Let's Talk About Scams
“Let’s Talk About Scams” is the must-listen show for anyone who wants to protect themselves and their loved ones from scams. Host, Joyce Petrowski, and her guests will provide valuable insights and practical tips on how recognize and protect yourself from scams.Scams can have devastating financial, emotional, and psychological consequences. Each week you will gain insights on scam awareness and tips and tools on how to protect yourself and your loved ones.Let’s Talk About Scams is broadcast live Tuesdays at 8AM PT on K4HD Radio – Hollywood Talk Radio (www.k4hd.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www...
Episodes
Global Crisis of Pig Butchering Scams
Pig butchering scams - we have talked about them before, and it is worth talking about again. Join us as we talk with our guest, Erin West, a globally recognized speaker, and educator specializing organized crime, with a focus on the crimin…
Martin Hellmer - retired FBI Special Agent
What do you do if you have been the victim of an internet related scam? Who should you call? Can you get your money back? We will be talking with retired FBI agent Martin Hellmer about his experiences investigating scams and he will share a…
Phishing and smishing continue to be a problem
It is time to talk about “phishing” because a friend recently fell for a phishing scheme. The email, which appeared to come from his cable company, claimed that the method of payment was rejected. And while we are at it, let’s talk about “s…
Sometimes we have to intervene
What would you do if you overheard a phone conversation that sounded like the person was being scammed? Last year, I accompanied my mother to an appointment at her doctor’s office. I overheard a gentleman sitting across me making a phone ca…
When in doubt, call your friend
What would you do if a friend sent you an email asking if you would be willing to buy them a gift card? For most of us, our default reaction would be to say yes and help out our friend. Because most of us are generally nice folks, we are pr…
Don't panic when your computer wails
Recently, I was about to start a fraud prevention presentation when my mom called to tell me she was having some computer issues. I drove over to her place. Upon arrival, her computer had a pop-up on the screen that made her computer inoper…
Five signs you are being scammed
This week, we will share top five telltale signs you are being scammed.• Someone you don’t know is calling you incessantly and creating a sense of panic.• Someone is telling you not to talk to anyone else.• If you are at your bank withdrawi…
Scams Broken Down Into Three Parts - Anatomy of a Scam
We discussed this four months ago and it is worth revisiting, our Anatomy of a Scam Infographic where we discuss the three parts of a scam.We have some examples of scams that we will break down using the Anatomy of a Scam. Tune in to see if…
Scammers Don't Leave Voicemails, Or Do They?
Last week Brian Watson talked about phone scams and it is okay to hang up. Something we hear a lot is - I do not answer the phone unless I know who it is as scammers do not leave voicemails. Or do they?We are starting to hear from people th…
It’s OK to hang up on scammers
I like to show a photo of a yellow rotary dial phone circa 1980. I ask my audience to raise their hand if they ever had a similar phone. After I show the photo of the phone, I always ask “what did we do when that phone rang?” The standard r…
What in the world is pig butchering?
Pig Butchering Romance ScamsLet’s Talk About Scams is broadcast live Tuesdays at 8AM PT on K4HD Radio - Hollywood Talk Radio (www.k4hd.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Let’s Ta…
Data Breaches and Scammers Go Together
Data breaches give scammers a chance to orchestrate social engineering attacks against unsuspecting victims. The data can be purchased in bulk, and is then used by scammers as a token of credibility to gain trust.Several different types of …
We All Make Mistakes - How to Determine the Safety of a Website Take 2
We all make mistakes, and last week I made a mistake with sharing my screen. So, here is a redo on how to determine the safety of a website.Last week you saw my notes for the episode and today you will see how I use R.O.S.E.'s website to sh…
How To Determine The Safety of a Website
Last week we discussed a few of the scams that had a profound effect in 2024 on the 60+ year old population in the United States. The type of crime that had the most impact on this population, with almost 195,000 victims, is phishing/spoofi…
Investment & Tech Support Scams - Top 2 Scams in 2024 Losses for Older Adults
The last two weeks we talked about the 2024 FBI IC3 report and the related statistics in addition to how scams have evolved over the years.In this episode we are going to dive into the top two scams with the most amount of losses in 2024 fo…
“We’re Not Dealing with Your Father’s Scammers Anymore”
Scams have changed so much over the past 20 years. Scammers are no longer lone wolves, but part of organized criminal gangs that will take everything you have. They are truly ruthless financial predators.Let’s Talk About Scams is broadcast …
FBI's IC3 2024 Statistics - Not Good!
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center 2024 annual report is out. The statistics are not good and going in the wrong direction. Losses increased by 33% in the United States and 43% increase in losses with the 60+ year old population.Tune i…
FBI PSA: FBI Warns of Scammers Impersonating the IC3
New FBI Public Service Announcement on April 18, 20205. Criminal scammers are impersonating the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) employees. Almost all the reports filed reflect that the scammer claims to have recovered the victim's…
IRS Identity Protection Pin, Why Should I Have One?
