Inside the Mind of a Fraudster

Host:

• Woody Talcove, CEO, LexisNexis Risk Solutions Government

Guest:

• Chris Hanson, Host Takedown with Chris Hansen & Cofounder TruBlu

What makes someone cross the line from deception to exploitation? And what can decades spent confronting predators teach us about recognizing the threat before someone becomes a victim?

In this powerful episode of FraudKast, Woody Talcove sits down with veteran investigative journalist Chris Hansen, who says he has confronted more than 500 predators over his career, for a candid look at how predators think, how their tactics have evolved and why they continue to find new ways to exploit vulnerability.

From romance scams built on a fabricated relationship to risks emerging through online gaming platforms, their conversation shows how very different forms of deception can begin in the same place: finding vulnerability, building confidence and exploiting it. Hansen draws a direct parallel between the predator and the scammer, saying both know how to sense vulnerability. He also discusses his reporting on the risks of people being approached within online gaming environments. The technology has changed. The tactics have evolved. But the search for vulnerability hasn’t.