Vantage Travel Bankruptcy with Michelle Couch Friedman
Easy Prey
Imagine booking a vacation only to find out that the company files for bankruptcy a week later. As a consumer, would you know what your rights are? There’s a big difference between travel insurance and travel protection. One can leave you with no way to get your money back. Today’s guest is Michelle Couch Friedman. Michelle is the founder and CEO of Consumer Rescue. She is an experienced consumer reporter, advocate, mediator, author, and licensed psychotherapist. Michelle has also been a columnist, contributing editor, and former executive director for Elliott Advocacy, a non-profit...
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Cybersecurity for Everyday People with Greg Tomchick
Easy Prey
Learning how to keep your business safe and protect your online data can be advantageous for your home and personal life as well. Your children and family can create awareness at school and with friends. Today’s guest is Greg Tomchick. Greg is a former professional baseball player turned award-winning cybersecurity coach. He has worked with more than 250 world-renowned companies, including American Airlines, Caterpillar, and Trinity Rail. He is regularly featured live on ABC, Fox, and is an expert contributor to Inc. Magazine. He is now the CEO of Valor Cybersecurity and host of The...
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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....
info_outlineThe 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 Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You 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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[1:08] - Becky runs a Twitter account where she spends a lot of time wasting the time of romance fraudsters.
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[2:38] - An unintended consequence of messing with fraudsters, Becky became a sounding board to victims of romance fraud.
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[4:56] - Once you engage with a fraudster, your name is put on a “sucker list.”
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[6:13] - Becky explains what romance fraud is.
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[7:22] - Victims of romance fraud are generally assumed to be lonely, middle-aged women, which is a stereotype.
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[8:27] - The media sensationalizes victim stories, but this could happen to anyone.
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[9:53] - There’s not a lot of services and support for victims of romance fraud.
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[11:40] - The damage extends farther than the financial loss.
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[13:43] - When it comes to scams, we focus so much on a victim “falling for it” which implies that they are somehow complicit.
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[16:31] - Becky describes an experience she had as a victim of fraud.
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[18:19] - Coercive control is at the center of all types of romance fraud.
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[19:56] - Becky explains confirmation bias and its prevalence in all types of scams.
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[21:25] - Romance fraud is really hard to deal with because it involves the heart.
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[22:43] - Becky shares how scammers usually start conversation and how they navigate getting you on a different app.
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[26:44] - In addition to social media and dating apps, fraudsters also send messages on online games.
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[28:07] - Another common technique is for scammers to pretend to be a celebrity.
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[31:24] - A very successful tactic is when fraudsters pretend to be a part of a charity.
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[34:18] - Becky explains the inspiration behind the title of her recent book.
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[35:56] - We should be looking out for our friends and family.
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[37:21] - If we see something happen, how can we help someone?
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.