Alex Wood - Inside financial crime with a reformed fraudster

Joining the Dots with Thomas Drohan

Join Thomas as he enters the complex world of financial crime with reformed fraudster Alex Wood, and Clue Software’s Director of Intelligence and Investigations, Matt Horne, a seasoned former law enforcement leader and economic crime expert.

With raw honesty, Alex recounts his past transgressions, unveiling how he exploited vulnerabilities to orchestrate cyber-enabled fraud, leaving a trail of deception that engulfed businesses in losses of millions. Drawing from his time behind bars where he was free to learn sophisticated tradecraft from other convicted fraudsters, Alex divulges insider tactics such as social engineering and spoofing technology. He offers a surreal peek into his earlier crimes, including his stint impersonating the Duke of Marlborough.

On the other side of the table, Matt provides a law enforcement perspective, shedding light on the proactive strategies employed to target high-harm offenders like Alex. This episode offers unique insight and contrasting perspectives for those navigating the complex landscape of financial crime and fraud prevention.

Chapters

1. Alex Wood - Inside financial crime with a reformed fraudster (00:00:00)

2. Pivotal moments that led Alex to criminality (00:02:54)

3. How Alex got involved in fraud after an injury ended his career as a violinist (00:04:04)

4. Alex recounts impersonating the Duke of Marlborough to gain access to luxury hotels (00:10:07)

5. Alex describes how he defrauded a victim of £1.3 million through a phone call (00:23:01)

6. How Alex was eventually caught through voice analysis technology (00:36:17)

7. Matt reflects on the international and organised crime dimensions of fraud offences (00:50:29)

8. Alex discusses how technology like deepfakes could make fraud investigation more challenging in the future (00:58:57)