First on Fraud

About First on Fraud

Experts from First American shine a light on the dark side of real estate fraud and expose the latest trends in real estate scams and schemes. To stay ahead of fraud risks and cybercrimes in real estate, subscribe to the First American's Fraud Center Alerts: https://firstam.com/fraud (https://www.firstam.com/fraud-protection/?utm_source=podbean&utm_medium=organic-podcast#subscribe-band)

Publisher

First American

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Mar 2025

Latest episode

15 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

10 of 18 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   15 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The FBI Agent Who Hunted Cybercriminals (Part 3) - EP 18

   Former FBI Special Agent Chris Tarbell discusses the future of fraud, AI's impact, and practical defense strategies in this interview.

2. 

   12 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The FBI Agent Who Hunted Cybercriminals (Part 2) - EP 17

   Former FBI Special Agent Chris Tarbell explains how cybercriminals infiltrate systems, detailing credential theft and business email compromise in this interview.

3. 

   7 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The FBI Agent Who Hunted Cybercriminals (Part 1) - EP 16

   Former FBI Special Agent Chris Tarbell reveals his early cybercrime investigations, detailing how he hunted hackers and dismantled infamous online criminal networks.

4. 

   20 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Pig Butchering ScamTargeting Real Estate Agents - EP 15

   Sarah Frano and Matt Sager interview industry experts on how pig butchering scams target real estate agents, revealing warning signs and prevention strategies.

5. 

   16 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   The New Target is You - EP 14

   A fake Zoom call asking for a 360° body scan. A “buyer” quietly mapping an agent’s every move. These are real scams happening right now. From deepfake identity harvesting to reconnaissance tactics, fraudsters are no longer chasing deals. They’re targeting you. Subscribe today https://firstam.us/fraud-podcast

6. 

   18 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT

   AI on the Other End of the Line - EP 13

   AI voice agents are now calling businesses 24/7 and they’re no longer scripted. Kevin Tian of Doppel joins First on Fraud with a live demo, explains real-time takedowns, and previews what’s next as AI agents begin targeting each other. Subscribe today https://firstam.us/fraud-podcast

7. 

   12 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Love, Lies, and Deeds: When Romance Becomes Real Estate Fraud - EP 12

   Romance should be built on trust, but in real estate unchecked trust can be dangerous. In this Valentine’s Day episode of First on Fraud, Sarah and Matt unpack how partners and ex-partners use love, access, and authority to commit real estate fraud. From forged powers of attorney to romance-driven LLC scams, they share real-world cases, warning signs, and tips for real estate professionals. Subscribe today https://firstam.us/fraud-podcast

8. 

   13 Jan 2026

   Refinance Fraud: Fast Deals, Easy Steals

   Industry experts examine the rising tide of refinance fraud, focusing on equity stripping and a new endorsement designed to combat this growing threat in real estate transactions.

9. 

   9 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   FinSinners Part 2: Dirty Money in Real Estate and FinCEN’s Crackdown - EP 10

   Former CIA officer John Cassara explains to hosts Sarah Frano and Matt Sager how criminals launder money through real estate using shell companies, luxury properties, and cash deals in this interview.

10. 

    11 Nov 2025TRANSCRIPT

    FinSinners Part 1: The Basics of Money Laundering and FinCEN’s Hidden World - EP 9

    Former CIA spy John Cassara explains to hosts Sarah Frano and Matt Sager how global criminals exploit FinCEN rules to launder money, highlighting the importance of understanding new reporting rules in this interview.

11. 

    14 Oct 2025TRANSCRIPT

    Dead Man Deeds: Haunting Real Estate Scams - EP 8

    Hosts Sarah and Matt explore real estate scams involving deceased individuals, revealing how fraudsters exploit obituaries and stolen identities to illegally acquire properties.

12. 

    9 Sept 2025

    Inside the Squatting Scam - EP 7

    Hosts explore the intricate details of real estate squatting scams, revealing how these schemes operate and the legal complexities involved.

13. 

    26 Aug 2025

    Fraud & Order: FBI Edition Part 2 - EP 6

    Former FBI Special Agent Keith Givens reveals the architects of real estate fraud and offers expert advice for victims in this interview with host [Host Name].

14. 

    12 Aug 2025

    Fraud & Order: FBI Edition Part 1 - EP 5

    Host [Host Name] interviews former FBI Special Agent Keith Givens about the FBI's report on real estate fraud and strategies for recovering stolen funds.

15. 

    15 Jul 2025

    Locked In: The Truth About Title Monitoring Services - EP 4

    This episode explores title monitoring services, revealing their true value and providing insights to advise clients and protect property in the ever-changing fraud landscape.

16. 

    25 Jun 2025

    Unreal Deals: AI, Deepfakes and Real Estate Fraud - EP 3

    Industry experts discuss the rising threat of AI-generated deepfakes and voice cloning in real estate, highlighting real fraud cases and offering advice on identity theft protection in this episode.

17. 

    30 Apr 2025

    Spotting Fake IDs: Protect Your Real Estate Transactions - EP 2

    In this episode, Sarah Frano and Matt Sager discuss seller impersonation fraud and how easy it is to get fake IDs. They emphasize the importance of ID verification in real estate deals and share tips to help you spot a fake ID and protect your next property transaction from fraud.

18. 

    17 Mar 2025

    Sellmates: The Case of the Prisoner and the Power of Attorney - EP 01

    In this episode, fraud experts Sarah Frano and Matt Sager delve into the story of a prisoner who was released to discover his home was now occupied by a new family. The episode highlights the vulnerability of prison populations to fraud and emphasizes the importance of verifying powers of attorney.

Inside a recent episode

The FBI Agent Who Hunted Cybercriminals (Part 3) - EP 18

Published 15 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] You have glass windows. I see windows right behind you. You can break in. Okay. All these things give us a safe sense and it's all an illusion. Okay. But what can people do to feel like they have some control over their cybersecurity and their cyber safety? Make it harder. Just make it harder because criminals want the easy score. They want to do something that's easy and move on. I mean, one of the biggest things that I tell people, and no one does it, nobody does it, reset your home routers. Just turn them off for three minutes and turn them back on because there's things called these firmware updates, and they don't get changed unless you do that. […]

Who has been a guest on First on Fraud

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Chris Tarbell
• John Cassara
• Keith Givens

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 16 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

11

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact First on Fraud

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about First on Fraud