Easy Prey Podcast

Artificial intelligence technology is growing and evolving rapidly. That presents challenges. With generative AI creating text and images that can be almost indistinguishable from the real thing, misinformation, disinformation, and outright fakes are harder to spot. And it provides tools that hackers and scammers can use to defraud you. But artificial intelligence also provides opportunities.…

Scammers target everyone. Young or old, rich or poor, tech-savvy or a fan of flip phones, scammers are happy to take money from anyone. But scammers especially love scamming the elderly. Older adults tend to be more vulnerable to certain types of scams – and not necessarily for the reasons you think. See Financial Vulnerability…

In 2020, the whole world went online. In some ways, that has been very beneficial. But in other ways, it has put us at risk. There are still few ways to validate or authenticate an identity online, so it’s difficult to know if a person or company you’re communicating with is fake. Because of this,…

With advances in AI and metaverse technology, we are facing decisions about how to interact with and embrace technology. Whether you’re the first to experiment with a new feature or avoid upgrading to new tech as long as possible, we are all going to have to confront these emerging technologies and how they fit into…

New business and job opportunities can be exciting. They can be especially enticing if they promise a lot of money very quickly or with little required effort or skill. But business opportunity scams are everywhere, and it’s important to verify an opportunity’s claims before joining. Knowing what questions to ask and what to look for…

Keeping yourself and your family safe online is essential, especially in a world of smart home devices where many things are connected to the internet. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and put off online security until the worst happens. But there are simple steps that you can take to protect your family online. And you…

Cyberattacks can happen to anyone. Whether you’re an individual with a single device or a corporation with a huge network, cybercriminals can find a reason to attack you. As a business, cybersecurity risk management is especially important. Because a cyberattack can have such a devastating effect on your business, it’s vital to have both a…

Getting caught in a scam can see you losing money – potentially a lot of money. And you want to do everything in your power to get it back. Especially when the scam involves cryptocurrency and its complex technology, we all hope to find some fix that will recoup our losses. Scammers know this. And…

Many of us had a time when we were interested in magic tricks, or have seen a really good magic trick performed. But an understanding of magic, misdirection, and the psychology behind the tricks can provide more skills than just pulling rabbits out of hats. Learning the underlying principles behind psychics, mentalism, and magic tricks…

When people talk about scams and cybercrime, it’s usually in terms of numbers. Statistics declare how many people have gotten caught in a scam, or how much money has been stolen by cybercriminals this year. But what rarely gets discussed is the less measurable costs. It’s hard to put a number on anxiety, feelings of…

Scamming is a multi-billion-dollar industry. And scammers are creative and always coming up with new techniques. This week is National Consumer Protection Week, which uses education and awareness to stop scams. But Slam the Scam Day, one particular day of National Consumer Protection Week, focuses specifically on government impostor scams and similar social security scams.…

An online reputation isn’t just for businesses. As individuals, we all have an online presence and reputation as well. And if you’ve ever searched for your name or your business’s name to see what comes up, you’ve seen the results that make up an online reputation. But do you know what to do if something…

With so much of life and business happening in the digital realm, effective cybersecurity is more important than ever for your business. Taking security measures is essential, but it’s equally important to have a plan if the worst does happen. A proactive approach to company cybersecurity can make a big difference in stress levels and…

Scammers love to target anywhere money is involved. And as one of the biggest online retailers in the world, people spend a lot of money with Amazon. Using Amazon for scams can be extremely lucrative for scammers – and they don’t even have to be on Amazon to do it. By looking at how the…

There is lots of advice out there about how to spot online dating scams and romance scams. You’re probably familiar with a few of the red flags, such as rushing the relationship, asking you to send money through a method that’s hard to reverse, and always having an excuse for why they can’t visit in…

Cybersecurity is a relatively young field, but businesses are embracing its importance. However, the newness of the field, along with other factors like pending legislation, a limited understanding of the field among C-level executives, and the difficulties of translating technical topics for non-technical people cause difficulties within organizations. This struggle around cybersecurity leadership is causing…

Many of us are aware that scams, fraud, and cyber threats are out there. We may even be aware of some specific scamming methods, such as catfishing, hacking your accounts or devices, or even pretending to be your bank. But scammers and fraudsters are always coming up with new ways to get your information, steal…

We all know the old phrase “seeing is believing.” We’re hard-wired to believe the things that we can see with our own eyes. But with advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the line is starting to get blurry. AI can write comprehensible text, create images, make deep fakes, and fabricate fake videos that look real.…

Chris Parker, founder of WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, started the Easy Prey Podcast with online fraud prevention in mind. He wanted to help listeners learn to avoid being an easy target for scammers and fraudsters, both online and in the real world. Since episode 1 aired on March 18, 2020, he has interviewed some of the most influential…

Most of us are comfortable sharing data in a place we believe is safe and secure. But not everyone considers where health data goes after it’s collected. And though most medical information is protected by strict data security regulations (such as HIPAA in the United States), some health information is considered “personal data” and has…

Maybe you’re wondering what kind of questions your bank will never ask you. That’s a great thing to know, because it will also be part of the awareness that will help you avoid falling for a scam and losing money.