

What the Hack?
DeleteMe
"What the Hack?" is the award-winning true cybercrime podcast--the place to hear memorable stories and get good advice.
Episodes
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11 snips
Sep 30, 2025 • 44min
Episode 219: 3 Ways Not to Lose Everything
Tom O'Malley, a former federal prosecutor and identity-protection advocate, dives into the world of cybercrime and fraud. He reveals how victims are often presumed guilty by creditors and shares insights from his own experience with identity theft. O'Malley emphasizes practical defenses like credit freezes and alerts to protect against scams. He discusses the alarming trend of generational wealth being drained by transnational crime rings and offers simple strategies for safeguarding your finances, including using bank apps and implementing family oversight.

Sep 23, 2025 • 50min
Episode 218: The Data Grift Everyone Missed
Every click, swipe, and post fuels the data economy. Credit cards, apps, even maps—our lives are scraped, stitched, and sold. It feels like a heist, and sometimes it is. Identity Theft Resource Center CEO Eva Casey-Velasquez insists the picture isn’t entirely bleak. This week we talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of data brokers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 16, 2025 • 43min
Episode 217: The Wrong Dan Sturman
It started with a slow roll of weird emails and phone calls. And then award-winning filmmaker Dan Sturman found himself in the crosshairs of serious hackers. With parallels to another case of mistaken identity and an assist from security expert Reuben Moretz, this week we explore bad social engineering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 9, 2025 • 47min
Episode 216: Who’s Watching the Watchers?
Charity Clark, Vermont's Attorney General, champions data privacy and consumer protection as she unpacks the sneaky world of digital surveillance. She discusses the real threats posed by AI scams and how companies harvest your data without you knowing. Listeners learn about the urgent need for regulations to safeguard personal privacy, particularly for children in schools. Clark emphasizes the importance of engaging with legislators to fight back against big tech and protect our online rights.

10 snips
Sep 2, 2025 • 44min
Episode 215: They Targeted His Mom, He Went Full CIA
Ken Westbrook, CEO of Stop Scams Alliance and former CIA analyst, shares his harrowing experience of how a scam drained his mother's life savings. He reveals the alarming sophistication of scamming tactics, including smishing and scareware, and their ties to transnational crime. Westbrook emphasizes the urgent need for financial literacy among youth and coordinated government action to combat these threats. He calls for awareness to protect vulnerable individuals and suggests strategies for safeguarding personal data.

Aug 26, 2025 • 38min
Episode 214: DEF CON Redux with Rachel Tobac!
Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security and a social engineering expert, dives into the often-overlooked vulnerabilities of human behavior in cybersecurity. She shares how becoming a harder target can deter attackers. From the fascinating art of social engineering to the ethical dilemmas of penetration testing, Rachel discusses modern threats like AI voice cloning. Learn practical strategies to minimize your digital footprint and safeguard your personal information from savvy cyber threats.

Aug 19, 2025 • 42min
Episode 213: Inside DEF CON’s Social Engineering Village
Dive into the thrilling atmosphere of DEF CON’s Social Engineering Village, where contestants master the art of persuasion to extract information from unwitting employees. Explore how tactics of manipulation blend with psychology, as participants face challenges under pressure. Discover the ethical dilemmas of social engineering and the real-world implications for cybersecurity. The conversation also touches on combating cryptocurrency scams, shedding light on the psychological strategies employed by scammers in today's digital landscape.

Aug 12, 2025 • 43min
Episode 212: How to Talk to a Cybercriminal
Kurtis Minder knows the dark web better than most—and he’s not just watching from the sidelines. As a ransomware negotiator, he’s helped victims talk their way out of seemingly impossible situations. This week, we explore how cybercriminals operate, what makes them tick, and what you need to know to avoid becoming their next target. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 5, 2025 • 34min
Episode 211: The Coldplay Couple and the End of Anonymity
A not-entirely innocent moment at a concert set the internet on fire. But what if that was just a symptom of a bigger problem? New York Times journalist Kashmir Hill, author of Your Face Belongs to Us, helps us explore the chilling reality of ambient surveillance, and how facial recognition could be the end privacy as we know it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 29, 2025 • 45min
Episode 210: Cracking the Code of Fraud with AARP's Kathy Stokes
Online fraud isn't just annoying; it's a national crisis. Last year alone, it may have siphoned $158 billion from the U.S. economy. This episode features AARP's Kathy Stokes, who reveals how fraud has morphed into a sophisticated, global operation and what's being done to fight back against this evolving threat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices