2105: The Man Who Stole 200 Million Identities

PRETEND

05/10/25

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28m

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In this episode of PRETEND, recorded live at the GISEC cybersecurity conference in Dubai, I spoke with Hieu Minh Ngo, once one of the most prolific identity thieves in the world.

Operating out of Vietnam, Hieu stole and sold personal data on over 200 million Americans. We're talking names, birth dates, Social Security numbers—everything you’d need to become someone else.

But he didn’t hack his way in. Instead, he used open-source intelligence and even impersonated a private investigator to gain legal access to massive data broker networks.

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Previous Episode

2104: The Digital Pickpocket Revisted

May 6, 2025

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29m

While speaking at a hacker conference in Dubai, Javier revisits a conversation with professional pickpocket and entertainer James Freedman. James reveals how a childhood scuffle led to a lifelong obsession with the art of pickpocketing, evolving from swiping coins to mastering social engineering and even digital fraud.

🔗 Listen to Part 2
Click here for The Digital Pickpocket, Part 2 →

💬 Connect with Javier on social
Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: @pretendpod

🛡 Stay safe:
Learn how to defend yourself against modern pickpockets — both analog and digital.

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Next Episode

2106: The Internet Saves the Bachelor part 1

May 14, 2025

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32m

After a one-night hookup with a fan-turned-client, former Bachelor star Clayton Echard faced an unexpected legal battle — and public accusations that threatened to ruin his life.
In this episode, we unpack the early timeline of Clayton’s explosive case with Laura Michelle Owens, who claimed she was pregnant with his twins... despite his insistence they never had sex.

But Clayton wasn’t her first target. When no one else believed him, the internet showed up and started pulling Laura’s story apart.

Stayed tuned for part 2 and 3 of the "Internet Saves the Bachelor." Be the first to listen on Patreon and PRETEND+ on Apple Podcast.

Credits:

Hosted, Produced: Javier Leiva

Written by: Mackenzie Ames

Additional Reporting: The Dating Detectives Podcast

References:

https://allthebestresearch.com

Dave Neal's YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davenealcomedian?si=buUz1EGyODwQ6aGv

https://justiceforclayton.com/wiki/index.php/Laura_Michelle_Owens_-_Court_Case_History

https://www.reddit.com/r/JusticeForClayton/

https://victimsoflauraowens.com/coverage/