This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Joe's story is on WhatsApp rolling out new anti-scam tools, disrupting over 6.8 million scam-linked accounts, and partnering with experts to share tips on spotting and avoiding sophisticated cross-platform scams run by organized crime networks. Dave's got the story of how “PharmaFraud” — a global network of fake online pharmacies — scams consumers with counterfeit or dangerous medications, stealing money and personal data while putting health and safety at serious risk. Maria dives into the story on a new twist to jury duty scams, where callers posing as police direct victims to fake government websites to steal personal data and money, often demanding payment through cryptocurrency or other untraceable methods. Our catch of the day comes from listener Adam who shares a SiriusXM payment scam they received through an email. Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: New WhatsApp Tools and Tips to Beat Messaging Scams Disrupting malicious uses of AI: June 2025 PharmaFraud: how illegal online pharmacies endanger your health and your wallet Scammers are using fake websites in a twist on jury duty scams ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. The flagship product of the controversial Israeli spyware vendor, the NSO Group, use for remotely hacking mobile devices, most notably iPhones, via zero-click exploits. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/pegasus⁠ Audio reference link:⁠“Cybersecurity beyond the Headlines: A Conversation with Journalist Nicole Perlroth⁠,” Kristen Eichensehr, and Nicole Perlroth, University of Virginia School of Law, YouTube, 14 February 2022

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow-up on an Arizona woman sentenced to over eight years in prison for running a “laptop farm” that helped North Korean IT workers pose as U.S. employees at hundreds of American companies, funneling over $17 million to Pyongyang through stolen identities and remote access. We also share an update on Joe's Profile picture. We start with Dave’s story on a Facebook scam falsely claiming insider access to a secret Yeti cooler deal from Dick’s Sporting Goods, using a fake emotional backstory to lure users into clicking a malicious link under the guise of an employee-only loophole. Maria’s story is on escalating violence at the Thailand-Cambodia border, where a long-standing territorial dispute has reignited after a leaked phone call between leaders fractured a decades-old political friendship, sparking deadly clashes, diplomatic fallout, and rising tensions fueled by personal betrayal, political instability, and mutual economic pressures. Joe’s story follows the indictment of a former Tri-Cities pastor who allegedly used his position and a fake cryptocurrency scheme called “Solano Fi” to defraud his congregation and others out of millions, promising risk-free returns while siphoning the funds for himself and his co-conspirators. Our catch of the day comes from Joe who shares an interesting email from "Xfinity." Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Arizona woman sentenced over $17 million North Korea worker fraud scheme⁠ Facebook: Ava Davis  Facebook Facebook Facebook The fractured friendship behind the fight at the Thailand-Cambodia border Lethal Cambodia-Thailand border clash linked to cyber-scam slave camps Beneath the Border: Scam Centers and the Thailand–Cambodia Conflict Grand Jury Charges Pastor, Wife in Alleged Multi-Million Dollar Cryptocurrency Scam Former Tri-Cities Pastor Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar Cryptocurrency Scam ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. An open source email authentication protocol designed to prevent emails, spoofing in phishing, business email compromise or BEC, and other email-based attacks.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/pegasus⁠ Audio reference link:"⁠Global Cyber Alliance's Phil Reitinger talks DMARC adoption⁠" “Global Cyber Alliance’s Phil Reitinger Talks DMARC Adoption.” YouTube Video. YouTube, April 27, 2018

Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by her co-hosts ⁠⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Keith Mularski⁠⁠, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠⁠Qintel⁠⁠. 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, our three hosts discuss several articles covering a new wave of social engineering attacks tied to the so-called Contagious Interview campaign. In this operation, threat actors linked to North Korea are reportedly posing as tech recruiters to trick job seekers into downloading malware. The discussion highlights updates to two malware strains—BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret—that have been retooled with cross-platform capabilities and new data theft features, raising fresh concerns about how targeted individuals could become a gateway into larger organizational networks. You can find the links to the stories here: Lazarus Group Infostealer Malwares Attacking Developers In New Campaign Contagious Interview: DPRK Threat Actors Lure Tech Industry Job Seekers to Install New Variants of BeaverTail and InvisibleFerret Malware North Korean State Sponsored Supply Chain Attack on Tech Innovation Lazarus Group Targets Organizations with Sophisticated LinkedIn Recruiting Scam

