#14: Trust But Verify: A Fraud Detective on the Scams Draining Our Life Savings | Brendan Kirkpatrick

Detective Brendan Kirkpatrick has spent 32 years in law enforcement — the last six investigating financial crimes for the Ada County Sheriff’s Office in Eagle, Idaho — and the scams he sees every day are more sophisticated, more emotional, and more widespread than most of us realize.Brendan pulls back the curtain on the fraud epidemic hitting Americans of every age: imposter scams that impersonate law enforcement and the IRS, cryptocurrency “pig butchering” schemes that wiped out a 45-year-old investor’s early retirement, gift card fraud rings that swap barcodes right off the store shelf, romance scams that convince lonely widows and widowers they’re in a relationship with a celebrity or a soldier overseas, and “money mule” schemes that quietly use unsuspecting people — of any age — to launder stolen funds.We talk about how “love bombing” works, why money mules often have no idea they’re part of a crime, and the moment Brendan used a reverse image search to unmask a scammer — only to watch the victim explain it away. Brendan also shares his nine personal commandments for staying safe, why he says “trust but verify” has become simply “verify — no trust,” and what he wishes every family understood about talking to parents of any age before it’s too late.This conversation will change the way you answer the phone — no matter how old you are.Pull up a chair. This is a conversation worth having.Learn more about the Ada County Sheriff's Office here. Brendan's CommandmentsDON'T: Respond to cold call emails or textsGive cards (gift cards or prepaid)Purchase CryptocurrencyInvest in CryptocurrencySend cash in the mailSend money --Venmo, Cash App, ZelleAllow remote access to phone/computerGive out personal information (DOB, SSN, Address, etc)Give out banking info (account, routing, passwords, pin)00:00:00  Welcome & Brendan's 32 Years in Law Enforcement00:02:39  Imposter Scams: America's #1 Financial Crime00:05:02  Crypto Investment Scams & “Pig Butchering” Explained00:08:05  IRS Scams, ATM Skimmers & the “Hit and Run” Playbook00:19:04  Gift Cards, Fake Tech Support & the $2.1 Million Case00:24:06  Romance Scams: Love Bombing & the “Johnny Depp” Story00:32:59  A Rare Win: Recovering $27,000 at the UPS Store00:47:00  Unmasking a Scammer: The Reverse Image Search Reveal01:00:26  Money Mules & “Trust But Verify”01:09:00  Brendan's Commandments, AI & the Dark WebIf this conversation stayed with you — follow It Stays Here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, and leave a review. It helps more people find their way to conversations worth having.Know someone who needs to hear this? Send it to them. Some conversations are meant to find the right people.