SCAM HUNTERS

The Nurse

Episode Summary

Is the nurse the key? Heidi takes some initiative.

Episode Notes

Is the nurse the key? Heidi takes some initiative. 

Stay up-to-date on future episodes at scamhunters.io

SCAM HUNTERS is presented by Thoropass. 

Does your infosec compliance process sometimes feel like a mystery? You need Thoropass—the all in one infosec compliance delivery platform with seamless audits, airtight security, and peace of mind. No more shady spreadsheets. No more risky shortcuts. Thoropass helps you lock in compliance and slash audit times, ensuring that you keep your business safe from all the digital villains out there.

Don't be a victim of non-compliance. Thoropass is for any size company, big or small. Don't let the thought of non-compliance give you a bad day. Visit Thoropass.com to learn more.  



SCAM HUNTERS is a Caspian Studios Production.

Starring Greg Kinnear as Ezra Volatagio and Erin Moriarty as Heidi Waldroup
With Guapdad 4000 as Iman the Nurse

Created by Ian Faison
Directed by Laura Murphy
Written by Ian Faison

Executive Produced by Greg Kinnear, Erin Moriarty, Ian Faison and Laura Murphy

Co-Executive Producer: Dane Eckerle
Supervising Producer: Jon Libbey
Produced by Erin Stenhouse and Taylor Brim
Supervising Creative Producer: Landon Pontius
In-Studio Producer: Mark Wolf Roberts
Dialogue Editing, Sound Design and Mixing by Scott Goodrich
Design by Tyler Litwin
Production Support by Bradley Glanzrock and Jon Libbey
Co-Produced by Bradley Glanzrock
Video Editing by Scott Levine
Marketing Support from Dino Pasalic, Kyle Rusca, and Colin Stamps
Operational Support by Ben Maida, Elliot Ledley and Colin Stamps
Script Consultants are Aaron Dun, Kumud Kalia and Chris Gerben 
Special thanks to Kumud Kalia, Mark Settle, Paul Chapman, Sam Lancaster and Kaylee Edmondson
Audio Support from Studio Awesome

Thank you to the team at Thoropass.

Theme Song for SCAM HUNTERS is SCAM BOY by Guapdad 4000 

Additional Support From Caspian Studios. Thank you to:
Jess Avellino
Nick Canepa 
Meredith Gooderham
Bill Kornfeld
Alexa Minter
Melanie Scroggins
Zoe Zuidema

Episode Transcription

Ezra: [00:00:00] This is Ezra.

Heidi: You know it's me.

Ezra: Yeah, I thought maybe you died. I've had the TaskRabbit guy call twice to set up your IKEA bed, nobody answered, what gives?

Heidi: I don't need him. I set it up myself. See?

Ezra: Are you using the unopened box as a box spring?

Heidi: Yeah, it's working great so far.

Ezra: You see, you're just doing this out of spite, forgoing your own comfort just to agitate me.

Heidi: Look at my end table. I mean, I have a place to put my chai latte, so thank you.

Ezra: Leaving my gifts in boxes is diabolical. It's like I don't even know you.

Heidi: Well, maybe you should ask before you buy gifts. Let's get to work. So how risky was what I did yesterday?

Ezra: You didn't break any laws. You just got some information.

Ezra: People weirdly do like telling you stuff. You might be cut out for this investigative thing after all.

Heidi: Yeah, well, there were several lies told.

Ezra: Is your grandmother alive?

Heidi: No.

Ezra: Then you and your future Pulitzer are fine.

Heidi: You know that's not [00:01:00] all I care about. I want to catch these assholes.

Ezra: No, no, no. We're not trying to catch anyone yet. We're looking for vulnerabilities. Vulnerable devices, vulnerable people. Someone they can use and exploit. And throw them away when they're done with them. And then they disappear, and you will never find them again. But if we find vulnerabilities Then we can do a lot of things, like set up a honeypot.

Heidi: What's a honeypot? 

