IAFCI Presents... The Protectors

We’re on location live at the 2025 TIAA Fraud Summit for this episode of  The Protectors Podcast . Today, Mike and Mark sit down with a guest who’s on the front lines of fighting fraud—and studying how artificial intelligence is changing the game. From deepfakes to data breaches, you’ll hear how scammers are using AI to get smarter—and how we can use it to stop them, because in the world of f...

Today on  The Protectors Podcast , Mike and Mark bring you a story from the 2025 TIAA Fraud Summit in North Carolina that highlights the power of prevention. Our guest nearly fell victim to a sophisticated credit card scam—but didn’t. Why? Because she had fraud alerts, banking notifications, and card monitoring already set up - all free services, all easy to activate, and all too often overlo...

Children today are more vulnerable than ever to online predators—especially on platforms like Snapchat, where anonymity and impulsivity can collide with devastating consequences. In today’s episode of  The Protectors Podcast , Mike and Mark sit down with two incredibly brave parents who took immediate, decisive action when their daughter was targeted in what could’ve turned into an extortion...

Elder abuse isn’t always visible—and it’s more common than most people realize. In this episode of  The Protectors Podcast , recorded at the 2025 TIAA Fraud Summit, Mike and Mark are joined by Kristy Preston and Meredith Smith, two experts with deep experience in helping vulnerable adults. They unpack the many forms elder abuse can take—financial, emotional, physical, and more—why it often go...

In a landmark episode recorded  live on stage  at the 2025 TIAA Cyber Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina,  The Protectors Podcast  took center stage before a massive crowd of fraud fighters, cyber experts, financial crime investigators, and law enforcement professionals. Hosts Mike and Mark were joined by a recently retired law enforcement veteran, who delivered a compelling m...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast.  In this episode, we look at a case that proves local police can be just as powerful as federal agencies when it comes to romance scams. A determined detective helped our guest find justice—and she’s now helping others through victim support groups, books, and advocacy. It’s a story of recovery, partnership, and hope. Listen, learn, and see how the rig...

Online dating is now the go-to way to meet people, but it also opens the door to scams. In this episode of  The Protectors Podcast , Mike and Mark talk with a man who became the target of a romance scam. It’s an emotional, revealing conversation that sheds light on the red flags he missed, the tactics scammers use to build trust, and the emotional and financial toll these schemes can take. Wh...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast — where real experts tackle real threats. This week, Doug Taylor steps in for Mike as co-host alongside Mark for an eye-opening conversation with a special guest expert on home and business burglaries. The focus? South American Theft Groups—also known as SATGs. These highly organized crews are targeting neighborhoods and businesses across the country. Our gu...

Welcome to our next episode of  The Protectors Podcast.  Today,   Mike and Mark explore the intricate world of gold fraud—a crime that has defrauded Americans of over $126 million in 2024 alone. Scammers, often posing as government officials, manipulate victims into converting their savings into gold bars, which are then collected by couriers under false pretenses. Our guest expert...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast ! Today’s episode is a little different—our host, Mark Solomon, steps into the guest chair, while our producer takes over as cohost. Mark takes us deep into the world of AI and deep fakes, explaining just how shockingly realistic these digital forgeries have become. From hyper-realistic videos to nearly flawless audio impersonations, he walks us through the...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast.  Today, Mike and Mark welcome a subject matter expert who dives deep into fraud and scam prevention. She breaks down real-world scenarios, highlighting the red flags that people often miss. But more importantly, for every situation presented, she offers a solution—practical steps you can take and key websites to check before making a decision. If you w...

In this episode of  The Protectors Podcast , Mike and Mark welcome Todd Riedinger, a fraud investigator who has helped countless scam victims recover their stolen money. Todd shares insights into the growing threats of romance and elder scams, as well as a wide range of financial fraud schemes that target victims of all ages. Most importantly, Todd explains how the International Association o...

At some point, fraud will touch everyone’s life. In this episode of  The Protectors Podcast , we sit down with a fraud prevention expert who introduces the PAR system—Prevention, Awareness, and Recovery—to help you minimize risk and bounce back. From practical recovery steps to the growing impact of artificial intelligence, this conversation equips you with tools to face the inevitable and co...

