Easy Prey

Just because something is secure, doesn't mean that it's safe. The S in HTTPS doesn't always mean safe. In this episode, I talk with Casey Crane about trust and encryption. We discussed many practical ways for you to avoid being a victim of a scam. Prevention and knowledge can help stop many attacks before they even begin.

Casey Crane is a cybersecurity writer for Hashed Out at The SSL Store. Casey is a regular contributor to Hashed Out with 10+ years of experience in journalism and writing, including crime analysis and IT security. She also serves as a Content Marketer at The SSL Store. She has bachelor's and master's degrees in mass communications (in journalism and media studies) from the University of South Florida and USF St. Petersburg. Casey is passionate about data privacy and wants to educate others about encryption because it plays such an integral role in our daily lives (even though many people don't know it!).

We talk about trust and encryption and best practices for protecting you, your family, and your business. We specifically discuss what you need to look for before clicking on a link or downloading anything. We talk about different types of SSL certificates and how to figure out which one would be the best fit for your website. This episode will help you figure out if you need an SSL certificate and reputable and trusted sources that can help.

• [00:35] - Casey works at the SSL Store as a content writer for the website and Hashed Out.
• [01:17] - She wrote her master thesis on the relationship between serial killers and the media in terms of how they are represented. She has always had a keen interest in learning more about crime and criminal elements and it just transitioned over time into the realm of technology and cybersecurity.
• [03:22] - What are HTTPS and SSL certificates?
• [04:15] - HTTPS is an encrypted communication channel between one party to another. Passwords and personal information are encrypted.
• [05:59] - Domain validated means that the person who requested the certificate gets an email. The email typically has a link or some files they need to upload to and that is about it. Organization and extended validation are two levels of validation above that.
• [07:29] - The Anti-Phishing Working Group reported nearly three-quarters of websites that were phishing websites used an SSL or TSL certificate.
• [08:21] - There are Unicode domains which basically pull from different languages, character, numerals, and signs. Those are now being used in web domains.
• [09:25] - Criminals tend to go for the lowest hanging fruit. They want to make this as easy as possible for themselves to save time and make the most profit or achieve their agenda quickest.
• [09:50] - If you get an email before you actually click on anything check the header in the email and see who the email is coming from. Check that the email and name match. Often the email is off by one letter or digit.
• [12:59] - Scams often create some sort of feeling of urgency, curiosity, fear, or concern so people are motivated to want to answer that email quickly by clicking on the link or calling a provided number.
• [14:25] - From a website owner perspective or an admin perspective it is about knowing which certificate you should be putting on your site.
• [15:02] - If you are collecting any financial information you should be using an OV certificate at minimum.
• [16:48] - In countries where the internet service is less reputable or you are concerned about your government snooping on what you're doing, having the encrypted communication channel between you and the website prevents the content that is going back and forth from being seen.
• [17:57] - Sometimes an issue that people tend to run into is that they just forget to check their certificates.
• [20:40] - The shorter the validation is for a certificate the more secure it is because there would be less time for a cybercriminal to be able to crack the encryption.
• [22:14] - The current standard for validation is 2 years for public certificates. It is continually changing and will keep changing.
• [23:16] - Certificate managers are programs that can help you manage the certificate and the life cycle of the certificate. There are different programs based on your preferences and needs.
• [24:56] - When you are able to keep your certificates valid you are avoiding issues and downtime.
• [27:09] - The actual encryption from certificate to certificate is the same. It is still the standard encryption that is provided. It is just the extra features that vary per certificate.
• [28:45] - Where can people go to get an SSL certificate? What should they be looking at to decide what is right for them?
• [29:36] - Find a reputable source and then figure out what level of validation you need for a certificate. Then you need to choose the functionality of the certificate.
• [30:57] - You want to make sure to choose a warranty as well.

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

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School districts, health care organizations, cities, and towns have all been victims of ransomware. Families have lost access to photo albums of 20 years of memories and personal finances. It can be a very devastating experience. It is very scary to not be able to do your job or access your data. Now attackers are not only threatening to delete your data, but they are also threatening to leak the data. This can cause lawsuits, legal ramifications, and a huge headache for businesses large and small.

What is ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malware that gets installed on your machine and it locks all of your files so you can't access them. It spreads very quickly through your computer and you may be unable to access crucial programs and files. Often you get a message from the attackers requesting money or your data will be leaked or deleted. Craig and Joel share their expert insights on how to prevent these attacks.

Craig MacAlpine is the founder and CEO of Expert Insights and a passionate security innovator with over 20 years of experience in information security and product management previously founding e-mail security company EPA Cloud.

Joel Witts is a Senior Content Editor at Expert Insights covering a multitude of areas including cybersecurity.

