Misunderstanding Victims of Romance Fraud
Easy Prey
The media loves sensationalized romance scams, but we need to understand that anyone can be emotionally seduced and it's not just the lonely. No one is off limits to being targeted, no matter the age, status, or career. And the impact is far greater than just financial. Today’s guest is Becky Holmes. Becky is the creator and voice behind the popular Twitter account Death to Spinach. Becky’s book looks at all aspects of romance fraud, from the heartbreaking to the hilarious, the academic to the anecdotal, and discusses where we’ve gone wrong in dealing with those affected. Show Notes: ...
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Scams Exploiting Emotions with Alan Castel
Easy Prey
We can easily stereotype those we believe are susceptible to a scam. But the scammers are keeping up with current events and are prepared to take advantage of our basic human emotions. The impact of these frauds is underreported due to the shame and embarrassment. Today’s guest is Alan Castel. Alan is a Psychology professor at The University of California Los Angeles. He studies learning, memory, fraud, and aging. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine. He recently published a book entitled . Show Notes: [1:08] - Alan shares his...
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3 Types of Insider Fraud with Claire Maillet
Easy Prey
In this episode, we’re shining a light on a pervasive threat that often lurks in the shadows of corporate environments: insider fraud. We’ll explore the insidious nature of insider threats, the various forms they can take, and most importantly, how organizations can arm themselves with knowledge and strategies to mitigate these risks effectively. Today’s guest is Claire Mailet. Claire is an award-winning financial crime prevention expert and has worked in the field for over ten years. In her spare time, Claire assists universities in the UK to support staff and students who stammer and...
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5 Fraud Vulnerability Factors with Martina Dove
Easy Prey
Understanding our cognitive biases can help us realize that we sometimes are too trusting of emails, texts, or calls from someone we perceive to be an authority. Today’s guest is Martina Dove. Martina is a researcher with a fervent passion for fraud prevention. Her expertise focuses on persuasion, scam techniques, and individual characteristics that make people susceptible to fraud. She is passionate about fighting fraud by teaching people how to spot scammer techniques and has recently published a book on fraud psychology. Show Notes: [0:50] - Martina shares her background in...
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Hacker Tactics with John Hammond
Easy Prey
The tech world is ever-changing and it can be difficult to keep up. As businesses and individuals, it's important to remember to keep your software up to date and apply patches as they are released. Today’s guest is John Hammond. John is a cybersecurity researcher, educator, and content creator. As part of the Adversary Tactics Teams at Huntress, John spends his days analyzing malware and making hackers earn their access. He is an online YouTube personality showcasing program tutorials, malware analysis, dark web threats, and other cybersecurity content. Show Notes: [1:01] - John shares...
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Top 5 Supply Chain Risks with Kevin Kumpf
Easy Prey
As businesses embrace digital transformation and rely on interconnected networks for their operations, the vulnerabilities within the digital supply chain become increasingly apparent. From data breaches to third party vulnerabilities, the threats are multi-faceted and ever-evolving. Today’s guest is Kevin Kumpf. Kevin has more than 20 years of IT Security and Compliance experience including over 10 years of cybersecurity, governance, and critical infrastructure experience working in the energy, medical manufacturing, transportation, and fedramp realms. Show Notes: [0:54] - Kevin...
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The Risks and Rewards of Cryptocurrencies with Natalie Brunell
Easy Prey
There are significant risks to be aware of when using crypto and over the past two years, many tokens have imploded. As you choose to invest digitally, do your research and understand the commodity that you use. Today’s guest is Natalie Burnell. Natalie is the host of the #1 woman-led show in the bitcoin space, Coin Stories. She is a bitcoin educator, a frequent media commentator, and an award-winning journalist. Show Notes: [0:50] - Natalie shares her background and the mission behind the Coin Stories Podcast. [2:19] - Learning about bitcoin gave Natalie a little more hope as she...