Today is tax day! Do you have your IRS IP Pin? Do you know what an IRS IP Pin is?Joyce will discuss her experience with tax related identity theft when someone filed a tax return in her name and social security number. A six digit IP Pin co…
USB Cables - How to Know if They Have Malicious Hardware
We all use USB cables for charging and data transfer. How do you know if the USB cable you have is good or does it have malicious hacker hardware?Tune in to learn the signs that a USB cable has malicious hacker hardware, how to protect your…
Antivirus, Malware, and EDR - Part 2 - How AI Affects These Protections
Lynn is back for Antivirus, Malware, and EDR - Part 2 - How Artificial Intelligence Affects These Protections. Tune in to learn how AI can affect these protection tools.These cyber-criminals are working overtime to bypass these protections.…
Antivirus, Malware, and EDR - not just for your desktop.
Antivirus, malware and EDR are not just for your desktop. It is important to have this on all of your devices, including your mobile phone. How easy is it to accidentally click on a malicious link on your mobile phone? Very easy!Joyce and L…
Pig Butchering Scam & Persuasive Psychological Techniques
Joyce talks with Dr. Martina Dove about Pig Butchering Scam and persuasive psychological techniques. Learn how scammers conversations elicit commitment and consistency by using social norms and visceral influence to their advantage.Dr. Mart…
Text Messages and Phishing Scams
How many text messages do you get in a day? We are all busy with life and text messages add to this. We are deep into work, your phone pings, we immediately look at the text.The message seems official and has a sense of urgency. We click on…
Are you on Social Media? Tune in to learn about Scams on Facebook
Are you on social media? Scammers are on social media too hijacking and cloning accounts wanting to be your friend. Sometimes it is hard to tell if the friend request is a real account or a scammer's account.In this episode we talk about di…
Fraudulent Tax Returns and How to Protect Yourself
Has someone filed a tax return in your name? What a mess!Joyce talks about her current experience with a fraudulent tax return filed in her name and social security number. The process she is going through and how long it could take to reso…
Impersonating Publisher's Clearing House - A Real Life Example
Scammers love to impersonate Publisher's Clearing House and a lot of other well known companies. This week Joyce is talking with Brian Watson, Community Outreach Specialist with R.O.S.E., who shares a real life experience of someone he met …
Anatomy of a Scam
In this episode, Joyce will breakdown scams into three different parts using the Anatomy of a Scam Infographic.There are so many scams out there and scammers are constantly changing their tactics and techniques which makes it very difficult…
Unmasking Puppy Scams: Protect Yourself Online
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources / Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, explores the troubling world of puppy scams with insights from cybersecurity expert Jim Stickley. Joyce share…
The Role of NASM in Senior Move Management
In this episode of "Let's Talk About Scams," host Joyce Petrowski welcomes Zachary from Riavanti, a senior move management company. Zachary provides valuable insights into the role of senior move managers, explaining how they assist seniors…
Safeguard Your Move: Insights from a Moving Industry Pro
In this episode of "Let's Talk About Scams," host Joyce Petrowski welcomes George Phillips, the business development manager at Just-In Time Moving (jitmoving.com) and a member of the Arizona Movers Association. George shares valuable insig…
Unpacking Home Health vs. Home Care: What You Need to Know
In this episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Rose Resources / Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, welcomes Laurel Smith, a seasoned professional in the senior care industry, to discuss the difference…
Data Breaches and Fraud Prevention: Essential Tips
In this episode of "Let's Talk About Scams," host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Rose Resources / Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, discusses recent scams targeting consumers, including the significant Ticketmaster data breach that c…
The Hidden Dangers of Bluetooth: What You Need to Know
Welcome to another episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” hosted by Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources / Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly. In this episode, Joyce discusses the alarming rise of Bluetooth-related scams with Paige H…
Connie's Story: From McAfee Alert to Financial Nightmare
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources / Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, welcomes Connie, a recent victim of a tech support scam. Connie shares her harrowing experience of how she wa…
Behind the Scam: Understanding Money Mules
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, dives deep into the alarming world of romance scams, focusing on a tragic case highlighted in CBS Evening News'…
Scammed: A Deep Dive into Government Impersonation Frauds
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, takes us through a harrowing impersonation scam story shared by Sonny, whose wife became a victim of scammers s…
How to Shield Your Tax Returns from Scammers
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, dives deep into the IRS Identity Protection PIN—a powerful tool in the fight against tax-related fraud. With fr…
Close Call: Unraveling a Pig Butchering Scam
This episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, sits down with Steve, who shares his near-miss experience with a scam called "pig butchering", which lures vict…
The Hidden Costs of Scams: Beyond the Financial Loss
On this episode of “Let’s Talk About Scams,” host Joyce Petrowski, founder of R.O.S.E. Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly, exposes the latest scams targeting the elderly. From the classic Reader's Digest sweepstake scams to the mor…