WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:05.639 It's Night Side with Dan Ray on de Bzy, Boston's 2 00:00:05.719 --> 00:00:07.120 news radio. 3 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:10.039 Nicole Davis, Happy Valentine's Day. I hope that you've had 4 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:12.439 a great one. There's still four hours left. You're going 5 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:15.240 to get off work and be able to celebrate, and 6 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:17.399 of course I will be here with all of you 7 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:19.239 for the next four hours. I hope all of you 8 00:00:19.239 --> 00:00:20.760 will be here with me for the next four hours. 9 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:22.600 You know who also going to be long, Rob Brooks. 10 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:24.359 My name is Dan Ray. I'm the host of the show. 11 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:28.440 Rob is the producer, and he's back in Broadcast Central headquarters. 12 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.079 As we would say, can't even tell you where that is. 13 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:33.960 It's a super secret. You can only know it if 14 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.679 you're like the head of the CIA or Elon Musk 15 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:38.600 one or the other, you will know where Rob is. 16 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:40.280 Those are the only two people in the world that 17 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.079 know where Rob Brooks is. We have a great show 18 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:48.320 coming up tonight. We will begin at this hour with 19 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:51.039 four very interesting guests. We're going to start off with 20 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:54.520 my good friend Anthony Simarco. We're going to have some 21 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:59.399 commentary on the big stop the coup demonstration in Boston 22 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:03.200 today been at ten o'clock, going to talk about Valentine's 23 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:05.439 Day a little bit more in depth with award winning 24 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:10.680 photographer podcaster Carry Brett, who has had a very interesting career, 25 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:16.200 not only as a celebrity photographer people like Bill Belichick, 26 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:20.760 Conan O'Brien and others, but she's also a very interesting 27 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:25.400 life experience which has some relevance to Valentine's Day, which 28 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:29.799 is today and on this day. Her book her first book. 29 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.159 She's done photography books before, but this is her first 30 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:37.239 book called Shot at Love, a celebrity Photographer's unfiltered lens 31 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:40.719 on dating and finding love. We will talk to her 32 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:44.280 and we will have later on tonight Brushes, no, not 33 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:49.519 brushes with celebrity Grinds of Gears, my second favorite twentieth 34 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:52.719 Hour subject and first to start off tonight, one of 35 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:56.159 my favorite guests. We haven't had him on in full 36 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:58.200 meaning for an entire hour, and we've got have to 37 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:02.719 do that fairly soon. Great local historian Anthony Somarco, who's 38 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:08.360 going to explain to us the inception of Valentine's Day, 39 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:12.919 which started, I guess Anthony rather close to Boston in 40 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.919 the second largest city of New England and Worcester. How 41 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:18.479 are you this evening? Happy Valentine's Day, Anthony. 42 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:20.639 And same to you. How are you? 43 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:23.479 We're doing just great. Let me tell you, I'm ready 44 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:26.599 to go here four more hours and it's Saturday morning. 45 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:31.080 So I guess Valentine's Day got it start. I didn't 46 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:33.400 realize it got it start in Worcester. 47 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:36.840 Well that's true. I mean there was a woman by 48 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:39.479 the name of Esther Howland. She had been a graduate 49 00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:42.879 of Mount Holy Of College in eighteen forty seven. And 50 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:45.719 the funny thing was her father was an importer of 51 00:02:45.800 --> 00:02:49.560 different things to its stationary store in Worcester. One of 52 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.960 the things that she saw were English made Valentines. And 53 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.080 because she was an enterprising young lady, it turned out 54 00:02:57.080 --> 00:03:00.439 that by the eighteen fifties she was making val times 55 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.159 by hand. They were so beautifully done that they would 56 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:08.120 take anywhere from one day to two to finish. And 57 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:10.360 this is a woman that would revolutionize it. 58 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:12.400 Yeah wow. 59 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.639 And she would actually have a group of women that 60 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:16.400 would work as an assembly line. 61 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:21.159 Is there. Well, it's sort of like henry Ford before 62 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:26.080 Henry Ford very much. Tell any record as to what 63 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:29.000 she must have charged for these works of art. I mean, 64 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:33.879 you know today, surprisingly. 65 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:34.960 Today they are works and they're actually in the collection 66 00:03:35.319 --> 00:03:38.719 of Mount Holyo Archives. But at the time she was 67 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:42.479 charging between fifty cents and a dollar. These were handmade, 68 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:45.240 labor intensive valentines, but that. 69 00:03:45.199 --> 00:03:48.840 Would try, he said, in those days, that was some 70 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:50.520 real money, Anthony. It was. 71 00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:54.439 There'd be about ten to fifteen dollars today, And by 72 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:57.400 the eighteen sixties and eighteen seventies, this was a woman 73 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:00.319 that was garnering one hundred thousand dollars a year year. 74 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:05.479 So she wasn't just a Valentine card maker. But she 75 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:09.439 even created a book called The Sentimental Valentine Writer for 76 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:12.759 Ladies and Gentlemen. And what it was was that people 77 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:16.839 who were tongue tied that could actually not imagine writing, 78 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:21.279 you know, sentimental verse. She had a cheat sheet you 79 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:25.759 could actually copy from it. So she created an empire 80 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.439 that would be one of many. There were three different 81 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:34.000 companies in Wooster at that time just making Valentines. So 82 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:38.720 by the eighteen seventies her Valentine company was something that 83 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:41.000 was probably the best known in the United States. 84 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:46.560 So she was making one hundred thousand dollars either during 85 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.399 or shortly after the Civil War. Long before Babe Ruth 86 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.120 made one hundred thousand dollars and Ted Williams made one 87 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.360 hundred thousand dollars. 88 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:58.839 Well, I suppose if they were actually playing baseball for love, 89 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:02.000 maybe they would have. This was a woman that knew 90 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:06.000 what she was doing, and she had widows and spinsters 91 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:09.879 and young women before they married, all working for her 92 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:13.199 in a factory. And what she was doing in some 93 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:17.959 ways was creating the greeting card industry. And during the 94 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:23.160 twentieth century they had established an award called the Esther 95 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:26.800 Howland Award for a greeting card Visionary and it's given 96 00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:30.079 in her honor every year. But when we think of 97 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:33.680 a card in the eighteen forties and fifties and sixties, 98 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.639 they were beautifully done. But what they have represented is 99 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:40.360 in this day and age that over two hundred and 100 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:47.800 fifty million Valentine's a cent worldwide for February fourteenth. 101 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:52.199 It's amazing. I mean when you think back, when you 102 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:55.519 do the research as you have done, and you realize 103 00:05:55.560 --> 00:06:03.519 that that's something that again is popular as Valentine's Day started. Now, 104 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:07.920 was Valentine's Day in existence before she started making cards? 105 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:11.000 Or did she bring Valentine's Day into existence? And again, 106 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:13.720 you know me Anthony, I asked questions that I'm not 107 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:16.519 sure that answer, So. 108 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:18.600 I'm glad you said that. Well, in ancient Rome they 109 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:22.879 had a festival called Lupa Carlia, and Lupa Carlia basically 110 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:26.439 dealt with the loopa or the wolf that actually had 111 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.319 suckled Robulus agreements the founders of Rome. 112 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:32.319 It was a peg the emblem, as you know, that 113 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:34.319 is the emblem of Boston Latin School. 114 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.519 I know, yes, and I have one actually sitting in 115 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:40.079 the parlor that we bought in Rome. But the idea 116 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:44.759 was Claudius Gothagus, who was a pagan emperor of ancient Rome, 117 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:49.000 became friendly with Saint Valentine. But Saint Valentine wanted to 118 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:54.079 Christianize him, and the emperor had him beheaded on February 119 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:58.480 fourteenth of two sixty nine AD. So you began to 120 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:01.680 realize in some ways that the whole Saint Valentine was 121 00:07:01.720 --> 00:07:04.759 truly a saint of the church. He was somebody in 122 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:09.959 some ways that was martyred because of his Christianity. So 123 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:14.040 what they decided to do was to create a new 124 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:18.959 festival on the same date as Lupecalia, and now they 125 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:22.879 were honoring Saint Valentine not only the saint of courtly love, 126 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:29.480 but Saint Valentine represents the saint of epilepsy, beekeepers, travelers, 127 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:34.279 and fainting, and people began to realize even in ancient times, 128 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:38.720 Saint Valentine was somebody who in many ways was quite 129 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.759 well known. But it really wouldn't be until the early 130 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:46.000 nineteenth century that we began to see England, especially with 131 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:50.519 Cupid factories, as Charles Dickens would call them, of people 132 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:56.319 working in an assembly line to create these beautiful Valentine's 133 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:01.000 Day cards, and really the whole concept was it was 134 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.279 something that would actually, in the twentieth century become probably 135 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:07.560 one of the biggest of the holidays, and probably just 136 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.879 secondary to Easter and Christmas. 