on the news front, i think we can both do better than this story (which seems to center on one redditor being duped, from a quick skim) and the New York Post, a tabloid which isn’t exactly known for its quality.

I mean this with absolute sincerity: the average person is dumber than you would expect or imagine. That’s why scams exist.

Probably through a mix of well trained AI and a good pinch of denial.