Hi there, Protectors Podcast listeners! This is Mark Solomon, and I’m especially excited about today’s episode because our guest is someone I’m lucky enough to call my brother—John Solomon. Many of you know John as a nationally renowned investigative journalist and the founder of “ Just the News” and the “John Solomon Reports” podcast. He has spent more than 30 years as an investigative...

Celebrate the New Year with The Protectors Podcast!   On behalf of the IAFCI and Protectors Podcast, I wish everyone a Happy New Year. We thank Modified Media, our subject matter experts, and, most importantly, our listeners and subscribers. The Protectors Podcast has a mission to keep you safe from being targeted by fraud, scams, and cybercrimes. There is power in knowledge.&n...

Housing fraud takes many forms, from shady landlords falsifying rent figures to identity thieves opening leases or mortgages with stolen information. On today’s episode of  The Protector's Podcast , we’re joined by an expert who unpacks these scams, reveals their impact on victims, and shares how to protect yourself. Stay tuned to learn how these schemes unfold, the red flags to watch for, an...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast . In this episode, Mike and Mark explore the complex world of romance scams with an expert who knows just how harmful these schemes can be. With tips to stay safe and insights into the emotional toll of these schemes, learn to protect yourself and your loved ones from holiday heartbreak and financial loss in this important episode. The Protectors Podcas...

In this episode of The Protectors Podcast , hosts Mike and Mark, joined by producer Doug Taylor, focus on a critical issue: repeat victims of fraud. They explore the factors that lead individuals to fall for scams multiple times and delve into the mental and behavioral patterns that heighten vulnerability. Tune in as they uncover these patterns and share practical tips to help you and others avoid...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast , coming to you from the 2024 IAFCI Convention in Henderson, Nevada. Today, we’re joined by two experts in victim recovery who highlight the 'Justice for Fraud Victims' program—a unique initiative that brings college and undergrad accounting students into real fraud cases. These students work alongside law enforcement, gaining forensic accounting skills whil...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast , live from the 2024 IAFCI Convention in Henderson, Nevada. In today's episode, Mike and Mark sit down with two specialists in fraud and human trafficking crimes, including child exploitation and elder abuse. Their goal is to help law enforcement and financial institutions enhance fraud prevention tactics while highlighting the importance of coordinated...

Welcome to  The Protectors Podcast, coming to you once again from the amazing 2024 IAFCI Conference in Henderson, NV. Today, Mike and Mark explore the growing link between gang activity and fraud with expert guest Dan Alessandrino. These aren’t just traditional gangs; they’re now operating as sophisticated, organized groups, making them more dangerous than ever. Another key issue is the shame...

Welcome to another episode of  The Protectors Podcast . This episode comes straight from the 2024 IAFCI Convention, where we sit down with two U.S. Postal Inspectors prosecuting a massive fraud case. We dive deep into the ripple effect of this scam, revealing how many lives have been impacted - and how you can shield yourself from falling into a similar trap. Stay with us for another crucial...

In this episode of  The Protectors Podcast , we bring you a special session recorded live from the 2024 IAFCI Conference in Henderson, Nevada. Our guest is Declan Hill - Declan is among the world’s foremost experts on match-fixing and corruption in international sports. Today, we expose the murky world of sports gambling, shedding light on its deep connections to organized crime in the U.S. a...

Highlights From Las Vegas - The 56th Annual IAFCI Training Conference Join us as Mike and Mark "hit the streets" to conduct interviews with IAFCI members from across the globe at this year's training conference. As always, the event was packed with a diverse array of guest speakers, engaging special events, and valuable training seminars. If you weren’t able to attend this year’s conference, don’t...

Welcome to the 75th episode of  The Protectors Podcast . With the back-to-school rush in full swing, scammers are lurking, waiting to exploit students and their families. Today, Mike, Mark, and our expert in the field, Dan Szabo, break down the most common scams to watch for this time of year and show you how to keep your personal and financial information safe. Don’t miss this must-hear epis...