Ransomware Evolution
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Ransomware has changed dramatically over the years. What started as criminals locking up individual computers and demanding relatively small payments has grown into a much larger operation involving stolen data, entire networks, third-party vendors, and increasingly sophisticated ways of pressuring victims to pay. Now AI is adding another wrinkle, giving criminals new tools while also creating some unexpected problems for them. Joining me to talk about how ransomware has evolved is Allan Liska, a ransomware researcher and Field CISO at Recorded Future. Allan has more than 30 years of...
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The Counterfeit Economy
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A counterfeit handbag may leave someone disappointed. A counterfeit medication, airbag, or child’s car seat can do far more damage. Fake products now reach into nearly every part of daily life, and many of them arrive through online stores that look completely legitimate. Kari Kammel saw the danger firsthand when a pharmacist overseas offered her several versions of the same medication. Some were authentic, while others were openly described as counterfeit. That experience stayed with her. She now directs the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection at Michigan State University,...
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The Internet is Playing You
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A convincing lie no longer needs to look suspicious. It can appear in a familiar social media feed, come from someone who seems real, or arrive as a video that looks almost impossible to fake. By the time doubt sets in, the post may already have been shared thousands of times. Few people understand that online environment better than today’s guest. Nina Jankowicz has spent more than a decade studying what she calls the bad things that happen on the internet. She is an internationally recognized expert on disinformation and online harassment. She was also named one of Time magazine’s 100...
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The Psychology of Yes
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It is easy to say you would never fall for a scam when you are looking at the situation from the outside. In the moment, though, things can feel much less obvious. A request may sound reasonable, the person may seem trustworthy, and saying no can feel awkward enough that you go along with something you would normally question. Today’s guest studies exactly why that happens. Vanessa Bohns is the Bronstein Family Professor and Chair of Organizational Behavior at Cornell University’s ILR School. Her work focuses on social influence, compliance, and the pressure people feel to cooperate, even...
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Drink Spiking
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A drink can be out of your sight for only a moment, but that may be all it takes for someone to tamper with it. Spiking can happen in bars, restaurants, festivals, and even among people who already know and trust each other. It also goes far beyond alcohol. Drinks, food, vapes, cigarettes, and other substances can be altered without someone’s knowledge, leaving them vulnerable before they fully understand what is happening. Dawn Dines has spent more than 20 years working to change how people understand and respond to spiking. She is the founder and CEO of Stamp Out Spiking, a UK charity...
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Love, Lies and Locked Up
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What sounds like the plot of a crime thriller was Sharon Armstrong’s real life. An online romance drew her into an elaborate web of lies involving overseas contracts, invented emergencies, and several people playing carefully planned roles. By the time she arrived at an airport in Argentina with five kilograms of cocaine hidden inside her suitcase, she still believed she was carrying business documents for the man she loved. Sharon was arrested and spent more than two years in an Argentinian prison before returning home without a conviction. During that time, she had to confront the truth of...
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The Recruitment Trap
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Everybody is searching for ways to increase income. Unfortunately, MLMs often look like an easy way to start a business without taking on the cost of a traditional company. The pitch sounds simple. Buy the product, follow the plan, and put in the work. The numbers behind those promises often tell a different story. Today’s guest, Stacie Bosley, has spent years studying what really happens inside MLMs. She is a professor at Hamline University in Minnesota and holds a Ph.D. in applied economics. Her research covers multi-level marketing, consumer protection, income claims, and pyramid scheme...
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Convincing Deepfakes
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A familiar voice on the phone or a recognizable face on a video call used to offer some reassurance that you knew who you were dealing with. AI has changed that. Voice cloning, face swaps, and real-time video impersonation now allow scammers to convincingly pose as executives, job candidates, romantic interests, or even family members. Understanding how these attacks work and where they may be headed is a central part of Tom Cross’s work as Head of Threat Research at GetReal Security. Tom has spent more than 30 years studying cybersecurity threats, software vulnerabilities, and the methods...
