E91: Erin West on the Global Scamdemic

E91: Erin West on the Global Scamdemic

From Beyond the Code by Yitzy Hammer

March 9, 2026 · 41 min · Episode 91

About this episode

Erin West discusses the global scam economy and its implications on society.

Erin West returns to Beyond the Code to unpack the terrifying scale of today’s global scam economy. A former prosecutor and founder of Operation Shamrock , Erin explains how organized criminal networks built massive scam compounds across Southeast Asia, how human trafficking fuels these operations, and why scams like pig butchering, fake investment platforms, and extortion schemes are affecting far more people than most of us realize. We also talk about victim support, crypto tracing, Bitcoin ATMs, public awareness, and why this crisis is as much about loneliness and trust as it is about technology and crime. A powerful conversation about one of the most urgent and underappreciated threats of the digital age. Also, make sure to check out Erin’s podcast, Stolen .

People in this episode

Host: Yitzy Hammer

Guest: Erin West

Topics covered

  • scam economy
  • human trafficking
  • victim support
  • crypto tracing
  • public awareness
  • digital threats

Keywords

  • scams
  • pig butchering
  • fake investment
  • extortion schemes
  • Bitcoin ATMs
  • loneliness
  • trust

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Operation Shamrock, Stolen

Places: Southeast Asia

More episodes of Beyond the Code

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Beyond the Code podcast page.