"What the Hack with Adam Levin" is true cybercrime with dad jokes. It’s a no-shame zone for anyone who’s ever been scammed, hacked, phished or cyber-bushwhacked. Every week, we feature fascinating people talking about the terrifying, annoying, embarrassing, or infuriating things they’ve experienced online. Join consumer affairs veteran Adam Levin with co-hosts Beau “Hack Me†Friedlander and Travis “Here's What Actually Happened†Taylor for a good story and tips on how to make yourself a little harder to hack.Â
The What the Hack with Adam Levin podcast is an absolute gem in the world of cybersecurity. It has helped me and my family stay safe in the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. One of the best aspects of this podcast is how it keeps me informed about what's happening in the realm of cybercrime. By staying up to date, I'm able to recognize potential scams and not fall prey to them. The podcast provides meaningful insights into a topic that affects everyone, regardless of age, gender, or technological expertise. It offers relevant advice for all individuals and helps us understand that cybercrime does not discriminate.
The dynamic between Adam Levin, Beau Friedlander, and Travis Taylor is another highlight of this podcast. Their diverse personalities and unique sense of humor make for an engaging and enjoyable listening experience. You can feel their friendship and connection through the microphone as they chat, joke around, and provide valuable advice. It's refreshing to listen to a podcast where the hosts genuinely enjoy each other's company and bring a sense of camaraderie to the topics they discuss.
One downside to this podcast is that it can occasionally veer off into tangents or include jokes that may not land for everyone. While I appreciate their lighthearted approach to such a serious topic, sometimes it detracts from the overall message they're trying to convey. Additionally, some episodes may not appeal to every listener depending on their specific interests in cybersecurity.
In conclusion, The What the Hack with Adam Levin podcast is a must-listen for anyone looking to stay informed about cybersecurity threats and protect themselves from scams. The hosts bring relevance, sanity, and laughter to a topic that many people tend to ignore or underestimate. With their real-life stories, sound advice, and genuine friendship shining through each episode, they create a meaningful experience for listeners seeking guidance in an increasingly digital world.
Ransomware is a type of malware that allows hackers to commandeer data on a device or an entire network. Increasingly, the threat actors behind these crimes set their sites on mission critical targets. We talked about it with renowned cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've all been there. You see something perfect online, you do all the clicks and then think, “Wait, was that legit?” Scam-lite transactions are the way of the web these days, whether it's direct-from-manufacturer or super-sticky subscriptions, we have your back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From elections to ransomware, CISA Director Jen Easterly breaks down the threats to America's critical infrastructure and what's being done to stop them, sharing along the way her journey from the real-life battlefield to the frontlines of cybersecurity. This is a rare glimpse into the most pressing threats America faces—and a compelling story about Director Easterly's own experience being targeted.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Think you're too savvy to get scammed? Author and activist Cory Doctorow explains how we're all one muffaletta and a malfunctioning jet door away from falling prey to the most basic of cons. He joins us this week to talk about that and to fill us in about his new book, “The Bezzle.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the biggest threat to your privacy wasn't some hacker in a hoodie—but a spy trained to infiltrate your life? Former FBI operative Eric O'Neill, the man who took down spy Robert Hanssen, explains how digital spies target us, offering along the way real-world tips to protect ourselves in a world where everyone's a potential target. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI is everywhere – in the news, on our devices, assisting us, making life easier for us, and for criminals, too, harnessing AI to swindle people more efficiently. What's next? We dive into the dark side of AI and ask two experts: Could AI commit the perfect crime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Karen Johnson is a catfisher-turned-scam avoidance coach turned–you guessed it–catfishing victim. The scam that got her is a classic, opening the door to a Pandora's Box of the usual advice about avoiding the most common scams out there. But the thing that really got us thinking is the role AI played in almost every aspect of this week's show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As a Daily Show correspondent, comedian Roy Wood, Jr. knows a thing or two about fake news and truthiness as well as the truth-and-a-half that is comedy. By skewering the media and the people in the news, he has special insight into how misinformation affects the way we think about the world and what we know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Max McCoy stumbled on a $47 million swindle that starts just north of the Oklahoma panhandle and bounces to Australia before things get really confusing in a haze of small town corruption, secretive law enforcement and competing theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Erin West is the Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County, California, and the founder of Project Shamrock. Whether she's prosecuting eye-popping SIM-swap money grabs or putting large-scale pig butchering operations out of business, her stories and experience can help you stay safer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt is on a mission to kill Section 230, the legal shield that lets social media giants profit from chaos. If engagement-driven algorithms are fueling harmful content for the sake of profit, is it time for the U.S. to take bold action to rein in the Internet? (You know the answer, but this is a must listen!