AI Has Changed Identity Theft. Are We Ready? with James Lee and Eva Velasquez of the Identity Theft Resource Center

Identity theft used to require a scammer to get your information. Today, they may only need a few pieces of it. On this episode of That Tech Pod, we sit down with James Lee, President of the Identity Theft Resource Center, and Eva Velasquez, CEO of the ITRC, to look at how identity theft, scams and fraud are evolving in the age of AI.

We talk about why scams are getting harder to recognize, how AI is making fraud more convincing and scalable, and how seemingly harmless activities, from social media posts to online purchases, can give criminals pieces of the puzzle they need to impersonate you. We also dig into the enormous amount of personal information exposed through data breaches and ask a bigger question: How much responsibility should really fall on individuals when so much of our data is collected and stored by businesses?

James and Eva also share what they think identity theft will look like five years from now, what businesses need to rethink about authentication and security, and what they personally do differently because they assume the threat is already here. If you've ever wondered what a scammer could actually do with the information you've casually shared online, this episode is worth a listen.

Learn more about the Identity Theft Resource Center and get free resources for preventing and recovering from identity crime. And check out Frozen Pii, a free resource from the ITRC that helps consumers protect themselves with credit freezes and other identity-protection tools.

James Lee is the President of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) , the nation’s premier non-profit dedicated to providing free support and education to victims of identity crimes. A nationally recognized expert on data breaches, cybercrime, and fraud, James is a sought-after speaker who translates complex security topics into actionable advice for consumers and businesses alike. He frequently provides expert commentary to top media outlets and contributes to public policy discussions on privacy and security before state legislatures, regulatory agencies, and the U.S Congress.

Eva Velasquez is CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center  (ITRC) and a nationally recognized expert on identity theft, cybercrime and fraud. She spent 21 years with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office before serving as VP of Operations for the San Diego Better Business Bureau. Eva is a frequent media commentator and speaker, appearing in outlets including CBS Mornings, NBC Nightly News, CNBC, The New York Times and NPR. She has briefed federal agencies and policymakers on identity crime and privacy and serves on industry advisory boards and working groups. Eva is also a recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice National Crime Victim Service Award and is committed to helping victims, educating the public and driving meaningful change around identity crime.