What The Fraud?

“Imagine a campus with 35 buildings, but they are all for the purpose of scamming. It was a walled in, locked down facility where hundreds, thousands of people were in the business of scamming people all over the world.”Pig Butchering scams have become some of the most lucrative online frauds around. These are highly organized, emotionally manipulative schemes where victims are tricked into handing over life savings, often after forming fake romantic relationships with their scammers. Since 2020, more than 75 billion dollars could have been stolen from victims worldwide.On this week’s episode we hear from someone on the frontline investigating and shutting down these pig butchering scams. She’s seen the inside of scam factories to show us exactly how they carry out their lucrative crimes. Our guest, Erin West spent 26 years as a Deputy District Attorney and carried investigations into cryptocurrency-enabled crimes, SIM-swapping, and digital financial fraud. Now, as the President of the anti-fraud initiative Operation Shamrock, Erin is on a mission to unite the global community—law enforcement, crypto platforms, NGOs—to expose, disrupt, and shut down these fraud networks for good. Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub’s What The Fraud Summit: https://sumsub.com/wtf-summit/ Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Erin West on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinnordbywest

“99% of employees are good employees - it’s the 1% that hurts” When we talk about the risk of fraud to a business, it doesn’t always come from hackers or outsiders - it often starts inside the building. Insider attacks can cost companies a lot. In 2024, the average cost of an insider attack was 17.4 million dollars, but there’s also a cost in trust and reputation. In this episode, we’re diving into insider fraud with Marc Evans the founder of Fraud Hero. He’s a Certified Fraud Examiner, law enforcement officer, and a seasoned ally in the battle against fraud, with over a decade of experience investigating fraud and financial crimes.We explore how to build the company culture and the secure internal systems to protect the bottom line without killing trust.Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub’s What The Fraud Summit: https://sumsub.com/wtf-summit/Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Marc Evans on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fraudheromarc

“I think from a prevention perspective, a little friction at the beginning is not necessarily a bad thing.” Real-time payments have become the bedrock of modern life. Whether you’re splitting dinner or closing a corporate buyout, money now moves instantly—and irreversibly. But that convenience comes with a new tangle of risks: fraud, liability, and the shrinking window to react.In this episode of What The Fraud?, we sit down with Arthur Bedel—Global Director of Revenue at VGS, fintech advisor, and Co-founder of Connecting the Dots in Payments. He shares where real-time payments are headed, the biggest fraud trends he's seeing globally, and why a bit of friction might just be our best defense.We dive into real-world case studies, regional differences in adoption, and what financial institutions need to do now to stay ahead of the fraud curve.Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub’s What The Fraud Summit: https://sumsub.link/caj Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Arthur Bedel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-bedel 

“If cybercrime were a country today, it would have the third largest economy on the planet.” Fraud is no longer just a crime - it has become a global business with software at its heart. With Fraud-as-a-Service (FaaS), anyone can access cybercrime tools online, no technical skills required, and at a fraction of the price.In this episode, we’re joined by Brett Johnson, one of the early pioneers in digital fraud. He’s a poacher turned gamekeeper who set up one of the world’s biggest hacking communities—Shadowcrew. After spending time in prison, he now works with businesses across the globe and uses his experience and insight into this world to help keep them safe. We’ll hear about how FaaS transforms cybercrime, what keeps him up at night, and how we can protect ourselves against it. Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub’s Identity Fraud report 2024/25: https://sumsub.com/guides-reports/identity-fraud-report-2024-2025/ Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Brett Johnson on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gollumfun/ 

“You’ve got organized hacks, and it's getting harder and harder to know what you're clicking on, if that's real or not.”Crypto is at a tipping point, and while demand is growing, fraud is up 48%, regulations are tightening, and user expectations are shifting.In the past year alone, over $2.2 billion has been lost due to hacks of crypto exchanges. And crypto crime isn’t just happening online—earlier this year, David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped in Paris with a ransom demand.In this episode, Thomas is joined by Erica Stanford, a crypto advisor and best-selling author, to find out how you can protect yourself and stay ahead in this rapidly evolving sector.Sumsub's State of the Crypto Industry 2025 Report: https://sumsub.link/ujj Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Erica Stanford on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ericastanford/

“Your intuition is designed to make you comfortable, not necessarily correct.”  In this season finale of What The Fraud?, we’re looking ahead to the year that could define the future of fraud prevention.  Sharing his predictions with Thomas is Paul Maskall, Behavioural Lead for UK Finance and the City of London Police, and a key strategist at the Economic and Cyber Police Headquarters. With a background in psychology, Paul reveals how our relationship with technology is creating new vulnerabilities, amplifying risks, and changing the way we communicate. He also breaks down the behavioural science behind fraud and cybercrime, offering crucial insights on how businesses can fight back.  Whether you’re a global corporation or a small startup, Paul outlines the three must-do priorities to build resilience and stay ahead of the curve in 2025.  Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Paul Maskall on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paul-maskall-309236121/

"Why are we trying to change the 3% of people who stammer in the UK? Why aren’t we educating the 97% of people who don’t?” Fraud isn’t victimless — it’s a powerful engine for bias, hitting marginalised communities hardest and driving inequality. In this episode, Claire Maillet joins Thomas to uncover how fraud fuels digital-age discrimination and what stakeholders can do to fight back. Claire is an award-winning fraud expert, PhD researcher, and advocate for disability and mental health awareness. Claire regularly speaks about the impact of speech impediments on counter fraud controls as someone that comes at it from both sides — a customer who stammers, and a counter-fraud professional working in the financial services.  Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/sumsub Sumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Claire Maillet on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clairemaillet 

"We don’t treat fraud as importantly as money laundering.”   Who should be responsible for preventing and addressing fraud in the digital age? This is what Thomas is exploring today with Jessica Cath, Financial Crime Partner at Thistle Initiatives, a compliance consultancy firm supporting regulated businesses.  As fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, its impact extends far beyond individual victims, posing challenges for businesses, governments, and society. Jessica’s sharp insights into what works, what doesn’t, and the must-have tools to stay ahead of fraudsters make her a brilliant guest in dissecting this very important topic.  Sumsub's website: sumsub.com  Sumsub's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sumsubSumsub's Facebook: facebook.com/sumsub Sumsub's Instagram: facebook.com/sumsubcom Sumsub's YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@sumsubcom  Thomas Taraniuk on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tomtaraniuk  Jessica Cath on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-cath/