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Easy Prey

Easy Prey

Auteur(s): Chris Parker
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 Chris Parker, the founder of WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, interviews guests and tells real-life stories about topics to open your eyes to the danger and traps lurking in the real world, ranging from online scams and frauds to everyday situations where people are trying to take advantage of you—for their gain and your loss. Our goal is to educate and equip you, so you learn how to spot the warning signs of trouble, take quick action, and lower the risk of becoming a victim. Politique True Crime
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  • Before the Fraud Tsunami Hits with Ritesh Kotak

    Before the Fraud Tsunami Hits with Ritesh Kotak
    Aug 27 2025

    Scams aren’t what they used to be. These days, AI can write perfect emails, mimic voices, and even fake a video call so well you’d swear you were talking to the real person. The problem is, the timing of a scam can be just right when you’re distracted, busy, or looking for exactly what they’re offering. That’s when even the most careful person can get caught.

    My guest, Ritesh Kotak, knows this world inside and out. He’s a cybersecurity analyst, an Ontario lawyer, and a tech innovator who’s worked with Fortune 500 companies and served in policing, where he helped start one of Canada’s first municipal cybercrime units. He’s got a BBA, MBA, and JD, all focused on privacy, cybercrime, and the way emerging tech impacts everyday life.

    In our conversation, Ritesh explains how criminals are using AI as a weapon, how it can also be a shield, and why simple, low-tech steps, like having a secret phrase with family or confirming a request through a different channel, are still some of the best defenses. He even shares a close call he had himself, which is a good reminder that nobody’s immune when scams are this convincing.

    Show Notes:
    • [00:50] Ritesh shares his background as a lawyer helping clients navigate AI, tech, and cybercrime.
    • [01:18] His fascination with technology began at age three after taking apart his father’s computer.
    • [03:59] In policing, Ritesh saw early signs of cybercrime blending with physical crime.
    • [06:55] He demonstrates cybersecurity risks by live hacking a police chief, leading to the creation of a cybercrime unit.
    • [09:16] A near-miss phishing scam involving discounted amusement park tickets highlights how timing plays a role.
    • [15:14] Spoofed calls and evolving scam tactics make detection harder despite telecom safeguards.
    • [17:09] Ritesh explains AI as both a sword for criminals and a shield for protection.
    • [20:00] Generative AI enables flawless phishing emails, fake websites, and realistic deepfake audio and video.
    • [28:00] Simple defenses like secret phrases and multi-channel verification can stop many scams.
    • [31:45] Reporting scams to police can help investigations and sometimes recover funds.
    • [33:17] Ritesh advocates for centralized fraud response centers to improve victim support.
    • [36:45] Calling a lawyer can help victims navigate legal and civil remedies.
    • [38:05] Final advice: pause, verify, and use low-tech habits to prevent high-tech crime.

    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
    • Ritesh Kotak
    • Ritesh Kotak - LinkedIn
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    38 min
  • Privacy is Dead

    Privacy is Dead
    Aug 20 2025
    Privacy in the digital age has grown from a background concern into one of the defining issues of our time. What began with simple questions about online safety has expanded into a complex, global conversation about how artificial intelligence, biometric data, and massive data ecosystems are reshaping daily life. Pam Dixon has been at the center of these discussions for more than two decades. As the founder and executive director of the World Privacy Forum, she’s worked across the U.S., Europe, India, Africa, and beyond, advising governments, international organizations, and policymakers on how to create effective privacy protections. In this episode, Pam takes us through the history of modern privacy law, the ways different regions approach the challenge, and the new frontiers like collective privacy, AI governance, and health data that demand fresh thinking. She also offers a grounded perspective on how to build systems that safeguard individuals while still allowing innovation to thrive, and why getting those guardrails right now will shape the future of trust in technology. Show Notes: [4:49] Pam identified privacy risks in early resume databases and produced a 50-page report on job boards, now known as job search platforms.[8:56] Pam now chairs the civil society work at OECD in AI, contributing to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Privacy Guidelines (first adopted in 1980).[11:17] The launch of the internet marked a major shift in privacy, transitioning from slower, isolated systems to globally connected networks.[11:46] Early adoption of the internet was limited to academia, government, and tech enthusiasts before reaching the public.[12:45] Privacy frameworks were built on Fair Information Practices, developed in the United States in the 1970s by the Health, Education, and Welfare Committee (later HHS).[15:58] GDPR was developed and enforced in 2018 with extraterritorial provisions applying to companies worldwide (General Data Protection Regulation, enacted in 2016 and enforced in 2018).[18:59] Large language models and deep machine learning advancements have created new and complex privacy challenges.[22:06] Some countries approach privacy with more flexibility and openness, while maintaining strong guardrails.[23:37] In June 2023, a University of Tokyo study on data privacy was presented at an OECD meeting, highlighting evolving global strategies.[26:30] Governments are working together on “data free flow with trust” to address cross-border data concerns.[28:09] Pam warns that AI ecosystems are still forming, and policymakers need to observe carefully before rushing into regulation.[28:31] She emphasizes the emerging issue of collective privacy, which impacts entire groups rather than individuals.[29:04] Privacy issues are complex and not linear; they require ongoing adaptation.[30:24] ChatGPT’s launch did not fundamentally change machine learning, but the 2017 transformer paper did, making AI more efficient.[31:53] Known challenges in AI include algorithmic bias related to age, gender, and skin tone.[33:07] Legislative proposals for privacy now require practical testing rather than theoretical drafting.[35:39] AI legislative debates often center on fears of harming innovation, but scientific data should guide regulation.[40:29] NIH reports caution participants in certain medical AI programs to fully understand risks before joining.[41:59] Some patients willingly share all their health data to advance medical research, while others are more cautious.[43:50] Tools for privacy protection are developing, but the field remains in transition.[48:56] Asia and Europe are leading in AI and privacy transitions, with strong national initiatives and regulations.[52:42] The U.S. privacy landscape relies on sector-specific laws such as HIPAA (1996) and COPPA (1998) rather than a single national framework.[54:48] Studies show that wealthy nations often have the least trust in their digital ecosystems, despite advanced infrastructure.[56:19] A little-known U.S. law, A119, allows for voluntary consensus standards in specialized areas, enabling faster innovation compared to ISO processes.[56:48] Voluntary standards can accelerate development in fields like medical AI, avoiding years-long delays from traditional approval processes.[57:32] An FDA case study on an AI-driven heart pump showed significant performance changes between initial deployment and later use, underscoring the importance of testing and oversight. 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 PageFacebook Pagewhatismyipaddress.comEasy Prey on InstagramEasy Prey on TwitterEasy Prey on LinkedInEasy Prey on YouTubeEasy Prey on PinterestPam Dixon Be Your Own Headhunter Online: Get the Job You Want Using the Information SuperhighwayWorld Privacy ForumWorld Privacy Forum - LinkedInPam Dixon - Carnegie Mellon ...
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    1 h et 4 min
  • America’s Scam Crisis

