#257 August 8th, 2022 [Chameleon: Scam Likely]

Every single one of you out there has probably received a phone call from a scammer. I know that doesn’t come as much of a surprise. You’re probably thinking that these calls seem to be happening more and more these days, which you're right about. What you might not know, though, is just how effective these scammers can be at separating you from your money.

These scams come in different forms, and new scams appear in some of the most unexpected ways.

Take for instance the government checks that were handed out at the height of the pandemic. This infusion of money was intended to stimulate the economy and stave off the negative effects that come as a result of everyone being under lockdown, right?

Nah, that’s a new potential revenue stream for crafty scammers.

Ever hear of SIM jacking? That’s when someone posing as you calls into your mobile service provider and starts to take over your phone number. The scammer’s goal? They want to catch all of the 2FA codes that are delivered to you via text message. When they get to that point it means the scammers already have your email address and passwords and are one step away from gaining complete access to whichever one of your accounts is most lucrative. So, if you’ve neglected to set up 2FA on any account or service that offers it, now is the time to do it.

To be completely frank about things: if you’re not doing all you can do to reduce your risk surface area and eliminate all possible vectors of attack, you’re a sitting duck and exactly the type of person that a scammer will target first.

Now that that PSA is over, we can go on to recommend something you came here for — a fresh podcast named Scam Likely.

If you’ve never been affected by a scam, this will be eye-opening for you. Reporter Yudhijit Bhattacharjee delves into the seedy underbelly of scams being run out of call centers on the other side of the world in India and reminds us that it’s really more of an industry than a few opportune cons.

This specific scam employs sophisticated techniques like social engineering, psychologically impairing tactics, and quick money transfers; usually from those reloadable credit cards you see in checkout lines everywhere.

All of this took place in strip malls across small-town Texas and eventually caught the attention of a group of investogators who called themselves "The Guys Who Gave a Shit".

Scam Likely is the closest thing to a police ride-along for your ears and really sets the bar high. There's no doubt that you'll be getting another random call from an unknown number. This time around though, you'll have a better idea of what to expect on the other end of the line.

Have a listen and let us know what you think.

🎧 Need more to listen to? Here's a podcast we recently featured on Twitter!

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