Easy Prey

Most scams leave a digital trail. A fake email, a spoofed number, a fraudulent website. You can trace them, report them, sometimes even reverse them. But what happens when the scam has no digital trail at all, because it isn't happening on a screen? What happens when the con is standing right in front of you, making you laugh, meeting your friends, and planning a future with you? My guest today is Tracy Hall. She's an author, keynote speaker, and senior marketing executive with over 25 years at some of the world's most recognizable tech companies including eBay, Virgin, GoDaddy, and Afterpay. She is sharp, successful, and by every measure, exactly the kind of person you'd assume would see it coming. She didn't. And neither would you. In 2017, Tracy woke up to a Crime Stoppers video of an unidentified man being arrested outside a Sydney apartment. That man was her boyfriend of 18 months. Except he wasn't who she thought he was. The man she knew as Max Tevita a Bondi surfer, a finance executive, the person she was building a life with was actually Hamish McLaren, Australia's most infamous conman, a man who had been running long game cons for thirty years across multiple countries, stealing somewhere between eighty and a hundred million dollars from victims around the world. Tracy was his last victim before his arrest. He had stolen her entire life savings of $317,000 and far more than that. This is a story about what happens when the scam isn't a phishing email. It's a relationship. And it will change the way you think about trust, manipulation, and what any of us are actually capable of missing. Show Notes: [1:03] With 25 years as a senior marketing executive behind her, Tracy shares how a year after separating from her husband she began online dating, where she met a man calling himself Max Tevita. [3:25] Presenting himself as a Bondi surfer and chief investment officer, Max spent 18 months slowly and methodically guiding Tracy to invest her entire life savings with him. [5:55] A crime stoppers video changed everything. The man Tracy knew as her boyfriend was actually Hamish McLaren, a professional conman who had been defrauding victims globally for 30 years and stealing an estimated $80 to $100 million. [7:36] A masterful shapeshifter, McLaren adjusted his persona in real time based on Tracy's reactions, including quietly getting rid of his five cars after she called him out on it. [9:54] Tracy breaks down the psychological mechanics of the con, including similarity bias, mirroring, and how McLaren constructed a character she was essentially telling him she wanted. [11:05] Through elaborate "movie sets and scenes," McLaren built layers of authority and confirmation bias over 18 months, making investing her life savings with him feel completely logical. [14:21] Some moments only made sense in hindsight, including a childhood friend accidentally calling McLaren by his nickname "Ham Bone" and his instant, convincing cover story on the spot. [18:22] Humans default to truth, and Tracy explains how that biological wiring makes us uniquely vulnerable to manipulation, especially around emotionally charged stories. [19:29] Every victim got their own version of McLaren barrister, triathlete, business strategist as Tracy describes meeting others who had each been conned by an entirely different character. [22:53] Learning to trust other people wasn't the hard part. Tracy reflects on why rebuilding faith in her own judgment was far more difficult, and how shame dominated the aftermath. [25:21] Through professional help and a conscious daily decision not to let McLaren turn her into a cynical person, Tracy describes how she slowly rebuilt both her finances and her sense of self. [27:05] Understanding the psychology behind scams, cognitive biases, invisible contracts of trust, emotional exploitation is the best defense we have, and Tracy breaks down exactly how it works. [31:33] The medium may be different, but the tactics aren't — Tracy draws striking parallels between her in-person experience and digital romance baiting scams, showing how the emotional manipulation is nearly identical. [34:00] There is no demographic, age group, or intelligence level that is immune. Tracy makes the case that scammers hunt for vulnerability, and at the right moment, we are all soft targets. [36:12] By subtly discouraging Tracy from socializing with friends, McLaren was limiting outside scrutiny and Tracy explains why getting a new partner in front of your personal network as quickly as possible is one of the most important protective steps you can take. [40:24] No digital footprint is a major red flag. Tracy outlines key warning signs to watch for and recommends reverse image searches as a basic but powerful verification step when meeting someone new. [42:08] Every single time Tracy speaks publicly, someone approaches her afterwards with a story they have never told anyone a reminder that silence is exactly what these criminals depend

Every day, employees at hotels, restaurants, and resorts across the country are doing exactly what they were hired to do: being warm, responsive, and eager to help. It's what makes hospitality work. It's also what makes hospitality one of the most targeted industries in cybersecurity. When your entire workforce is trained to say yes, teaching them to be suspicious is an uphill battle. The smarter solution might be to take the target off their backs entirely. Jasson Casey is the co-founder and CEO of Beyond Identity, a company built around one idea: making identity-based attacks impossible. With over 20 years of experience designing large-scale security infrastructure for global enterprises and carriers, Jasson has spent his career thinking about what happens when stolen credentials open doors they never should have. Beyond Identity's answer isn't better passwords or more authentication hoops, it's eliminating the credential that can be stolen in the first place. Josh Johansen is the Director of IT Systems and Technology at Brandt Hospitality Group, an owner, operator, and developer of hotels under brands including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. Josh came up through hotel operations, not a computer science program, and that background shapes how he thinks about security practically, from the floor up. He knows his workforce isn't looking to become cybersecurity experts. His job is to build systems that protect them anyway. We talk about why the hospitality industry is such a rich target for phishing attacks, and what happened when one of Josh's general managers nearly paid a fraudulent invoice because she couldn't log in without a password she no longer had. Jasson breaks down how device-bound passkeys work, why most consumer passkeys aren't nearly as secure as people think, and what separates