”Old Scams in Shiny New Packages” Podcasts

In our last episode entitled "Becoming Un-scam-able" we explored the changes a person would have to make to his or her life to eliminate almost all modern scams.  Doing so would entail significant changes to the technology people use and how they would live their daily lives.  We realize these types are significant changes are not practicable for most people.  Thus in this episode we introduce a potential strategy for dealing with the risks that all of us face in the modern world.  
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
FBI Internet Crime report (2025_IC3Report.pdf) https://share.google/zWPvac8GOqPvljz19
PMBOK’s Project Risk Management: https://www.projectengineer.net/project-risk-management-according-to-the-pmbok/ 
 
Acceptance criteria applied to 
Business Analysis: https://www.iiba.org/knowledgehub/business-analysis-body-of-knowledge-babok-guide/10-techniques/10-1-acceptance-and-evaluation-criteria/ 
Project management : https://nextgenanalysts.co.uk/how-to-write-clear-and-concise-acceptance-criteria-with-practical-examples/ 
Software Development: https://resources.scrumalliance.org/Article/need-know-acceptance-criteria
Your Smart Love Decisions: Using Acceptance Criteria for Better Dating, Mating, and Marriages:
https://www.amazon.com/Your-Smart-Love-Decisions-Acceptance/dp/B0DBJ9QN5H/ 

What would it take to eliminate your exposure to all types of scams and rip-offs?  In this podcast we do a systemic evaluation of this question.  We discuss the various technology and lifestyle changes one would have to make to eliminate virtually all scams from one's life.  Listen for what it would take to become "The Un-scam-able Man".
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
FBI'S Internet Crime Report for 2025: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf

How much is your privacy and personal information worth to you?  What services are you willing to pay for to ensure your personal data remains private?  Are popular services such as Facebook really free if you don't pay for them?  This podcast discusses an economic assessment of "free" Internet services, the implications for your personal data, and the chain reaction effects of the rise of social media.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Mad at Meta? Don't Let Them Collect and Monetize Your Personal Data | Electronic Frontier Foundation: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/mad-meta-dont-let-them-collect-and-monetize-your-personal-data 
Meta (Facebook) Privacy Policy is at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/
Privacy Act of 1974:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privacy_Act_of_1974 

There has been a lot of talk about artificial intelligence (AI) recently.  Some companies in the AI area are worth a lot of money now.  In this podcast we discuss historical predecessors to current AI systems, what makes a computer seem human-like, and some of the risks associated with using AI.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Symptom Checker with Body from WebMD - https://symptoms.webmd.com/ 
For better or worse, young people are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support - https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/11/health/mental-health-adolescents-chatbot-ai-wellness?cid=android_app 
Deep Blue (chess computer) -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Blue_(chess_computer)
Disney suing over copyright infringement - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpcWv1lHU6I&list=WL
When we pay for AI cloud compute, what are we really paying for? - https://huggingface.co/blog/sasha/energy-cost-compute
Project Iceberg - Coordinating the Human-AI Future - https://share.google/bax5y5BuYB4VvCwUI
 

Almost everyone is familiar with using passwords on their phones and computers.  Passwords are useful, but they also have serious limitations.  In this episode we discuss the history of passwords, the pros and cons of various password management tools, and the emergence of passkeys as a useful supplement to or replacement for passwords.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Still Using Passwords? It's Time to Upgrade to Passkeys Now https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/still-using-passwords-its-time-to-upgrade-to-passkeys 
Wikipedia: Passwordhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Password
The Evolution of Password Cracking: From MIT's First Hack to Modern Identity Threats https://spycloud.com/blog/cryptography-of-password-cracking/ 
Password Strength Comparison - Information Management Systems and Services https://www.imss.caltech.edu/services/security/recommendations/passwords/password-table 