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kara Swisher has been covering Silicon Valley since the early days, and she's made a ton of enemies the old fashioned way (by telling the truth about the new robber barons of our digital lives). In a new memoir called Burn Book, she pulls the curtain back on a world run by powerful babies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Privacy expert Jen Caltrider reveals how those shiny new AI gadgets with their mind-bending tech—not to mention the social media apps capturing every moment—are a privacy nightmare. Is going analog the only safe option? Learn how to protect your data from the prying eyes of Big Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No deep fake here. This week, Al Franken does his own impersonations of Bernie Sanders, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Grassley, Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins in this mock Senate Hearing featuring Siri (played by the actual voice-over talent Susan Bennett) and Al's fellow SNL alum Laraine Newman playing the part of Alexa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ever wonder why facial recognition is so accurate? Well, one reason is the shocking amount of personal data it needs (think: all the world's snapshots), and that's why Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark is taking aim at the industry behind that technology. We also review Charity's top scams to watch for this year, and other topics near and dear to our own scam-hating hearts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From cyberbullying to harmful algorithms, the risks are real. This week, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal join us to discuss their bipartisan bill—the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Together, they're taking on Big Tech to ensure the safety of children online. Tune in to hear how KOSA could change the digital world for the better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kristen Bride's 16-year-old son died by suicide after being cyberbullied on Snapchat. Setting her sites on anonymous messaging apps that intentionally traumatize children, Bride heads to Washington DC to fight for change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ava Smithing was eleven when she saw a swimsuit on Pinterest that she liked. That innocent click turned into an eating disorder. How? This episode explores the most dangerous thing children face today: Algorithms. On a mission to hold Big Tech accountable, Ava shares her journey as an activist with us, including her recent role providing Congressional testimony in support of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We look back at the internet's scariest moments, the boldest defenders, and the most surprising tech twists of 2024—groundbreaking legislation, international scam-rings, and the growing fight to make the internet a safer place for everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chester Frilich lost everything to scammers, and he didn't just lose his money—he lost hope, too. Bob Sullivan joins us to recount this devastating case, revealing the IRS's unintentional role in punishing victims, and how advocacy and legislation could turn things around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What happens when social media platforms prioritize engagement over safety? How do drug dealers exploit apps like Snapchat to target teens? Amy Neville lost her son Alex to counterfeit Oxycodone pills that were laced with Fentanyl. He bought them from a Snapchat user. She talked with us about this hidden crisis and her mission to reform social media and protect future generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tarah Wheeler lost her security badge. Deviant Ollam picked his way into "secure" spaces. Together, they show how humans make or break security and why layering defenses is key to surviving inevitable mistakes. What happens when security fails because of us? Two experts dive into the blind spots in physical, digital, and human security—and why fixing them starts with being honest about our mistakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if your digital footprint made you a target? Jack Rhysider, host of "Darknet Diaries," shares how a fan turned his online presence into a personal puzzle—revealing just how easily your privacy can be pieced together and exploited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This holiday season, privacy expert Jen Caltrider reveals how those shiny new AI gadgets under your tree with their mind-bending tech—not to mention the social media apps capturing every moment—are a privacy nightmare. Is going analog the only safe option? Learn how to protect your data, and your holidays, from the prying eyes of Big Tech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the biggest threat to your privacy wasn't some hacker in a hoodie—but a spy trained to infiltrate your life? Former FBI operative Eric O'Neill, the man who took down spy Robert Hanssen, explains how digital spies target us, offering along the way real-world tips to protect ourselves in a world where everyone's a potential target. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt is on a mission to kill Section 230, the legal shield that lets social media giants profit from chaos. If engagement-driven algorithms are fueling harmful content for the sake of profit, is it time for the U.S. to take bold action to rein in the Internet? (You know the answer, but this is a must listen!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From elections to ransomware, CISA Director Jen Easterly breaks down the threats to America's critical infrastructure and what's being done to stop them, sharing along the way her journey from the real-life battlefield to the frontlines of cybersecurity. This is a rare glimpse into the most pressing threats America faces—and a compelling story about Director Easterly's own experience being targeted.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adam, Beau, and Travis are joined by Mozilla's Jen Caltrider to uncover the hidden dangers of the Internet of Things (IoT), showing how everyday devices—like smart glasses, baby monitors, and even toasters—have become a gateway for hackers, companies, and even stalkers to exploit your personal data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Gretchen Peters, co-founder and executive director of the Alliance to Counter Crime Online, knows better than most how criminal networks flourish on social media platforms. From drug trafficking to child exploitation, we focus on something from 1996 called Section 230 that makes many crimes possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When Max Lebow received a chilling Instagram message detailing intimate information about him, he found himself pulled into a cyber nightmare. In this episode, Max shares his battle with a mysterious hacker who knew enough about him to coerce him into a terrifying journey of digital manipulation, paranoia, and, finally, survival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ava Smithing was eleven when she saw a swimsuit on Pinterest that she liked. That innocent click turned into an eating disorder. How? This episode explores the most dangerous thing children face today: Algorithms. On a mission to hold Big Tech accountable, Ava shares her journey as an activist with us, including her recent role providing Congressional testimony in support of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From cyberbullying to harmful algorithms, the risks are real. This week, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal join us to discuss their bipartisan bill—the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Together, they're taking on Big Tech to ensure the safety of children online. Tune in to hear how KOSA could change the digital world for the better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From elections to ransomware, CISA Director Jen Easterly breaks down the threats to America's critical infrastructure and what's being done to stop them, sharing along the way her journey from the real-life battlefield to the frontlines of cybersecurity. This is a rare glimpse into the most pressing threats America faces—and a compelling story about Director Easterly's own experience being targeted.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