We talk about ransomware and best practices for protecting you, your family and your business. We specifically discuss ways ransomware can get in, how you can be affected, and ways to protect against it. We talk about secure gateway products, post-delivery protection, and isolation. This episode will help you figure out what solution can offer the best protection to your family and business.

Show Notes:

• [01:38] - Ransomware is a type of malware that gets installed on your machine and it locks all of your files so you can't access them. It spreads very quickly through your computer and may be unable to access crucial programs and files. Often you get a message from the attackers requesting money or your data will be leaked or deleted.
• [03:14] - With a lot of scams there is a level of emotion and urgency in the ransom component.
• [04:50] - Travelex was hit on New Year's Eve this past year and it closed their operations down for a week while they had to go to a manual basis and had a 32 million dollar hit.
• [06:08] - Ransomware is something that affects all the way up from small to large businesses. The most common targets are healthcare, education, towns, and cities.
• [07:19] - The average ransom sum is increasing to over $40,000.
• [09:01] - There is conflicting advice on whether the company should pay the ransom or not. There is no guarantee that you will get your data back.
• [09:59] - Ransomware has become more of a well-known issue. Businesses are putting more measures in place to try and mitigate the risks from these threats.
• [11:10] - A common way for ransomware to start in an organization is through phishing attacks which are difficult to stop. Phishing is a type of email that tries to trick a user into performing an action.
• [13:31] - If you have got a savvy phisher whose updating that content it is really hard for the gateway systems to pick that up.
• [14:14] - The email may be the start of the phish, but not the method that the malware is downloaded that is just where they start the conversation.
• [17:03] - Secure gateway products usually do a good job stopping spam and phishing emails. Typically 98-99% of these threats will get stopped with those products.
• [19:03] - Someone can get remote access to your email account and forward the emails. The user isn't even aware of what is going on in their email account.
• [20:04] - Post-delivery protection looks for compromised accounts and phishing emails coming from a genuine internal account emailing someone else within your business.
• [22:10] - If you are an IT manager or IT professional you're asking for trouble not installing two-factor or multifactor identification.
• [24:17] - E-mail is your gateway to connect with someone, but the malware usually comes through the web like a download.
• [26:34] - Isolation could be the solution, but it will be a while before this option comes to consumers. It is a process that takes a while to get to the home-use level.
• [27:55] - With isolation videos or documents would be rendered for your viewing, but not actually be downloaded to your machine.
• [29:43] - If someone does become a victim of ransomware what are their options?
• [31:59] - Realistically if back-ups are not automated they are not going to happen.
• [34:06] - The IT manager is often a jack of all trades trying to oversee the phone systems, PC updates, and more. Back-ups are not prioritized, because if something isn't broken then we don't have time to fix it today.
• [36:13] - Over time there will be more advanced and automated systems that will block the vast majority of ransomware, but there will still be some carefully crafted scams that will be hard to catch. It will probably become less frequent, but never entirely go away.
• [37:07] - The scammers only have to get it right once, but the people that are protecting against it have to get it right 100% of the time. There will always be an element of human mistake because of emotions and fear.
• [39:46] - The attacks can be very effective because of fear and time sensitivity even if technologically we are able to stop them.
• [40:28] - Great advice is to not panic if you get hit by ransomware.

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

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Identity theft comes in many forms. Children and adults can be victims of identity theft. Each year there are over 9 million identity victims. 1 million of these victims are minor children. The worst part is that we often don't notice a problem until we need to buy a car, house, or get a college loan. The clean-up process can be costly and time-consuming.

Dana Mantilia is the founder of Identity Protection Planning. Dana grew up in the car business. She was running and still oversees her family's car dealership today. In 2014 they wanted to open an insurance agency so they could offer insurance to their customers, and shortly after in 2017 she decided to get into the identity theft world and business.

Identity Protection Planning helps Americans protect themselves, their family, and businesses from identity theft and cybercrime. Identity Protection Planning was established to help educate, organize, and protect folks against identity theft. Her team established a user-friendly B2B software platform that allows agents, advisors, employers, and association managers to offer Identron identity theft protection plans to their clients, employees, or members.

We talk about identity theft, data breaches, and best practices for protecting you, your family, and your business. Dana shares several practical tips and best practices that you can put in place today to help protect against identity theft.