137 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.959 I can remember as being a little kid, you know, 138 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:19.839 in the third grade, the second grade, and your parents 139 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:23.800 would buy you a pack of these maybe fifty Valentine 140 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:27.319 Day's card and you the nuns would make us write 141 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:31.040 out Valentine's to all the kids in class, and you 142 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:32.200 learned the codship. 143 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:36.159 It was a big deal. But you know the odd 144 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:38.799 thing is, you know, in my book on Valentine's Day, 145 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:42.360 traditions involved, and I also talk about things like Salah's 146 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:48.080 Valentine's Vinegar Valentine's and Crampus Valentine's as well as candy. 147 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:50.519 And you know, when we think of Valentine's Day candy, 148 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:54.960 it was Cadbury that created the heart shaped bonon bond 149 00:08:55.159 --> 00:09:00.000 box and it would later be carried further by Shrafts, 150 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:03.799 which was at Sullivan Square in Childstown and even today 151 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.799 Phillips Chocolates and Donchas there. 152 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:10.399 Yeah, there's no one who knows the traditions of Boston 153 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.519 and the history of Boston better than my guest Anthony Simarco. 154 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:18.240 Where how could folks go to your website and perhaps 155 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.279 maybe pick up a couple of these books? Anthony, What's 156 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.919 what's the easiest way for folks to track you down? 157 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:26.639 Because I'll get twenty phone calls on Monday or Tuesday 158 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.279 saying how do I give mister so Marco's books? 159 00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:33.960 And if you work, I mean they're available on Amazon 160 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:36.639 dot com. That's probably the best. I don't have a website, 161 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:40.080 but if they also go to Facebook they google my name. 162 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:43.360 I always put down exactly what books I'm working on 163 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.639 and where my elections are. So this has been a 164 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:49.159 busy week for Valentine's Day tradition. 165 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:53.559 Believe, but I'll bet the last name is spelled SA 166 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:55.759 double M. Got to get the double M in there, 167 00:09:56.440 --> 00:10:01.600 ar CEO. Anthony's Marco Anthony. Always great to hear your voice. 168 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:03.919 Always great to talk with you. I so enjoy talking 169 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.799 with you. And we'll get you on somenight and maybe 170 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.279 take some phone calls at some point in the not 171 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:14.480 too just in the future. Fair enough, thanks Anthony. Right, 172 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:19.360 we get back, going to talk about something called pig butchering. 173 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:23.240 It's not what you think. It's a scam and it's something. 174 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:27.600 It's an ugly scam. Not that there are any handsome scams. 175 00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:32.480 We're going to talk with Roberts Cissis Leano. He's the 176 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:36.360 CEO of cybersecurity training company called protect Now. And this 177 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:40.440 is serious. You need to listen to this because during 178 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.559 the last five years, about seventy five billion dollars has 179 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:48.399 been globally lost through pig butchering scams. We'll explain it 180 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:49.919 all on the other side of the break here on 181 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.399 nights side on Valentine's Day Night twenty twenty five. My 182 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:55.720 name is Dan Ray. You were listening to w BZ 183 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.759 Boston's news Radio ten thirty and your am dial coming 184 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.720 right back after this quick break. 185 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:04.759 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 186 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:05.919 Nightside Studios. 187 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:11.440 I'm WBZ News Radio. We're with us is Robert Sciliano. 188 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:17.559 He's the CEO of cybersecurity training company called protect Now. Robert, 189 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:21.440 I had never heard of the phrase pig butchering, but 190 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.159 having read up on a little bit, I understand why 191 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:26.799 it's called pig butchering. How are you? How are you tonight? 192 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:28.080 I'm good? 193 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:28.480 Thank you. 194 00:11:29.679 --> 00:11:33.440 So Robert, tell us about this. It says pig butchering 195 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:36.840 scams are on the rise, and I think that you're 196 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:40.919 suggesting that I don't know. In the last five years, 197 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:47.039 one study says that seventy five billion dollars globally was 198 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:49.039 lost through these scams. Tell us about it. 199 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:53.279 So this is when. Okay, So I think everybody at 200 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:57.000 this point gets a text message at least a couple 201 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:01.399 of times a day, and that text might be like hello, 202 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:08.840 or is this Robert? Or hey, I'm sorry I didn't 203 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.600 