By the time Ken understood what happened, his similar-looking identity thief had walked off with $8,000. In this episode, we learn about a vulnerability courtesy the DMV and what an enterprising identity thief was able to do with it. Eva Velasquez from the Identity Theft Resource Center offers tips on safeguarding yourself. Plus: the pros and cons of password managers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As technology is integrated deeper into classrooms, the lines between education and data privacy have been destroyed by for-profit data miners. This week, privacy advocate Shannon Edwards reveals how educational apps harvest sensitive information from children, commodify their data, and what parents can do to fight it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Whim wanted to teach overseas. While based on the coast of Portugal, she was offered a teaching position from two employers. She didn't know that she was about to end up with no job at all, narrowly avoiding getting taken for a bundle of dough. Also in this episode: Adam continues to hack Beau in every way imaginable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The isolation caused by the Covid pandemic led to record pet adoptions, and more than usual activity online. It was like chum to sharks for scammers who flooded social media accounts with adoption opportunities for popular breeds. This week's guest, Holly got in touch with us about her friend Carl who joins us too to talk about his St. Bernard-sized scam. To find out about his parting gift, you have to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elizabeth Warren put the kibosh on bad banking practices with her vision for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and now, with the Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act, she's taking on Big Data. She joined us to talk about reigning in the Wild West of online life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There are tens of millions of small and medium-size businesses in the United States alone, and depending on their state incorporation, many are in danger of business identity theft. Andy Pham is an American hero by many standards, for sure with regard to the right to become wildly successful. He's truly living the American Dream. Having grown up in Communist Vietnam for the first ten years of his life, his mom sent him to the United States where she believed he would have a better life and avoid being drafted into the war in Cambodia. She was right. His story of success is eye-popping, but what happened to him on the scam front is almost beyond belief. Download the latest episode to hear how a nasty dentist managed to steal a five million dollar project from Pham, and how he got it back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Like many of us, Joyce spent hours during the Covid lockdown connecting with friends by playing games online--in her case a MahJong app. Imagine her surprise when using a legitimate app to find a scammer trying to empty her entire bank account. The most likely culprit? You will rethink your game time when you hear what it was. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've all been there. You see something perfect online, you do all the clicks and then think, “Wait, was that legit?” Scam-lite transactions are the way of the web these days, whether it's direct-from-manufacturer or super-sticky subscriptions, we have your back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kristen Bride's 16-year-old son died by suicide after being cyberbullied on Snapchat. Setting her sites on anonymous messaging apps that intentionally traumatize children, Bride heads to Washington DC to fight for change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ransomware is a type of malware that allows hackers to commandeer data on a device or an entire network. Increasingly, the threat actors behind these crimes set their sites on mission critical targets. We talked about it with renowned cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There was a video chat, phone messages and a lot of back and forth before Beau's cousin began to wonder if he was thinking straight, and called to see if we thought he was being scammed. This week we get a rare look at a pig butcher in action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From handshake deals to digital pat-downs, the rental market is filled with great opportunities (that is, for scammers). Our very own producer, Andrew Steven recently got some first-hand experience when he and his partner tried to find a new place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
AI is everywhere – in the news, on our devices, assisting us, making life easier for us, and for criminals, too, harnessing AI to swindle people more efficiently. What's next? We dive into the dark side of AI and ask two experts: Could AI commit the perfect crime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did you know that you can activate malware on your computer just by looking at an image posted in the comments of an online discussion? We're big on good cyber hygiene. Our first episode provides an important life lesson: Always use a burner computer to troll your enemies. And of course beware of evil clowns. Check out Roy's story about the time he got hacked while trolling QAnon followers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Max McCoy stumbled on a $47 million swindle that starts just north of the Oklahoma panhandle and bounces to Australia before things get really confusing in a haze of small town corruption, secretive law enforcement and competing theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Growing up in the shadow of child identity theft can be a struggle. For Axton Betz-Hamilton, her discovery of the culprit led to the shock of a lifetime. In the second installment of this two-part episode, we examine the massive financial and emotional toll of finding out a loved one wasn't all that they seemed, and how to recover. Also discussed: stalkerware apps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
By the time most people find out that they've been the victim of child identity theft, their credit is trashed. That's what happened to Axton Betz-Hamilton. And like most victims of child identity theft, she was targeted by someone she knew. In the first installment of this two-part episode, the mystery of who stole Axton's identity unravels in a very unexpected direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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