Talks to Watch

Wiretapping the Secret Service can be easy and fun | Bryan Seely | TEDxKirkland

4.3M views · May 4, 2015 · 17:46 · 0 HN recommenders · 4 mentions · discussed 2018–2024

Bryan Seely tells how he used fake Google Maps business listings to intercept phone calls meant for the Secret Service and FBI. He then turned himself in, and the talk explains the verification gaps that made it possible.

Why Hacker News points people here: Referenced as a concrete example of how weak Google Maps listing verification enables phone fraud and impersonation.

“he was able to impersonate the US Secret Service and recorded a bunch of phone calls”HN comment, 2019

What Hacker News said 4

Cites itadiianNov 2018

“In 2014 Bryan Seely wiretapped FBI and Secret Service exploiting the Google maps (lack of) verification process.”

Talk on wiretapping FBI and Secret Service via Google Maps listing verification gaps.

Full comment

In 2014 Bryan Seely wiretapped FBI and Secret Service exploiting the Google maps (lack of) verification process. According to his tedtalk, Google was not to eager to fix the problem and it seems things didn't change much since then. this video

in “Scammers are changing the contact details for banks on Google Maps” · view on HN
Cites itelectrogravNov 2018

“here is evidence that Google does absolutely nothing about fraudulent directory listings and ads”

Evidence that Google does little about fraudulent directory listings.

Full comment

P.S. In fact, here is evidence that Google does absolutely nothing about fraudulent directory listings and ads, like the one you seek to think will be solved by Google moving into China: this video

in “We are Google employees – Google must drop Dragonfly” · view on HN
Cites itrelicJun 2019

“he was able to impersonate the US Secret Service and recorded a bunch of phone calls”

Speaker exploited fake Maps listings to intercept Secret Service calls.

Full comment

I happened on a YouTube video of a TedX talk where a guy is really into this Google Maps scam. He got to the point where he was able to impersonate the US Secret Service and recorded a bunch of phone calls. The Secret Service told google to fix their maps issue, but he said they just disabled some features and reactived them without change a few weeks later. this video

in “Google Maps is filled with false business addresses pretending to be nearby” · view on HN
Cites itScion9066May 2024

“here's a talk from someone who used fake Google Maps listings to intercept phone calls between law enforcement”

Talk about using fake Google Maps listings to intercept law enforcement calls.

Full comment

It's not just ads or banks, here's a talk from someone who used fake Google Maps listings to intercept phone calls between law enforcement: Wiretapping the Secret Service Can Be Easy and Fun | Bryan Seely | TEDxKirkland this video

in “You receive a call on your phone. The caller says they're from your bank” · view on HN