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Easy Prey

Easy Prey

By: Chris Parker
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Chris Parker, the founder of WhatIsMyIPAddress.com, interviews guests and tells real-life stories about topics to open your eyes to the danger and traps lurking in the real world, ranging from online scams and frauds to everyday situations where people are trying to take advantage of you—for their gain and your loss. Our goal is to educate and equip you, so you learn how to spot the warning signs of trouble, take quick action, and lower the risk of becoming a victim. Biographies & Memoirs Politics & Government True Crime
Episodes
  • Investment Traps

    Investment Traps
    May 13 2026
    Investment losses can be confusing because they do not always tell the whole story. Sometimes money is lost because the market has changed. Other times, an investor was sold something they did not understand, pushed into a product that was never appropriate, or denied the information they needed to make a real decision. Courtney Werning has built her career in that space, helping investors sort through what happened and whether someone can be held responsible. Courtney is a named partner at Meyer, Wilson, and Werning, a national investor protection firm that has recovered more than $350 million since 1999. She leads the firm's crypto investment fraud practice through CryptoCourt, serves on FINRA's National Arbitration and Mediation Committee, and is the incoming PIABA president. In this conversation, she explains the difference between a bad investment, misrepresentation, misconduct, Ponzi schemes, and the newer wave of crypto fraud that has become especially devastating for older investors. We also talk about the warning signs people often miss, from guaranteed returns and "secret" opportunities to unsolicited messages on social media, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Courtney shares why trusted contacts on brokerage accounts matter, how recovery scams target people who have already been defrauded, and why it is so important to verify lawyers, financial advisors, and investment opportunities before sending money anywhere. Show Notes: [00:57] Courtney Werning explains how she became an investor protection attorney and why representing regular investors against large Wall Street institutions has been such meaningful work.[03:29] Investment losses do not always mean misconduct occurred, but Courtney explains how negligence, misrepresentation, unsuitable recommendations, and outright fraud can create valid claims.[05:25] Misrepresentation often happens when investors are not given the material facts they need to understand risks, fees, liquidity issues, or the potential loss of principal.[07:19] Many investors don't know what they were missing until after a product fails and an attorney reviews what should have been disclosed.[09:22] Ponzi schemes continue to appear in many forms, using new investor money to pay earlier investors until the scheme eventually collapses.[12:01] Scammers build confidence by showing early returns, encouraging victims to invest more, and making the opportunity feel safe before the larger loss occurs.[14:44] Cryptocurrency fraud losses have climbed sharply, and Courtney explains why the reported numbers likely represent only part of the true scale.[17:03] Repeated scam playbooks, fake insider connections, AI tools, voice replication, and polished platforms make crypto fraud increasingly difficult to recognize.[19:54] A trusted contact on a brokerage account can give firms a way to alert someone the investor trusts when unusual activity or possible exploitation appears.[22:27] Trusted contacts work more like emergency contacts than account controllers, helping preserve independence while adding a layer of protection.[24:35] Once someone realizes they may have been defrauded, the first steps are shutting down the account, contacting law enforcement, and getting legal guidance.[27:29] Even if months or years have passed, some losses may still be recoverable, though quick reporting gives law enforcement the best chance of stopping funds.[30:06] Recovery scams prey on people who are already panicked, promising to trace or retrieve stolen crypto in exchange for more money.[31:29] Courtney shares the devastating case of a Modesto man who lost millions in a pig butchering scam and was later pressured with fake insider trading threats.[34:11] A trusted contact was listed on the victim's account, and Courtney believes a brief phone call to his wife could have prevented both the financial loss and the tragedy that followed.[36:39] Investor recovery cases are often handled on contingency, which means firms must evaluate whether litigation can realistically benefit the client.[39:12] Because the firm is selective about the cases it takes, Courtney says clients offered representation can usually feel confident there is a strong case.[40:18] Unsolicited messages on social media, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Instagram, or X should be treated with extreme skepticism, especially when investment opportunities are involved.[42:25] Hacked social media accounts can make scams appear to come from trusted local figures, friends, or family members.[44:06] Secret or exclusive investment opportunities that cannot be discussed openly are major red flags, especially if someone coaches the investor on what to say.[45:06] Courtney explains how to contact her firm, verify that an attorney is real through a state bar search, and check financial professionals through FINRA BrokerCheck. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Links and Resources: ...
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    47 mins
  • Elder Exploitation

    Elder Exploitation
    May 6 2026

    Aging parents often rely on the people closest to them for help, but what happens when that help becomes a way to take control? For Charles Wallace, the warning signs started small. His mother's fridge was suddenly overfilled. A caregiver refused to provide receipts. Spending patterns began to shift in ways that did not make sense. At the time, each concern could be explained away. Looking back, they were part of something much larger.

    Charles spent 15 years in banking and finance, and after his mother's death, he used that experience to reconstruct more than 3,000 transactions. What he found was a devastating pattern of elder financial abuse involving a professional caregiver, nearly a million dollars in losses, missing belongings, questionable legal changes, and systems that failed to respond when the red flags were already there.

    This conversation is both personal and practical. Charles shares the story behind his book, The Caregiver's Game, while also explaining what families can do differently when hiring caregivers, monitoring finances, protecting valuables, and watching for subtle signs of manipulation. It is a difficult story, but an important one for anyone with aging parents, vulnerable relatives, or concerns about how easily trust can be weaponized.

