Protecting Kids Online
Easy Prey
Kids are growing up with technology in a way none of us did. Phones, games, social media, school devices, and now AI are all part of everyday life, and parents are left trying to figure out how much access is too much. Keeping kids completely away from technology probably isn’t realistic, but neither is handing them everything and hoping they figure it out. My guest today is Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, author, and digital safety advocate. Chris works with families, schools, churches, legislators, and technology companies to help create safer digital spaces for kids. His...
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Hidden Phone Tracking
Easy Prey
Your phone gives off a surprising amount of information just by being connected to a cellular network. Things like your location, who you communicate with, and your daily patterns can all become part of the data tied to your mobile service. While some of that information is necessary to keep a cellular network functioning, questions remain about how much data carriers really need to collect, how long they should keep it, and what happens when that information ends up in the wrong hands. My guest today is Ruddy Wang, head of consumer growth at CAPE, a privacy-first mobile carrier designed to...
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Ransomware Evolution
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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
Easy Prey
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...
info_outlineMost people are not thinking clearly when they need a locksmith or a plumber. They are locked out, water is leaking, something broke, and they just want somebody nearby who can fix it. So they open Google, tap one of the first businesses that comes up, and assume the listing is real. Unfortunately, that is exactly the kind of situation scammers count on.
In this episode, Mike Blumenthal, co-founder and analyst at Near Media, talks about fake local business listings and the ways bad actors have learned to game Google Maps. Mike has been following this problem for years, going back to the early days of map spam, when locksmiths were creating fake listings all over major cities. We learn how listings can look legitimate with complete addresses, phone numbers, and reviews without actually existing.
We also talk about what regular people can actually do about it. Mike explains why it helps to keep a short list of trusted local businesses before an emergency happens, and what to watch for if you do have to search online at the moment. A generic phone greeting, mismatched company names, fake-looking reviews, or an unmarked truck can all be warning signs.
Show Notes:
- [1:08] Mike Blumenthal shares how losing his family business led him into SEO, local search, and eventually years of work focused on Google Maps and local digital marketing.
- [3:47] Early Google Maps abuse showed up in a big way when locksmiths created thousands of fake listings across Manhattan to capture emergency service calls.
- [6:28] Fake listings can work especially well on mobile because Google’s local results often favor businesses that appear to be physically close to the person searching.
- [9:13] Map spam creates real harm for legitimate businesses and consumers, including in a recent plumbing case tied to millions of dollars in alleged consumer losses.
- [12:04] Consumers can protect themselves by checking more than one platform, looking for consistent branding, and being cautious when hiring emergency service providers.
- [15:22] Reports can be made to Google, the FTC, or state attorneys general, but fake listing problems are not always fixed quickly or easily.
- [18:46] The Premier Plumbing case shows how troubling the problem still is, with thousands of fake listings allegedly created despite years of known abuse in local search.
- [21:37] Real local businesses should not depend entirely on Google and need to build direct customer relationships through email, text, repeat service, and trust.
- [24:42] Small customer service details, from professional arrival to respecting someone’s home, can make a major difference in whether people trust and recommend a business.
- [28:04] Pressure-based reviews can mislead consumers, especially when customers feel pushed to leave positive feedback or mention specific employees by name.
- [31:24] Review volume alone does not prove a business is trustworthy because reviews can be fake, pressured, incentivized, or difficult to judge at a glance.
- [33:19] Stressful emergencies make people more vulnerable to scams because they are trying to solve an urgent problem quickly and may not stop to verify the business.
Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.