• [00:32] - Dana shares how she got into the identity theft business.
• [02:58] - Often with identity theft cases, you have to pay first to start the cleaning process. It can be expensive to start the process and maybe you will get some of that money back later.
• [03:59] - What is identity theft? Identity theft is someone using someone's social security number to get a loan, a job, get credit, or file taxes. It often happens with children's information.
• [05:35] - The best thing to do with a child's social security number is to freeze their credit.
• [06:32] - Don't give out your social security number or your child's unless absolutely necessary. Be careful not to give your personal information out online.
• [07:34] - Informed delivery with the post office is a great service to make sure all your mail actually makes it to you.
• [08:18] - It is very important to have different passwords for different accounts.
• [09:02] - Dana suggests getting a different email to associate with all financial accounts. Use a password manager app with more complex passwords.
• [11:15] - Stop doing Facebook quizzes. Identity thieves actually create some of these quizzes. They often ask questions to figure out security question answers.
• [13:42] - Identity theft prevention service helps you with forms you need to fill out, government agencies you need to contact, and they help you along the process if your identity was stolen.
• [15:45] - Keep close tabs and don't give out your driver's license number, medical insurance card, and birth date unless absolutely necessary.
• [16:57] - Everybody should have either a fingerprint lock, gesture, or passcode on their phone because we are logged into most of our accounts. If you lose that phone, they can change your passwords and log-in credentials.
• [17:53] - Use two-factor identification is a great security measure to protect your accounts.
• [18:18] - On Google and Apple phones, you can enable a service that allows you to remotely wipe your phone.
• [19:33] - On your phone, you can see which apps have access to your photos, microphones, contacts, and location.
• [20:57] - One time per year on each of the three different credit bureaus you can run your credit for free.
• [21:33] - Identity theft protection services and insurance are a valuable service because it is something we are not good at and don't want to spend the time doing those things if we can even remember to do them.
• [22:57] - Most children are getting social security numbers right when they are born. As soon as you get your hands on your child's social security number, you should be freezing it.

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

[bctt tweet=""Your identity is great until it is messed up. The challenges identity theft can bring are monumental." - Chris Parker" username="easypreypodcast"]

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Website attacks are very common. They are often not personal, but they can create a mess for website operators. As website owners and operators, we need website privacy and security especially if we are collecting data and personal information.

As I was making more money from my business in 2015, the need for better performance became an issue. I also needed to be able to keep my site up 24/7 and not have to deal with outages. My website started getting sustained 500-bit denial service attacks. I realized very quickly that this was not my expertise, but that is when I began my partnership with Cloudflare.

Cloudflare provides services that increase the security performance of over 26 million internet properties around the world from individual blogs to governments to Fortune 500 companies. Cloudflare offers services to accelerate internet applications and mobile experiences, mitigate DDoS attacks, prevent customer data breaches, stop malicious bot abuse, and more.

Our guests on today's show are John Graham and Evan Johnson. John Graham is a British software engineer and the current CTO at Cloudflare. Evan is a Product Security Manager at Cloudflare.

We talk about attacks on websites, distributed denial of service attacks, and how to protect your own website. If you want to keep your website up and running without skipping a beat, this is a must-listen episode.

Show Notes:

• [00:58] - Chris is a Cloudflare customer and shares how he became a Cloudflare customer. He shares his history of working with Cloudflare.
• [03:05] - In 2015 Chris started getting sustained 500-bit denial services attacks. He realized it was not his expertise and he needed help with this.
• [04:23] - John and Evan share the risks that Cloudflare helps website owners protect against.
• [05:53] - What things should we worry about as website operators?
• [07:09] - Evan is recommending businesses move more of their applications to the edge with workers with Cloudflare Workers. It has real security benefits.
• [08:29] - The big benefit of Cloudflare Workers is that there is no back-end server to overwhelm. It just moves the application to all of their servers.
• [10:38] - Often hackers are using automated tools to scan websites, so you really want to limit the ability for that scanner to see something. Then they will just move on.
• [11:39] - Anyone that has a database should prepare for the contingency if you get your database breached. Know your legal obligations in dealing with that especially if you are storing personally identifiable information.
• [14:01] - With Cloudflare, you can identify a problem and have it blocked almost immediately.
• [14:58] - It is really hard to patch your website fast enough. So a WAF can give you some breathing room while you patch the back end systems. Everyone should have a WAF, it is an extra layer that can really, really help. A WAF is a web application firewall.
• [17:16] - If you are connected to the public internet and you provide a service or website Cloudflare can protect that.
• [18:13] - Use a good password and have two-factor identification.
• [21:11] - Cloudflare Workers is super flexible and easy to write since you use Javascript.
• [21:46] - John shares how Cloudflare is able to offer free DDos services to their users.
• [23:12] - Cloudflare believes that your data is your data. They analyze it for you to provide your analytics and to look for attacks but they don't use your data.
• [24:34] - Cloudflare is a way to get a level of protection for an inexpensive price.
• [26:40] - With your back-end servers, you want to make sure you orange cloud things. Cloudflare is seeing the requests and it is being proxied through their network.
• [28:09] - With Cloudflare's new project Magic Transit they can take over the IP space and become your network. The traffic comes to Cloudflare so they can run the services they provide and then pass the good traffic back on to you.
• [30:30] - Cloudflare tries to take things that are expensive and complex and make them easy to use and cheap so that everyone gets access to these cool tools.
• [32:16] - People started to realize that they are using the internet for absolutely everything from banking to dating and it really matters that they protect that and use things that are trustworthy.
• [32:51] - If there is one password and two-factor you are going to use, put it on your personal email because if someone breaks into your personal email they can probably reset the password on every other service you use. Secure your email first.

