Scam Rangers

Apr 17 2024 23
Scam Rangers Podcast artwork

Scam Rangers - A podcast about the human side of fraud and the people who are on a mission to protect us. We will hear from activists, researchers, prosecutors, human trafficking experts and other advocates, telling the story of scams and scam victims from their perspectives. Most importantly - we can learn what we can do about it. If you are enjoying this show, subscribe, and follow me on LinkedIn for more information and news about online scams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-biger-levin/

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Coordinated Action: The Key to a National Strategy Against Scams, A conversation with Ken Westbrook, CEO and Founder of Stop Scams Alliance

Apr 17 2024 40 mins  
In this episode of Scam Rangers, we sit down with Ken Westbrook, a former member of the US intelligence community, as he shares the story that sparked his mission to combat online scams. Ken opens up about his mother's unfortunate encounter with online criminals and how it inspired him to take action. With the founding of Stop Scams Alliance, Ken discusses his efforts to drive chan

Is Fraud Prevention the New Customer Service? A Conversation with Karen Boyer, SVP Financial Crimes and Fraud Intelligence, M&T Bank

Feb 06 2024 41 mins  
In the first episode of Season 2 of Scam Rangers, we dive into the perspective of a Fraud Strategy leader in a US financial institution. What is the difference between dealing with traditional account takeover fraud (unauthorized payments) and online scams (authorized payments) from the perspective of serving and retaining customers? What are the considerations leadership should ta

Will Regulation Drive Action? Reimbursement and Liability in Online Scams, A Conversation with Ken Palla, Retired Director, MUFG Union Bank

Dec 28 2023 53 mins  
In this episode we take a look at the activity around regulation with regards to online scams in the US, UK and Australia, following comprehensive analysis done by Ken over the last year. The overall outlook is pretty positive. We see a lot of good attention, especially in the UK, and we are optimistic about the future of protecting consumers. However, there is still a lot more to

Online Scam Awareness That Sticks: How to Get Marketing on Board, With Gabriel Friedlander, CEO of Wizer - Free Security Awareness Training

Dec 11 2023 41 mins  
In this episode we talk to Gabi Friedlander at Wizer about how financial institutions can create effective awareness to educate their customers on online scams, and how educating kids in school about basic concepts of online safety can help prevent scams later in life, such as romance scams, investment scams, sextortion and phishing, to name a few. At the end of the episode Gaby pr

Crypto Investment Scams: How it started. How it's going, with Cezary Podkul ,Reporter at ProPublica

Nov 21 2023 35 mins  
In this fascinating episode of Scam Rangers we discuss the atmosphere that allowed the evolution of financial grooming, AKA Pig Butchering scams, as well as how these scams have evolved over time and the trajectory in which they are going. Despite a number of arrests and crackdowns, the picture is not pretty. Additional Resources mentioned in the podcast: CloudSEK report about the

Identity Theft Forever - The Real People Behind Fake Profile Pics, with Bryan Denny, Co-Founder, Advocating Against Romance Scammers

Oct 18 2023 42 mins  
After completing his military service of 26 years in the US Military, Bryan Denny was approached one day via LinkedIn, where he opened a profile to start his job search, by a women who thought she was in a relationship with him. She was scammed by a criminal who stole Bryan's photos and created a fake profile to lure women into relationships and then ask for money. This incident, w

Standing Boldly Against Romance Scams: Empowering Victims on the Path to Recovery, with Cecilie Fjellhøy and Anne Rowe, Co-Founder of LoveSaid

Oct 04 2023 47 mins  
If you are a bank fraud fighter or in law enforcement, you will not want to miss this fascinating episode. Anne and Cecilie both share their personal romance scam stories and how they had to face the realities and aftermath of emotional and financial trauma, as well as judgment from society and authorities. They decided to turn their experience into a bold movement and Founded Love

Hearts Exposed: Navigating the Boundaries of Free Speech and Scam Crimes, with Kathy Waters, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Advocating Against Romance Scammers

Sep 21 2023 30 mins  
In this episode of Scam Rangers, we delve into the troubling world of romance scams and identity theft victims. Our guest, Kathy Waters, shares her insights into these scams and her advocacy work in supporting victims while pushing for regulatory changes on online platforms. Key Takeaways: 1. Deception in Romance Scams: Kathy explains how scammers use stolen identities to create el

Mind Games: The Psychology Behind Scams, A conversation with Alan Castel, Professor at UCLA Psychology, Expert in Memory, Cognition and Aging

Sep 06 2023 39 mins  
In this Episode, Alan and Ayelet discuss the psychology behind the human traits scammers prey on to scam victims, and the pos-scam emotions of isolation and shame victims experience. Resources: Article in Psychology today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/metacognition-and-the-mind/202104/fool-me-once-why-scams-leave-people-feeling-foolish News story on therapist coerced int

Defying Romance Scams: Cracking the Seductive Script, A conversation with Ruth Grover, Founder of Scam Haters United

Aug 24 2023 42 mins  
In this episode we share a remarkable journey of resilience, empowerment, and the fight against romance scams. Join us as we explore the inspiring story of RUTH GROVER, who transformed her experience as a target of a romance scam into a powerful mission to help others. Ruth founded "Scam Haters Untied," an organization dedicated to rescuing victims and turning them into survivors.