Ezra: A honeypot is like a decoy. Looks like a real system that a hacker would want to attack, but it's a trap. You see? It's a trap. Once we hack into the system, we can see everything they're doing. It'd be like if you had a house, a real house, that you made easy to break into, but didn't put anything valuable in there. The burglar walks by, sees the house is vulnerable, they break in, checks all the drawers, don't find anything of value. And he leaves. But they didn't realize you had cameras everywhere. So you can see how they got in and what they are [00:02:00] doing when they are there. That way, you can prevent it next time or even catch them in the act.

Heidi: Hmm. Got it.

Ezra: Tell me your notes on the list of vulnerabilities so far.

Heidi: Okay. So, for vulnerabilities Sunflower Hospice seems pretty impenetrable. It's a hospital system, you tried some pen tests, and they seem to have some strong information security. But the thrift shop, however, seems vulnerable. Patricia runs the thrift shop. 

She seems like a model citizen, but never skips work and could be stealing company money or something, but she doesn't have access to the patient credit cards. There is this auditor, Mr. Jamie, who audits the thrift shop once a year, and I called him. He hasn't called me back. And then Trevor, our lovable thrift store clerk slash donation pickup guy.

He's the only person who knows how to use a computer, and he seemingly has access to far too many systems. Possibly disgruntled, he only picks up donations after the patient dies. So he can't steal the credit cards, right?

Ezra: Right, [00:03:00] unless he's lying.

Heidi: Right. And Trevor gets a list of patient addresses from Iman the nurse. Speaking of the nurse, I found him. His name is Iman Rashida. Lives on 147 Nuttall Court. I talked to him this morning.

Ezra: What?

Heidi: You what? No! By yourself? Yes, by myself! First, it's my story and my investigation, so I don't have to tell you everything that I'm doing. And secondly, it is amazing how much easier it is to think clearly when you don't have an old man barking random stuff into your ear.

Ezra: I'm not saying I don't respect the drive, but we're talking about a potential scammer criminal mastermind. You could have been hurt. Did you take any notes? Of course.

Heidi: And I recorded the whole thing. Still mad, but less mad.

Ezra: Less mad. If you promise to set up the IKEA bed this week, we will call it even.

Heidi: I'm not setting up the bed.

Ezra: Bedside table. [00:04:00]

Heidi: Do you want to hear the recording or not?

Ezra: Someone in Sweden is crying because of you.

Heidi: Fine. You know what? I won't play it.

Ezra: Play the damn recording.

Heidi: You're gonna want to hear this.

Narration: You are listening. To SCAM HUNTERS. Starring Greg Kinnear and Erin Moriarty. Created by Ian Faison. Directed by Laura Murphy. Presented by Thoropass. A Caspian Studios Production. Hey, does your InfoSec compliance process sometimes feel like a mystery? Well then you need Thoropass. The all in one InfoSec compliance delivery platform. With seamless audits, Airtight security and peace of mind. [00:05:00] No more shady spreadsheets. No more risky shortcuts. Thoropass helps you lock in compliance and slash audit times, ensuring that you keep your business safe from all the digital villains that are out there. Don't be a victim of non compliance. And Thoropass is for any size company, big or small. Don't let the thought of non compliance give you a bad day. Visit Thoropass.com to learn more.

Heidi: This is Heidi Waldroup. I'm walking toward the nurse's house, getting ready to interview.

Ezra: Yeah, I really can't believe you did this without me.

Heidi: Oh, I brought you with me. Oh, what's that? Is Ezra in my ear again? Okay, what's your angle in, Heidi? I'm just gonna approach the nurse like a journalist covering a story. No, that won't work! Say you are with the sanitation department, and you are looking for the people who take the biggest poops in the neighborhood!

Ezra: I don't sound like that, just so you know, but that is a good [00:06:00] angle, and did you use that?

Heidi: You'll just have to listen. Uh, um, hi, uh, is Iman home? I'm Trevor's. You know Trevor? Cool. Cool. Yep, cool. Um, does Iman also live here?

Ezra: Not all nurses are female, Heidi.

Heidi: Am I going to keep having to pause this?

Iman: Maybe. Oh, no, I get it. You're confused because I'm a male named Iman, who's also a nurse. Two things can be true at the same time, baby. And actually, it's a common misconception. If you check the data for the state that you're in, about who works at the hospitals you get your care from, there's a high percentage of male nurses in all those establishments.

Ezra: See, I told you.