call you earlier or something like that, like just some 204 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:18.440 innocuous lame well few words. Yeah, like the whole idea 205 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.879 behind these text messages that we get and First of all, 206 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:27.039 these texts are coming from you know, robots, right. There 207 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:30.600 isn't generally like a human actually sending that text. That's 208 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:35.000 done via robo calling. And they just blasted out millions 209 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:39.200 and millions of text messages every single day. And why 210 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.960 the Federal Communications Commission hasn't shut them down? I don't know. 211 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.519 Maybe they can't, I'm not really sure. 212 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:48.759 Yeah, that is my question, Robert, absolutely, because there have 213 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:53.360 been politicians who have including some from Massachusetts, who have 214 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.639 pledged that when I go to Washington, I will stop 215 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:01.240 these phone calls and these text messages. But I interrupted you, 216 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.600 and I didn't mean to. I think it's a great 217 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:07.720 clear explanation. Continue please, yeah, so sorry. 218 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:10.080 So all these text messages that we get on a 219 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:14.399 regular basis, they are designed for one reason and one 220 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:18.879 reason only to get us to respond, that's it. And 221 00:13:18.919 --> 00:13:24.919 so once we respond, who's this, I'm not sure who 222 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:28.720 you're calling or it's Robert, you know, did you mean 223 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:32.440 to call me? Like the whole idea is simply to 224 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:37.919 get us to respond, and once we respond, then a 225 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:42.159 human might engage from that point on on the other end. 226 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:46.679 And what that means is like the idea behind the 227 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:52.360 initial response is that they're they're seeking dialogue, they're seeking conversation, communication, 228 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:56.519 they're seeking to make a connection of some kind of 229 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:59.919 any kind, you know, and you know, and it does. 230 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.519 It doesn't mean that like like everybody's going to respond 231 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:06.279 because you know, maybe you don't respond. I definitely don't respond, 232 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:09.440 like I understand what's happening here. But you have to understand, 233 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.600 like there are a lot of people out there that 234 00:14:12.679 --> 00:14:15.679 are just lonely, you know, Like loneliness is a very 235 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:19.000 real thing. It's a very unfortunate thing. And when people 236 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:24.519 are lonely, like they're just craving communication, they're craving attention. 237 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:29.600 And so the simple add human contact is what they're craving. 238 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:33.720 It's it, you know, and that's where we're an interdependent 239 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:36.879 species and we require each other. You know. 240 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:39.440 So once they get you, once they get you, then 241 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:43.279 they'll start to get you involved in something that might 242 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:46.679 even initially get some money back for you, right they 243 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.519 kind of hook you. 244 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:54.240 So yeah, well eventually, you know, but they might spend 245 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:02.120 weeks just talking, just texting, just communicating, just getting to 246 00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:06.679 know you more, just getting deeper and deeper, just creating 247 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:10.440 a deeper and deeper human connection via text, you know, 248 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:14.639 And so what happens when what happens when you get 249 00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:17.000 to know somebody, you begin to trust them, you know, 250 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:19.360 and as you as you as you spend more time 251 00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:23.000 with somebody, And again this is just remotely it's via text, 252 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:26.559 but this time that this person is spending with you 253 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:31.159 is deepening the connection, the relationship. 254 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.519 And so just to ask you one quick question, Okay, 255 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.879 the people who are talking to you, a lot of 256 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:39.919 this stuff comes from offshore. How good is their English? 257 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:43.799 Their their their colloquial English. 258 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:48.120 Well, at this point, with the basics like Google Translate 259 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:55.600 and AI, you know, and artificial intelligence, uh, in all 260 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:59.919 the various large language models, all these various tools, Uh, 261 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:04.840 it's no problem. You know, the scammer grammar is gone. 262 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:09.480 Like there's there's no need for scammer grammar. Right, Okay, 263 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.519 at this point they can communicate as effectively as you know, 264 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:20.840 anybody because they're using robots to do it that are 265 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:26.120 you know, eloquent and speak perfect English. 