a real security system from one that just looks like one. Josh shares the lessons learned from rolling out this technology across a multi-brand hotel portfolio including what he'd do differently and what it means for an industry still wrestling with shared logins, high turnover, and workers using four different brand systems before lunch. Show Notes: [3:05] A cyber insurance mandate pushes Brandt Hospitality Group to find an MFA solution, and complaints about authentication fatigue make the obvious options the Brandt partners are already using feel like the wrong fit. [4:03] After months of evaluating vendors and completing a full proof of concept, the leading candidate drops smaller accounts without warning, sending Josh back to square one and into a same-day demo with Beyond Identity. [5:09] Beyond Identity moves fast, puts together a rapid proof of concept, and earns the business. Josh describes meeting Jasson in person for the first time at BeyondCon shortly after signing on. [5:45] Hospitality is uniquely vulnerable to phishing attacks, and the industry's culture of helpfulness connects directly to the behaviors bad actors are counting on. [6:49] A general manager calls convinced she needs her password to pay an overdue vendor invoice. When she can't get a login prompt, the situation is recognized immediately as a phishing attempt she nearly fell for. [7:33] Reflecting on that moment, someone sharp and experienced nearly became a victim, and removing the password from the equation entirely turns out to be the real breakthrough. [9:05] The conversation turns to the limitations of cyber awareness training, and why even well-intentioned employees with heavy workloads cannot be expected to function as a reliable last line of defense. [11:13] Jasson describes how Beyond Identity works, using the analogy of a monkey in a jail cell to explain how a signing key stored in a secure hardware enclave can authenticate a user without ever leaving the device. [12:06] The concept of stealable credentials expands beyond passwords to include API tokens, session cookies, SSH keys, and anything else that can be copied and lifted from a system. [17:33] The discussion shifts to agentic identity and AI-driven workflows, with customers on opposite ends of the spectrum — some where agents make up the majority of their workforce, others who paused rollouts after discovering how easily prompt injections could expose sensitive data. [19:17] The biggest mistake organizations make going into a passkey rollout is diving in without a clear understanding of how their identity environment is actually configured and what that means when things don't behave as expected. [20:35] A lesson from their own deployment — initially limiting passkeys to senior staff and leaving line-level employees on passwords — makes clear that partial coverage leaves meaningful gaps. [22:58] Most organizations under active phishing load will experience an incident during a mid-deployment window, and that moment often becomes the event that accelerates full adoption. [24:33] The shared workstation challenge in hospitality comes into focus, along with how the device-boun

Most security breaches don't begin with sophisticated code or elaborate technical exploits. They begin with a phone call, a convincing email, or someone at a help desk who just wanted to be helpful. The human layer is often the weakest link, and the criminals who understand that are the ones causing the most damage. My guest today is May Chen-Contino. She's the CEO of Unit 221B, a threat disruption company that delivers actionable intelligence to enterprises, law enforcement, and government agencies. Her background spans cybersecurity, fintech, and SaaS leadership at companies like PayPal and eBay, and she brings a distinctly mission-driven lens to the work, shaped equally by a career in business and a background as a Krav Maga instructor. Unit 221B operates less like a typical security vendor and more like a specialized investigative unit, with a team that includes tenured ransomware experts, incident responders, and former law enforcement, all focused on one outcome: criminal arrest. May has seen firsthand how ransomware gangs operate with their own codes of conduct, how a younger generation of cybercriminals is throwing those rules out entirely, and why paying a ransom is increasingly a bet that doesn't pay off. We talk about why social engineering has overtaken technical hacking as the dominant attack vector, what organizations and individuals should never do in the aftermath of a breach, and how crimes against children online often go unreported for the worst possible reasons. May also shares a story from her own experience being scammed on eBay, and what she did about it, which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches this work. Show Notes: [1:28] May shares her background and how she came to lead Unit 221B, a threat disruption company serving enterprises, law enforcement, and government. [1:41] May traces her path into cybersecurity, explaining how a lifelong sense of justice and a friendship built through Krav Maga training led her to a team of investigators doing real criminal work. [5:55] May recounts being scammed while selling luxury shoes on eBay, describing how a fraudulent PayPal email convinced her the sale had failed after she had already shipped the item. [8:22] Rather than accepting the loss, May engaged the scammer directly, intercepted her own shipment through FedEx, and used a photoshopped payment screenshot to flip the situation on him. [11:36] The story ends with May recovering her shoes, followed by a candid note that this approach carries real risk and is not something she would recommend to others. [12:57] May outlines Unit 221B's core work, including criminal investigations, threat intelligence, pen testing, and incident response, all oriented toward federal prosecution and criminal arrest. [16:52] The evolving threat landscape, contrasting professional ransomware organizations that tend to honor agreements with a younger generation of cybercriminals who operate without limits. [18:44] May describes this younger criminal group in detail, noting members are predominantly 14 to 26 years old, English-speaking, and motivated as much by social status as financial gain. [21:49] May explains why wiping systems and restoring backups after a breach is one of the most damaging mistakes an organization can make, eliminating evidence and removing any path to prosecution. [23:04] She walks through Unit 221B's incident response process, covering digital forensics, insider threat identification, and determining who is behind an attack before advising on next steps. [26:32] May addresses the ransom payment question directly, recommending against paying as a default while acknowledging that