Finding Small Business Fraud with James Ratley
Easy Prey
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...
info_outline
Truth and Lies with Mark Bowden
Easy Prey
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,...
info_outline
The Update That Broke America with Gabe Dimeglio
Easy Prey
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...
info_outline
A Lesson in Crisis Management with Jeremiah Grossman
Easy Prey
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...
info_outline
Pig Butchering Is Getting Worse with Erin West
Easy Prey
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...
info_outline
Protecting Parents with Terri Proctor
Easy Prey
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: ...
info_outline
Technology Regulation is Outdated with Bruce Schneier
Easy Prey
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_outline
Threat Emulation with Andrew Costis
Easy Prey
Security risks are dynamic. Projects, employees, change, tools, and configurations are modified. Many companies utilize PEN testers on an annual basis, but as quickly as systems are revised, you may need to implement threat emulation for regular monitoring. Today’s guest is Andrew Costis. Andrew is the Chapter Lead of the Adversary Research Team at Attack IQ. He has over 22 years of professional industry experience and previously worked in the Threat Analysis Unit Team at Firmware, Carbon Black, and Logrhythm Labs, performing security research, reverse engineering malware, and tracking...
info_outline
Ransomware: To Pay or Not To Pay? with Amitabh Sinha
Easy Prey
Ransomware may not be on your machines due to your negligence or mistakes. It could be there because of third-party software you are utilizing. Do you know what to do if this happens to you? Today’s guest is Amitabh Sinha. Amitabh has a PhD in Computer Science and more than 20 years of experience in enterprise software, end-user computing, mobile, and database software. He co-founded Workspot in 2012. He was the General Manager of Enterprise Desktop and Applications at Citrix Systems. In his five years at Citrix, he was the VP of Product Management for XenDesktop and VP of Engineering...
info_outline
Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons with Carey Parker
Easy Prey
We all use technology. Things like internet browsers, search engines, instant messaging, and payment apps. But we aren’t always aware of the data being collected. This information can not only impact your privacy, but those around you as well. Today’s guest is Carey Parker. Carey is the author of , a step-by-step guide to computer security and privacy for non-techies. He also hosts a podcast by the same name. He recently retired from a career in software engineering to focus on teaching others how to defend their digital devices and protect their personal data. Show Notes: [0:53] -...
info_outlineThere 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 fraud investigations.
In 1988, he was named the Program Director of The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and in 2006, became the President. In 2011, he became the CEO and he retired in 2018 after 30 years there. James has been an adjunct professor, published author, and named by Accounting Today as one of the top influencers multiple times.
Show Notes:
- [1:14] - James shares his background and the way his career panned out over 30 years.
- [3:35] - When the ACFE was established, there was no information or education around it at all.
- [5:09] - The average organization loses 5% of their revenue to fraud. Out of every ten people hired, statistically, six of them will steal from you.
- [6:46] - Fraud can be prevented and strategies to reduce fraud are typically inexpensive.
- [8:40] - It’s important for business owners not to be afraid to call it fraud.
- [10:25] - Fraud perpetrators believe they deserve what they’ve taken.
- [13:26] - It’s important for businesses to have strong management and leadership. Training is crucial.
- [14:18] - James discusses the most common types of fraud and how even the seemingly minor things could be detrimental.
- [18:24] - Fraud perpetrators are really good at hiding what they are doing and making the business owners believe it could never be them.
- [20:15] - Another strategy is to separate tasks out and be strict about them.
- [21:37] - Surprise cash counts is another good strategy.
- [23:13] - There are no small frauds, only frauds that have not had time to reach maturity.
- [25:44] - You impact rationalization through education.
- [29:16] - James lists some of the red flags that could indicate something more going on.
- [31:31] - There should be policies and regulations that purchasing officers are held to.
- [36:30] - Auditors must be completely independent.
- [40:10] - Some business owners will deny the problem is happening because it is hard to deal with and accept that someone they trust could be stealing.
- [44:35] - Many small organizations go out of business due to operating at a loss. Most of the time this is because of fraud.
- [47:25] - Never judge someone by the standards you have for yourself.
- [51:12] - Something to remember is that most fraudsters will steal in even numbers.
- [53:11] - In most cases that James has worked, the manager had seen all the signs, but never thought anything about it.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.