    America’s Scam Crisis
    Aug 13 2025
    Most of us think of scams as random or isolated or something that just happens to unlucky people. But what if the truth is far more organized, far more disturbing? Behind many of today’s scams is a global web of criminal enterprises, structured like corporations and fueled by technology, data, and billions of stolen dollars. In this episode, we sit down with Ken Westbrook. Ken spent over three decades in the CIA before retiring, only to return to the fight after his own mother was targeted and lost most of her life savings to a tech support scam. That moment changed everything. He founded Stop Scams Alliance, a nonprofit on a mission to stop scams before they ever reach our devices. His approach? Building bridges between tech companies, banks, telecom, government, and consumer advocates to cut these criminal operations off at the source. Ken brings a rare blend of intel experience and personal urgency to this issue. He breaks down what’s really going on behind the scenes, why the U.S. is falling behind in this fight, and how other countries are pushing back effectively. If you think this can’t happen to you or someone you love, think again. This conversation is a wake-up call. Show Notes: [00:58] Ken is the founder and CEO of Stop Scams Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to reducing scams in the United States.[01:21] They are focused on the left of the boom or before the scam happens.[01:43] Ken served for 33 years in the CIA. [02:28] We learn how Ken's mother was scammed on Valentine's Day of 2023. He started looking into these scams, and he was horrified. [03:19] As a nation, we need to do better to defend ourselves. Ken came out of retirement to do just that.[03:32] His board of directors has a lot of government officials who decided to join the fight. We are literally under attack by foreign organized crime, and we're not doing enough to protect ourselves.[04:03] 21 million Americans are scammed each year.[04:45] The number of scam and fraud victims are increasing.[05:15] It's become a business, and the scammers are getting better at what they do.[06:36] How Chinese criminal gangs shifted from casinos to scamming operations. People join voluntarily or are sometimes kidnapped.[07:24] It's also expanding around the world.[10:12] The British government actually has a scam czar. So does Australia. They have a strategy and a fraud policy.[12:08] You think you're talking to the IRS or your bank, but you're not.[13:45] Having a whitelist for financial advertising. Other countries are finding value in authenticating, maybe the United States should pay attention.[15:36] Scammers love to get people on the telephone. In many countries, telecom companies will block spoofing calls from other countries. [16:47] We need authenticated text messages in the US.[17:42] We have more companies and free enterprise, so it's more complicated in the US.[19:35] We need somebody in charge. It's an economic war with transnational organized crime.[22:34] Fake investment scams are the number one scam when it comes to losses.[27:46] Ken shares what happened in his mom's case. It was a tech support scam. His mom clicked on an obituary site and scareware popped up.[30:08] The whole point is to get you to call a fake 1-800 number that you think is Microsoft.[30:51] The Phantom hacker was able to look up where she banked by using her phone number. Then they put her in touch with the fake fraud department at the bank.[32:11] Then they sent her to Home Depot to buy gift cards and then cashier's checks.[33:55] Fortunately the banks intervened, but she still lost a lot of money.[36:38] We need to realize that we're being attacked by Chinese cyber criminals.[39:38] People under the age of 50 are falling victim to scams more than the elderly people.[41:31] The average loss last year of an older person was $83,000. Older people are being targeted because of their demographic.[43:31] Criminals micro-target just like advertisers.[44:04] We all need to be aware of the threats out there. If you get a call that you're not expecting, always assume it's not legitimate.[45:21] Be wary of links. 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 PageFacebook Pagewhatismyipaddress.comEasy Prey on InstagramEasy Prey on TwitterEasy Prey on LinkedInEasy Prey on YouTubeEasy Prey on PinterestStop Scams AllianceKen Westbrook - LinkedIn FBI - Public Service Announcements
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    48 min
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