AI scams are skyrocketing, with the FBI reporting tens of thousands of scam messages sent per minute.
The episode opens with a 'Miracle Moment' quote and promotion for an Earth Day event by the Be the Star You Are charity. In segment one, Cynthia Brian addresses AI fraud, noting the FBI reports skyrocketing AI-enabled scams. She references a 2025 Microsoft study analyzing 531,000 fraud reports and a University of Michigan poll where only 6% feel confident spotting AI falsehoods. Brian explains scammers use AI for phishing emails, deepfake videos, and voice cloning, with a UK study showing people detect AI fakes only 51% of the time. She describes the 'grandparent scam' where cloned voices fake emergencies. Protection strategies include pausing before acting, updating passwords, sending unknown calls to voicemail, and freezing credit. Segment two transitions to gardening, with Brian reading her poem 'The Power of Posies.' She discusses the origin of 'Ring Around the Rosy' and Victorian floriography, where flowers conveyed secret messages. Brian describes her garden's April blooms like wisteria, roses, and daffodils. She gives tips on creating posies with 3-5 flowers and greenery. Gardening advice for April includes fertilizing, controlling snails and aphids, checking irrigation, weeding, and planting tomatoes and peppers. The episode concludes with promotions for Brian's books, speaking engagements, and the charity, plus a 'Business Bite' on making workplaces fun.
