Unmasking Digital Crime: The Fight against Scams
Michele Ilich-Daubas provides a voice from the front lines, sharing her role in community education.
Episode 4: In this episode of Stolen, host Erin West delves into the complex world of transnational organized crime with guest Michele Ilich-Daubas.
Erin shares her experience at a recent International Association of Financial Crime Investigators conference, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration in fighting financial crime. Michelle, who works at a small police department in Norwich, Vermont, discusses her role in educating her community about scams and her involvement in Operation Shamrock.
Erin and Michele talk about:
The importance of empathy and proper language when dealing with crime victims
Challenges and strategies in tracing cryptocurrency
The crucial role of survivor stories in understanding the human impact of these crimes
This episode is a compelling exploration of the importance of community awareness and law enforcement education.
Thank you to our episode sponsor, TRM Labs. TRM Labs blends blockchain data with advanced analytics to help financial institutions and governments fight fraud, money laundering, and financial crime.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.
Who Is Michele Ilich-Daubas?
Michele Ilich-Daubas is a former senior legal analyst and records custodian turned cryptofraud fighter and public speaker. Dedicated to fighting the devastating and, unfortunately, prolific crime of pig butchering, her passion lies in educating the public, especially the elderly, about the tactics scammers use to lure individuals into these schemes. By focusing on what makes a person vulnerable, her hope is to empower potential victims with the awareness that when something does not feel right, to allow themselves a moment to stop, breathe, and think before reacting. And ultimately, it is her desire to bring the devastation caused by this crime to the attention of Meta Platforms, where these crimes are committed extensively through fake accounts and false advertising, and convince Meta to join forces with Operation Shamrock.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Transnational Organized Crime
02:51 The Importance of Collaboration in Financial Crime
05:47 Michelle's Journey into Crime Prevention
09:05 Understanding Pig Butchering Scams
12:00 Navigating Cryptocurrency Investigations
14:46 The Role of Survivor Stories
19:07 Language Matters in Victim Support
22:55 Educating Law Enforcement on Scams
27:10 Community Engagement and Awareness
30:07 Empathy in Addressing Victimization
33:53 Call to Action
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