In this special episode of Hacking Humans, while Joe and Maria take a well-earned summer break, we’re joined by a special guest host: Rob Allen, Chief Product Officer at ThreatLocker. Rob dives into the tactics and profile of the cybercriminal group known as Scattered Spider—a crew that’s gained notoriety for its cunning use of social engineering over traditional hacking techniques. Known for being young, agile, and highly manipulative, Scattered Spider has successfully bypassed security measures not by breaking systems, but by fooling the people who use them. Tune in for a fascinating breakdown of how this group operates and what you can do to defend against them. A listener caught this catch of the day on campus—an email claiming a “salary increase” and urging them to click a sketchy link. It came from outside the company, was riddled with grammar issues, and asked for info HR should already have. Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: ⁠⁠Scattered Spider weaves web of social-engineered destruction ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A condition announced by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to draw attention to a temporary period of high alert, associated with expectation of a connected wave of cyberattacks prompted by either a widespread vulnerability or an unusually active and capable threat actor. CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/shields-up⁠⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠⁠Star Trek II Wrath of Khan - Reliant vs Enterprise; First Clash⁠⁠” YouTube, YouTube, 11 Apr. 2015,  

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We've got some follow-up from listener Kajetan, who recalled a run-in with a scammer in Paris posing as a mute fundraiser—and says he performed a "miracle" by crossing out his name, prompting the supposedly mute woman to suddenly start yelling at him. Maria has the story on how small businesses in Toronto, like the family-run Souvlaki Hut and Pippins Tea Company, were shocked to discover that thieves exploited vulnerabilities in their point of sale terminals to issue themselves thousands in fraudulent refunds—exposing serious flaws in how these machines are secured. Dave's story is on a Stanford-led study that found popular AI therapy bots, including ChatGPT and commercial mental health platforms, often respond inappropriately to serious mental health issues—fueling delusions, validating harmful thoughts, and failing to follow basic therapeutic guidelines—raising urgent concerns about their use as replacements for human therapists. Joe follows the story on a sweeping federal investigation into Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services program, where agents raided homes and businesses tied to an alleged multi-million-dollar Medicaid fraud scheme that exploited vulnerable residents and billed taxpayers for housing support services that were never provided. Our catch of the day is on a patient scammer who spent five months building trust before claiming to send a $700K inheritance payout locked in a lawsuit—complete with a fake video of a safe and a shady tracking number—only to demand €15,000 in "customs fees," a scam the Redditor thankfully saw through before handing over any money. Complete our annual ⁠⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: ⁠AI therapy bots fuel delusions and give dangerous advice, Stanford study finds ‘It was a shock’: Toronto business owner says customer used point of sale terminal to issue himself $2,000 refund KARE 11 Investigates: Federal agents raid homes & businesses seizing evidence in housing fraud investigation ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A prescriptive open source software security maturity model designed to guide strategies tailored to an organization’s specific risks. Audio reference link: "⁠⁠OWASPMSP - Pravir Chandra: Software Assurance Maturity Model (OpenSAMM)⁠⁠." by Pravir Chandra, OWASP MSP, 2009.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. Our hosts share some follow-up, including a Rick Roll after the last episode. They also highlight a listener note from Evaldas in Lithuania, who explains that companies often use alternate domains for marketing emails to protect their main domain’s reputation—so marking them as spam is actually expected. Joe’s got a story of a billion-dollar AI-fueled scam where criminals impersonate celebrities like Keanu Reeves and Kevin Costner to exploit lonely fans—convincing them to send money, fall in love, and keep the relationship secret, all while Hollywood scrambles to fight back. Maria has the story of how a federal court blocked the FTC’s new “click-to-cancel” rule—meant to make canceling subscriptions easier—due to a procedural misstep, just days before it was set to take effect. Dave shares a story from Reddit about a disturbing extortion scam where a victim received a fake photo of their car outside a strip club—with their real license plate—demanding $1,000 to keep it quiet, raising questions about data scraping and AI manipulation. Our catch of the day comes from the scams subreddit, where a user shares a tale of a scammer promising big returns for investing in gold and diamonds—spoiler alert: it’s all glitter, no gold. Complete our annual ⁠⁠audience survey⁠⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: This Is Not Keanu: Inside the Billion-Dollar Celebrity Impersonation Bitcoin Scam A ‘click-to-cancel’ rule, intended to make canceling subscriptions easier, is blocked [US] Extortion text message with fake strip club photo but real license plate – how did they get my info? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. An open standard for hardware authentication tokens that use the universal serial bus, or USB, near-field communications, or NFCs, or Bluetooth to communicate one factor in a two-factor authentication exchange. Cyberwire Glossary link: ⁠⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/u2f⁠⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠⁠Rise of the Machines: A Cybernetic History⁠⁠,” by Thomas Rid, Published by W. W. Norton Company, 21 November 2017.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with a ton of follow-up—from a sextortion scam that triggered a bot frenzy on Facebook, to sandboxed scam-baiting with fake credit cards, to a surprise magazine subscription that may or may not involve chicken gods. Plus, one listener wonders: do people really know what a strong password is? Dave’s story is on a massive China-linked scam where hackers are spoofing big-name retail websites—like Apple, PayPal, and Hermes—to trick shoppers into handing over their payment info on convincing fake storefronts, with thousands of fraudulent sites still live and targeting victims worldwide. Joe's got the story of a sneaky spear-phishing campaign targeting financial execs with fake job offers that ultimately install a legit remote access tool, NetBird, to gain stealthy, persistent access—part of a growing trend where attackers use real software and clever social engineering to fly under the radar. Maria's got the story of a young homebuyer who lost $109,000 to a payment redirection scam, prompting Australian banks to finally roll out a “Confirmation of Payee” system to prevent similar fraud—though critics say the fix still puts too much blame on victims. Our catch of the day comes from the Scams sub-Reddit, where we hear about a scam getting people to click on a fake job that's too good to be true. Complete our annual ⁠audience survey⁠ before August 31. Resources and links to stories: ⁠China-linked hackers spoof big-name brand websites to steal shoppers' payment info Fake Recruiter Emails Target CFOs Using Legit NetBird Tool Across 6 Global Regions After Louis lost $109k to scammers, banks are finally combatting the 'flaw' the scammers used ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A cyber threat intelligence best practice of assigning arbitrary labels to collections of hacker activity across the intrusion kill chain.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, as Joe shares with us a complaint he has with Vanguard. Maria’s story is on McAfee’s latest research revealing that one in five Americans has fallen for a travel scam—often losing hundreds of dollars—despite many trying to stay vigilant, as scammers use fake websites, AI-altered photos, and phishing links to exploit deal-seeking travelers. Joe’s got two stories this week: the first one is from Rachel Tobac on LinkedIn, breaking down how attackers like Scattered Spider are using phone-based impersonation, fake domains, and social engineering to breach insurance companies, and the second is on Aflac confirming it was hit in a cyberattack believed to be part of a broader campaign targeting the insurance sector, likely tied to the same threat group. Dave’s story is on brushing scams, a scheme the United States Postal Service is warning about, where scammers send unordered packages—often low-cost items—to people’s addresses so they can fraudulently post fake “verified” reviews online using the recipient’s name and address to boost product rankings. Our catch of the day is from the scams sub-Reddit, where someone shared text messages from a scammer asking for only a small favor. Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Resources and links to stories: New McAfee Report Finds Young Adults Fall for Travel Scams More Often Than Older Generations Rachel Tobac LinkedIn Aflac Latest Insurer to Suffer Cyberattack and Data Breach Brushing Scam - Unexpected Package US Postal Inspection Service ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Only Malware in the Building. Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by ⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠ and our newest co-host, ⁠Keith Mularski⁠, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠Qintel⁠. 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, our hosts discuss the growing trend of cybercriminals using legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools in email campaigns as a first-stage payload. They explore how these tools are being leveraged for data theft, financial fraud, and lateral movement within networks. With the decline of traditional malware delivery methods, including loaders and botnets, the shift toward RMMs marks a significant change in attack strategies. Tune in to learn more about this evolving threat landscape and how to stay ahead of these tactics.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. A descriptive model that provides a baseline of observed software security initiatives and activities from a collection of volunteer software development shops.  CyberWire Glossary link: ⁠https://thecyberwire.com/glossary/bsimm⁠ Audio reference link: “⁠OWASP AppSecUSA 2014 - Keynote: Gary McGraw - BSIMM: A Decade of Software Security⁠.” YouTube Video. YouTube, September 19, 2014.