Easy Prey Podcast

16/07/2025

Tricked by Followers and Badges

What if your social media success was built on deception, and it was working? In today’s episode, we hear from someone who knows exactly how that happens. Tim O’Hearn is a former software engineer and the author of Framed: A Villain’s Perspective on Social Media, a book that pulls back the curtain on how follower factories, automation, and persuasive technologies have shaped the online world we now take for granted. Tim doesn’t just theorize, he built these systems himself.

Tim walks us through how his small side gig growing Instagram accounts evolved into a lucrative business, one that constantly navigated the blurry line between innovation and breaking platform rules. He opens up about the clever strategies he used to avoid detection and psychological hooks that made these methods so effective, as we explore the deeper consequences of social media’s addictive nature.

We’ll also explore the hidden risks businesses and individuals face when they obsess over metrics and follower counts instead of genuine connections, and why most people don’t even realize they're caught up in this trap. Whether you're running a business, casually browsing, or just trying to figure out the complicated world of online attention, this conversation will give you a rare peek behind the curtain. And as you’ll find out, stepping away from it all might not be as straightforward as you'd think.

Whether you're running a business, casually browsing, or just trying to figure out the complicated world of online attention, this conversation will give you a rare peek behind the curtain.

14/07/2025

Tech evolves faster than aircraft or medicine, but lack of regulation has led to a corporate dystopia. Unchecked monopolies wield too much power, harming society. Discover why we need agile tools to balance corporate control.

09/07/2025

Only 10 Seconds to Expose a Scam

What if you could stop a scam in real-time before the damage is done? In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Stapleton, an investigative journalist and the face behind Scam Interceptors, the BAFTA award-winning BBC series that exposes online fraud and steps in to protect victims as scams unfold.

Nick brings a decade of undercover documentary experience to his current mission: fighting digital deception and empowering everyday people to stay safe. He shares jaw-dropping stories from the front lines, including the near miss that almost caught him off guard, and breaks down the complex operations behind everything from romance scams to global scam compounds.

As the author of How to Beat Scammers, Nick also gives practical advice on how to recognize red flags and build your own defense against a rising tide of fraud.

What if you could stop a scam in real-time before the damage is done? In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Stapleton, an investigative journalist and the face behind Scam Interceptors, the BAFTA award-winning BBC series that exposes online fraud and steps in to protect victims as scams unfold.

08/07/2025

to January 10, 2024 Episode 202

How Minds Change with David McRaney

There are times we can answer a question without much thought. If we were to examine the reasons why we gave the answer, would we change our response? Today’s guest is David McRaney. David is a journalist, author, and lecturer fascinated with brains, minds, and culture. He has created a blog, book, and ongoing podcast entitled You Are Not So Smart which is about self-delusion. His most recent book, How Minds Change, is all about the science behind how and why people do and do not change their mind and the intricacies and nuances of persuasion.

On today’s episode, Chris speaks with David McRaney, journalist, lecturer, and author of the recent book How Minds Change.

07/07/2025

SIM Swapping: The Hack That Steals Your Crypto Overnight
Discover the devastating impact of SIM swapping, where hackers hijack your phone, social media, and cryptocurrency accounts while you sleep. Victims, often in their 50s, face mental anguish and financial ruin, losing their life savings with little chance to recover.

07/07/2025

02/07/2025

Gambling, Lies, and Millions Stolen from Celebrities

What happens when the drive to succeed masks deep emotional wounds and addiction? In this episode, Jonathan Schwartz shares a powerful and painfully honest account of how his life unraveled.

Once one of Hollywood’s most trusted financial advisors, Jonathan worked with icons like Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. On the surface, he had it all. But underneath the success was a secret struggle with gambling and drug addiction that led him to steal millions from the very clients who trusted him most.

His fall from grace was dramatic and public, ending in a prison sentence and the loss of everything he had built. But that wasn’t the end of his story. Today, Jonathan is sober and rebuilding his life with purpose. As Program Director at Altus Rehab, he now helps others find their own way out of addiction and shame. His story is raw, real, and full of hard-earned wisdom for anyone who has ever felt like they couldn’t ask for help.

What happens when the drive to succeed masks deep emotional wounds and addiction? In this episode, Jonathan Schwartz shares a powerful and painfully honest account of how his life unraveled.

01/07/2025

to January 3, 2024

The Intersection of Technology and Domestic Violence with Audace Garnett

The advent of technology has created both advantages and challenges for people trying to protect themselves from harmful situations. Being aware of the capabilities of the technology around us, the data that can be collected, and how it can be accessed can lead us to being physically safer.

Today’s guest is Audace Garnett. Audace provides assistance nationally and internationally supporting crime victims and domestic violence survivor organizations. She worked at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office where she served as Teen Services Coordinator in the Victim Services Unit. She is currently a Technology Safety Project Manager with Safety Net at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, where she focuses specifically on the intersection between domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and technology.

The advent of technology has created both advantages and challenges for people trying to protect themselves from harmful situations. Today’s guest is Audace Garnett.

25/06/2025

Human Side of Fraud: Empathy, Education, & Evolution

People used to think fraud was something that happened in the shadows, rare, distant, and mostly affecting big companies. But after talking to PJ Rohall, it’s clear that fraud is evolving fast, and it’s showing up in places most of us don’t even think to look.

In this episode, I sit down with PJ Rohall, Head of Fraud Strategy and Education at SEON and co-founder of About Fraud. PJ’s work is all about staying ahead of scammers and helping businesses and individuals understand how fraud actually works. From synthetic identities and AI-powered scams to account takeovers and refund fraud, he breaks it all down in a way that’s both eye-opening and surprisingly accessible.

We talk about how fraudsters think, what makes people vulnerable, and why collaboration is one of the best defenses we have. PJ shares practical tips, real-world examples, and some of the patterns he’s seeing that everyone should be aware of. Whether you run a business or just want to better protect yourself online, this conversation might change the way you think about trust, technology, and the digital world we live in.

People used to think fraud was something that happened in the shadows, rare, distant, and mostly affecting big companies. But after talking to PJ Rohall, it’s clear that fraud is evolving fast, and it’s showing up in places most of us don’t even think to look.

24/06/2025

to December 27, 2023 to Episode 200

4 Ways to Reduce Cybercrime with Roger Grimes

Social engineering has become so creative and clever with the ways scammers are trying to infiltrate your world. AI and deep fakes are only going to make things worse. Over the past 30 years, fighting viruses and malware has only increased with no end in sight. Today’s guest is Roger Grimes.
Roger is a Data-Driven Defense Evangelist for KnowBe4. He is a 34-year computer security expert and an author of 14 books and over 1,300 articles on computer security.

Today’s guest is Roger Grimes. Roger is a Data-Driven Defense Evangelist for KnowBe4, author, and computer security expert.

23/06/2025

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