knowing your adversary is essential to making the right call. [28:04] The discussion covers the legal and PR dimensions of a breach, including notification obligations and why some organizations choose to go public about what happened. [31:08] May pushes back on the perception that law enforcement doesn't help, explaining that federal agencies are understaffed and must prioritize cases, but are genuinely committed to the work. [34:08] The issue of victims deleting evidence before reporting, and how frequently this forecloses any possibility of investigation or prosecution. [34:55] The conversation turns to crimes targeting children, including sextortion, and why open dialogue between parents and kids is critical to getting victims to come forward before lasting harm is done. [37:18] May reflects on a keynote she gave at Harvard's Bold Conference for young women, describing the tension between advice to build an online presence and the real safety risks that come with it. [38:51] May shares practical security guidance for young people online, including being mindful of what appears in video backgrounds, using strong passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication. [40:35] May identifies AI-assisted attacks and social engineering as the two most significant forces reshaping the threat lan

Phone scams get dismissed as background noise or just annoying interruptions and unknown numbers with robotic voices we learn to ignore. But behind that noise is an industry built on psychology, automation, and staggering profitability. My guest today is Alex Quilici. He's an engineer, entrepreneur, and the CEO of YouMail, a company focused on protecting consumers and businesses from unwanted and fraudulent calls. Alex has spent years analyzing how robocalls and scam campaigns are designed, how they evolve, and why they continue to work despite better technology and increased awareness. What began as a voicemail platform shifted into fraud prevention after users unintentionally revealed a powerful truth that even small friction can disrupt scam operations. He shares how his own father got pulled into a tech support scam which cemented his mission to move beyond blocking calls and toward tracing and stopping scams closer to their source. We talk about how scam calls are engineered, the tactics that trigger panic and urgency, and how criminals use data breaches, AI tools, and impersonation to sound convincing. We also explore what's changing, including fewer random calls, more targeted attacks, rising text and messaging scams, and the difficult balance between stopping fraud and allowing legitimate calls through. Alex shares practical ways consumers and businesses can reduce risk, along with a candid look at why this problem is so persistent and where it's likely heading next. Show Notes: [2:23] Alex explains how YouMail shifted from a voicemail company into fraud prevention after noticing users using an out-of-service message to deter robocallers. [3:25] Discussion turns to robocall volume, with Alex estimating billions of calls per day and roughly five billion robocalls per month. [4:10] About half of all robocalls are unwanted, while the rest include legitimate reminders from doctors, hospitals, and financial institutions. [5:05] Alex notes that legitimate telemarketing still exists but is now heavily overshadowed by sketchy and scam-driven campaigns. [6:40] Scam calls have declined in raw volume, yet attackers are becoming more targeted and efficient. [7:15] Scammers increasingly pivot to texts, email, and messaging platforms where third-party blocking is harder. [9:27] Alex describes limited progress shutting down shady telemarketers but better success against large-scale illegal robocall operations. [11:05] Sense of urgency emerges as the dominant tactic, often involving fake charges, legal threats, or financial panic triggers. [13:10] Modern scams combine spoofed caller ID with breached personal data to create highly convincing impersonations. [16:27] Scammers are compared to extremely motivated marketers who rapidly adopt AI and optimization techniques. [17:30] The economics are startling, with scam campaigns generating enormous profits at extremely low cost per call. [18:44] Alex advises letting unexpected calls go to voicemail and returning calls through verified, official channels. [20:50] Panic-based bank account scams are highlighted as particularly dangerous because fear overrides logic. [23:19] Businesses are identified as vulnerable targets, especially through employees' personal mobile phones. [31:52] Enforcement efforts are increasing, and Alex predicts stronger regulatory pressure over the coming year. [35:54] Impersonation scams tied to toll roads, DMVs, crypto, and romance schemes are flagged as growing threats. [38:19] A simple defensive principle is reinforced: pause, disengage, and verify independently before taking action. [41:44] Alex outlines YouMail's call-screening approach, adding friction that blocks automated scam systems while allowing real callers through. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest YouMail Alex Quilici - LinkedIn

Identity theft gets talked about a lot, but usually in the abstract: freeze your credit, watch your statements, don't click suspicious links. What doesn't get talked about nearly enough is what it actually feels like when someone isn't just using your card number, but is actively living as you. My guest today is Brooklyn Lyons. She's 25, recently married, and by her own admission, had no particular expertise in fraud or cybersecurity before October of 2024. That changed when her car window was smashed in a parking lot, and her work bag, laptop, wallet, driver's license, and everything was gone by morning. What followed wasn't a quick nightmare with a clean ending. It stretched across months, multiple counties, a jail communication system, the dark web, and a wanted fugitive who dyed her hair to look more like the face on a stolen ID. Brooklyn didn't just sit with it. She pulled criminal records, reverse-searched phone numbers, tracked an inmate's transfers across four facilities, identified a suspect on her own, and eventually filed a civil lawsuit without an attorney. We talk about what it feels like when someone is pretending to be you, not just spending your money, but messaging people as you, signing up for accounts as you, building a life in your name. We also get into the specific steps she took to fight back, the tools she wishes she'd known about sooner, and what recovery actually looks like when the case isn't closed, and the person still hasn't been caught. Show Notes: [1:47] Brooklyn introduces herself as a 25-year-old from Texas with no prior experience in fraud or identity theft. [2:13] She describes moving to the DFW area after getting married in