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

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Your online identity is quickly becoming more crucial to your personal and professional success than in-person communications. But most of us don't understand this digital Wild West and the dangers that lurk around every corner. Most of us are unaware of the digital breadcrumbs that we leave behind with every post, and how easy it is for a person with malicious intent to harm us. In her book, Catching the Catfishers and on today's episode Tyler Cohen Wood teaches us how to protect ourselves and our families from online predators.

Tyler Cohen Wood is a cyber-authority with 20 years of highly technical experience at the Department of Defense. As a Cyber-, Intelligence, National Security Expert, three-time Author, and Public Speaker, Tyler is relied on for her wealth of knowledge and unique insights. Tyler served with the Defense Intelligence Agency as a Senior Intelligence Officer where she developed highly technical cyber-solutions and made recommendations significantly developing and changing critical cyber-policies and directives affecting current and future intelligence community programs. She has helped the White House, DoD, federal law enforcement and the intel community thwart many cyber threats to the USA. Tyler's expertise has made her a frequent guest and writer for both national and local television, radio, print, and online media.

What is catfishing? What do parents need to do to protect their children online? What can you do in this uncertainty to protect yourself from cybersecurity issues? In this information-packed episode, we answer all these questions and more.

• [01:02] - When Tyler first started her cybersecurity career, she was doing digital forensics for The Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center.
• [03:01] - Parents often post pictures of kids and information without privacy settings. This can put kids in potential danger.
• [03:57] - Catfishing is someone pretending to be someone they're not in order to get you to do something or to give them information.
• [05:31] - In most catfishing cases there are some monetary or other things they are actually looking for.
• [07:30] - These attacks are always based on some fear or urgency.
• [09:55] - It is really concerning that kids are being targeted now more than ever.
• [10:35] - Predators target kids through online gaming platforms and social media apps. It is so important for parents to really know what their kids are doing, who they are talking to and what accounts they have.
• [11:05] - It is good to talk with your kids and sit with them and see what they are doing.
• [11:36] - What do parents need to do to protect their children online?
• [12:35] - Make sure you have accounts on all the same platforms that your kids do. Often predators will start a conversation on Instagram and then move to an encrypted platform like TikTok, WeChat or WhatsApp.
• [13:43] - Once a predator has a target they will continue to go after that target. If they see someone that they consider "easy prey" they are going to go after that.
• [14:58] - One of the number one things you should be watching out for is if someone claims to be somebody, but they don't have an online presence normal for that person.
• [17:15] - A Home Incident Response Plan involves talking with your kids about what to do if you have problems online including downloading malware.
• [19:06] - In a Home Incident Response Plan you want to include a paper copy of all of the numbers of people that you would need to call in the event of identity theft or other emergency and all of your accounts.
• [21:53] - If your friend sends you something that seems out of character or they're using words that they don't typically use that is an indication of a potential scam.
• [22:12] - If anyone ever asks you for money on the spot just walk away.
• [24:52] - Be really cognizant of what's in the background of your photos.
• [26:37] - You want to see what apps on your phone have access to. They may have access to your microphone, video, or contacts. If they don't need it then turn it off.
• [28:12] - Fear, uncertainty, doubt, and urgency really get people in trouble. Stop and take a breath before you react.
• [30:26] - You have to take time right now to nurture yourself.
• [32:08] - It is important to talk to our kids about what's going on in the world right now.
• [34:01] - Just be aware of what you're posting and what you're doing and trying to be as paranoid as your be without being crazy paranoid.

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

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With over ten million cyber-attacks reported daily, we have to be equipped with the knowledge, information, and software to protect ourselves and our families. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus, there was a sudden shift of employees working at home and this has become even more of a problem. Since time wasn't available for most businesses to create a well-thought-out plan, that opens the door for even more cyberattacks.

In this episode, Dr. Eric Cole and I talk about specific ways to make cyberspace a safe place to live and work. We talk about how to lock down your wireless access point, specific ways you need to update your computer, and most importantly how can you prevent these attacks.

