Scammer Payback Podcast

On this episode of the Scammer Payback Podcast, we sat down for a quick conversation with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH).
Sen. Hassan is currently working with Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) to establish the first central portal for Americans to report scams and get the help they need from law enforcement and federal agencies.
Right now, at least 13 federal agencies work on countering scams and each one largely works independent of the others. Eight of these agencies receive complaints about scams, which can lead to confusion and frustration for Americans who want to report a scam. The federal government needs a comprehensive, unified plan to deal with scams, and the American people deserve a clear, easy way to report scams and get connected with help.

Tod McDonald, founder of Valid8 Financial and former forensic accountant, joins the Scammer Payback Podcast to tell the story of Darren Berg, the mastermind behind what became one of the largest Ponzi schemes in Washington State history.In this episode, we explore how Berg convinced hundreds of investors to hand over millions of dollars, the promises that fueled the scheme, and the warning signs that were missed along the way. Tod shares his firsthand experience investigating complex financial crimes and explains what it takes to unravel a fraud operation involving hundreds of victims, millions of dollars in losses, and years of deception.
Tod also explains how his work on major financial investigations ultimately led him to create Valid8 Financial, a platform designed to help investigators and organizations analyze financial data more effectively.

Ransomware has quietly become one of the most powerful criminal business models in the world. It shuts down hospitals, cripples infrastructure, and extracts millions from companies that often have no choice but to pay. But behind the headlines is something far more structured and, in some ways, more predictable than you might think.
In this episode of the Scammer Payback Podcast, we sit down with Anja Shortland to break down how this ecosystem actually works. We unpack ransomware in simple terms before zooming out to the bigger picture: how these groups operate, why they’re so effective, and what keeps the whole system running.
We also get into what really happens during an attack, the decision-making process behind paying or refusing a ransom, and the role insurers, negotiators, and even reputation play in shaping outcomes. Finally, we look ahead at how AI could change the landscape and whether ransomware is something we can realistically reduce or just learn to live with.
If you’ve ever wondered why ransomware keeps working, and why it’s so hard to stop, this conversation breaks it down.

Former FBI agent Brady Finta joins the Scammer Payback Podcast to break down how the FBI actually fights scams, transnational organized crime, and elder fraud. With more than 20 years of experience targeting criminal networks, Finta shares behind-the-scenes insight into major scam investigations like the first elder fraud RICO case.
AnyDesk is incredible and one of the biggest contributors in helping fight back against scammers! To learn more about AnyDesk, visit https://anydesk.com/en

Al Pascual, CEO of Scamnetic and a leading expert in fraud and financial crime, joins the Scammer Payback Podcast to answer a critical question: why aren’t banks doing more to stop scams?
In this episode, we dive into the growing gap between modern scam tactics and outdated fraud prevention systems, and why financial institutions often fail to intervene before victims lose money. Al Pascual shares insights from his role at Scamnetic, a company focused on detecting and preventing scams in real time.
Follow the Scammer Payback Podcast for more conversations with cybersecurity experts, investigators, and industry leaders working to expose scams and protect consumers.