266 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:30.039 And what they do and again just a little stretched 267 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:33.480 on time here. So what they do is they will 268 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:37.600 propose an investment of some sort and maybe you'll get 269 00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:41.480 some money back initially and you think that even makes 270 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:44.559 you a little more confident, and then eventually they will 271 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:49.639 get your information and empty your accounts, abuse your credit card, 272 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:52.360 or maybe get you to get you to send them 273 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.080 a good amount of money and you get ghosted. 274 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:59.720 Right, they'll actually present you with links to actual live 275 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:03.679 web sites that show tickers in crypto coin, and they 276 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:06.720 show you know, the the gains and the money that 277 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:09.160 can be made, and they show that like this is 278 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.599 where I've made money. Like they'll they'll take it to 279 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:14.920 what would be considered like a legitimate website where they've 280 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:17.640 made investments in their money has just doubled and tripled, 281 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.000 and they say, hey, you know, like you know, if 282 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:24.680 you spend even only one hundred dollars, you could probably 283 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:26.759 make one hundred and fifty like in the next five 284 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:30.839 days and then make and they'll actually like invest one 285 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:33.240 hundred and fifty and then they'll get fifty back like 286 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:36.000 they can cash out, and like, whoa, this is crazy, 287 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.680 and so they'll it's it's it's it's just like a 288 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:41.720 Ponzi scam, and before you know it, like that one 289 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:46.079 hundred and fifty turns into you know, twenty thousand, and 290 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:50.160 over time they're investing, investing, investing, get a little bit back, 291 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.960 Get a little bit back, get a little bit back. 292 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:55.839 And what they're doing is they're they're fattening the victim up, 293 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:59.519 like when you satten up a peg and ually you 294 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:00.240 butcher rate. 295 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.160 Yeah, that's beautiful. You know, it's funny. I got to 296 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.799 ask you a real quick question. If I can't here, 297 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:09.240 so I get like everybody else, she gets scammed phone calls. 298 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.000 So I get a phone call today. I can tell 299 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.759 it's a delay. I can tell it's some form of 300 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:15.880 a pool of people. In the background. There's a lot 301 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.839 of noise, and they want to know, am I Am 302 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:24.000 I happy with my Exfinity bill. Now obviously they're looking 303 00:18:24.039 --> 00:18:25.640 at me and say, oh, no, it's too much. But 304 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:28.440 all I say is, yeah, I'm very happy, and they 305 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:30.839 hang up. What is that scam they're going to try 306 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:33.519 to have you? You know? And you can tell by 307 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:35.759 the way this person's calling from somewhere I don't know, 308 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:38.839 East Moldolvia. This is a real person. But they have 309 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:43.559 an accent that like nothing I've ever heard. And they're 310 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:46.279 making a thousand phone calls and if ten, if ten hit, 311 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:47.119 they're ahead of the game. 312 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:51.440 Yeah, And they're looking for credit card information, they're looking 313 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:55.240 for any type of account numbers, they're looking for social 314 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:59.440 security numbers. They're looking to do anything and everything to 315 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:02.680 get you to sign on the dotted line to provide 316 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:07.119 any type of financial information or sensitive information that they 317 00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:09.880 can eventually turn into cash. 318 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:14.279 Robert, you are one of the best cybersecurity people who 319 00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:16.680 I've ever spoken with, and I've spoken with a lot. 320 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:18.759 I would love to get you to come back some 321 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:22.759 night and spend an hour with my listeners as well. 322 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:26.640 This segment is simply a quick interview segment. I'd love 323 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:28.559 to get you to come back if that's possible. That 324 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:32.200 possible anytime, buddy. Okay, Now, let me ask you this. 325 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:35.960 How can folks get in touch with you? How can 326 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:38.960 they get more information? You have a company called project Now. 327 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:41.119 Is there a website that people could follow up? 328 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:46.200 Yeah, it's actually protect now project now. Excuse me now LLC? 329 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:50.880 Yeah problem, Protect now LLC dot com. I'm actually in 330 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:54.160 the Boston area, so protect NOWLLC dot com. 331 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:57.440 Excellent. Excellent, that's even better, Robert, thank you very much. 332 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:59.279 I will have my producer get in touch with your 333 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.160 folks and let's let's do an hour in this somenight 334 00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:06.359 and really this is not enough time to get as 335 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:09.000 much information out that we need to get out. And 336 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:11.160 you do a great job. Thank you so much. 337 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:14.279 Be safe, sir, you too. 338 00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:17.079 All right, we get back right after the news at 339 00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:20.200 the bottom of the hour, we're going to talk with 340 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:24.799 an assistant professor of Technology and Operations at the Michigan 341 00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:32.000 University Ross Business School about Valentine Day's gift Valentine's Day 342 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:36.480 gifts and again it comes down it's kind of like 343 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:40.000 a scam. You was Sokker for the free gift with purchase. 