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...
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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,...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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_outlineEveryone is being targeted by organized crime to separate you from your money. If you’ve been scammed, don’t allow embarrassment to keep you from reporting it. Your story could keep someone else from going through the same thing. Today’s guest is Ryan Kelly. Ryan is a stand-up comedian who hunts scammers with his master’s degree in Homeland Security.
Show Notes:
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[0:45] - Ryan shares his background and how he wound up hunting scammers.
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[2:12] - Just a few months ago, Ryan himself was scammed.
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[3:25] - Through social media, Ryan shared his experience and all of the comments showed that an incredible amount of people experienced it as well.
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[6:13] - We do victims an injustice when we describe a hacker as a bored man in a basement and a hoodie. There are incredibly organized scam crime rings.
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[9:07] - Your phone sells a lot of data.
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[10:53] - Ryan shares what he does initially when tracking down a scammer.
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[13:47] - Knowing an IP address can be helpful in knowing a little information, but it’s not exact.
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[15:46] - Some military personnel cannot use fitness trackers or other devices that transmit data.
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[18:08] - Ryan explains how a fan of his social media content recognized the background of a video and found him in person.
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[21:03] - If you possibly feel like you are being targeted as a scam but you are unsure, you can ask a series of questions to see if they are lying.
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[22:16] - Sometimes scammers purposely use bad grammar and spelling to weed out the people who are suspicious.
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[24:37] - Two factor authorization should be a requirement on every login.
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[27:01] - Your information is easy to find. There are ways to take some things down.
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[29:01] - LinkedIn is a great tool, but it can be dangerous as scammers can create a false connection.
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[32:09] - If you’re paying for something and it feels like a weird way to be paying for something, stop.
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[34:51] - If you are looking at investing in something, think about the risk. Can you afford to possibly lose it all?
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[37:36] - Scammers also target people under the pretense of helping them get their money back after a scam.
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[40:25] - Don’t send photos to people you don’t know.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.