In this episode of Scam Rangers, Ayelet Biger-Levin sits down with Rebecca Rose from the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General to unpack the reality of scams today, and why they are far more than just a financial problem.

Scams have evolved into highly coordinated, psychologically-driven attacks designed to manipulate people in moments of fear, urgency, and trust. Rebecca shares how government imposter scams work, why they continue to grow, and the patterns behind them, including the now well-known “4 P’s”: person, problem or prize, pressure, and payment.

We also explore the growing sophistication of scams, from long, multi-stage attacks designed to drain victims over time, to impersonation across social media and digital channels. Most importantly, we discuss the emotional and psychological toll scams leave behind, and why prevention, education, and awareness are more critical than ever.

This conversation highlights the mission behind Slam the Scam, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness and empower individuals to recognize scams before it’s too late.

Because by the time someone reaches the point of payment… the damage has often already begun.

• Social Security Administration Scam Resource Page
  https://www.ssa.gov/scams
  (Learn how to recognize and report scams, and protect your identity)
• Report a Scam to SSA OIG
  https://oig.ssa.gov/report
  (Report suspected Social Security-related scams)
• Slam the Scam Day (SSA OIG Initiative)
  https://oig.ssa.gov/scam
  (National awareness campaign to combat scams)
• FTC Scam Reporting & Data
  https://reportfraud.ftc.gov
  (Report scams and explore trends)
• Identity Theft & Scam Resources
  https://www.identitytheft.gov
• AARP Fraud Watch Network
  https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud
  (Hotline and education resources mentioned in the episode)

Rebecca Rose: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebexrose/

Ayelet Biger-Levin is the Founder and CEO of RangersAI and the host of Scam Rangers, a podcast exploring the human side of scams and the people working to protect consumers from financial and emotional harm.

Through her work at RangersAI and her leadership within the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Ayelet partners with financial institutions, policymakers, and advocates to elevate scam prevention beyond controls and technology toward trust-based, customer-centric protection.

Be sure to follow her on LinkedIn and reach out to learn about her additional activities in this space:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-biger-levin/

RangersAI: https://www.rangersai.com/

In this episode of Scam Rangers, Ayelet speaks with Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs and former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor, about the rise of crypto investment scams and the global infrastructure behind them.

They break down why these scams are growing so quickly, how financial grooming works in the crypto era, and what makes these schemes so effective at scale. Ari shares insights into blockchain intelligence, how investigators trace illicit funds, and why recovery remains so difficult once money moves.

The conversation expands to the broader ecosystem—organized criminal networks, human trafficking, and the increasing role of AI in supercharging scams. They also explore what governments, law enforcement, and the private sector are doing to respond—and where gaps still exist.

• Why crypto investment scams are accelerating globally
• Financial grooming and the evolution of scam tactics
• How blockchain tracing works—and its limitations
• The scale of the global scam economy
• Organized crime, scam compounds, and human trafficking
• AI’s role in making scams more sophisticated
• Real-time disruption and public-private collaboration
• Challenges in fund recovery and victim restitutionhttps://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/chairman-prince-group-indicted-operating-cambodian-forced-labor-scam-compounds-engaged

Ari Redbord is the Global Head of Policy at TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence company working with law enforcement, regulators, and financial institutions to detect and prevent illicit activity in crypto. He previously served as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice and held roles at the U.S. Treasury focused on financial crime and national security.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-redbord/

Resources:

Beacon Network (public-private collaboration initiative) - https://www.trmlabs.com/beacon-network

TRM Talks - https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/trm-talks/tracing-a-romance-scam-a-survivors-story-and-the-investigation-behind-it

Chairman of Prince Group Indicted for Operating Cambodian Forced Labor Scam Compounds Engaged in Cryptocurrency Fraud Schemes: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/chairman-prince-group-indicted-operating-cambodian-forced-labor-scam-compounds-engaged

Ayelet Biger-Levin is the Founder and CEO of RangersAI and the host of Scam Rangers, a podcast exploring the human side of scams and the people working to protect consumers from financial and emotional harm.

Through her work at RangersAI and her leadership within the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Ayelet partners with financial institutions, policymakers, and advocates to elevate scam prevention beyond controls and technology toward trust-based, customer-centric protection.

Be sure to follow her on LinkedIn and reach out to learn about her additional activities in this space:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-biger-levin/

RangersAI: https://www.rangersai.com/

In this episode of Scam Rangers, Ayelet Biger-Levin speaks with Nils Mueller, Director of the North America Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and former USAID Foreign Service Officer.

Nils shares his unique path into the world of scam prevention after spending more than two decades working in international development and governance. During his time in Southeast Asia, he witnessed the rapid rise of industrial-scale scam operations run from organized crime compounds that target victims around the world.

Together, Ayelet and Nils discuss how these scam compounds emerged, the human trafficking behind many of these operations, and why online scams have become a national security issue for governments. They also explore how global cooperation between governments, civil society, and the private sector can help disrupt these networks and protect consumers.

• How scam compounds in Southeast Asia evolved from casino infrastructure into large-scale global fraud operations
• The human trafficking behind many scam operations and how workers are recruited into these compounds
• Why scams have become a national security and economic threat, costing billions each year
• The role of international collaboration, sanctions, and law enforcement in disrupting organized scam networks
• How the Global Anti-Scam Alliance is bringing together governments, companies, and advocates to coordinate the fight against scams

Nils Mueller is the Director of the North America Chapter of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and a former Foreign Service Officer with USAID. Over a 20-year career, he worked across Africa and Southeast Asia on governance, anti-corruption, and development initiatives.

During his posting in Thailand, Nils became deeply involved in understanding and addressing the rise of scam compounds and the human trafficking networks connected to them.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-m-mueller/

Ayelet Biger-Levin is the Founder and CEO of RangersAI and the host of Scam Rangers, a podcast exploring the human side of scams and the people working to protect consumers from financial and emotional harm.

Through her work at RangersAI and her leadership within the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Ayelet partners with financial institutions, policymakers, and advocates to elevate scam prevention beyond controls and technology toward trust-based, customer-centric protection.

Be sure to follow her on LinkedIn and reach out to learn about her additional activities in this space:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-biger-levin/

RangersAI: https://www.rangersai.com/