16 episodes
What the Hack with Adam Levin Loud Tree Media
-
- True Crime
-
-
4.8 • 48 Ratings
-
Ever click a link and think… "Uh oh!"
"What the Hack?" is a new podcast that makes getting scammed, hacked, phished or cyber bushwhacked seem a little less terrifying. You might even have fun. It's one part true crime whodunnit (or what happened) and one part how to fix it.
Every week the "What the Hack?" crew talks to fascinating people about some of the most terrifying (or annoying, embarrassing, infuriating) things that ever happened to them in cyberspace. "What the Hack?" tells you what happened, what you can do next and how to keep whatever it was from happening again.
Adam Levin is the former Director of Consumer Affairs for the State of New Jersey, serial entrepreneur and author of Swiped, which he wrote with his sidekick, writer and cyber mensch, Beau Friedlander. With expert commentary from Travis “Here's What Actually Happened” Taylor, the show gets everything sorted out—or not—but either way you’re going to have a great time. Something weird happen to you? We've got your back.
Available wherever you get your podcasts.
-
Jennifer’s Son Takes a Bank Shot
Here at What the Hack with Adam Levin we’ve been preaching forever and a day that you should never use your debit card when a credit card will do just as well. If you listen to the show you already know why. Credit cards simply offer more robust consumer protections than debit cards. The teenage son of this week’s guest learned this lesson the hard way.
Also discussed: How much money have you had secretly siphoned from your bank account?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Emily Gets Taken for a Song
The Covid epidemic shut down music venues around the world, but with our ever more connected planet, the bands played on. Music people moved their gigs online and Twitch became a major venue for that. That’s where Emily ran into trouble with a new version of the overpayment scam.
Also: Can you steal a Tesla with a Raspberry?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Loki Gets Tricked
Some scams give us something to laugh about in hindsight based on sheer audacity or incompetence that made the work. Loki’s story is not one of those capers. This week, we talked to the victim of a catfishing scam in which he figured (post-identity theft) as the catfish. Worse yet, he was scammed by his lover.
Also: Is Travis a deepfake?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Larry Clicks Anyway
Cybercrime is a writhing mass of larval opportunists.
Larry worked on the assembly line at Ford Motor Co. once upon a time, and his pre- and post-retirement career puts most of our resumes to shame. Now he can add to his many assignments “Scam Slayer.” Online crime often targets retirees, assuming that they’re easy prey. Larry is an object lesson in how not to fall victim to the kinds of crime targeting senior citizens.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Mary Snags a Catfish
Mary is a lot of things. Cannabinoid cooking maven, former radio host, and her banter could make the saltiest sailor blush. When she was angling to find love (and sex) online, a rather young-sounding catfish took the bait. But she lived to tell the tale (pun fully intended) financially intact. Also: A rogues’ gallery of fishy dad jokes.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Joyce and a Bank Robber Play MahJong
Like many of us, Joyce spent many hours during the Covid lockdown connecting with friends playing games online--MahJong mostly. Imagine her surprise when using a legitimate app to find a scammer trying to empty her entire bank account. The likely culprit: an in-app advertisement. This episode is about the danger posed by the ads in the games we play.
Also featured: Beau gets got by the bad guys, sort of.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customer Reviews
So many things I never knew!
This is a great listen; engaging, funny, and entertaining, while also being super informative. I definitely learn something new (usually many things) in every episode. Keep them coming!
Love it.
A light, lively and funny podcast about a very scary topic. Makes it easy to listen and learn and protect yourself better. I love it.
You can’t make this up
Eye opening stories that are engaging but also informative. Truth is often stranger than fiction! Good way to learn what to do AND what not to do. Makes a scary topic fun.