Today, Explained My colleague, the scammer
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May 19, 2025 
Tech reporter Bobbie Johnson, known for his investigative work on North Korean scams, dives into the alarming trend of North Korean operatives posing as American job candidates. He discusses how these agents use advanced tech and stolen identities to infiltrate companies. Johnson reveals the network that supports these schemes and the lure of easy money that tempts ordinary people into the fraud. The conversation also touches on the risks to operatives’ families and the broader implications of deep fakes and misinformation threatening societal trust.
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Suspicious Job Applications Discovered
- Simon Weichmann noticed hundreds of suspicious job applications with inconsistent resumes and accents.
- He discovered candidates using AI scripts during interviews, confirming a sophisticated scam.
North Korean Cyber Espionage Tactic
- North Korean agents steal American identities and use AI to land tech jobs remotely.
- They work minimally but efficiently, sending earnings back to North Korea and sometimes stealing data.
U.S. Middlewoman in North Korean Scam
- Christina Chapman acted as a U.S.-based facilitator for North Korean cyber operatives.
- She managed 'laptop farms' and passed money to China while taking a cut.