World-Renowned Cybersecurity Expert with more than 30 years of network security experience, Dr. Eric Cole is a distinguished cybersecurity expert and keynote speaker who helps organizations curtail the risk of cyber threats. Many of the foundational principles of this course and training in cybersecurity were developed by Dr. Cole. He has worked with a variety of clients ranging from Fortune 50 companies to top international banks, to the CIA, for which he was a professional hacker.

While he started his career on the offense, he is now fully dedicated to understanding the adversary so he can provide cost-effective solutions that actually work. As a pioneer in the area of cybersecurity, he has been inducted into the Infosec hall of Fame, awarded the Cyber Wingman Award from the US Air Force, received multiple accommodations from the CIA and was part of the commission on cybersecurity for President Obama. He has been the featured speaker at many security events and also has been interviewed by several chief media outlets such as CNN, CBS News, FOX News and 60 Minutes.

Show Notes:

• [01:41] - Most businesses when they are making decisions usually look at the benefits and security risks. With everything happening so quickly right now it is just survival mode.
• [02:15] - It is dangerous to get people up in running without a security plan because people assume that their home network is secure and protected, but often it is not. Most people were never meant to run their business off their home network.
• [02:39] - The first step is to lock down your wireless access point.
• [04:27] - If you are going to be clicking on links or opening email attachments about Corna or anything emotional use an Android, iPhone, or IPad. Don't use Windows for doing that web surfing and email right now.
• [05:03] - If you are running a business you need to pay for the commercial file storage. Free isn't free. The free accounts are a higher risk to your business.
• [06:24] - Search for directions to update your specific router and you will find easy to follow directions for your exact router. In less than 10 minutes your now in a much better position and much safer than you were ten minutes prior.
• [07:13] - When it comes to cybersecurity you are going to pay the pipe. You either pay now or pay later. Do you want to spend 10 minutes now patching, locking down and updating your router or do you want to wait for 2-3 months when your data and identity are stolen and then you have to spend 300 hours trying to clean and fix everything?
• [09:24] - Make sure your password to log-in to your wi-fi is different than your administrative password. In the last 3-4 weeks, there has been an increase in cybercrime.
• [11:10] - What people don't realize is that free is not free. They are using your data.
• [14:01] - If the service is really free and the company is staying in business there have to be some exposure points they are not telling people about.
• [16:01] - No matter what somebody says or does never give away that second factor in your two-factor identification. Eric highly suggests account monitoring over two-factor identification.
• [16:44] - Prevention is ideal, detection is a must. Set up account notifications so if someone is logging into your account or even attempting to log in you will get a text notification.
• [17:24] - If you catch fraudulent bank activity within 24 hours it is usually reversible. Turn on your notifications so if something weird is going on with your account you will be notified immediately and can take action.
• [19:33] - If you get a call from your bank saying there is a problem with your account, tell them you are going to hang up and call them back. If they start making excuses you should know there is a problem.
• [21:00] - If you get an email that has an emotional response, urgency, and something feels a little off or unusual pick up the phone and verify it.
• [21:44] - When working at home paranoia is your friend. Trust no one, admit nothing and make counter-accusations.
• [22:21] - Make sure all software, operating systems and anything you are running is up to date. Check your support pieces like Adobe and Java.
• [23:49] - When using Zoom or online teleconferencing programs set the additional passcode every time you do a conference meeting. You should also review everyone on the call. If there is an attendee you do not know you can knock them out of the call.
• [25:17] - When taking a picture of your workspace, be conscious of what people can see on your screen and in the background.
• [26:16] - Assume that your video camera is on and always dress appropriately for online videos.

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

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In this day and age, we are experiencing knowledge overload. There is information everywhere on the internet and social media. Add in the changes and hoaxes we are seeing pop up with the Coronavirus and it is harder than ever to decipher the truth. How do we research and check out this overload of information? In this episode, Alex and I talk about many strategies you can use to be more aware and make the best decisions for yourself and your family.

Snopes.com is a great resource for fact-checking information you receive. Snopes.com does the research, cites its sources, and encourages you to do your own research. Alex shares the history of Snopes.com and how the mission and company have grown into the information giant it is today.

Alex Kasprak is a science writer and investigative journalist at Snopes. Before joining Snopes, he wrote about science at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and at BuzzFeed. His work has been featured in The Atlantic, Motherboard, New Scientist, and other venues. These days, his work generally centers around scientific misinformation and long-term investigative projects.

Alex's scientific background is in geological sciences. He has a master's degree from Brown University, where his work focused on reconstructing environmental changes during a major mass extinction event by extracting molecular clues trapped in 200 million-year-old rocks. This research was published in the journal Geology in April 2015.

