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The secret world behind those scammy text messages

Overview

Shownote

Highlights

Transcript

Chapters

Pins

The secret world behind those scammy text messages

Planet Money

2025/05/23
Planet Money

Planet Money

2025/05/23
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

You might have seen these texts before. The scam starts innocently enough. Maybe it's a "Long time no see" or "Hello" or "How are you." For investigative reporter Zeke Faux it was – "Hi David, I'm Vicky Ho. Don't you remember me?" Many people ignore them....

Highlights

Investigative reporter Zeke Faux embarked on a journey to understand the world of scammers by engaging with one directly. His curiosity led him to explore the origins and mechanics of these deceptive operations, uncovering alarming connections to human trafficking and cryptocurrency misuse.
02:53
Criminals like pig-butcher scammers use Tether to conduct scams.
08:12
Vicky instructs Zeke to download Crypto.com and buy Tether
14:15
Scammers are often trafficked individuals forced into committing fraud.
25:44
Zeke explored the KB Hotel, finding it fully staffed but devoid of guests.
32:04
Pig-butchering scammers stole over $75 billion globally from 2020-2024

Chapters

Who is Vicky Ho and How Does She Operate?
00:00
The Deceptive Journey Into Crypto Scams
08:12
Unveiling the Dark Secrets Behind Scam Compounds
13:32
Sihanoukville: From Casino Boom to Scam Hub
19:36
How Cryptocurrencies Fuel Modern-Day Scams?
28:54

Transcript

Zeke Faux: This is Planet Money from NPR. Alexi Horowitz-Gazi: A couple years ago, my friend PJ Vogt started getting these weird text messages on his phone, You know, the ones. They come from some number you've never seen before, and they ask you some out...