June 2024 and being aware of the high rate of car break-ins in the region. [3:32] Her car window is smashed overnight, and her work bag is stolen, containing her laptop, wallet, driver's license, and all her cards. [4:03] Brooklyn's immediate response is to freeze her credit with all three bureaus and cancel her cards within 10 to 15 minutes. [4:57] Despite locking everything down, her cards are maxed out, and a police report is filed with little follow-up from law enforcement. [5:12] A period of quiet follows before a letter arrives around Valentine's Day 2025 claiming she rented a U-Haul and never returned it. [5:48] Experian alerts her that her driver's license has been found on the dark web, arriving almost simultaneously with the U-Haul letter. [7:14] While checking USPS Informed Delivery for a wedding invitation, Brooklyn spots a certified letter from a county jail addressed to her with an inmate's name listed beneath hers. [8:28] She contacts the jail and discovers an inmate had listed her as his girlfriend when booked, requesting she pick up his belongings before a prison transfer. [9:53] Brooklyn looks up the inmate in the state conviction database and finds a record including identity theft, car burglary, organized crime, and credit card abuse of the elderly. [11:58] A jail investigator reveals that the inmate's girlfriend had created an account in Brooklyn's name using her driver's license photo, editing her own appearance to match Brooklyn's features. [14:02] Brooklyn traces the same pattern across multiple county jail facilities the inmate passed through, confirming the woman repeated the identity fraud at each one. [15:13] A detective confirms the woman has stolen or attempted to use 17 other identities, and that Brooklyn is the only one who has caught on so far. [16:52] Four police departments become involved, and Brooklyn begins coordinating with investigators across all of them through a shared email thread. [19:22] Pulling her credit report reveals phone numbers tied to the suspect, leading Brooklyn to discover PayPal accounts, Cash App profiles, and a Facebook page created in her name. [20:58] Brooklyn uses a PayPal password recovery prompt to identify the first three letters of the suspect's real name. [22:03] She requests all jail booking documents containing her name from every county involved and receives text message logs from one department. [22:33] Using a birthday and partial name found in the messages, Brooklyn searches mugshots.com and identifies the suspect herself, later getting vague confirmation from investigators. [24:38] Chris asks whether the suspect and inmate were in a relationship, and Brooklyn explains they appear to share a child and were trying to manage a custody situation. [27:57] Brooklyn investigates whether a Verizon phone number was tied to an account in her name and later finds the suspect's real email embedded in her electricity account profile. [29:27] Brooklyn details changing her driver's license four times throughout the ordeal and suspects the woman is using her information for utility accounts to avoid being found. [31:02] Two police departments issue arrest warrants for the suspect, but she remains at large and difficult to locate. [31:33] Brooklyn files a civil lawsuit on her own without an att

Fraud 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. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Iremar Brayner - LinkedIn G2A

Organized crime is often imagined as something violent, chaotic, and obvious. But today, it looks far more polished than that. It operates like a multinational business, spread across borders, built on trust networks, specialization, and efficiency rather than brute force. This episode looks at how modern scams, fraud, and money laundering actually work and why they're so hard to spot before serious damage is done. My guest is Geoff White, an investigative journalist who has spent decades covering organized crime, cybercrime, and financial fraud. His reporting has appeared on BBC News, Sky News, The Sunday Times, and other major outlets, and he is also the creator of The Lazarus Heist, the hit podcast and book series exploring North Korea's global hacking operations. His latest book, Rinsed, examines how technology has transformed the world of money laundering. We talk about how modern criminal networks are structured, why scams now rely on patience and psychology rather than speed, and how money laundering functions as a service industry that quietly supports fraud at scale. The conversation also explores why victims are sometimes unknowingly used to move stolen funds, how urgency is weaponized to override judgment, and why slowing down remains one of the most effective defenses people have. Show Notes: [01:08] Geoff shares his background and why the organized crime + technology overlap is where he's spent his career. [02:52] Why longer-form work (books, podcasts) is often the only way to explain complex crimes that don't fit into a quick news segment. [03:56] Old-school enforcement was violence; modern crime groups often can't use that when partners are anonymous and overseas. [04:23] The trust networks holding global crime together can be more fragile than people assume. [05:06] The strange "trust inside crime" dynamic especially in ransomware, where criminals must appear "reliable." [06:18] Competition today looks more like corporate rivalry than street violence, especially in ransomware affiliate ecosystems. [07:41] Do these groups evolve from traditional cartels or arise from new tech-native criminals? Geoff says it depends on the region. [09:58] The skill split of elite coders builds ransomware, while newer recruits use social engineering to get initial access. [11:34] Money laundering adapts fast with crypto, game currencies, NFTs while the core "service business" model stays the same. [12:46] The "cost" of laundering: fees can be extreme for newcomers, and lower for experienced players with connections. [13:53] A disturbing case where victims are daisy-chained to launder money and reinforce the romance-scam illusion. [15:12] Why money mules are treated as disposable and how many don't realize the seriousness until law enforcement shows up. [16:48] The tactic of letting victims withdraw a little money to make a platform feel legitimate and why it works so well. [18:09] Geoff connects today's tactics to classic con mechanics ("putting the mark on the send") and the psychology behind it. [19:22] Geoff describes seeing an "escalator scam" firsthand: small payouts early, then pressure to pay to "unlock" higher earnings. [21:51] The scary shift is that scams now look polished and patient, stretching across multiple channels and weeks (or longer). [23:12] The more we "self-custody" money and identity online, the more security responsibility shifts onto individuals. [24:32] A major crypto seizure case raises a messy question when seized assets grow in value, who gets the upside? [28:46] Geoff's practical defense: slow down on anything money-related, create space, and don't let urgency steer decisions. [31:17] Why today's scammers play the long game of months of relationship-building can lead to life-changing losses. [34:29] Repeat victimization: recovery scams and fake "investigators" often target people right after they've been hit. [36:08] "Traceable" doesn't mean "recoverable," why freezing and returning stolen crypto is legally and logistically hard. [38:44] UK reimbursement changes shift liability between sending and receiving banks but there are tradeoffs and open questions. [41:28] Geoff reacts to US payment quirks (card taken away, tip written in pen) and why it still surprises outsiders. [45:11] Closing advice is to learn from other people's stories and run "what would I do?" scenarios before a crisis hits. