{"id":291606,"date":"2025-06-13T22:16:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T22:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/business\/finance\/616-how-hackers-are-stealing-your-retirement-50-at-a-time-with-former-cia-hacker-dr-eric-cole\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T22:16:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T22:16:50","slug":"616-how-hackers-are-stealing-your-retirement-50-at-a-time-with-former-cia-hacker-dr-eric-cole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=291606","title":{"rendered":"#616: How Hackers Are Stealing Your Retirement $50 at a Time, with former CIA hacker Dr. Eric Cole"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"\"Two school teachers in Ohio saved their entire lives for one dream \u2014 buying a farm.<\/p>\n

When they inherited $1.3 million and found the perfect property for $1.2 million, everything seemed perfect.<\/p>\n

Five days before closing, they received what looked like a legitimate email from their closing company with wire transfer instructions. They sent the money and showed up at closing, only to discover they\u2019d been scammed.<\/p>\n

The email was fake, sent by hackers who had infiltrated the closing company\u2019s servers for months, waiting for exactly this type of high-value cash deal.<\/p>\n

That story comes from cybersecurity expert Dr. Eric Cole, who joins us to explain why ordinary people have become prime targets for cybercriminals.<\/p>\n

Cole, a former CIA hacker who served as cybersecurity commissioner under President Barack Obama and advises high-profile clients including Bill Gates\u2019 personal estate, has a message: if you think you\u2019re too small to be targeted, you\u2019re wrong.<\/p>\n

While billion-dollar companies deploy teams of 60 cybersecurity professionals, you have virtually no protection.<\/p>\n

Criminals know this. They\u2019re not trying to steal $100 million from one person anymore \u2014 they\u2019re stealing $50 from thousands of people every month.<\/p>\n

You probably won\u2019t notice the small amounts vanishing from your accounts. Cole calls it \u201cdeath by a thousand cuts,\u201d and it\u2019s happening right now.<\/p>\n

We talk through the most common attacks targeting your money. Bank hacking is simpler than most people realize. All criminals need is your account number \u2014 printed on every check you write \u2014 and your password. With that information, they can often perform electronic fund transfers of up to 50 percent of your account balance without triggering alerts.<\/p>\n

We also cover the China-TikTok connection, secure messaging options, and why Cole helped configure President Obama\u2019s smartphone to connect to fake cell towers that masked his actual location.<\/p>\n

Cole\u2019s bottom line: cybersecurity isn\u2019t just for tech companies anymore. Criminals are targeting ordinary people because we\u2019re easier prey than heavily protected corporations. Your money is under threat. Here\u2019s how to protect it.<\/p>\n

Timestamps:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.<\/em><\/p>\n

(0:00) Introduction<\/p>\n

(1:17) Why ordinary people are cybercrime targets<\/p>\n

(2:29) The \u201cdeath by a thousand cuts\u201d<\/p>\n

(4:05) How criminals destroy your credit with fake accounts<\/p>\n

(5:19) Cryptocurrency wallet attacks and empty life savings<\/p>\n

(6:08) Elder scams and the devastating impact on families<\/p>\n

(8:24) Different types of cyber attacks explained<\/p>\n

(8:44) Bank hacking<\/p>\n

(14:25) Phishing scams using fake toll messages<\/p>\n

(18:53) Ransomware as a legitimate Russian business<\/p>\n

(23:44) How scams and cybersecurity overlap<\/p>\n

(35:31) Paula\u2019s phone security audit<\/p>\n

(49:54) Smartphone security for high-profile individuals<\/p>\n

(54:55) TikTok\u2019s data collection and Chinese government access<\/p>\n

(59:44) Real estate scams targeting cash buyers<\/p>\n

(1:12:18) Essential security rules<\/p>\n

(1:27:05) What to keep in a fireproof safe<\/p>\n

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