Why Everyone’s A Target

Some scams are so convincing, they’re almost impossible to spot. With phishing emails that look like they’re from your bank, deep fake videos that mimic real people, and AI-generated messages that feel personal, it’s getting harder to know what’s real and what’s a trap.

In this episode, I sit down with Gabrielle Hempel, a security operations specialist at Exabeam and a current law student at Purdue University. Gabrielle brings a sharp perspective shaped by years in cybersecurity, a master’s in cybersecurity and global affairs from NYU, and hands-on experience navigating everything from vulnerability management to executive risk consulting. She even wrote her graduate thesis on critical infrastructure security.

We talk about the new era of digital deception, why younger people are actually falling for scams more often, and how criminals are using AI and current events to build trust and bypass defenses. Gabrielle shares practical advice, personal stories, and a fresh way to think about digital safety that could help you spot the next scam before it costs you.

Show Notes:

• [01:09] Gabrielle has held quite a few jobs in cybersecurity. She's currently the Security Operations Strategist at Exabeam. 
• [01:40] She's involved with anything to do with the internal security operation.
• [02:04] She majored in psychology and neuroscience. Working in Pharma and with medical devices led her to the path of cybersecurity.
• [04:34] We learn about an incident that she was involved in. Her parents were attempting to file their taxes with TurboTax, but they were flagged as already filing. This led to a lot of shenanigans with the IRS.
• [06:29] Most everyone has been a victim to some type of fraud or scam.
• [07:20] Our information is out there. It's more about staying vigilant and keeping an eye on things.
• [08:05] A lot of the current scams are blending with the cybercrime ecosystem.
• [09:17] AI has made it easier for people to craft more convincing phishing emails.
• [12:51] Are modern phishing emails getting through the spam filters more often?
• [15:48] How it's not retirees being the people most frequently caught in scams.
• [16:42] Why 20 to 29 year-olds frequently fall for scams. It could be because of their comfort with technology.
• [21:12] Better education surrounding threats might be a good idea for young people.
• [22:47] As scammers get more information about us, targeting will be easier.
• [24:32] Big trends are voice cloning and deep fakes.
• [27:51] Scams around shipping fees and tariffs are skyrocketing.
• [29:15] Advice includes adopting zero trust with communication.
• [33:10] If you're not expecting it. It's potentially suspect.
• [34:45] Best practices include doing your due diligence, and if you feel like something may not be legitimate go around and check.

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Links and Resources:

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