Stolen Podcast
Scams, cryptofraud, investment fraud, celebrity impersonation, romance baiting, sexploitation, crypto ATM fraud, job scams, toll scams, human trafficking... Stolen is a weekly podcast that uncovers the global rise of the transnational scam industry. Stolen investigates the global rise of digital crime — and the people caught in the crossfire. Join host Erin West — prosecutor, cybercrime investigator, global keynote speaker, and your guide into the dark corners of the internet. Hear from law enforcement, cyberfraud experts, and the survivors who’ve lived through the crimes. These are the voices behind the headlines and the crimes that cross borders and boundaries.
Episodes
In this episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with sextortion expert Paul Raffile to expose the fastest-growing and most lethal online scam targeting teen boys. They break down how financially motivated sextortion works, who’s behind it, why cases are exploding, and what parents, platforms, and law enforcement must do now to stop it. This is a conversation every parent needs to hear.
Jane thought she was talking to Amazon, her bank, the FTC, and the Social Security Administration. She wasn’t. Over the course of several days, scammers used authority, isolation, and fear to walk her—step by step—into withdrawing and shipping her own money in what felt like a legitimate government process.
In this episode of Stolen, host Erin West breaks down a highly sophisticated phone scam that nearly wiped Jane out—and explain...
In this explosive episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with Jake Sims—Harvard fellow and global expert on transnational organized crime—to unpack two massive developments: the damning Reuters leak about Meta’s scam ad revenue, and the escalating military clash on the Thai-Cambodian border tied directly to scam compounds. Jake reveals what happened inside his high-pressure GASA “fireside chat” with Meta, why trust in big platforms...
Erin West delivers the keynote she planned give at the American summit of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance—an unfiltered, no-fluff breakdown of the global scam crisis, Southeast Asia’s compounds, Big Tech’s profits, and why 2026 must be the year we divide and conquer. This episode exposes the truth, calls out the enablers, and lays out what must happen to finally fight the scamdemic.
Join Erin West in Entebbe, Uganda, for an extraordinary conversation with Small Q, a survivor of two of Southeast Asia's most notorious scam compounds. In this eye-opening episode, Small Q reveals the brutal reality inside pig butchering operations, where human trafficking victims are forced to execute cryptocurrency romance scams against Americans and people worldw...
In this powerful episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with global anti-trafficking expert Matt Friedman—CEO of the Mekong Club and one of the most experienced voices in the fight against modern slavery. Matt pulls back the curtain on the brutal realities of human trafficking, forced criminality inside scam compounds, and why the world is still failing the millions of people trapped in these systems.
Together, Erin and Matt dig in...
When Jay Jones was laid off and posted his "Open to Work" banner on LinkedIn, he was immediately targeted by scammers. In this episode of Stolen, host Erin West sits down with The Profiler to expose the sophisticated job scam industry preying on vulnerable job seekers. Jay reveals how fake recruiters, resume writers, and hiring managers use ATS (Applicant Tracking System) scare tactics to steal personal information, drain bank acco...
In this episode, Erin West sits down with Ari Redbord of TRM Labs to unpack one of the biggest moves yet against global scam networks — the $15 billion forfeiture and indictment of Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi and the Prince Group. They break down what the U.S. government did, how sanctions, forfeiture, and FinCEN actions work together, and why this is a turning point in the global fight against pig butchering scams and transnational ...
Cristy shares her heartbreaking story of falling victim to an elaborate celebrity impersonation scam. After making her Instagram profile public for one week to support her niece, she was contacted by someone claiming to be comedian Matt Rife. What began as a seemingly authentic connection—complete with voice messages, flowers, and deep conversations about mindfulness—evolved into a sophistic...
When the U.S. unsealed its indictment against Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi, it didn’t just take down one man—it exposed a global scam empire built on trafficking, corruption, and stolen crypto. Erin West sits down with expert Jake Sims to unpack the historic $15 billion seizure, what it means for Cambodia’s ruling elite, and why this moment could redefine the global fight against organized cybercrime.
St. Louis detective Mike Clinton joins Erin West to reveal how local, state, and federal law enforcement are teaming up to take down crypto scammers. From the rise of fusion centers to the success of Operation Shamrock and the Shamrock Triage Team, this episode dives deep into how collaboration—and grit—are closing the gap between victims and justice. Learn how one detective turned chaos into a national model for combating crypto-e...
In this eye-opening episode of Stolen, host Erin West sits down with anti-money laundering expert Alison Jimenez to discuss the rapidly growing crisis of financial sextortion targeting teenage boys. Learn how this transnational crime works, how scammers move money, and what parents and financial institutions can do to protect children.
What You'll Lea...
In this powerful episode, former prosecutor Erin West lays out an urgent call to action after three and a half years of fighting the pig butchering crisis. Drawing from her 26+ years in law enforcement and recent travels to scam compounds in Southeast Asia, Erin delivers a sobering truth: things aren't getting better—they're getting exponentially worse.
In this episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with legendary scambaiter Jim Browning, the YouTuber who infiltrates scam call centers and exposes criminals to millions of viewers. Together, they dig into how scammers trick victims through robocalls, fake tech support, and crypto ATMs—and reveal how Browning uncovered a pig butchering compound in Dubai that led to one of the largest scammer raids in history. From the inside workings...
In this episode of Stolen, Erin West speaks with Nahid, a mother who lost everything to a romance-driven cryptocurrency scam known as “pig butchering.” What started on a dating app quickly spiraled into a nightmare of fake investments, manipulated trust, and financial ruin. Nahid courageously shares how scammers used love, deepfakes, and a counterfeit “Fidelity Options” platform to steal over a million dollars—and how law enforceme...
Romance scams aren’t just about money—they’re about psychology, shame, and stolen trust. In this episode of Stolen, Erin West talks with author Becky Holmes (Keanu Reeves Is Not in Love With You) about the rise of celebrity impostor scams, why smart and kind people fall victim, and how society’s lack of empathy fuels the crisis. A powerful, funny, and eye-opening look at the future of fraud.
Sextortion isn’t just happening online — it’s being industrialized inside scam compounds like KK Park in Southeast Asia. In this episode, Erin West talks with Eric Heintz of International Justice Mission about his groundbreaking study linking sextortion of minors to the same criminal networks running pig butchering scams and cryptocurrency fraud. They expose how forced labor, satellite imagery, and open-source data reveal the terri...
Romance scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of online fraud, costing victims billions each year. In this episode of Stolen, Erin West talks with Mary, a romance scam survivor who refused to be silenced. Instead of hiding in shame, Mary documented every message, tracked her scammers, and even used AI to fight back.
Her unconventional approach shows just how far victims are forced to go when law enforcement tools and systems f...
In this eye-opening episode of the Stolen Podcast, host Erin West interviews Chris Colocousis, a romance scam survivor who lost 90% of his retirement savings to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud known as "pig butchering."
Chris shares his detailed story of how what began as a Facebook friend request from an attractive woman led to months...
In this episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with former U.S. Secret Service agent Matt O’Neill — a pioneer in fighting cyber-enabled fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and transnational organized crime. They dig into why the U.S. is losing ground in the battle against pig butchering scams, romance scams, and large-scale investment fraud — and what actually works to disrupt these criminal networks. O’Neill shares bold, practical steps ...
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