transcript
show notes
This week, hosts of N2K CyberWire Maria Varmazis and Dave Bittner alongside Joe Carrigan are discussing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow-up from Gordy, who has questions about a fairground contest collecting personal information, plus an update on Joe’s backpack. Joe covers the takedown of Xinbi Guarantee, an illicit marketplace allegedly providing services to scam centers, including money laundering, fake investment sites, and other tools for fraud. Maria looks at QR-code scams and a growing wave of rental scams on TikTok, where fake listings use stolen property photos, below-market prices, and upfront fees to target prospective renters. Dave explores a report on how hundreds of ads promoting AI “nudify” tools and other abusive content were able to reach users through Meta’s advertising system. Our Catch of the Day comes from Tim, who received a suspicious board-position offer that appears to have scraped details directly from his LinkedIn profile—and somehow offered him a seat on the board of his own company.
Resources and links to stories:
- U.S. Disrupts Xinbi Guarantee Scam Marketplace, Freezes $52.8 Million in Crypto
- See a QR code parked somewhere? Don’t scan it…yet!
- 68% of TikTok rental listings carry scam warning signs
- Meta Failed to Catch Hundreds of AI Child Abuse Ads. Some Included Images of Real Kids
Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.
- Maria Varmazislinkedin.com
- linkedin.com
- Joe Carriganlinkedin.com
- apnews.com