In addition, Alex has a master's degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. An adapted version of his Hopkins thesis essay was published online at The Atlantic under the title "The Desert Rock That Feeds the World" in November 2016.

When misinformation obscures the truth and readers don't know what to trust, Snopes.com's fact-checking and original, investigative reporting lights the way to evidence-based and contextualized analysis. We always document our sources so readers are empowered to do independent research and make up their own minds.

Show Notes:

• [01:25] - Snopes has been around since 1994. It started as part of the Usenet Group dedicated to urban legends.
• [01:39] - David Mikkelson and his wife Barbara spun it off into Snopes.com.
• [02:04] - Now Snopes deals with social media misinformation, political stuff, and also investigative work. The mission and the size of the staff have grown over time.
• [03:46] - Social media allows information to travel much faster than it used to through emails and other things. The tactics are always changing how misinformation gets around.
• [04:40] - The most popular and most shared hoax on Snopes is the claim that posting something on your Facebook wall will legally prevent Facebook from using your material.
• [06:39] - The underlying theme to most any conspiracy based hoax is that the government doesn't want us to know this and is hiding it from us.
• [08:52] - They often claim that the people debunking the myths are in cahoots with the people that are propagating the truth.
• [09:22] - Hoaxes are designed to trick someone and are generally viral.
• [09:53] - If a story feels too perfect for your personal or political viewpoints it is probably because someone is directly targeting you with that message.
• [10:25] - The first thing to ask is does this seem too good to be true.
• [11:20] - You can double-check most visual hoaxes by doing a reverse image search.
• [13:49] - Different hoaxes target different demographics.
• [13:53] - In general studies have suggested that older Americans are much more susceptible to online fake news than younger generations.
• [15:46] - Political misinformation is typically targeted at making the other side look bad or your side look good. It doesn't have a strong demographic component.
• [17:46] - The motives for hoaxes can range anywhere from trying to be funny to financial motives.
• [18:41] - Financial motives are the most common motivator for intentional misinformation.
• [19:21] - Genuine innocent spreader heard something from somebody they thought was reliable and they shared it. It was wrong, but it went viral.
• [22:08] - One outlandish hoax about the Coronavirus is the notion that holding your breath for 10 seconds can diagnose it. This is the most ridiculous scientific claim Alex has heard. It defies logic that that would be a scientific test.
• [23:02] - Be careful of self-check and cure claims surrounding the Coronavirus. Another claim that sipping water every 15 minutes can cure the Coronavirus. Hydration is important, but you can not wash the virus down into your digestive tract to be destroyed.
• [25:41] - When there are medical claims we have to be really careful not to follow the advice of people that are not physicians, doctors or people that don't know our existing medical conditions and situations. Don't take random advice.
• [27:01] - Make sure to only read reputable sources like trusted news sources and governmental agencies.
• [29:23] - In times of uncertainty we have to just take a step back, not share much, and accept the uncertainty and realize that if someone is reporting something with certainty at that time they are probably misinformed.
• [30:01] With COVID-19 we are living in that uncertainty and doubt right now. Take a deep breath and don't react out of haste.
• [30:48] In crisis situations it is best to just not share information. Even a good intention to share information that comes without a named source doesn't need to be shared and can often make the situation worse.
• [31:20] Snopes.com is a credible news organization that you can check for information.
• [32:44] Snopes suggests you take the argument they have presented and check it out for yourself.

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

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With the worldwide virus pandemic, we are seeing things on Facebook, Twitter and in our email multiple times a day already. We are focused on remaining vigilant so we don't contract the virus, but we also need to become vigilant so that we don't become victims of the various cons, schemes, and scams that are already starting to surface.

During uncertain times we often see scams on a personal level, business level, and national geopolitical level. It is important to be informed so that we can be protected in all areas.

Frank Figliuzzi is the former Assistant Director for Counterintelligence at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Figliuzzi was previously the Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cleveland Division which includes all of northern Ohio, and the major cities of Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown, Akron, and Canton. Following his FBI service, Figliuzzi joined General Electric and served for five years as Assistant Chief Security Officer for investigations, insider threat, workplace violence prevention, and special event security for GE's 300,000 employees in 180 countries. Figliuzzi is currently a frequent National Security Contributor for NBC and MSNBC News.

A national pandemic is a target-rich opportunity for cons, schemes, and scams. We have to make ourselves harder targets for the bad guys. It is really important that we don't do things out of panic without researching, talking to people and seeking the right advice from the right people.

What do we need to be looking for in an uncertain time to avoid being a victim of a scam or scheme? Listen in as Frank and I discuss warning signs to look for and trusted resources you can turn in this very uncertain time.