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Geoff White Geoff White - LinkedIn Geoff White - Instagram Rinsed: From Cartels to Crypto: How the Tech Industry Washes Money for the World's Deadliest Crooks The Lazarus Heist Crime Dot Com: From Viruses to Vote Rigging, How Hacking Went Global

Most cybersecurity conversations focus on stolen data, breached accounts, and attacks that live entirely on screens. This episode looks at a far more consequential threat: what happens when cyberattacks target the physical systems that keep society running. Power, water, transportation, and manufacturing. When those systems fail, the consequences aren't just digital. They're immediate, visible, and sometimes dangerous. My guest is Lesley Carhart, Technical Director of Incident Response at Dragos, a cybersecurity firm focused exclusively on protecting critical infrastructure. Lesley specializes in industrial control systems and operational technology, investigating real-world attacks against power plants, water systems, transportation networks, and industrial facilities built on aging, irreplaceable technology. We talk about why these environments are uniquely vulnerable, how ransomware groups and nation-state actors quietly gain long-term access, and why many compromises go undetected for years. The conversation also explores the limits of traditional cybersecurity thinking, the real-world constraints operators face, and what organizations can realistically do to improve security when failure isn't an option. Show Notes: [01:30] Lesley Carhart is here and explains what operational technology is and why industrial systems are uniquely vulnerable [03:40] How decades-old computers still run power plants, water systems, and transportation infrastructure [06:10] Why industrial environments can't simply patch, upgrade, or shut systems down [08:25] The mindset shift required when safety and continuity matter more than stopping an intrusion [10:40] Why air-gapped systems are mostly a myth in modern critical infrastructure [13:15] How remote access became unavoidable—and one of the biggest risk factors [16:05] The three main threat categories facing industrial systems: ransomware, insiders, and nation-state actors [18:45] Why ransomware is especially damaging in power, water, and manufacturing environments [21:30] How nation-state attackers quietly establish footholds years before taking action [24:20] Why many industrial compromises go undetected for months—or even years [27:10] What incident response looks like when you can't just "pull the plug" [30:05] The most common causes of industrial failures: human error, maintenance issues, and environment [32:40] A surprising incident that looked like a nation-state attack—but wasn't [34:55] Why critical infrastructure organizations often feel pressure to pay ransoms [37:00] Practical starting steps for organizations with aging, mission-critical systems [39:20] Advice for people interested in industrial cybersecurity and working with legacy technology [42:10] Why mentorship matters and why Lesley chooses to give back to the field Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Lesley Carhart Lesley Carhart - LinkedIn Lesley Carhart - Dragos

Identity theft is usually framed as an external threat. Hackers, data breaches, anonymous criminals operating somewhere far away. This episode looks at a much harder reality to face: identity theft that happens inside families, often quietly, over many years, and without immediate detection. The damage isn't just financial. It reshapes trust, relationships, and a person's sense of stability long before anyone realizes what's happening. My guest is Axton Betz-Hamilton, an associate professor of financial counseling and planning whose research focuses on familial and child identity theft. Her work is deeply personal. As a teenager, Axton discovered her own credit had been destroyed before she ever had a chance to build it, the result of identity theft that began when she was a child. Years later, she uncovered the truth behind who was responsible and how multiple generations were affected. We talk about how familial identity theft works, why it's so difficult to detect, and what recovery really looks like when the person who caused the harm was someone you trusted. The conversation covers the long road to rebuilding credit, the emotional fallout that often gets overlooked, and the practical steps people can take to protect themselves and their children before damage is done. Show Notes: [02:15] Axton Betz-Hamilton explains how her parents' identities were stolen in the early 1990s, before consumers had legal protections. [03:50] Discovering a 10-page credit report at age 19 and realizing her financial life was damaged before it began. [05:45] What it's like to learn your credit score is in the second percentile nationwide and why that realization changes everything. [07:10] How early frustration with identity theft shaped Axton's academic path and research focus. [09:05] The moment evidence surfaced pointing to a family member as the source of the identity theft. [10:45] Uncovering decades of fraudulent accounts affecting multiple generations within one family. [12:50] How grief abruptly shifted into investigation after learning the truth about who caused the harm. [15:20] The long, two-track process of disputing fraudulent credit while slowly rebuilding legitimate credit history. [17:40] Why some fraudulent accounts had to age off credit reports instead of being removed. [19:05] How isolation and manipulation can allow familial identity theft to continue undetected for years. [21:55] Exploring possible motivations behind the theft and how financial behaviors can repeat across generations. [23:10] The simplest way to detect identity theft is by regularly checking all three credit reports. [24:30] Why freezing your credit is one of the most effective and underused protection tools. [26:05] The importance of freezing children's credit to prevent damage that may not surface until adulthood. [28:00] How modern tools like IRS identity PINs reduce the risk of tax-related identity theft. [30:15] Using E-Verify freezes to prevent identity theft tied to employment and income. [33:10] The emotional impact of familial identity theft and why boundaries are often necessary for healing. [35:00] How family systems fracture when some members believe the victim and others defend the offender. [36:40] Why mental health support is a critical part of recovery, not an optional one. [38:00] The Identity Theft Resource Center as a comprehensive support option for victims navigating recovery. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Axton Betz-Hamilton - South Dakota State University Axton Betz-Hamilton - LinkedIn Axton Betz-Hamiliton - Facebook Identity Theft Resource Center Annual Credit Report IRS - Identity Pin E-Verify

Security failures rarely come from cutting-edge attacks or sophisticated tools. They happen in ordinary moments when someone holds a door, follows an instruction without questioning it, or finds a workaround that makes their day easier. Those small, human decisions are often the real entry points, and they tend to compound over time. This episode picks up the second half of our conversation on exploiting trust with FC Barker, a veteran ethical hacker and physical security expert known for legally breaking into banks, government buildings, and high-security facilities around the world. With more than 30 years of experience, FC explains why human behavior, not technology, is consistently the weakest link in security, and how his success in physical breaches almost always depends on people trying to be helpful rather than malicious. The stories he shares range from quietly unsettling to darkly funny, but they all point to the same pattern: security controls fail when they don't account for how people actually work. The discussion goes deeper into why trust, politeness, and unquestioned compliance undermine defenses, how workplace culture encourages risky shortcuts, and what actually helps reduce risk without fear, blame, or expensive overengineering. Show Notes: [00:00] FC explains why most physical security breaches succeed because someone is trying to be helpful, not because of technical skill. [02:07] His background in cybersecurity and how physical security testing grew out of traditional penetration testing work. [04:26] Why trauma and hypervigilance can sharpen situational awareness in security professionals. [08:55] Early physical security failures are discussed, including poorly placed cameras and people casually sharing sensitive information. [11:06] FC explains how security controls that interfere with work often lead employees to find unsafe workarounds. [13:24] A story illustrates how even air-gapped systems fail when people move data for convenience. [15:32] Trust and rule-following culture are explored as major contributors to physical access failures. [16:40] FC shares how his near-perfect success rate comes from people helping him gain access without questioning authority. [17:08] He recounts an incident where employees helped him remove multiple computers from a secure building. [19:40] A failed engagement is described where internal resistance led to police being called unnecessarily. [24:00] FC tells the story of accessing a vault and removing a gold bar during a test unknown to senior executives. [26:53] The preparation required for high-risk physical tests, including staged kidnappings, is explained. [31:50] Practical advice begins with learning to think like an attacker when assessing your own home or workplace. [34:02] Situational awareness is discussed as a key deterrent against both physical crime and social engineering. [36:13] FC explains why security cameras are more useful for investigation than prevention, especially in offices. [37:41] Camera placement mistakes are covered, including mounting cameras within easy reach. [39:06] The importance of not advertising valuables or security measures is emphasized. [41:30] FC discusses personal vigilance and why monitoring finances and subscriptions matters. [44:00] His book How I Rob Banks is discussed, including the real stories and lessons it contains. [46:06] FC explains how his company chooses clients and why culture change is a major part of their work. [50:29] Security improves when systems are designed around real human behavior. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Cygenta Dr. Jessica Barker FC aka Freakyclown - LinkedIn How I Rob Banks: And Other Such Places

Most security failures don't start with a dramatic breach or a mysterious hacker sitting in a dark room. They usually start quietly. Someone assumes a system is locked down. Someone trusts that a door shouldn't open, or that a machine "just works," or that no one would ever think to look there. Over time, those small assumptions stack up, and that's where things tend to go wrong. Today's guest is FC Barker, a renowned ethical hacker, social engineer, and global keynote speaker with more than three decades of experience legally breaking into organizations to expose their blind spots. Formerly the head of offensive cybersecurity research at Raytheon and now co-founder of cybersecurity firm Cygenta, FC is also the author of How I Robbed Banks, a book packed with true stories from the field. In this conversation, FC shares what he's learned from decades of breaking into places he was hired to protect. The stories range from funny to unsettling, but they all point to the same pattern: technology usually isn't the weakest link. People are. From outdated systems that can't be replaced to everyday workplace habits that quietly invite risk, this episode offers a grounded look at how intrusions really happen and what actually makes environments safer. Show Notes: [03:06] FC grew up before cybersecurity existed and learned computers when manuals were thicker than the machines themselves. [05:27] How early internet culture shifted from curiosity-driven exploration to the rise of malicious actors. [07:15] Why inviting external testers to break into your systems was once an unthinkable idea and how that changed. [09:35] The danger of internal blind spots and why external validation is often more valuable than internal confidence. [10:46] Unexpected discoveries during penetration tests, including systems no one remembered were even running. [12:23] Choosing unusual, esoteric security projects and why unconventional systems often hide the biggest risks. [12:50] A real-world operation that involved reverse-engineering hardware to shut down power infrastructure in