Gambling, Lies, and Millions Stolen from Celebrities
Easy Prey
What happens when the drive to succeed masks deep emotional wounds and addiction? In this episode, Jonathan Schwartz shares a powerful and painfully honest account of how his life unraveled. Once one of Hollywood’s most trusted financial advisors, Jonathan worked with icons like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. On the surface, he had it all. But underneath the success was a secret struggle with gambling and drug addiction that led him to steal millions from the very clients who trusted him most. His fall from grace was dramatic and public, ending in a prison sentence...
info_outline
Human Side of Fraud: Empathy, Education, & Evolution
Easy Prey
People used to think fraud was something that happened in the shadows, rare, distant, and mostly affecting big companies. But after talking to PJ Rohall, it’s clear that fraud is evolving fast, and it’s showing up in places most of us don’t even think to look. In this episode, I sit down with PJ Rohall, Head of Fraud Strategy and Education at SEON and co-founder of About Fraud. PJ’s work is all about staying ahead of scammers and helping businesses and individuals understand how fraud actually works. From synthetic identities and AI-powered scams to account takeovers and refund fraud,...
info_outline
Identity Is The New Security Perimeter
Easy Prey
Sometimes it feels like every new technology we adopt comes with a new risk we didn’t see coming. From AI and data breaches to phishing scams and ransomware, it's clear we live in a time when cybersecurity isn’t just a tech issue, it’s a human issue. In this episode, I talk with Jeff Reich, Executive Director of the Identity Defined Security Alliance. Jeff has been in the cybersecurity world since the early days, with decades of experience helping organizations protect what matters most. His passion for identity security and risk management runs deep, and he brings a thoughtful...
info_outline
Your Car Is Spying On You What It’s Collecting and Who It’s Telling
Easy Prey
I used to think of my car as just a tool to get from point A to point B. But after this conversation, I can’t help but see it as something else entirely, a powerful data collection device that knows far more about me than I realized. From where I go and who I text to how I drive and even what’s on my phone, today’s vehicles are gathering a staggering amount of personal information. In this episode, I talk with Andrea Amico, the founder of . Andrea is one of the leading voices in automotive data privacy and someone who’s spent years uncovering the hidden ways cars collect, store,...
info_outline
Why Everyone’s A Target
Easy Prey
Some scams are so convincing, they’re almost impossible to spot. With phishing emails that look like they’re from your bank, deep fake videos that mimic real people, and AI-generated messages that feel personal, it’s getting harder to know what’s real and what’s a trap. In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Hempel, a security operations specialist at Exabeam and a current law student at Purdue University. Gabrielle brings a sharp perspective shaped by years in cybersecurity, a master’s in cybersecurity and global affairs from NYU, and hands-on experience navigating everything...
info_outline
Child Exploitation Cyber Investigations
Easy Prey
Technology is a double-edged sword. It can empower us, connect us, and solve problems, but it can also be used to exploit, manipulate, and harm. When it comes to protecting children online, that line gets especially thin. Digital forensics, AI-powered image classification, and global law enforcement collaboration are now essential tools for keeping families safe in a world that moves faster than most of us can keep up. Debbie Garner knows this world intimately. She’s a retired Special Agent in charge with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and former commander of the state’s Internet...
info_outline
Reclaiming the Internet
Easy Prey
We may not always understand the evolution of the internet and how tech monopolies exist, but having digital freedom fighters is vital to making conscious change. Today's guest is Cory Doctorow. Cory is a science fiction author, activist, and journalist. He is the author of many books and most recently, Picks and Shovels, The Bezel, and The Lost Cause, a solar punk science fiction novel of hope amidst the climate change emergency. His most recent nonfiction book is the internet con How to Seize the Means of Corruption, a big tech disassembly manual. Other recent books include Red Team...