Show Notes:

• [00:55] - We are all so squirrely focused on remaining vigilant so we don't contract the virus, but I'm here with a slightly different message which is that we have got to become vigilant so that we don't become victims during the virus of various cons, schemes, and scams that are already starting to surface.
• [02:15] - When you see something that doesn't look or sound right go ahead and research it, find out if it's wrong, and if it is wrong politely post your research.
• [02:52] - Frank puts these scams in three different buckets. There are scams for coronavirus on the personal level, business level, and national and geopolitical level.
• [04:01] - It is really important that we don't do things out of panic without researching, talking to people and seeking the right advice from the right people.
• [04:48] - We have got to look out for each other on this. If you have elderly family or neighbors we have to pay extra attention to them.
• [05:36] - If it is too good to be true, it's not true. Trust your gut! Run it by 2 or 3 other people that you trust.
• [06:53] - When it comes to charities, Frank's advice is to stick with the well-established charities that you already donate to. Charity Navigator will do the vetting for you.
• [8:13] - If anybody is asking for your money or your personal identifiers right up front the alarm bells should go off.
• [9:58] - Many businesses are not equipped from a cybersecurity perspective to deal with work from home.
• [10:34] - We are going to see a huge increase in accounts payable fraud.
• [11:51] - Get your IT people together and pay now for the increased security or you're going to pay later. Maybe some sensitive functions should not be functioning at home.
• [13:00] - Testing is a great thing to do before you launch into massive work from home.
• [13:28] - If looking for work from home options watch out for the too good to be true. Always check out the opportunities and do your research.
• [15:16] - Test first before you start producing products remotely and make sure that it can't be interfered with.
• [17:03] - With the government stimulus package coming out we will likely see emails pop up asking for your social security, date of birth, and address which is identity fraud.
• [18:31] - Don't fall for people reaching out to you by phone, e-mail, and snail-mail. Go to a government site for the information.
• [19:26] - The government will not call you. You can verify through their websites and the official numbers.
• [19:38] - Share this information about possible scams with your grandparents, parents, and adult young children to protect them.
• [20:56] - We are in a polarized society. So far it has been political polarization.
• [21:22] - The fear is that we will move from political polarization to polarized responses to a pandemic and that can be very dangerous.
• [22:15] - There is also a foreign influence to try and polarize us.
• [23:14] - Do not be afraid to block and report anything that comes across your screen that looks like it is dangerous propaganda.
• [23:43] - When there is something really scary that we don't understand, it is a lot easier to blame something that we can identify than to recognize there is nothing we can do about the situation and we just have to wait.
• [24:15] - Humans want simple solutions to the scariest, most complicated problems. We want to embrace the hopeful and simple.
• [25:14] When you click on something that offers you that simple explanation or solution you are probably making a mistake.
• [25:21] This is one of those situations where you have emotions, urgency, panic, health and fear on a worldwide scale all rolled up together. It is the ultimate opportunity for scam artists.
• [26:07] Three trusted websites are Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and John Hopkins University. You should also consult the Department of Health from your state and county.

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

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Many of us love traveling, but safety and security are usually a concern in the back of our minds especially if we are traveling with our family. So how do we stay safe and secure when we are traveling? J. teaches us what red flags to look for when reserving and staying with Airbnb. With a few extra steps any problem can often be prevented and in turn, keep you safer and more secure. If you have thought about operating your own Airbnb tune in to find out what you need to be on the lookout for, how to be a responsive host and tools that J. offers to help you succeed.

Massey is a full-time Real Estate Investor, Entrepreneur, Popular Podcast Host, Author, Speaker, Coach & All-Around Problem Solver. Cashflow Diary is a short-term rental hospitality training company. We show people how to build their own short-term rental business (without needing to buy or own any property) so they can thrive financially. Heralded as the most advanced short-term rental training in the industry, Cashflow Diary enjoys creating content and communities that are solely focused on developing individuals into powerful business owners. Founded by J. Massey, Cashflow Diary exists to create short-term rental entrepreneurs. No matter your passion, he believes that running a hospitality business will change people's lives…

Prior to entering the sharing economy, J. taught real estate strategies based on his years of experience. He owned hundreds of units, raised tens of millions of dollars, and even owned cell phone towers. He was all but "retired" at the age of 38 when one of his students asked what he knew about short-term rentals – the answer at the time was, "not very much." He started looking into the model and was astounded at the opportunities it presented. J. now runs a 34 unit short-term rental business, and they create more profit faster than any other strategy he has seen before. That means that you too will now have a business that creates more profits to invest into whatever is most important to you—your family, your business, your future, and your community.