seconds. [16:29] One of the easiest break-ins ever happens accidentally, proving how fragile some systems really are. [17:21] The most common technical failure seen across organizations: poor network segmentation. [18:36] How a routine internal scan accidentally knocked an entire country's banking connection offline. [20:04] A bank unknowingly runs its internal network on an IP range owned by the U.S. Department of Defense. [21:43] A mysterious daily network outage turns out to be caused by a single employee's music collection. [23:07] Plugging into a forgotten network switch triggers a fire during a government penetration test. [25:15] Why penetration testers are often blamed first even when nothing has been touched yet. [26:25] Discovering malicious insider code planted by coordinated nation-state actors. [29:41] Why some outdated systems must remain untouched and why "just update everything" isn't realistic. [33:15] Implanting covert hardware inside everyday office devices to gain persistent network access. [35:01] How avoiding people altogether is often the most effective form of social engineering. [37:10] Why attackers move from the top floors down and how authority bias works without a single word spoken. [38:35] Clothing, context, and small visual cues that instantly make people assume you belong. [42:26] A penetration test derailed by an unexpected office costume day—and why randomness can be a defense. [44:33] A simple exercise anyone can use to start thinking like an attacker by examining their own home. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Cygenta Dr. Jessica Barker FC aka Freakyclown - LinkedIn How I Rob Banks: And Other Such Places

A ransomware attack doesn't always announce itself with flashing warnings and locked screens. Sometimes it starts with a quiet system outage, a few unavailable servers, and a sinking realization days later that the threat actors were already inside. This conversation pulls back the curtain on what really happens when an organization believes it's dealing with routine failures only to discover it's facing a full-scale cyber extortion event. My guest today is Zachary Lewis, CIO and CISO for a Midwest university, a 40 Under 40 Business Leader, and a former Nonprofit CISO of the Year. Zachary shares the inside story of a LockBit ransomware attack that unfolded while his team was still building foundational security controls, forcing real-time decisions about recovery, disclosure, negotiations, and whether paying a ransom was even an option. We talk about the shame that keeps many cyber incidents hidden, the emotional weight leaders carry during these moments, and the practical realities that don't show up in tabletop exercises from buying bitcoin to restoring systems when password managers are encrypted. It's an honest, grounded discussion about resilience, preparedness, and why sharing these stories openly may be one of the most important defenses organizations have. Show Notes: [04:05] Zachary Lewis explains why the absence of an immediate ransom note delayed suspicion of an attack. [06:00] The first technical indicators suggest something more serious is unfolding. [07:45] Discovering encrypted hypervisors and realizing recovery won't be straightforward. [09:30] Zachary outlines when data exfiltration became a real concern. [11:05] Receiving the LockBit ransomware note confirms the organization has been compromised. [12:55] The 4:30 a.m. phone call pushes leadership into full crisis mode. [14:40] Zachary reflects on managing fear, responsibility, and decision fatigue mid-incident. [16:20] Executive expectations collide with technical realities during the breach. [18:05] Why "doing most things right" still doesn't guarantee protection. [19:55] Cyber insurance begins shaping early response decisions. [21:35] Bringing in incident response teams and legal counsel under tight timelines. [23:20] Zachary describes working with the FBI and understanding jurisdictional limits. [25:10] What law enforcement can and cannot realistically provide during ransomware events. [26:50] Opening communication channels with the threat actors. [28:35] The psychological pressure behind ransomware negotiations. [30:10] Attacker-imposed timelines force rapid, high-stakes decisions. [31:55] Zachary walks through the practical challenges of acquiring cryptocurrency. [33:40] Why encrypted password managers created unexpected recovery barriers. [35:15] Determining which systems could be restored first—and which could not. [37:00] Lessons learned about backup integrity and offline recovery. [38:45] The importance of clear internal communication during uncertainty. [40:25] Balancing transparency with legal and reputational concerns. [42:10] How staff reactions differed from executive responses. [43:55] Zachary discusses the stigma that keeps many ransomware incidents quiet. [45:40] Why sharing breach stories can strengthen collective defenses. [47:20] MFA gaps and configuration issues exposed by the attack. [49:05] Why tabletop exercises fall short of real-world incidents. [50:50] Long-term security changes made after recovery. [52:30] Zachary offers advice for CISOs facing their first major incident. [54:10] What preparedness really means beyond compliance checklists. [56:00] Why resilience and recovery deserve equal priority. [58:30] Final reflections on leadership, accountability, and learning in public. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Zachary Lewis - The Homesteading CISO Zach Lewis - LinkedIn

Why do smart, capable people fall for scams even when the warning signs seem obvious in hindsight? In this episode, Dan Ariely joins us to examine how intuition often leads us in the wrong direction, especially under stress, uncertainty, or emotional pressure. A renowned behavioral economist, longtime professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, and bestselling author of Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, Misbehaving, and Misbelief, Dan has spent decades studying why rational people consistently make choices that don't serve them. We talk about the deeply human forces that shape how we decide who to trust, and how easily those instincts can be exploited in high-stakes situations involving fraud, financial loss, and digital deception. Dan shares a deeply personal story about surviving severe burns and the long process of self-acceptance that followed, using his own experience to show how hiding, blending in, and social pressure quietly influence behavior in ways most of us never stop to question. We also explore why stress pushes people to search for patterns, stories, and a sense of control, even when those explanations aren't accurate. Dan explains how our minds operate like a "vintage Swiss Army knife," well suited for small, predictable communities but poorly