Libsyn Directory

Love, Lies and Locked Up

Release Date: 08/12/2026

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

When Trust Becomes a Trap

Easy Prey

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...

Scam Compounds

Easy Prey

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,...

More Episodes

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 what had happened and find a way to forgive herself. She later wrote about the experience in her book, *Organized Deception*. Today, she is an author and international scam awareness advocate who works to educate the public, support survivors, and challenge the shame that often keeps victims silent.

In this episode, we talk about how the criminals built trust so quickly, why warnings from loved ones can be difficult to hear, and how organized scam networks use kindness and personal values against the people they target. Sharon also explains why she no longer says she “fell for” a romance scam. She was deliberately targeted by sophisticated criminals, and she believes the attention belongs on those who planned the deception rather than on the person they harmed.

Show Notes:

[01:12] Sharon begins the story of moving to Australia and unexpectedly being signed up for an online dating site.
[03:36] A convincing introduction quickly develops into an intense romance with someone claiming to be an engineer.
[04:52] The first request for money tests the trust that had already been built through a carefully fabricated story.
[06:18] The scammers introduce new characters and create a plan for Sharon to travel to London through Argentina.
[09:07] Family concerns grow as the relationship begins to take priority over the people who had always mattered most to her.
[11:34] A suitcase supposedly carrying business documents arrives after Sharon has spent a confusing week alone in Argentina.
[13:21] Airport officials discover five kilograms of cocaine hidden beneath the lining of the suitcase.
[15:46] Sharon describes surviving the first days minute by minute before spending two and a half years in prison.
[18:09] Criminals study a target’s values, kindness, history, and online presence to create a story that feels deeply personal.
[20:58] A dramatization of Sharon’s story shows how organized manipulation can gradually change someone’s behavior and relationships.
[23:16] Her experience as a probation officer did not protect her from grooming that closely resembled techniques she already understood.
[25:07] More than 7,000 messages over five months reveal the intensity of the communication and how difficult it was to recognize from inside the relationship.
[28:13] Healing begins when Sharon decides to forgive herself rather than continue carrying shame for what the criminals did.
[30:04] Denial can become a safe place when accepting the truth feels more painful than continuing to believe the story.
[32:08] Public humiliation adds another layer of trauma after details of Sharon’s arrest are released to the media.
[34:27] Each day in prison begins with a choice to move toward happiness rather than allow the experience to make her bitter.
[37:52] Writing, speaking publicly, and sharing her story become important parts of rebuilding her life.
[40:09] Sharon rejects the phrase “fell for a scam” and explains why victims should be described as people deliberately targeted by organized criminals.
[42:18] The title Organised Deception shifts attention toward the people who intentionally planned and carried out the crime.
[43:17] Victim blaming can make people feel safer because it allows them to believe the same thing could never happen to them.
[46:02] Sharon believes being arrested may have saved her life and kept her from being trafficked through an even more dangerous country.
[48:34] Families increasingly reach out for help as they recognize the seriousness of romance scams and look for ways to support someone they love.
[50:01] Sharon shares how listeners can connect with her through Stand Up 2 Scams and learn more about Organised Deception.
[51:37] A reminder that scam victims are not alone and that the shame belongs with the ruthless criminals who targeted them.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

Show Notes:

Links and Resources:

TOPICS