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Dave Bittner⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow-up from listener Abdussobur, who wonders if a pair of suspicious text messages—one sent to his wife and another to him with a nearby address—could be the result of a data breach. Joe's story is on a surge of financial aid fraud where identity thieves, often using AI chatbots as “ghost students,” are enrolling in online college courses to steal federal funds—leaving real people like Heather Brady and Wayne Chaw with fake loans and months of bureaucratic cleanup. Dave's got the story on how the FIN6 cybercriminal group is posing as job seekers on LinkedIn to trick recruiters into opening malware-laced resumes, using deceptive tactics like fake portfolio sites and the MoreEggs backdoor to steal credentials and launch ransomware attacks. Maria's story is on a Pennsylvania woman who scammed over $800,000—nearly $466,000 from a Cedar Rapids church—by hacking emails and rerouting payments, claiming she did it under the direction of a famous British actor she was allegedly dating. Our catch of the day is on a convincing but bogus text claiming an overdue traffic fine under a fake regulation—complete with threats of license suspension and credit damage—all designed to trick recipients into clicking a malicious link. Resources and links to stories: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How scammers are using AI to steal college financial aid FIN6 cybercriminals pose as job seekers on LinkedIn to hack recruiters Woman scams church out of over $450,000, says famous British actor told her to do it ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please enjoy this encore of Word Notes. Software libraries, frameworks, packages, and other components, and their dependencies (third-party code that each component uses) that have inherent security weaknesses, either through newly discovered vulnerabilities or because newer versions have superseded the deployed version.  Audio reference Link: "⁠The Panama Papers: A Closer Look⁠," Late Night with Seth Meyers, YouTube, 12 April 2016

Please enjoy this encore of Hacking Humans. On Hacking Humans, ⁠Dave Bittner⁠, ⁠Joe Carrigan⁠, and ⁠Maria Varmazis⁠ (also host of N2K's daily space podcast, T-Minus), are once again sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines to help our audience become aware of what is out there. First we start off with some follow up, our hosts share some more information on VIN swapping, and a clarification on bank participation in FinCEN. Maria shares a telling tale about a Bethesda couple loosing $367,000 in gold bars to a sophisticated scam involving fake officials and elaborate deceptions, but a police sting led to the arrest of a suspect, highlighting a growing nationwide trend of elderly victims targeted by gold bar fraud. Joe's story comes from KnowBe4 and is on DavidB, their VP of Asia Pacific, thwarting a sophisticated social engineering attack via WhatsApp by recognizing inconsistencies in the impersonator’s behavior and verifying directly with the colleague they claimed to be. Dave's story comes from the FBI on how criminals are exploiting generative AI to enhance fraud schemes, including using AI-generated text, images, audio, and video to create convincing social engineering attacks, phishing scams, and identity fraud, while offering tips to protect against these threats. Our catch of the day comes from a listener who received an urgent email from someone claiming to be an FBI agent with a rather dramatic tale about intercepted consignment boxes, missing documents, and a ticking clock—but let's just say this "agent" might need some better training in both law enforcement and grammar. Resources and links to stories: ⁠“VIN swap scam costs Las Vegas man $50K, new truck"⁠ ⁠FinCEN⁠ ⁠Gold bar scammers claimed hackers could fund Russian missiles, police say⁠ ⁠Real Social Engineering Attack on KnowBe4 Employee Foiled⁠ ⁠Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud⁠ You can hear more from the T-Minus space daily show ⁠here⁠. Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠.

This week, our hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dave Bittner, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joe Carrigan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (also host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily show) are sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start off with some more chicken follow up, this week, delving into malware-related chicken names. Dave’s got the story of Brevard-based Health First Health Plans teaming up with the FBI to warn consumers about a nationwide medical insurance scam where victims pay upfront for fake coverage and end up stuck with huge medical bills. Maria shares the story on how a recent April 2025 survey reveals that while most US consumers feel confident identifying scams and rely on traditional security measures like strong passwords and two-factor authentication, many still experience scam attempts and data breaches, with real-time threat detection emerging as the most valued feature in security products. Joe shares a personal story about how he was mildly got, got—tricked, that is—he thought he was filling out a quick survey for a waiter, but it actually ended up as a Google review. It's a reminder of how AI and tech are blurring the lines in everyday interactions, and how easily people can get tripped up by these evolving processes. The catch of the day this week is from the Scams sub-Reddit, and Dave reads a text from a scammer claiming to have information on his doing drugs at his old work place. Resources and links to stories: ⁠⁠⁠ALERT! Brevard-Based Health First Health Plans Joins FBI to Expose Medical Insurance Scam Scams and Protections US Report: April 2025 We make building an app so easy, anyone can do it '700 Indian engineers posed as AI': The London startup that took Microsoft for a ride Artificial Intelligence stories ⁠Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hackinghumans@n2k.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.