equipped for modern risks like scams, cybersecurity threats, and low-probability, high-impact events. Topics include why near-misses teach the wrong lessons, why authority and urgency are so effective in manipulation, and why expecting people to be perfectly rational is a losing strategy. We also discuss practical ways to slow decisions down and bring in outside perspectives to help design safeguards that work with human nature. Show Notes: [01:52] Dan Ariely joins the episode to examine how human decision-making actually works under pressure. [03:41] How intuition can point us in the wrong direction during moments of stress and uncertainty. [05:26] Trust, authority, and urgency as core levers used in fraud and manipulation. [07:12] When decisions feel overwhelming, the brain's tendency to rely on shortcuts. [08:58] Dan explains why rational thinking often breaks down faster than we expect. [10:34] Near-misses and how they quietly reinforce false confidence instead of caution. [12:09] Why repeated exposure to risk doesn't necessarily make people better decision-makers. [13:55] Stress-driven pattern seeking and the human need for explanation and control. [15:32] Superstition, conspiracy thinking, and what they reveal about uncertainty tolerance. [17:18] Why modern threats like scams and cybercrime confuse brains built for simpler environments. [18:56] The "vintage Swiss Army knife" analogy and what it says about human cognition. [20:41] Authority cues and why skepticism often disappears in the presence of perceived expertise. [22:27] Slowing decisions down as one of the most reliable defenses against manipulation. [24:13] Dan reflects on how behavioral economics challenged traditional models of rational choice. [25:59] A personal story about surviving severe burns and the long path to self-acceptance. [27:44] How hiding and blending in can quietly shape behavior and self-perception. [29:31] Social pressure and its role in everyday compliance and risk-taking. [31:16] Why vulnerability doesn't look the way people expect it to. [33:02] Expecting perfect rationality and why that assumption consistently fails. [34:47] Designing systems that account for human limits instead of ignoring them. [36:33] The value of outside perspective when decisions carry real consequences. [38:19] Practical ways individuals can reduce risk by changing how they decide. [40:05] When slowing down matters more than having more information. [41:52] Applying behavioral insights to fraud prevention and digital safety. [43:38] Why better tools help, but mindset still plays a critical role. [45:24] Final thoughts on working with human nature rather than fighting it. [48:02] What listeners can take away about decision-making, risk, and self-awareness. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Dan Ariely Dan Ariely - LinkedIn Books by Dan Ariely Dan Ariely - YouTube

In a world where we're told to carry our entire lives in our pockets, we've reached a strange tipping point where the very devices meant to connect us have become windows into our private lives for those who wish us harm. It's no longer a matter of looking for the "shady" corners of the internet; today, the threats come from nation-state actors, advanced AI, and even the people we think we're hiring. We are living in an era where the most sophisticated hackers aren't just trying to break into your phone, they're trying to move into your business by pretending to be your best employee. Joining the conversation today is Jared Shepard, an innovative industry leader and the CEO of Hypori. A U.S. Army veteran with over 20 years of experience, Jared's journey is far from typical; he went from being a high school dropout to serving as a sniper and eventually becoming the lead technical planner for the Army's Third Corps. He is also the founder of Intelligent Waves and the chair of the nonprofit Warriors Ethos, bringing a perspective shaped by years of advising technologists in active war zones. We're going to dive deep into why Jared believes everything you own should be considered already compromised and why that realization is the first step toward true security. From the terrifying reality of his own 401k being stolen via identity theft to the future of "dumb terminals" that protect your privacy by storing nothing at all, this discussion challenges the status quo. We'll explore how to navigate a future where AI can fake your identity in real-time and why the ultimate battle in cybersecurity isn't against a specific country, but against our own human tendency toward laziness. Show Notes: [[02:12] Jared Shepard of Hypori is here to discuss how modern cyber threats actually play out in real life. [04:48] How modern attacks unfold slowly instead of triggering obvious alarms. [05:55] Why many victims don't realize anything is wrong until secondary systems start failing. [07:56] What identity theft looks like when accounts are targeted methodically over time. [08:48] How attackers prioritize persistence and access over immediate financial gain. [10:32] A real attempt to take over long-term financial accounts and how it surfaced. [13:07] Why financial institutions often respond late even when fraud is already underway. [15:44] The limits of traditional identity verification in an AI-driven threat environment. [16:52] Why layered authentication still fails when underlying identity data is compromised. [18:21] Deepfakes, voice cloning, and why video calls no longer prove much. [20:57] How laptop farms are used to bypass hiring controls and internal access checks. [22:18] Why insider-style access is increasingly coming from outside the organization. [23:33] Why some companies are quietly bringing back in-person steps for sensitive roles. [26:09] SIM farms, mobile identity abuse, and how scale changes detection. [28:47] The growing tension between personal privacy and corporate device control. [31:22] Why assuming device compromise changes everything downstream. [33:58] Isolating data from endpoints instead of trying to secure the device itself. [35:12] How moving compute and data off the endpoint reduces exposure without requiring device monitoring. [36:35] How pixel-only access limits data exposure even on compromised hardware. [39:11] Why AI training data introduces new security and poisoning risks. [41:46] Why recovery planning is often overlooked until it's too late. [44:18] The problem with victim-blaming and how it distorts security responses. [46:52] Why layered defenses matter more than any single tool or platform. [47:58] What practical preparation looks like for individuals, not just enterprises. [49:12] Rethinking privacy as controlled access rather than total lock-down. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Jared Shepard - Hypori Jared Shepard - LinkedIn Warriors Ethos - Jared Shepard