

Targeted, Tricked, and Tracked: The Modern Anatomy of Fraud
Jul 22, 2025
A shocking data breach at McDonald's exposed 64 million records, highlighting the dire need for strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Recent statistics reveal a 20% rise in credit card fraud losses, signaling a darker threat landscape. Hear the eye-opening firsthand experience of a fraud researcher who tracked his stolen identity's exploitation over time. The episode also shares a heartbreaking story of an imposter scam that drained a woman's retirement savings, illustrating the manipulative tactics scammers use to build trust.
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Default Passwords Cause Massive Breach
- The McDonald's data breach was caused by using default, easily guessable admin passwords like '123456'.
- Despite advanced cybersecurity tech, companies still fall victim to basic security failures like weak credentials.
Credit Card Fraud Loss Surge
- Gross fraud losses as a percentage of credit card sales rose over 20% in 15 months from the issuing bank side.
- This increase spans both first-party and third-party fraud, impacting merchants and issuers alike.
Elaborate FBI Imposter Scam
- Judith Boyvin was scammed over months by imposters posing as FBI agents, losing nearly $600,000.
- The scammers built trust by exploiting her compassion and used sophisticated tactics mimicking real officials.