Most people associate fake or misleading images with AI "slop".  However, one's voice can be cloned fairly easily and we all have several microphones near us all of the time. In this episode we discuss voice cloning, microphone proliferation, and the risks of potentially no longer being able to trust what you hear.  
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Web site used to clone my voice: Speechify Studio
Is Your Tech Listening? Apple Settles Claim for Siri Eavesdropping: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/apple-settles-claim-for-siri-eavesdropping/ 
Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis): https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/age-related-hearing-loss
Can I record a conversation? https://hoflaw.com/blog/can-i-record-a-conversation-in-virginia/ 

The days of being hopelessly lost are over for almost everyone almost all of the time.  Location services (like GPS) allow people to know where they are and where other people and things are located.  These services make life easier, but they also creates privacy risks and new opportunities for scammers who want to take advantage of them.  In this podcast we discuss the benefits and risks of locations services, why you should probably read the terms and conditions for your new car, and why in many ways your cell phone creates a very long leash.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Show Me Tracking Devices: A Comprehensive Guide to GPS Trackers for Personal and Business Use: https://www.motowatchdog.com/blog/show-me-tracking-devices-a-comprehensive-guide-to-gps-trackers-for-personal-and-business-use 
EFF: Senators Expose Car Companies’ Terrible Data Privacy Practices: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/07/senators-expose-car-companies-terrible-data-privacy-practices  
Jeffrey Epstein’s Island Visitors Exposed by Data Broker: https://www.wired.com/story/jeffrey-epstein-island-visitors-data-broker-leak/
General Motors Barred From Selling Driver Data for 5 Years: https://www.cnet.com/home/electric-vehicles/general-motors-barred-from-selling-driver-data-for-5-years/ 
These 10 Car Companies Are Collecting an Absurd Volume of Data on You: https://awareforce.com/car-companies-collecting-data-on-you/ 

Why can't things be like the 20th century before all of these Internet-based scams?  Wouldn't life be easier?  Why can't things change back?  These questions are discussed in this podcast about how the world really has changed.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
Why Seniors Like Facebook: https://caringseniorservice.com/blog/facebook-for-seniors/ 
AARP Report on how technology is affecting seniors: https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/technology/internet-media-devices/aarp-research-insights-technology/ 
 

Young people tell me they are buying cryptocurrencies.  Are they a scam?  Are cryptocurrencies used by criminals?  How do they compare to other currencies past and present?  These questions are addressed in this wide-ranging podcast on cryptocurrencies.
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
How to make your own cryptocurrency: https://www.kraken.com/learn/how-to-make-cryptocurrency
11 Celebrity Crypto Tokens - And How They Performed: https://share.google/SgnoLXDHuqH6hECRy 
Cryptocurrency - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): https://share.google/9bVpbd1u00xLjJUfe 
Swiss Banking Secrecy in 2025: Are Swiss Bank Accounts Still Secret? | Offshore Pro Group https://share.google/4ize6kTNLmskNhPEb
Cartels & Crypto - Institute for Financial Integrity https://share.google/pSUMfTwKyHuoBE8Wr 

I've received a data breach letter from a company.  What happened and how are these modern data thieves like gangsters in the 1920s?  In this podcast learn how it happens, learn why data collected about you is so vulnerable, and understand why "staying off the Internet" is not a viable strategy. 
More episodes can be found at https://oldscamsinshinynewpackages.podbean.com/ or by searching for "Old Scams" in your favorite podcast app.
Links and References:
John_Dillinger: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger 
Research report of business cybersecurity vulnerabilities:  https://businessdigitalindex.com/research/report-500-companies-score-cybersecurity/ 
Reported breaches in 2023: https://securityscorecard.com/company/press/securityscorecard-threat-research-21-of-sp-500-companies-reported-breaches-in-2023
ITRC 2025 report on data breaches: https://www.idtheftcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-ITRC-Annual-Data-Breach-Report.pdf 
Dark Web data market: https://www.breachsense.com/blog/dark-web-markets/