The bottom line is that because short-term rental businesses provide a financial safety net, you can take more risks, develop advanced business skills, and do more of what you're passionate about.

Show Notes:

• [00:35] - Chris shares an article from Allie Conti about her Airbnb problems and struggles.
• [03:06] - As Allie digs into this particular host and their listings she finds out that this listing is actually being rented out by multiple people.
• [04:18] - Common scams the renter is at risk of with Airbnb.
• [04:38] - If you don't know what you don't know you wouldn't know that you have an opportunity to discover this ahead of time.
• [05:05] - The number one concern of people is safety and security.
• [06:59] - Message the host right after the check out time the day you plan to arrive so they have a chance to respond to your inquiry. Tell them when you are planning to arrive and ask if everything will be ready for your arrival.
• [07:37] - If you don't get a response then you would call and involve Airbnb directly.
• [10:00] - Usually if you contact the renter by 12:30 PM they will know if something needs to be replaced or if they need longer for a maintenance issue.
• [11:09] - Hosts that are less communicative and responsive to their listings get pushed down in the search results. Those who are more responsive are more likely to have their search results near the top.
• [11:39] - Keep your conversations inside the Airbnb platform.
• [14:20] - If the host needs to move you ask for a link to the listing. It needs to be on the Airbnb platform that you made your original reservation on. Then you can verify it with Airbnb.
• [16:44] - Most plumbing issues can not be resolved in one day.
• [17:39] - Every listing can have a unique cancellation policy.
• [20:20] - On the operators' side there is a predictable pattern to those who have less than honest intentions.
• [21:33] - If the property is substantially different when you arrive, you have to document the differences with pictures and videos and contact Airbnb.
• [23:08] - If you know your arrival time is late all these preventive measures are extremely important before the cutoff time which is usually around 10 PM.
• [23:43] - Read the listings. Don't just look at the photos.
• [24:21] - If you are suspicious of a place take a screenshot of any of the photos and do a Google image search. It will tell you if the image is used frequently.
• [26:57] - The biggest abuse for operators is with pet situations, but often they could suggest a better location for you and your pet.
• [27:56] - Hosts need to know how many people are actually staying on the property for safety and security purposes.
• [30:48] - Hosts know what bed bugs look like. Renters will try to submit blurry photos of insects.
• [33:39] - It is very common to say I couldn't get in or I never stayed at a property. Then the operator has to prove you stayed there with electronic door locks, key codes and other expert features.
• [34:14] - If hosts know how to do proper screening checks on the front end most everything is preventable.
• [37:02] - If you calculate the dollar per night per square foot of your hotel room, you will see how much you are paying for how little you are getting in exchange.
• [37:31] When you choose to stay at a hotel you are choosing to eat out which is an additional cost.
• [38:04] With Airbnb properties you often have a full kitchen or at least a kitchenette.
• [39:27] The demand for a different experience is high.
• [40:11] J. has a tool on his website to figure out how many units you need to have to retire.

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
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• Cashflow Diary Podcast
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• J. Massey on LinkedIn
• J. Massey on Twitter
• J. Massey on Pinterest
• J. Massey on YouTube
• Allie Conti's Article
• How Many Units do You Need to Retire

Have you ever been the victim of an email scam? Business Email Compromise is a type of scam where scammers focus on businesses that conduct wire transfers and work with suppliers abroad. There are many things businesses and consumers can be on the lookout for to avoid falling into these email traps. Learn how to protect your information and money from these cyber attacks with Steve's practical advice.

Steve Weisman is a nationally recognized expert in scams, identity theft and cybersecurity as well as a lawyer, college professor and prolific author. In his informative speeches, articles, and books Steve makes difficult subjects such as cybersecurity, scams and identity theft not only understandable but enjoyable with the humor he brings to these complex issues.

Steve Weisman is a lawyer, admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He is a college professor at Bentley University where he teaches "White Collar Crime." He was awarded the Gregory H. Adamian Award, Bentley University's highest award for teaching excellence.

He is the author of more than ten books including The Truth About Avoiding Scams named by Smart Money Magazine as one of the ten best money books of the year. He has been awarded a Certificate of Merit for excellence in legal journalism by the American Bar Association. He has been a columnist for USA Today, Bankrate.com, the American Institute of Economic Research and the Saturday Evening Post. He has appeared throughout the media as an expert on scams, identity theft and cybersecurity including appearances on ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS CNBC, MSNBC, NECN NewsMax and Fox. He also has been featured on the Dr. Phil Show. He has been quoted throughout the print media including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Money Magazine and Forbes. He is a sought after public speaker with numerous appearances throughout the country.