info_outline
Security Gaps Hackers Exploit
Easy Prey
Scammers aren’t just phishing your inbox anymore—they’re impersonating your voice, your face, and even your coworkers. Deep fakes and social engineering have moved beyond clever tricks and become powerful tools that bad actors are using to infiltrate businesses, breach accounts, and dismantle trust at scale. What used to take a hacker hours and expensive tools can now be done in minutes by anyone with a Wi-Fi connection and a little malicious intent. Our guest today is Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag, a company leading the charge in next-generation identity verification. Aaron’s...
info_outline
Cyber Warfare
Easy Prey
Cyber warfare is no longer something that happens behind closed doors or in some far-off digital corner. It's happening now—and reshaping the rules of conflict in real time. Drone strikes controlled by apps, ransomware attacks on hospitals—today's battleground is just as likely to be online as on the ground. That science fiction scenario is now a critical, constant threat-the kind that affects us all globally. I'm really excited to introduce you to Dr. Chase Cunningham. He's a retired Navy chief cryptologist with a wealth of experience in cyber operations for the NSA, CIA, FBI—and more....
info_outline
DDoS Attacks
Easy Prey
Scammers are getting smarter, understanding the psychology behind social engineering and the challenges companies face every day can help keep networks secure. This episode will show how to anticipate these threats and secure networks against ever-changing vulnerabilities. We’ll focus on practical, real-world solutions to protect data and trust. Dr. Jared Smith joins us to share his insights from his role leading research and development at SecurityScorecard. He also co-founded UnCat, a B2B accounting technology company serving thousands of customers and teaches as an adjunct professor at...
info_outlineCurrently we have hard copy passports and driver's licenses, but as our digital identities evolve, we may find ourselves with a worldwide digital standardized way of proving who we are. Today’s guest is Philipp Pointner. Philipp leads Jumio’s digital identity strategy and the initiative to enable multiple digital identity providers in its ecosystem. Prior to Jumio, Philipp was responsible for paysafecard, Europe’s most popular prepaid solution for online purchases.
Show Notes:
-
[0:53] - Philipp shares his background and current role at Jumio.
-
[2:12] - Our online identity has changed very quickly over the last decade.
-
[3:47] - Over time, this evolution has made people a lot more comfortable with technology.
-
[5:50] - The changes that Philipp thinks are coming may cause problems with some countries not accepting them.
-
[7:30] - The digital identity will likely be more secure than physical copies of important documents like passports and driver’s licenses.
-
[10:47] - Chris and Philipp discuss a recent experience in verifying the credibility of physical documents.
-
[12:52] - With more sophisticated benefits to a digital identity comes more sophisticated attack attempts.
-
[15:40] - Where does one turn if they are a victim of identity theft?
-
[17:11] - Philipp believes that it should be the responsibility of an organization to ensure the end user is safe.
-
[18:48] - Philipp shares the results of a survey that asked people if they were willing to take more steps to ensure that they were secure online, but the exception was social media.
-
[22:02] - Education around scams is improving and increasing, but not about everything.
-
[26:20] - The technology exists to keep people more secure, but it isn’t employed as often as is necessary.
-
[27:47] - At the end of the day, the inconvenience is always put on the end user.
-
[29:07] - Biometrics are strong and have a lot of well governed standards already in place.
-
[31:40] - Research shows that the requirement to change passwords every 90 days is ineffective.
-
[32:59] - Currently, there isn’t a one-stop shop to receive the education they need to better understand cybersecurity.
-
[35:48] - Philipp and Chris talk about the recent issue with concert tickets being purchased by bots for scalping.
-
[38:28] - The general public has become an easier target than in years past because of the increase in online activity.
-
[40:09] - People vastly overestimate their ability to detect fake images and deep fakes.
-
[41:42] - Philipp explains what it means to have a reusable digital identity.
-
[43:30] - When digital identity is used to verify in the future, will users have the ability to revoke their provided information?
-
[46:58] - Pursue education on this topic and then take action.
-
[50:01] - Your data is definitely online and it's important to be aware of what is available for potential scammers to know.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.