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_outlineTechnology keeps changing, but many of the most effective scams still come down to something very human: trust. My guest today is Tony Sales, co-founder of We Fight Fincrime and Underworld TV. Tony has a perspective most people in fraud prevention will never have. Earlier in his life, he was involved in organized financial crime and was once described in the UK press as Britain’s greatest fraudster.
After years in that world, and after serving time in prison, Tony made the decision to use what he knew to help stop the very crimes he had once been part of. Today, Tony works with financial institutions, governments, law enforcement, and major organizations to help them better understand fraud, social engineering, money laundering, and cybercrime. In this conversation, he explains why criminals are often so effective at exploiting human behavior, why security training can miss the real-world ways scams unfold, and why friction is not always a bad thing when it helps protect people from devastating losses.
We also talk about the role of leaked data, call center scams, deepfakes, banking safeguards, and why consumers and organizations both need to think differently about fraud prevention. Tony’s message is direct: criminals adapt quickly, and if we want to defend against them, we need to understand how they think.
Show Notes:
- [01:25] Tony Sales shares his background as a former UK fraudster and explains how he now works through We Fight Fincrime to help people understand money laundering, online safety, and human vulnerability.
- [03:04] Tony describes being drawn into crime as a child, beginning with small thefts before gradually moving into sponsorship scams, credit card fraud, and cloned debit cards.
- [06:10] After getting caught for identity theft and spending years as a fugitive, Tony explains how prison and seeing the impact on his family became a turning point in his life.
- [08:35] How organized crime operates like a business, with different people handling IDs, fraud schemes, fake watches, mortgage fraud, and professional connections.
- [11:40] Why criminal networks rely on trusted introductions, insulation, and layers of separation to protect the people at the top.
- [14:30] Tony explains how criminals adapt in the moment, use confidence to avoid suspicion, and often rely on talking their way out of situations instead of escalating them.
- [18:20] The difference between how criminals and security professionals think, including why criminals are not limited by the same rules, checklists, or assumptions.
- [21:35] Tony discusses how childhood experiences, ADHD, and a lack of structure contributed to the way he viewed rules and boundaries.
- [24:00] Social engineering is not always dramatic or technical; Tony explains how believable stories, ordinary behavior, and quick adaptation can be more effective than elaborate tactics.
- [26:45] How call center scams combine scripts with salesmanship, emotional pressure, and real-time responses to keep victims engaged.
- [29:33] Tony explains why leaked data remains valuable for criminals and how even a name and phone number can be enough to build a convincing attack.
- [31:43] The conversation turns to personal and organizational protection, including Tony’s belief that people need to “patch” the human operating system.
- [34:20] Why fraud awareness training often fails when it is boring, generic, or disconnected from people’s everyday consumer lives.
- [36:16] An example of a bank adding friction to an international wire transfer, and Tony explains why friction can protect people from major losses.
- [38:30] Tony discusses the tension between fast, frictionless transactions and stronger safeguards that may slow people down but reduce fraud risk.
- [41:03] AI, deepfakes, and impersonation scams raise new challenges, but Tony emphasizes the importance of live verification and using common sense.
- [43:24] What consumers should understand about bank security, shared responsibility, and why no system can remove every risk.
- [46:00] Everyday data requests, such as hotels asking for passport copies, can create long-term privacy and fraud risks if that information is mishandled.
- [47:48] Tony discusses online safety, young people, and why banning access to social media may create new vulnerabilities instead of solving the underlying problem.
- [50:15] Why learning from former criminals, hackers, and people who understand real-world attacks can help organizations defend themselves more effectively.
- [52:30] Tony explains why companies need more security talent, stronger resources, and boards that understand the scale of modern fraud and cybercrime threats.
- [54:32] Tony shares where listeners can find him online and learn more about We Fight Fincrime.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.