From StarTalk.
Scams are a trillion-dollar industry; keep your loved ones safe with Bitdefender: https://bitdefend.me/90-StarTalk
Is there anything real left on the internet? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore deepfakes, scams, and cybercrime with the Director of Threat Research at Bitdefender, Bogdan Botezatu.
We explore how scammers exploit psychology and technology. How does AI supercharge a problem that has existed for centuries? They trace the evolution from local cons to deepfake-driven global scams, where AI can mimic trusted figures, even Neil himself. Neil tells the story of when Terry Crews once texted Neil about a fake Big Bang video, but Neil realized Terry had been tricked. How can you tell when something is fake? Are we all failing daily Turing tests?
They reveal how cybercriminals now operate like corporations, running call centers and hiring staff to avoid detection. Then, the psychology takes center stage: loneliness, greed, and the need to believe make us easy targets. We learn about “pig butchering” scams and how the good guys use “honeypots” to learn scammers’ methods.
Can we ever be sure what’s real online? The conversation turns to “Dead Internet Theory,” AI influencers, and the growing overlap between cybercrime and national security. Could deepfakes destabilize governments, not just wallets?
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Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Bogdan Botezatu
04:50 – Global Impact of Scams
07:20 – Scamming Tactics
11:28 – Deepfakes & Falling For It
20:30 – Neil Getting Deepfaked
24:52 – How to Tell You’re Watching a Deepfake
28:02 – The Psychological Aspect
33:04 – Pig Butchering & Honey Pots
39:59 – Is Anything Real Left on the Internet?
45:29 – How to Avoid Getting Scammed
47:20 – Defending Against Cybercrime
51:31 – Internet of Things & National Security
56:11 – Continuing the Cat & Mouse
58:15 – Addressing the Stigma
01:01:30 – Closing
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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