391: Steven Rambam | The Real Life of a Private Investigator

A private investigator's life isn't like what we see on TV. "No fraud can survive real due diligence." -Steve Rambam The Cheat Sheet: Prime bank guarantee fraud: what is it and how does it work? Why is the US a "garden of eden" for bad guys in general? How his TV show, Nowhere to Hide, came to be. Why his business doubled within 2 years following a bogus arrest. Are there scam lists and are you on one? And so much more... Have you ever wondered what the real life of a private investigator is like? Is it as exciting as it's made out to be on TV shows, movies and in books? Or do they just sit behind a desk, pushing papers and pens around? Today's guest is here to let us in on the reality of a real-life private investigator. Steve Rambam has been a PI for nearly 30 years, is the head of Pallorium, an agency of licensed investigators and has his own TV show called Nowhere to Hide. We talk about all of that and more on episode 391 of The Art of Charm. Click Here to Support The Show at our sponsor Lynda.com! More About This Show: Thirty years ago Steve got a call from a friend called. His friend promised Steve free beer if he'd to come to Texas and help catch some thieves who were stealing farming equipment. Steve agreed and shortly after found himself the proud bearer of a Texas state private investigator and security company license. Today Steve holds licenses in several states, as well as permits to work in other countries. He's the head of Pallorium and the man behind the TV show, Nowhere to Hide. Today we talk about some of his most interesting investigations, the two types of people who get taken in by a con artist and a few simple ways he recommends to protect yourself and avoid being taken advantage of. There are two types of victims who fall prey to a fraudster and his tricks: either the innocent ones or the ones with a bit of hustler in them themselves. The innocent people are the ones who fall for the affinity fraud: these are the people who give money to their pastor for a new church, only to find out the new church is really his new vacation home. Or the people who give to someone in their close-knit community. They assume the person can be trusted because he is part of their community. The hustlers who get taken in fraud cases are the people who think they're getting in on some kind of secret. They're being given inside info that no one else is privy to and love that fact. You often see CEOs or high-level execs, and other movers and shakers get taken in by these schemes. If you want to avoid being conned there are a few simple things to remember: no fraud can survive true due diligence. If you really do your homework you'll eventually spot a fraud. And if you hire someone either to help you investigate an opportunity or pursue a fraudster, make sure you do your homework on that person. Investigators, lawyers, and counselors all must be licensed so check on the status of your person's licensing. Steve also shares some incredible stories, including some you won't see on his TV show. Listen in and they'll help you avoid cams. Then join us in thanking Steve for his wisdom on this incredibly important topic. And special thanks to you for being here! See you next time on The Art of Charm. THANKS STEVE RAMBAM! If you enjoyed this session of The Art of Charm Podcast, let Steve know by clicking on the link below and sending him a quick shout out on Twitter: Click here to thank Steve on Twitter! Resources from this episode: Steve Rambam's web sitePallorium, Steve's company Steve's talk at The Next Hope: Privacy Is Dead Steve on Twitter The Art of Charm bootcamps You'll also like: -The Art of Charm Toolbox-Best of The Art of Charm Podcast Wanna leave a comment? Too bad! Email me instead (we read everything)! HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!  If you dug this episode, please subscribe in iTunes and write us a review! This is what helps us stand out from all the fluff out there. FEEDBACK + PROMOTION Hit us up with your comments and guest suggestions. We read EVERYTHING. Download the FREE AoC app for iPhone Email [email protected] Give us a call at 888.413.7177 Stay Charming!