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When Trust Becomes a Trap
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Most people use technology all day without giving much thought to what is happening behind the screen. We trust routers that may not have been updated in years, depend on internet systems few of us understand, and now turn to artificial intelligence for everything from travel plans to home repairs. That convenience comes with tradeoffs. In this episode, we look at the weaknesses built into our connected world and what happens when our technical knowledge fails to keep pace with the technology surrounding us. Sherrod DeGrippo leads threat intelligence for Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks, where...
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Scam Compounds
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When most people think about online scams, they picture criminals sitting behind a screen and stealing from victims around the world. But in Southeast Asia, many of the people sending those messages are victims too. Some were promised legitimate jobs, flown across borders, trapped inside guarded compounds, and forced to scam others while trying to survive. In this episode, I talk with Ivan Franceschini, a lecturer in Chinese Studies at the Center for Contemporary Chinese Studies Asia Institute. After years of studying labor rights, civil society, and Chinese investment in Cambodia,...
info_outlineFraud doesn’t always announce itself with obvious warning signs. Quite often, it shows up wrapped inside something that feels routine — a purchase you’ve made before, a link that looks legitimate, a message that arrives at just the wrong moment. Nothing feels suspicious, so your guard stays down. By the time questions start forming, the transaction is already done.
My guest today is Iremar Brayner. He’s spent more than 15 years working in fraud prevention and risk management across payments, retail, ride-hailing, fintech, and digital marketplaces. In his role at G2A, he leads fraud strategy for one of the world’s largest digital entertainment platforms, where speed, approval rates, and loss prevention are constantly pulling against each other.
We discuss why scams continue to work despite smarter tools, how “friendly fraud” complicates the picture, and why digital goods create very different risk patterns than traditional retail. We also get into automation, AI-driven decisions, and what it really looks like to manage fraud in real time.
Show Notes:
- [1:36] Iremar shares how his career in fraud prevention began, moving from bank customer service into reviewing suspicious transactions.
- [2:45] He explains why he completed law school but chose not to become a lawyer, and how legal training shaped his understanding of fraud psychology.
- [4:10] Fraud is framed as an emotional event, with urgency, financial stress, and excitement often lowering a person’s defenses.
- [6:16] Digital marketplaces attract fraudsters due to low-cost items and products like gift cards that are easy to cash out.
- [7:10] The concept of card testing emerges, where stolen payment details are validated through small purchases.
- [8:05] Iremar discusses the rise of friendly fraud, where legitimate customers dispute transactions after receiving goods.
- [9:30] Major product launches, such as highly anticipated game releases, create predictable spikes in fraud risk.
- [11:05] Marketplace fraud requires managing risk on both sides, verifying sellers while monitoring buyers in real time.
- [12:40] He describes G2A’s shift away from manual review toward fully automated transaction decisioning.
- [14:15] The tension between frictionless customer experience and effective fraud prevention is unpacked.
- [16:05] Automation and AI are positioned as essential tools for scaling fraud defenses without overwhelming operations.
- [18:10] AI’s real impact is discussed: not changing fraud itself, but making attacks faster and more scalable.
- [20:05] Iremar explains why human judgment still plays a critical role alongside AI systems.
- [21:41] Fraud patterns differ across industries, illustrated through examples from ride-hailing platforms.
- [23:10] Abuse of referral and incentive programs reveals how self-referrals became a common fraud tactic.
- [24:40] Identity misuse by drivers highlights risks tied to document verification.
- [25:50] Face recognition and customer reporting become tools for detecting account misuse.
- [27:15] High-value luxury marketplaces introduce entirely different fraud and logistics challenges.
- [29:10] Practical consumer advice: buy from reliable sources, review refund policies, and question unrealistic pricing.
- [30:05] Seller protection strategies focus on accurate product descriptions and shipment tracking.
- [32:05] The most common complaints in marketplaces are items not received and items not as described.
- [33:20] Iremar recounts becoming a fraud victim after a fraudulent airline ticket charge.
- [35:00] A WhatsApp impersonation attempt using his photo targeted his mother.
- [36:10] Verification habits are emphasized as one of the strongest defenses against scams.
- [37:40] The risks of social media and account takeover scenarios are discussed.
- [39:30] Challenges around encouraging broader adoption of two-factor authentication.
- [40:05] Career advice for those interested in fraud prevention as a profession.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.