Through sharing and recounting her experiences with Hamish McLaren, Tracy explores in depth just how insidious and calculated intimate fraud can be. She shares details of her journey with raw vulnerability and explores the devastating impact of scams and fraud both financially and emotionally on victims. Tracy will also provide deep insight on the shame and secrecy around losing money and how to reduce financial vulnerability by educating and empowering people through financial literacy, scam education and digital vigilance. By building awareness and empathy, organisations can reduce risk and protect their brand (and hearts) with financially vigilant and resilient teams. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

This COULD happen to me: By sharing her lived experience, Tracy shares a story that drives home the reality that falling victim to scams isn't reserved for the naive or vulnerable—it can happen to anyone. This fascinating story will awaken a sense of awareness and vigilance, motivating listeners to take proactive measures to protect themselves and their loved ones against scams and fraud.

Scan types & watch outs: We delve into the various scam types, from investment scams to targeting and deceptive romance scams, empowering the audience to recognise the warning signs and provide technology suggestions to protect yourself now and in the future. 

AI, Data Breeches and Deep fakes: Explore the latest statistics and trends in scams and fraud, highlighting the scale and sophistication of current schemes. While technology has afforded us protection, it has also heightened our vulnerability. By understanding these dynamics, we can all navigate the digital landscape with heightened awareness and foresight.

Psychological Understanding: Delve into the psyche of a scammer, unveiling the psychological tactics they employ (including coercive control) and the red flags to watch out for when assessing trustworthiness. Learn how to identify potential threats, whether you’re inviting someone into your personal life or safeguarding your financial assets.

Strategic Defense: From compliance training to phishing education, having this subject and story top of mind, organisations can encourage and expect more vigilance from their teams when it comes to protecting their company and themselves against scams and fraud.

Empathy and Compassion: Whether it is you or someone you know, compassion and empathy are key to dealing with the emotional and financial fallout of a scam or fraud. By arming your teams with an understanding of the emotional and financial impact of such betrayals, you will cultivate a culture of support and resilience, enabling your team to navigate challenges with grace and empathy. 

Tracy Hall’s life went from fact to fiction overnight when the man she had been dating for almost 2 years turned out to be one of Australia’s most notorious con men - Hamish McLaren. Also known as Hamish Watson. Also known as Hamish Maxwell. He stole her life savings ($317,000) along with her ability to trust. 

Come along on a journey of highs, lows, love and loss as we explore the devastating financial and emotional effects of intimate fraud, the red, green (and beige) flags as well as how to rebuild an even better life in the wake of deep betrayal. Tracy explores the concept of vulnerability following major life events and how to protect yourself and others during these times. Ultimately, this is a story of hope and resilience with the audience left feeling inspired, boldly curious and empowered. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

Recognising Red, Green & Beige Flags: Learn to identify warning signs of deception and fraud in intimate or professional relationships, empowering yourself to protect your financial and emotional well-being.

Embracing Vulnerability: Explore the transformative power of vulnerability in personal growth and healing, and discover strategies to navigate major life events with resilience and authenticity. By accepting and leaning into vulnerability, you’ll unlock untapped self discovery and inner strength. 

Rebuilding Trust: Gain invaluable insights into the complex process of rebuilding trust after betrayal. Learn practical steps to foster healthier and more resilient relationships in the aftermath of deception. By understanding the reasons we trust and our cognitive flaws, you’ll be more vigilant in the future.

Empowerment Through Awareness: Understand the importance of staying informed and vigilant in relationships, and empower yourself to set boundaries (both financial and emotional) and assert your needs to prevent exploitation and manipulation. 

Cultivating Resilience: Draw inspiration from Tracy Hall's journey of hope and resilience, and leave with a renewed sense of courage, bold curiosity, and empowerment to navigate life's challenges with strength and determination. 

Trust forms the bedrock of our relationships and influences our interactions on various levels - most of which are subconscious and fuelled by cognitive biases. Join us as we unravel the layers of trust, vulnerability, and stepping out of the victim identity, equipping you and your teams with the knowledge and tools to foster trusting relationships, embrace vulnerability, and cultivate resilience in all aspects of life. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

Invisible Contracts of Trust: Gain a deeper understanding into the complexities of why and how we trust by exploring the invisible contracts of trust in our societies as well as our biological conditionings.

Intuition v Cognitive Biases: Explore how we are not always equipped to evaluate fraud and scams by discovering the flaws in our intuition which are fueled by our many cognitive biases. 

Shame & Victim Blaming: We will also delve into shame, shedding light on its impact and providing tools to overcome its debilitating effects. We cultivate a stronger and healthier mindset and create more compassionate and authentic relationships by addressing shame head-on.

Normalising Vulnerability: In our journey, we will explore the power of vulnerability and challenge societal norms surrounding vulnerability and highlight when you will be most ‘situationally vulnerable’. Learn how to be extra vigilant during these times and discover how embracing vulnerability can lead to deeper connections and personal growth.

Scepticism v Cynicism: explore how to maintain an optimistic outlook without rose coloured glasses or toxic positivity in a world where we are exposed to scams and fraud daily. Be boldly curious when presented with people or information that might not be completely legitimate so we can protect ourselves whilst being open to genuine connections.