A recap of our cybersecurity webinar, with timestamps so you can jump to what matters most to you.
By Craig Silberg, Founding Partner, EverPar Advisors
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this topic hits close to home for us. We recently hosted a live webinar with Philip Coniglio, Head of AdvisorDefense Services and Chief Information Security Officer at AdvisorAssist and EverPar’s cybersecurity partner. We covered how AI is changing the scams aimed at investors and retirees, and the five habits that help protect you and your family. Here’s a recap, with timestamps so you can jump to any section of the video.
Why this matters (02:15)
Americans reported a record $16 billion in fraud losses in 2025, and nearly one in three reports involved someone impersonating a business, bank, or government agency. Adults over 60 lost $7.75 billion to cybercrime, up 59% in a single year. Scammers target people who have built wealth, and as Philip noted, being fooled has nothing to do with intelligence. Even cybersecurity professionals second-guess what is real.
How scams reach you (04:30)
Scams arrive by phone, text, email, social media, and even paid search ads that lead to convincing fake websites. The most common script right now is a fake fraud alert, where a caller claims to be your bank and urges you to move money immediately. Nearly every scam follows the same three steps: create urgency, impersonate someone you trust, and push you outside your normal channels.
How AI is changing the game (06:30)
AI has given scammers three new tools, and each one removes a warning sign people used to rely on.
- Voice cloning: A few seconds of audio from a voicemail greeting or a video is enough to copy a voice. The FBI tracked $893 million in AI-enabled fraud losses in 2025.
- Deepfake video: Fabricated video can show a real public figure or financial professional endorsing a fake investment.
- Flawless phishing: AI-written emails no longer have the typos and awkward grammar that gave scams away.
Five habits that keep you safe (11:30)
None of these require technical skill.
- Slow down on urgency (11:45). Treat pressure to act right now as the warning sign.
- Verify independently (12:30). Hang up and call a number you already have, never the one in the message. This works because it does not depend on spotting the fake.
- Lock down your accounts (13:30). Use multi-factor authentication and a unique password for every account. An unexpected verification prompt means someone may already have your password.
- Guard your voice and image (14:15). Be thoughtful about public audio and video, and agree on a family safe word for urgent requests involving money.
- Use extra scrutiny for money movement (15:00). Confirm wires, banking changes, and new account setups by phone, even when the request appears to come from us.
If something seems urgent, unusual, or inconsistent with how we normally communicate, call your EverPar team using a number you already have. We would rather field calls that turn out to be nothing than have one client become a victim.
Q&A Questions:
- The one thing to do after today (17:30): Verify independently, every time.
- Talking to a parent or grandparent (18:45): Focus the conversation on the scammer’s tools, not on them, and give them one easy habit to remember.
- Password managers (19:30): Use a dedicated password manager rather than the one built into your browser.
- Verification codes you did not request (20:30): Do not interact with them. Delete them.
- Cloned grandchild calls (21:30): Use a family safe word to confirm it is really them.
- Text codes vs. authenticator apps (22:30): Text codes are better than nothing, but an authenticator app or passkey is safer.
- AI apps and personal information (23:30): Keep what you share non-sensitive and leave out account numbers and personal details.
Free tools to verify a financial professional:
The takeaway:
Slow down, verify through a number you already have, and call your EverPar team the moment anything feels off. If you have questions or something does not look right, we are here to help, whether you are a client or not.
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