Heidi: I stand corrected. And it's my understanding that you work as a home health nurse for Sunflower Hospice. Visiting patients in their homes. Is that correct? Okay, so? So, I'm a reporter for the Miami Underground—

Iman: Oh shit! Miami Underground! Um, y'all follow DJ [00:07:00] Khaled on that jet ski. And y'all posted that super interesting think piece on if Summer Walker runs in the winter. Peak journalism. Hmm. You got a fan?

Heidi: Yeah. Yeah. That's us. Peak journalism. But I am looking for information about a different story. It's about a robbery. Somebody robbed DJ Khaled. No, nobody robbed DJ Khaled. They robbed hospital patients. 

Iman: You know, I'm actually late for work and I gotta go.

Heidi: It will only take five minutes.

Iman: No, look, Lord, I've heard that before.

Heidi: I'm looking for information about patients.

Iman: Look. I would love to have an extra five minutes, but I don't. And I don't know what you're looking for, but I can guarantee I don't got it.

Heidi: I think you do got it. They were patients at Sunflower Hospice. Cecilia Renfro, Aster Cresswell, Sunwyn, Daniel Geary.

Heidi: Sound familiar?

Iman: Damn, people robbing the elderly. That's messed up. I wish I could help, but I gotta get to work.

Heidi: This is your work. These are your [00:08:00] patients, correct?

Iman: I'm not talking to you. I'm sorry about whatever's happening. I gotta go.

Ezra: Should've said that Trevor was in trouble, nobody wants to be investigated.

Heidi: Okay, will you just listen, please? Trevor's in trouble and I need your help.

Ezra: Boom! There it is, that's my girl! Say you know about the scam.

Heidi: This is a recording, you know that, right?

Ezra: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it. 

Iman: Wait, what do you mean he's in trouble?

Heidi: Iman, listen, I know about the scam, what Trevor is doing, and he needs to stop or he's, he's gonna get hurt.

Ezra: Yes! You are getting good at this, girl. You have good instincts, like a chameleon.

Heidi: Who are you again?

Ezra: Because Trev never mentioned you.

Heidi: My name is Heidi Waldroup, I'm a reporter with the Miami Underground, and I'm a friend of Trevor's. I know about the texts you send him.

Iman: What texts? You, you mean the group chat?

Heidi: No, what's in the group chat?

Iman: Um, nothing. When somebody comes to me about that group chat, then I'll be in trouble. Those texts are a violation of HIPAA.

Heidi: Oh, this isn't about the [00:09:00] group chat. This is about the texts that you send him with the patient's addresses. That information is PHI, and a violation of HIPAA.

Ezra: Oh my girl, this is poetry.

Heidi: Look, I'm not trying to get you or Trevor in trouble, Iman, but I need answers, okay? What are you sending him?

Iman: Look, I'm just helping Trev out, alright? He's gotta drive all over Miami in traffic. At least he could plan his week a little better. Been a hard year for him. Not that you would know, Miss Trevor's friend. And what I share with him, it's not PHI. I know what PHI is. I got HIPAA tattooed on my ribs. I don't give no other names or information. It's just a list of addresses. It's harmless. I swear.

Heidi: It is, PHI. You need some updated training. It's illegal. 

Iman: Man, I don't appreciate that accusatory ass tone.

Heidi: I don't appreciate you playing dumb with me. Somebody is scamming your patients. You are texting patient [00:10:00] information to Trevor, and then somehow their credit cards get stolen. How? Did somebody make Trevor put something in the store? Is there a skimmer?

Iman: What? Skimmers? Like a pool skimmer? What are you talking about? 

Heidi: I'm talking about a credit card skimmer.

Iman: I'm a freaking nurse, lady. We don't get paid with credit cards. I get paid with hope. I go in, I do my job, and I get out.

Ezra: Mmm, I would have told you to make something up there, pin something on him.

Heidi: (To Ezra) Keep listening, old man. (To Iman) I have information that puts you and Trevor at the center of this. You are the biggest suspects. You have access to the patients when nobody else does. These patients have no family, no visitors, no friends.

Iman: The only one who visits? Lady, I work at a hospital. I'm not the only one who works there and not the only one who visits. Let me spell it out for you. I didn't do anything. I texted Trev a few addresses to help with his route.

