries soon, and it will likely lead to banks getting up in our business about who we transfer money to, so they won't be on the hook for fraud. Is this a good thing? Let's discuss.

Resources

• Groundbreaking new protections for victims of APP scams start today
• The Perfect Scam podcast: You May Not Be a Winner: Sweepstakes Scam Empties Woman’s Savings
• Kitboga video: Scammers Wanted My Life Savings - We Shut Them Down Instead

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Pump and dump, rug pull... what do these terms mean? Host Michele Bousquet explains how scammy cryptocurrency schemes work, how they relate to illegal practices in the stock market, and how you can spot them so you don't fall for them.

Resources

• A Brief History of the Stock Market and Stock Exchanges
• Investopedia: Forces That Move Stock Prices
• SEC: Pump and Dump Schemes
• Investopedia: What are Penny Stocks?
• Skinning The Wolf of Wall Street: Victims Speak Out
• Faze Clan Members Skewered By Fans Following Huge Crypto Losses
• Notorious YouTube Streamer Stole $500,000 From Fans In Crypto Scheme (And Won't Give It Back)
• Influencers Who Promoted Shady Crypto Scams
• How Influencers Hype Crypto, Without Disclosing Their Financial Ties
• The Many Scams of Logan Paul and His Questionable Ventures

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Is any telemarketing actual real anymore? Here we delve into the history of telemarketing, and how it was always a little scammy, even before the era of endless scam phone calls.

Resources

• Time Life Published Book Series
• MCI Long-Distance Overcharges
• Consumer Alert: Telemarketing Scams

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It's not about pork, it's about stealing your money. Pig Butchering is a devastating scam, a long con that fools people into forking over their life savings for a bogus investment. Pig Butchering takes thousands of people every year for billions of dollars, most of it from the elderly. Find out what Pig Butchering is, how to spot it when it comes your way, and how to keep your friends and loved ones from falling for it.

Resources

• Office of the Inspector General: Pig Butchering Scams 
• FBI Cryptocurrency Fraud Report

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Why does ChatGPT lie? It's a great tool for research, but sometimes "hallucinates" its answers. By that I mean, it tells outright lies. Find out how to spot when ChatGPT is being a fool, and how to avoid getting duped by its responses.

Resources:

• Here’s What Happens When Your Lawyer Uses ChatGPT
• Disciplinary judge approves lawyer's suspension for using ChatGPT to generate fake cases
• New York lawyers sanctioned for using fake ChatGPT cases in legal brief
• Mata v. Avianca, Inc.
• The Art and Math of Cryptography

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You’ve probably seen content generated by AI (artificial intelligence) because it’s all around us: on the internet, in advertising, and worst of all, in your DMs. Come on down for a wild ride through the world of AI-generated images, and how scammers are taking advantage of the technology to run their schemes.

Resources:

• Families Scammed by AI Images That Promised Willy Wonka-Style Event
• Artists Copyright Claims Against AI Image Generators Advance in Court
• Georg Nees: Computer Art and Graphics
• An Interview with Frieder Nake
• Interview with Manfred Mohr

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"You can get rich like me. Just buy my course to learn how!" Don't fall for it. Social media has made it a lot easier for scammers to sell you on a dream. Maybe they were early to the game and lucky to make a few bucks, but the opportunity (if it ever existed) is long gone.

Early and Lucky is the name of the game. Find out what it is, how to play it, and how not to lose your shirt on scammy get-rich schemes.

Resources:

• Logan Paul promises CryptoZoo refunds, as long as you don’t sue him
• Logan Paul is Suing Coffeezilla
• Seint Shifts to Enhanced Affiliate Model
• Rodan and Fields announces new business model, cuts 100 jobs
• Documentary: The Queen of Versailles

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