Rethinking Online Anonymity with Lance Cottrell
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In a world of cybersecurity and online privacy, anonymity seems to be the key. VPNs are often promoted as the cure-all to our internet needs. Let’s talk about some of those misconceptions. Today’s guest is Lance Cottrell. Lance founded Anonymizer in 1995 and is an internationally recognized expert in cryptography, online privacy, and internet security. He is the principal author on multiple internet privacy and security technology patents. Lance stayed on as Chief Scientist as Anonymizer was acquired by Intrepid, and now advises start-ups through his platform. Show Notes: [1:09] - Lance...
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AI: Double-Edged Sword for Cybersecurity with Vincent LaRocca
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Cybersecurity is more crucial than ever. It’s essential that we proactively safeguard our data and recognize that no one is immune to attacks. We are all vulnerable. As malicious actors continually enhance their tactics, we must stay one step ahead by consistently improving our defenses. Today’s guest is Vincent LaRocca. Vincent is the CEO of CyberSecOp with the commitment to protecting sensitive data and mitigating cyber threats. With over two decades of experience, Vincent has successfully steered CyberSecOp to become one of the world’s fastest growing managed security providers,...
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Understanding and Avoiding Triangulation Fraud with Soups Ranjan
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As consumers, we may realize the need to be vigilant by using two-factor authentication and password managers, but there are so many scams out there that can impersonate legitimate organizations, websites, and people. We really can’t let our guard down. Today’s guest is Soups Ranjan. Soups has over 18 years of experience in software engineering, data science, and risk management. He is the co-founder and CEO of Sardine. This behavior-infused platform offers fraud prevention, compliance, and payment solutions for various industries including banking, online marketplaces, FinTech, crypto,...
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Finding Small Business Fraud with James Ratley
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There are a shocking amount of businesses that ultimately fail because of fraud. Many managers and business owners are unaware of their losses because they do not have the systems in place to look for fraud and it may not be their primary concern. Today’s guest is James Ratley. Jim graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In 1971, he joined the Dallas Police Department as a police officer. He was on numerous task forces with a concentration on major fraud cases. He joined a major forensic accounting practice and was in charge of...
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Truth and Lies with Mark Bowden
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Now that so much of our communications are digital, such as texts, emails, and chats, we miss out on the tone and facial expressions to help us understand the intent and content in communication. It’s important to know ourselves well enough to know what areas we’ll be more easily influenced and are susceptible to being deceived. The greater our desire for something to be true, the easier it is for us to be scammed. Today’s guest is Mark Bowden. Mark is a world-renowned body language expert, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. He is the founder of the communication training company,...
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The Update That Broke America with Gabe Dimeglio
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Many industries are reliant on software and if the software becomes corrupt or an update fails, it may require hands-on support. Do you have your infrastructure set for repair and recovery? Today’s guest is Gabe Dimeglio. Gabe is a 20-year veteran of information technology and security for private and public sector organizations. He is a results-driven leader, specializing in security services and solutions for mission-critical, complex enterprise platforms. His expertise includes strategic consulting services, risk analysis/risk mitigation, and compliance. Mr. Dimeglio serves as Vice...
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A Lesson in Crisis Management with Jeremiah Grossman
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It’s not always easy to determine the value of digital assets. The potential of overestimating or undervaluing your data can make it difficult to establish how much protection you need for a cyber intrusion. Today’s guest is Jeremiah Grossman. Jeremiah has spent over 25 years as an InfoSec professional and hacker. He is the Managing Director of Grossman Ventures. He is an industry creator and founder of White Hat Security and Bit Discovery. He has his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is an avid car collector. Show Notes: [0:53] - Jeremiah shares his background and what he does...
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Pig Butchering Is Getting Worse with Erin West
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Pig butchering is worse than just manipulating someone and taking their money. It leaves them with emotional anguish. Once their finances have been drained, they lose their financial security and they no longer trust people. Today’s guest is Erin West. Erin has been with the County of Santa Clara for 26 years and is a Deputy District Attorney. She specializes in cryptocurrency investigations and prosecutions. Show Notes: [0:46] - Erin shares her background and what her role is as a Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County. [3:20] - Five years ago, Erin found herself working on...
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Protecting Parents with Terri Proctor
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Sometimes people only share their stories after they’ve gone through a challenging time. But it’s also important to learn from those in the middle of a scam to learn how people are manipulated and how vulnerable our loved ones can really be. Today’s guest is Terri Proctor. Terri’s elderly mother has been scammed by romance scammers over the last three years. In trying to get help from different recommended services, she realized that no one was really interested in helping. She started the non-profit Stop Elderly Scams to educate and bring awareness to the community. Show Notes: ...
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Technology Regulation is Outdated with Bruce Schneier
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Regulators have to invest a considerable amount of time in keeping legislation and policy up to date regarding technology and AI, but it’s not easy. We need floor debates, not for sound bytes or for political gain, but to move policy forward. Today’s guest is Bruce Schneier. Bruce is an internationally renowned security technologist called The Security Guru by The Economist. He is the author of over a dozen books including his latest, A Hacker’s Mind. He has testified before Congress, is a frequent guest on television and radio, has served on several government committees, and is...
info_outlinePig butchering is worse than just manipulating someone and taking their money. It leaves them with emotional anguish. Once their finances have been drained, they lose their financial security and they no longer trust people. Today’s guest is Erin West. Erin has been with the County of Santa Clara for 26 years and is a Deputy District Attorney. She specializes in cryptocurrency investigations and prosecutions.
Show Notes:
- [0:46] - Erin shares her background and what her role is as a Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County.
- [3:20] - Five years ago, Erin found herself working on prosecutions regarding SIM swapping and cryptocurrency hacks.
- [4:35] - The emotional impact of “just a financial crime,” is staggering.
- [7:38] - You never know who around you is a victim of some of these crimes.
- [8:18] - Erin describes the experience of being convinced to click a link herself.
- [10:32] - Scammers will think about different things that would trigger someone into clicking a link.
- [13:40] - Pig butchering involves building trust with a victim and showing them a false plush lifestyle.
- [16:08] - A red flag is a text or social media message you may receive that seems misdirected or to a wrong number.
- [19:21] - It feels like the right thing to do when we feel the need to respond to the scammer with a “you’ve got the wrong number,” but that’s how they start a conversation.
- [22:29] - In many cases, scammers bulk text a massive amount of phone numbers. But some people are specifically targeted on social media.
- [24:23] - Covid really accelerated this type of scam due to loneliness.
- [25:40] - A misconception is that these scams target the elderly. But it is not based on age at all.
- [27:03] - Unfortunately, law enforcement is not set up to be able to handle this type of crime.
- [28:18] - Erin explains that law enforcement doesn’t tend to always lead with empathy when this type of crime is reported.
- [30:12] - It is important to report the crime to local law enforcement, but there are other places that the crime can be reported to in addition.
- [32:50] - Victims should be able to speak to a detective.
- [34:33] - Victims should be very wary of third party recovery programs.
- [37:26] - On the other side of things, a scammer could also be a victim of human trafficking and being forced to scam others.
- [39:40] - Scams are being operated on a massive scale and have a front of a corporate business.
- [41:14] - Initially, most of the cases seemed to have money moved out of the country. However, recently scammers have been found to be operating in the US.
- [44:04] - There is some hope and opportunities in recent months where money laundering has been intercepted.
- [46:41] - Progress in education and advocating for less victim shaming is moving in the right direction.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.