About this event
Threat Thursday is a monthly knowledge-sharing series that brings law enforcement and industry together to examine emerging scam threats, fraud trends, and real-world cases from around the world.
The New Fraud Economy — AI, Synthetic Identities, and the Global Scam Ecosystem
Scams and financial fraud have evolved into a global, technology-enabled industry that moves faster than most institutions can respond. From AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic identities to crypto laundering networks and the enduring influence of Yahoo Boys scam culture, today’s threat landscape blends social engineering, cybercrime, and organized criminal enterprise at unprecedented scale.
Speakers:
• Ciprian Birlea, General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police
He is a law enforcement professional with over 20 years of experience specializing in serious and organized crime, with a focus on financial crime, fraud, and emerging threats. He spent a decade at Europol, including five and a half years as Head of Office for Serious Fraud Analysis, leading cross‑border investigations and public‑private collaboration against complex financial crime networks. Since March 2026, he has served as a Senior Intelligence Analyst with the Romanian Police. He holds a Master’s degree from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, with research focused on deepfakes in economic crime and anti‑corruption strategies.
• Laura Kankaala, Head of Threat Intelligence of F-Secure
Kankaala has been in the industry for almost ten years, and her background lies in offensive security (white hacking). Featuring as a professional hacker on Team Whack — a TV series for Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE that demonstrates how everything is hackable — Kankaala is well-versed in helping consumers understand cyber security, removing the jargon and simplifying the issue, something she is passionate about.
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Exclusively for members of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, each session features briefings from law enforcement agencies, regulators, and leading experts who are on the front lines of combating scams. Speakers share operational insights, evolving criminal tactics, and lessons from investigations and disruption efforts.
Hosted by Brian D. Hanley, the series creates a trusted forum where public and private sector partners can exchange intelligence, strengthen collaboration, and advance collective efforts to stop scams.
Hosted by
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Team member
Brian Hanley APAC Director @ GASAT
Brian D. Hanley has 25+ years of experience across Asia-Pacific. He leads APAC efforts at the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. Previously he led regional programs at Internews and served as a governance advisor with USAID. He has an MIA from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
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External speaker
Ciprian Birlea Senior Intelligence Analyst @ Romanian PoliceE
He is a law enforcement professional with over 20 years of experience, beginning his career as a police officer in 2004. He specializes in serious and organized crime, with a focus on financial crime, fraud, and emerging threats. He spent 10 years at Europol, contributing to cross-border investigations and strengthening collaboration between law enforcement and the private sector. In his last 5.5 years there, he served as Head of Office for Serious Fraud Analysis, leading efforts against complex financial crime and organized criminal networks. Since March 2026, he has rejoined the Romanian Police as a Senior Intelligence Analyst, focusing on intelligence-led investigations. He holds a Master’s degree from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, with research on deepfakes in economic crime and anti-corruption, complementing his operational expertise in technology-driven threats.
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External speaker
Laura Kankaala Head of Threat Intelligence @ F-SecureE
Kankaala has been in the industry for almost ten years, and her background lies in offensive security (white hacking). Featuring as a professional hacker on Team Whack — a TV series for Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE that demonstrates how everything is hackable — Kankaala is well-versed in helping consumers understand cyber security, removing the jargon and simplifying the issue, something she is passionate about.
Global Anti-Scam Alliance
It takes a network to beat a network.The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is a non-profit dedicated to protecting consumers from online scams. We unite governments, industry, and experts to share insights, strengthen collaboration, and advance effective anti-scam solutions worldwide. Learn more at gasa.org.