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Tax Scams with Richard Gilbert
Easy Prey
In this episode, we uncover the intricate web of tax-related scams that prey on unsuspecting individuals every year. From phishing emails promising tax refunds to elaborate identity theft schemes, join us as we expose tactics used by scammers to exploit fear and ignorance during tax season. Today’s guest is Richard Gilbert. Richard is the Director of the Examination Division with the North Carolina Department of Revenue. He has been with the department for over 25 years. He is a licensed CPA and has received his Bachelor’s of Business Administration from North Carolina Central University....
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Virtual Kidnapping with Titania Jordan
Easy Prey
In this episode, we shine a light on the sinister phenomenon of virtual kidnapping. From deceptive phone calls to the psychological manipulation tactics, join us as we delve into the dark world where fears are exploited for profit, leaving victims shaken and families torn apart. Today’s guest is Titania Jordan. Titania is a nationally renowned tech, social media, and family expert who has appeared on programs such as the Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, CNN, and more. She is the author and founder of Parenting in a Tech World and serves as Chief Parent Officer of the online...
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Balancing Privacy, Security, and Accountability with Kurt Long
Easy Prey
In this episode, we navigate the ever evolving landscape of messaging app dynamics, examining the challenges and opportunities in striking the right balance between preserving user privacy, ensuring robust security measures, and maintaining accountability in an ever changing digital landscape. Today’s guest is Kurt Long. Kurt is an entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in starting, growing, and building Information Security and Privacy businesses. Kurt is the Executive Director of The Long Family Force for Good Foundation which focuses on supporting not-for-profits dedicated to...
info_outlineMany use the internet considering it more like a walk in the park rather than realizing it is more like a trip down a dark alley. Today’s guest is Stuart Madnick. Professor Madnick has been a faculty member at MIT since 1972. He has served as the head of MIT’s IT group for more than 20 years. During that time, the group has been consistently rated number 1 in the nation among schools for information technology programs. Dr. Madnick is a prolific writer and author or co-author of over 380 books, articles, or technical reports and textbooks. He has a degree in Electronic Engineering, Management, and Computer Science from MIT. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard University and six additional countries.
Show Notes:
- [1:10] - Dr. Madnick shares his background and current role at MIT.
- [2:53] - There were examples of cybersecurity attacks predating the internet through floppy disks.
- [4:02] - In the late 90s and early 2000s, the internet experienced a boom of users.
- [5:50] - In other industries, safety is a priority.
- [6:53] - Everything, even toothbrushes, have computers in them.
- [8:30] - Most know of the common scams, but there are people who still fall victim to them.
- [9:18] - Some of the really poorly written scam emails are intentionally created this way to find the most gullible.
- [10:15] - Dr. Madnick describes spear phishing and the rise in these cases.
- [11:30] - In some cases, only a couple hundred dollars could be enough for a scammer and they add up quickly.
- [13:03] - Don’t feel bad if you are hit by a believable scam.
- [14:11] - Most people do not consider what to do to minimize damage.
- [16:56] - If something bad happens to your computer and/or your data, what is your plan?
- [18:54] - Dr. Madnick shares some corporate examples of cyberattacks.
- [20:23] - We constantly have several subconscious decisions that we don’t consider the consequences of.
- [22:16] - Maintaining certificates and security is a tedious and manual task.
- [23:51] - Data is tracked by how attacks were successful rather than how many were unsuccessful.
- [26:10] - Larger companies are starting to give more attention to cybersecurity but the progress is very slow.
- [28:31] - Cybersecurity can be considered a catastrophe.
- [29:30] - What does a cyber catastrophe look like?
- [31:40] - Outages and malfunctions are possible and in catastrophes, a solution can take weeks or more.
- [33:22] - It may not be likely that a catastrophe will happen, but it is possible, and we are unprepared.
- [36:12] - You can’t avoid all risks, but you can minimize the damage done.
- [39:31] - Cybersecurity tends to be a low priority.
- [41:17] - What is a “zero-click vulnerability?”
- [43:12] - Cybersecurity education is outdated in most schools.
- [44:43] - You can put a better lock on your front door, but if you put your key under the mat, are you any more secure?
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.