    Show Notes:
    • [01:06] Charles Wallace explains how his background in IT, project management, banking, healthcare, and application development later shaped the way he investigated his mother's case.
    • [04:23] A neurology appointment became a turning point when the caregiver observed the cognitive testing and likely understood the seriousness of the results.
    • [07:18] After his mother's death, the family learned about a new will and an annuity that could have paid the caregiver roughly half a million dollars.
    • [10:31] Looking back, Charles reflects on trusting the broker, CPA, and other professionals to watch out for his mother, not realizing how much could still slip through.
    • [12:49] Credit card activity told a larger story, with spending spreading across the county in ways that did not match his mother's habits.
    • [15:05] Over three years, the caregiver billed for 24-hour care, seven days a week, despite having no credentials.
    • [18:22] Once the bank and credit card statements were finally available, the changes in spending habits were obvious.
    • [21:38] The conversation turns to how banks, CPAs, and families might better monitor accounts by looking beyond total spending and watching detailed patterns.
    • [24:52] Hiring a caregiver outside an agency is identified as a major risk factor, especially when the caregiver is unlicensed and approaches the older adult directly.
    • [28:42] After the annuity payout was blocked, later emails and property activity left Charles with unresolved questions about what really happened next.
    • [31:48] Families can reduce risk by hiring caregivers through an agency and making sure they retain the authority to hire and fire.
    • [34:47] Removing valuables, keeping a mental inventory, and noticing when belongings disappear can help families catch problems sooner.
    • [37:46] Charles points to possible improvements such as caregiver registries, fingerprinting, and stronger systems to protect older adults from financial exploitation.
    • [38:26] The Caregiver's Game offers a forensic look at elder financial abuse and the daily warning signs families may miss until it is too late.

    Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

    Links and Resources:
    • Podcast Web Page
    • Facebook Page
    • whatismyipaddress.com
    • Easy Prey on Instagram
    • Easy Prey on Twitter
    • Easy Prey on LinkedIn
    • Easy Prey on YouTube
    • Easy Prey on Pinterest
    • The Caregiver's Game
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    40 mins
  • Art Heists

    Art Heists
    Apr 29 2026

    The world of art theft looks glamorous in the movies, but the reality is far more complicated. From multi-million dollar forgery schemes to undercover FBI operations recovering stolen national treasures, art crime is a global industry hiding in plain sight.

    This conversation digs into how these crimes actually play out and why the people who pull them off often end up stuck with the very pieces they thought would make them rich.

    My guest today is Robert Wittman, a former FBI special agent and the founder of the FBI's Art Crime Team. Over a 20-year career, he worked undercover in more than 20 countries and helped recover over $300 million in stolen art and cultural property. He's also the author of Priceless, where he shares stories from those investigations and what really goes on behind the scenes.

    We discuss the movie version of art crime and how it actually works. Whitman explains why most stolen masterpieces are nearly impossible to sell, how insider access plays a role in many museum thefts, and why forgery and fraud now make up the bulk of the market. There's also a practical side to it. Whether it's fine art, prints, or even sports memorabilia, the same patterns show up again and again. People trust the wrong details, skip the research, and get pulled in by what feels like a deal. The takeaway is pretty straightforward. Slow down, check what you're buying, and don't assume something is real just because the story sounds convincing.

    Show Notes:
    • [01:06] Robert Wittman introduces his FBI career and explains how he founded the Art Crime Team, leading investigations across 20 countries and recovering over $300 million in stolen art.
    • [04:01] He shares how he ended up in art crime almost by accident, getting assigned museum theft cases early in his career when no one else wanted them.
    • [07:00] We get a breakdown of the art crime industry, including how much of it is driven by forgery and fraud versus outright theft.
    • [10:00] Whitman explains why stolen high-value artwork is extremely difficult to sell and often becomes a liability for the criminals who take it.
    • [13:43] A reality check on museum security, comparing Hollywood portrayals to how thefts actually happen in the U.S. and abroad.
    • [16:18] The conversation shifts to jewelry theft and why stolen gems are far easier to break down and resell than famous works of art.
    • [19:19] He walks through a major forgery case involving a well-known New York gallery that unknowingly sold millions of dollars in fake paintings.
    • [22:55] Practical advice for everyday buyers on how to avoid getting scammed when purchasing art or collectibles online.
    • [26:34] One of the most fascinating recoveries: an original copy of the Bill of Rights stolen in the 1800s and tracked down over a century later.
    • [30:20] A much smaller but equally interesting case involving ancient cylinder seals and how they were unknowingly brought back from Iraq.
    • [32:30] The risks in the sports memorabilia market, including widespread forgery and why authentication matters more than ever.
    • [35:37] Final advice on protecting yourself as both a buyer and seller by doing basic research and understanding the true value of what you have.

    Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

    Links and Resources:
    • Podcast Web Page
    • Facebook Page
    • whatismyipaddress.com
    • Easy Prey on Instagram
    • Easy Prey on Twitter
    • Easy Prey on LinkedIn
    • Easy Prey on YouTube
    • Easy Prey on Pinterest
    • Robert Wittman
    • Robert Wittman - LinkedIn
    • FBI Art Crime Team
    • Priceless
    • The Devil's Diary
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    38 mins
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