Heidi: That's it. Okay, then if you didn't do anything wrong, tell me what's going [00:11:00] on. This story is going to run anyway. This is your chance to tell your side or you are not going to like what you read. Check this out, they all have lawyers.

Iman: Different lawyers or the same one? I don't know because they aren't the ones who visit.

Heidi: They don't visit? 

Iman: Man, am I gonna get in trouble for telling you this stuff? I feel like this is a trap.

Heidi: I'll leave you alone if you tell me everything you know, and you will look a lot better in the story, I promise.

Iman: Lawyers always got some paperwork to finalize. You know, wills and all that. But like I said, the lawyers don't show up. They send a notary for the final signatures. And get this, it's always the same notary. This guy Brad, he stamped like 40 pieces of paper, take about an hour, and then he's gone.

Ezra: I had a dog and his name was Bingo.

Heidi: So, there is another person who visits. Anyone else, man.

Iman: Then there's this priest. He does last rights. You know, it's always the same priest too. His [00:12:00] name is, uh, father DeSilva from St. Michael's. 

Heidi: St. Michael's, the same church that funds Sunflower Thrift Shop.

Iman: Look, I told you everything I know. Ask Trev.

Heidi: Oh, I will. And I'll reach out if I have any more questions. I don't wanna make you late…

Iman: Late? I'm already late. You ruined my damn day. People waiting on me at the hospital. I'm the head nurse on the floor. If Make A Wish pull up, guess who gotta grant them things? Me. I'm Iman, a male nurse. You thought I was a woman. Some reporter you are for whatever magazine this is. I'm going to save people lives. I don't know what you're gonna do.

Find a kindergartner, punch him in the face, go to church. Slap a priest? Maybe you call an ambulance just to slash the tires. Whatever you want to do, you might even start a fire just to talk to the ambulance and the EMTs. The fire department don't want nothing to do with you, just like me. Damn! [00:13:00] Find somebody else to punch him in the mouth and fix your hands afterward. Pull up to the hospital, I got band aids.

Heidi: I will let you know if I need band aids.

Iman: Yeah, thanks for nothing, lady. And you know what? I bet DJ Khaled hated that article. And I don't even know if DJ Khaled reads that much. He like everybody, but I bet he don't like you.

Heidi: Well, I don't need him to like me. Have a good one.

Ezra: Ice cold Waldroup. Wow.

Heidi: The end got a little crazy, but how did I do? Pretty good, right?

Ezra: Well, I mean, other than not getting the full name or address for the notary, you crushed it. It's fine, though. There's probably not that many notaries in Florida named Brad.

Heidi: Shit. That was almost a full compliment.

Ezra: Maybe Baby Bird isn't ready to leave the nest just yet.

Heidi: You know, for the record, that makes you Big Bird.

Ezra: Big Bird says what makes you different makes you special.

Heidi: So what now?

Ezra: I think it's pretty obvious.

Heidi: It is?

Ezra: When it comes to people doing shady things, as soon as a priest is mentioned, [00:14:00] you question them first. I feel like I'd learn that in law and order.

Heidi: What about your tea time?

Ezra: They can start without me. I'll catch them on the back nine. We are going to church.

Narration: Thank you for listening to Scam Hunters. Greg Kinnear and Erin Moriarty with Guapdad 4000 as Iman. SCAM HUNTERS is created by Ian Faison, directed by Laura Murphy, executive produced by Greg Kinnear, Erin Moriarty, Ian Faison, and Laura Murphy, a Caspian Studios production. SCAM HUNTERS is presented by Thoropass.

Hey, does your InfoSec compliance process sometimes feel like a mystery? Well then you need Thoropass, the all in one InfoSec compliance delivery platform with seamless audits, airtight security, and peace of mind. No more shady spreadsheets. No more risky shortcuts. Thoropass helps you lock in compliance and slash audit [00:15:00] times, ensuring that you keep your business safe from all the digital villains that are out there. Don't be a victim of non compliance. And Thoropass is for any size company, big or small. Don't let the thought of non compliance give you a bad day. Visit Thoropass.com to learn more.