How Hacks Happen

Hosted by Many Worlds Productions

Technology

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Episodes

Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Hacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shenanigans explored and explained. Presented by your friendly neighborhood cybersecurity gal Michele Bousquet.

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60 recent

May 12, 2026Episode 427 min

Spotify: Making Millions With Bots

When musician Michael Smith couldn't find an audience for his music, he manufactured it. By unleashing thousands of bots to listen to thousands of fake AI-generated songs on Spotify and other platforms, Smith earned millions in royalties before getting caught.Resources:North Carolina Musician Charged with Music Streaming Fraud Aided by Artificial Intelligence — U.S. Department of JusticeNorth Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Music Streaming Fraud Aided by Artificial Intelligence — U.S. Department of JusticeIndictment: United States v. Michael Smith — U.S. Department of Justice PDFSpotify says it now has more than 100 million songsSpotify Q4 2025 Earnings ReportAlthough the songs and listeners were fake, the millions of dollars Smith stole was real — MusicRadarSpotify’s fake artists problem gets weirder with AI-generated albums — The VergeArtificial Streaming — Spotify for ArtistsHow Royalties Work on Spotify — Spotify Loud & ClearDeezer launches artist-centric payment systemBillie Eilish Was Discovered on Spotify and SoundCloud Before Global Fame — Rolling StoneSofi Tukker on Streaming Success and Spotify DiscoverySend us Fan MailSupport the show

April 28, 2026Episode 323 min

Voiceprint, Face ID, and Sneakers

Voiceprint ID is the latest virtual gadget for banks and financial institutions. But how secure is it, really? Let's look at the pros and cons of voice recognition, facial ID, and the AI systems they work with, and look back at the 1992 film Sneakers to see how this 34-year-old movie predicted some of the problems with voiceprint security.Resources:BBC: Cloned customer voice beats bank security checksCNN: Police used AI facial recognition to arrest a Tennessee woman for crimes committed in a state she says she’s never visitedThird Innocent Black Man to Be Misidentified by Facial Recognition Software Sues Police Department and Prosecutor for False Arrest and ImprisonmentSend us Fan MailSupport the show

February 7, 2026Episode 123 min

Glitches in the Matrix

Glitch or fraud? Let's explore "money glitches" popularized on social media, and the consequences faced by people who used them. Resources:The Chase Money 'Glitch': How a Viral Fraud Scheme BackfiredWhat you need to know about "Klarna method" posts on social mediaRingleader sentenced in multimillion-dollar fraud operation which saddled victims with crushing debt Send us Fan MailSupport the show

December 29, 2025Episode 1323 min

2025: The Year of AI Scams

AI is undoubtedly the technology of the year for hacks and scams. While scammers are busy using AI to make scams more convincing, scam baiters are fighting back with ingenious grandma-style AIs that keep scammers busy for hours on end. There have also been some spectacular busts of scam centers. What’s next, AI scammers chatting with AI scam baiters? Now, that would be entertaining.ResourcesMeet Daisy, the AI 'granny' chatbot that wastes the time of phone scammersSpaceX disables thousands of Starlink devices being used by Myanmar scam centersChina sentences 5 to death for building, running criminal gang fraud centers in Myanmar's lawless borderlandsMyanmar has declared a 'zero tolerance' policy for cyberscams, but the fraud goes onContent creators, banks use AI to waste scammers' timeKitboga on YouTube: I Built a Bot Army that Scams ScammersSend us Fan MailSupport the show

December 15, 2025Episode 1223 min

The Barber Shop Scammers

Ever get your hair cut and wonder, "Is my barber part of an international scammer ring?" In November 2025, the FBI arrested Victor Marion, the owner of Mecca Barber Shop in San Diego, and eighteen of his buddies for scamming elderly victims out of $40 million with the classic tech support and refund scams, and for laundering the funds through the shop. Come along and find out how the scams worked, and learn what's next for Marion and his friends.Resources:22 charged in elder scam targeting over 500 seniors: FBI San DiegoFeds: Barbershop owner led California-based laundering cell in $40 million elder fraud schemeCase Number 25CR4061-TWR-01, reviewed via PacerSend us Fan MailSupport the show

December 3, 2025Episode 1123 min

It's Official: Facebook is Scammy

If Facebook has seemed scammy for the past few years, it's not your imagination. A leaked internal document shows that Facebook, and its parent company Meta, are well aware that many of their ads and posts are scams, but they make too much money off of them to do anything about it. Get all the details on this scathing report from Reuters that has rocked the scambuster world.ResourcesReuters report: Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents showMaggie McGaugh on YouTubePleasant Green on YouTubeSend us Fan MailSupport the show

November 12, 2025Episode 1025 min

Signing Your Life Away: Subscriber Agreements

Do you tap "Accept" without reading subscriber agreements? Those long-winded documents can strip away your legal rights, and even hijack your face, your voice, and your life. Let's peek inside the dystopian world of Subscriber Agreements for streaming services and see what little goodies they hold for us.Netflix in Your Neighborhood Privacy PolicyNetflix Privacy PolicyDisney+ Subscriber AgreementDisney agrees to have Florida wrongful death lawsuit decided in courtWhat Do Consumers Understand About Predispute Arbitration Agreements? An Empirical InvestigationDisney wants to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit because of a Disney Plus agreementSend us Fan MailSupport the show

October 6, 2025Episode 923 min

Personal Pest Control: Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it's time to clean house! Let's get rid of all those dust bunnies (weak passwords) and vacuum under the sofa cushions (no multi-factor authentication) and even do a check under the bed for that half-eaten Pop Tart (vulnerable emails). Hear about a few instances where poor cybersecurity led to unfortunate consequences, so you can avoid the same fate.Resources$61K, gone just like that for Oro Valley couple.Dream Kitchen Renovation Ruined by a ScamPassGAN: A Deep Learning Approach for Password GuessingHistoric UK KNP transport firm collapses after ransomware attackHacker leaks account data of 12 million Zacks Investment usersResearchers Instantly Crack Simple Passwords With AILost $45k to Wire Fraud Scam on E*TRADE – Even with MFA Enabled.Send us Fan MailSupport the show

September 28, 2025Episode 823 min

AI Gone Rogue: Delusional Chats Lead to Heartbreak

AI is great for researching topics and digging up information. But what happens when people start to humanize their chatbots, and think they're talking to God? Or that they are God? Let's look at what makes AI come up with delusional theories, and why it tells people they're right even then they're wrong. ResourcesPeople Are Losing Loved Ones to AI-Fueled Spiritual FantasiesTowards Understanding Sycophancy in Language ModelsI, Robot by Isaac AsimovSend us Fan MailSupport the show

September 21, 2025Episode 74 min

Quick Tip: Protecting Your Money With Face ID

There's a new scam going around, where a thief gets you to unlock your phone under the guise of needing to make a call, then runs off with the phone and sends themselves all your money through your apps. Learn how to protect yourself and your money with a simple smartphone trick for iPhone and Android.Send us Fan MailSupport the show