#130 The Snapchat Thief
#130 The Snapchat Thief
November 8, 2018
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1hr 11m
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Episode Ranking: 23/100
TOPICS: Accidental Digital Messages Online Theft Surveillance Ethics
Episode Description
Super Tech SupportAn investigation into a Snapchat hack that spiraled into something creepy.
Ideabrix Summary
The '#130 The Snapchat Thief' episode of the 'Reply All' podcast delves into the story of Lizzie, a woman who had her Snapchat account hacked while on vacation. The hacker changed her password and associated phone number, effectively locking her out of her account. Upon regaining access, Lizzie discovered that all her contacts and saved Memories were gone, with no way to confirm whether the hacker had obtained any compromising photos she might have saved. The hacker then sent her threatening messages, warning her not to try and recover the account and claiming to possess her nudes and personal information. Terrified, Lizzie reached out to 'Reply All' for help in uncovering the identity of the hacker and understanding the motivations behind the theft.
Host Alex Goldman, with his background in tech support, takes on the challenge and discovers that Lizzie's desirable one-word Snapchat handle, 'lizard,' was the likely target for the hacker, who is part of a broader community that trades in 'OG' (original gangster) handles – rare and coveted usernames. These handles can fetch high prices on underground markets. Goldman learns about the practice of SIM swapping, a common method used by hackers to intercept password reset messages and gain control of accounts. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Lizzie's account was compromised this way.
Goldman's investigation leads him to a Discord server where the hacker, using the email 'O@xan.ax,' is believed to be active. The server is a hub for individuals involved in the trading and selling of stolen accounts. Through careful observation, Goldman identifies a suspect, a user who goes by various names but is referred to as 'Charlie' in the episode. Charlie appears to be a high school student living on the West Coast of the United States, and he admits to having sold the 'lizard' account but denies making the threats to Lizzie. He claims that the threatening messages were likely sent by the person he sold the account to, whom he describes as a 'bad guy.'
Host Alex Goldman, with his background in tech support, takes on the challenge and discovers that Lizzie's desirable one-word Snapchat handle, 'lizard,' was the likely target for the hacker, who is part of a broader community that trades in 'OG' (original gangster) handles – rare and coveted usernames. These handles can fetch high prices on underground markets. Goldman learns about the practice of SIM swapping, a common method used by hackers to intercept password reset messages and gain control of accounts. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Lizzie's account was compromised this way.
Goldman's investigation leads him to a Discord server where the hacker, using the email 'O@xan.ax,' is believed to be active. The server is a hub for individuals involved in the trading and selling of stolen accounts. Through careful observation, Goldman identifies a suspect, a user who goes by various names but is referred to as 'Charlie' in the episode. Charlie appears to be a high school student living on the West Coast of the United States, and he admits to having sold the 'lizard' account but denies making the threats to Lizzie. He claims that the threatening messages were likely sent by the person he sold the account to, whom he describes as a 'bad guy.'
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