Stolen Podcast with Erin West
The Stolen podcast is a weekly look into the hidden world of transnational digital crime. Join host Erin West — prosecutor, cybercrime investigator, global keynote speaker, and your guide into the dark corners of the internet.
Hear from law enforcement, cybersecurity experts, and the victims who’ve lived it. Erin investigates the global rise of digital crime — scams, cyber fraud, and other forms of online exploitation — and the people caught in the crossfire. These are the voices behind the headlines and the crimes that cross borders and boundaries.
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Explore previous episodes of the Stolen podcast.
Solutions: What AI Can’t Fake — How Location Became the New Identity
Episode 57: Incognia’s André Ferraz provides a look at how location-based identity verification can reshape scam and fraud prevention.
How Smart People Get Scammed: Psychology and Manipulation
Episode 56: Dr. Martina Dove uses a real-life romance scam story to explain the psychological strategies scammers use to manipulate their targets.
Romance Fraud: One Woman’s Journey from Target to Survivor
Episode 55: A scammer used calculated, precise psychological manipulation in a six-month romance fraud that dismantled Kirsty’s finances, her sense of self, and nearly her life.
How Romance Fraud Hijacks Your Brain Chemistry
Episode 52: Anna Rowe, fraud survivor and co-founder of LoveSaid.org, explains why romance fraud works and why it’s important change the language people use to talk about it.
A Secret Celebrity Romance and a Financial Scam
Episode 25: After Cristy commented on Matt Rife’s social media post, his team offered to connect her with the comedian. It was the start of a perfect romance — and elaborate scam.
Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love with You
Episode 18: Romance scams aren’t just about money — they’re about psychology, shame, and stolen trust. Becky Holmes details the rise of celebrity impostor scams in a powerful, funny look at the future of fraud.
Fighting Back against a Romance Scam
Episode 16: Erin West talks with Mary, a romance scam survivor who refused to be silenced. Instead, she documented every message, tracked her scammers, and used AI to fight back.
Romance Scammers Steal 90% of Man’s Retirement Savings
Episode 15: Chris shares how a Facebook friend request led to months of manipulation, cryptocurrency investment fraud, and the theft of nearly all of his retirement savings.
The Dark Side of Online Romance: Scams
Episodes 5 & 6: “That would never happen to me.” The reality is, anyone can be manipulated. Carina explains the psychological tactics a romance scammer used to steal from her.