Recorded on June 11th 2025
Join Trend Micro’s Marike Kuyper in conversation with Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque, co-founder of Foreign Swiss and Dean at the Institute of Economic Crime Investigation, for a compelling look inside the world of online scams. From romance scams to SIM-swapping, Olivier shares firsthand insights from his fieldwork in West Africa—where he met face-to-face with scammers and local law enforcement. Learn how economic conditions, peer networks, and new technologies shape today’s scam landscape, and why empathy, education, and smarter tools are essential for staying safe in a global scam economy.
Key Insights
- Inside the Scam Economy: Discover how economic hardship and high youth unemployment in regions like West Africa are driving young, educated individuals to turn to online scams as a source of income—often learning tactics from peers in cyber cafes turned informal training centers.
- Scams Have No Borders—And No Safe Zones: Scams are not just targeting victims in wealthy countries. Local communities in West Africa are also falling victim—challenging assumptions about who gets hurt and who benefits.
- Local Law Enforcement Under Pressure: Explore the unique challenges facing police forces in countries like Côte d’Ivoire, where limited resources must stretch to manage both a high volume of local scam cases and the growing demand from international partners for help tracking down cybercriminals targeting foreign citizens.
- Reputation at Risk: Hear how rampant scams can damage an entire nation’s digital reputation—affecting email deliverability, foreign aid negotiations, and local access to the global digital economy.
About the Guest
Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque is a professor and dean at the Institute of Economic Crime Investigation in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He is also the co-founder of ForenSwiss, a Swiss company specializing in the use of generative artificial intelligence to combat online fraud. His teaching and applied research focus primarily on cybercrime, online fraud, and money laundering. He has led significant fieldwork in West Africa, where he and his team met with numerous cybercriminals and collaborated with local authorities.
Helpful Links
- Identity Theft Resource Center (IDTheftCenter.org) – A nonprofit organization providing free assistance, custom remediation plans, and resources to victims of identity theft. Call their toll-free number at 888-400-5530 to speak with an expert advisor.
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov – The US federal government’s website where you can report fraud, scams, and bad business practices.
Ready to Embrace Your Scam Awareness?
Try our Trend Micro ScamCheck to spot suspicious links and guard against online threats – even the savviest among us can use an extra layer of defense!
At Trend, everything we do is about making the world a safer place for exchanging digital information. Thanks for joining us, and stay safe online!
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