344 00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:42.559 We'll explain right after the news break at the bottom 345 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:43.160 of the hour. 346 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:49.920 It's Night with Dan Ray on Boston's news Radio. 347 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:56.039 Well, following on our Valentine's Day scheme, we are delighted 348 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.960 to introduce to Professor Lennart Bardman. He's a professor Technology 349 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:05.440 and Operations at the University of Michigan Ross Business School. 350 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:08.039 Professor Bartman, welcome to Nightsatt. How are you. 351 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:10.160 Thank you for having me Dan. 352 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.200 I'm doing very well. It's a wonderful nay, so happy 353 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.079 you tho to welcome. 354 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:17.759 We were just talking with a cybersecurity expert. Sort of 355 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.599 the theme that we have going tonight and not only 356 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:22.480 is a Valentine's Day theme, but also how people have 357 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:26.920 to be smart and protect themselves. And you asked the question, 358 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:31.160 I think you even might have done a survey as 359 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:35.079 to on customer loyalty. More than seventy percent of customers 360 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:39.920 say that they would prefer to get a gift a 361 00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:45.480 free gift as opposed to a discount. Why is that 362 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:49.079 comparison important? I think I know the answer, but I 363 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:51.839 just want my audience to understand what we are actually 364 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.880 discussing here. 365 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.400 Yes, I didn't do that research myself, but that's a 366 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.839 very striking number. Seventy percent is a vault. The reason 367 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.960 for that mostly is that when you're given a free gift, 368 00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:06.720 you feel that you know you're getting something that you 369 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:09.680 didn't have to pay anything for, So it's it's kind 370 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:14.359 of that psychological benefit. And the benefit of that is 371 00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:16.279 that if you were to just get a discount, you'd 372 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:18.279 feel like, Okay, I'm still getting what I'm getting, but 373 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:20.440 I'm getting it at a slightly reduced price. It's nothing 374 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:24.720 that extraordinary. So it's really the difficult the different way 375 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:28.839 of feeling about that that that gift versus a discount. 376 00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:34.359 Important. Not all that significant, I think, is what you found. 377 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:37.640 That's correct. Yes, So let you would imagine going to 378 00:22:37.720 --> 00:22:41.680 Sophora today on Valentine's Day and buying some perfume. Let's 379 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:44.839 say that costs one hundred dollars, and then you get 380 00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:48.039 a ten dollar free lotion with it. But maybe you 381 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:50.400 don't actually care about that ten dollar free lotion and 382 00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:52.960 you prefer to just have a ninety dollars perfume instead, 383 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:55.640 because those ten dollars are saved and you can spend 384 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:00.039 on something else. Normally, these free gifts are not the 385 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:03.319 kind of samples. They're not really that much worth to 386 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:06.000 the original item the church for buying. That's something that 387 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:07.640 posts people don't see. 388 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:14.839 So it's a psychological response as opposed to an intellectual response, 389 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:16.640 is what I'm hearing you say that. If you think 390 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:19.759 about it, you'll probably say the free gift's probably not 391 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:23.920 going to be great, and I'd rather save my actual 392 00:23:23.960 --> 00:23:27.079 money in my pocket and get ten percent off. But 393 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:29.440 people don't think that way. I think is so there's 394 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:32.119 some psychology as well as economics involved here. 395 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:36.960 Yeah, there's psychology, there's economics. There's also for the retailer. Actually, 396 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:40.359 the reason they like these free gifts is that they 397 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:44.519 can keep the perceived value of an item very high. So, 398 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:48.000 if you see a perfume that costs one hundred dollars, 399 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:50.319 you think that the quality is better than a perfume that, say, 400 00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:53.359 costs eighty dollars or ninety dollars. And so if you 401 00:23:54.119 --> 00:23:56.240