The Perfect Scam
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The Perfect Scam
AARP's weekly podcast The Perfect ScamSM tells the stories of people who find themselves the target of a scam. Host Bob Sullivan introduces listeners to those who have experienced scams firsthand, as well as professional con artists and leading experts who pull back the curtain on how scammers opera...
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331 епизода
How One Family Stopped a Crypto Romance Scam
A late-night call from their son Brian has Barry and Joan concerned. Brian sounds panicked and says he urgently needs $280,000. They do not have that...
Archive Episode: FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 2
In Part 2 of this 2023 episode, criminals are running the grandparent scam all over the San Diego area. Often crimes like this go unsolved, but FBI ag...
Archive Episode: FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 1
In this 2023 episode, when Susan gets a frantic call from her "grandson" saying he's been in a terrible accident, she doesn't waste any time. She rush...
Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Eunice, a busy mom of four, discovers what appears to be the perfect work-from-home job opportunity with flexible hours and the chance to make some ex...
A Hawaii News Icon and a Sweepstakes Scam
Linda Coble is retired from a storied career as Hawaii's first female news anchor, but she stays active in her community through charity work. So when...
Scam Targets AT&T Customers to Steal Cellphones
After a long day as a school bus driver, Nate checks his voicemail and finds a message from "AT&T" offering a discounted rate and a new phone. He has...
A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 2
In part 2, nearly a decade after Pat received the first phone call from a woman believing to be in a relationship with him, he continues to receive re...
A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1
When Pam decides it's time to find love again, she signs up for a dating site and soon meets "Pat." He's charming and very kind; they hit it off right...
Archive Episode: Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 2
Beloved Vermont children's entertainer-turned-filmmaker Mac Parker has been raising funds for his film Birth of Innocence for nearly a decade. The fil...
Archive Episode: Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 1
Malcom "Mac" Parker aspires to be a filmmaker. In Vermont, Mac is known as a beloved children's entertainer, appearing on public television and perfor...
Scammers Use AI to Make Lost Pet Scams More Believable
Bill and Allison are devoted to their dogs, so when they discover their 11-year-old beagle mix Archer missing one evening, they are distraught. They s...
LA Fire Survivor Faces PayPal Impostor Scam
After escaping the Palisades fire in January of 2025, Ellen doesn't know if she and her husband Steve will have a home to return to. Miraculously, the...
Crossed Wires: Utility Scams Target Consumers
Fed up with the rising cost of electricity, Steve shops around and switches to a new provider in his Boston neighborhood. The process is simple, and S...
Vermont Woman Recoups $1.3M 4.5 Years After a Scam
Jeanette moves back to Vermont, expecting a peaceful retirement in a beloved community, but a tech support scam upends her life. She reaches out to he...
Bonus: Meet the Fraud Fighters Taking on Crypto Kiosk Scams
In this bonus episode, Bob meets some Fraud Fighters working to make their Nebraska community a little bit safer from scammers. When Omaha passes a ci...
Deepfake Doctors: AI-Generated Medical Ad Scams
Dr. Maurice Sholas, a pediatric rehabilitation specialist based in New Orleans, discovers that his likeness is being used in an ad when a friend sends...
California Woman Warns of Facebook Job Scam
After taking a break from her tech career to care for her aging mother, Dawn is reentering the workforce in her mid-50s, and she isn't having much luc...
Bonus: Avoiding Tax Scams With Michelle Singletary
It's tax time, and that means it's also tax scam season. The Federal Trade Commission warns about a recent surge in fake IRS calls to taxpayers. Perso...
The Science of Romance Scams
When Anola returns home from a picture-perfect trip to France, she finds an unexpected flirtation with a man who reaches out to her on LinkedIn. He sh...
Check Washing Scam Steals Thousands From Rhode Island Couple
Richy and Terri send a check to their son and daughter-in-law for their anniversary, but it never arrives. After a tough year of medical issues and th...
Inside a Gold Coin Scam Sting
When Brian receives an email from "PayPal," he thinks it must be the refund he's been waiting for, but he is instead drawn into a scam that has him ru...
SIM Swap Scam Leads to $125,000 Theft
Patricia is enjoying a quiet night babysitting when she discovers that her phone has no service. When she switches to Wi-Fi, a sudden barrage of notif...
Gas Station Employee Stops a Crypto Kiosk Scam
Eric's day-to-day interactions at the gas station where he works have taught him to recognize when something isn't quite right with one of his custome...
$1 Million Theft: Tech Scam Leaves Teacher Shaken
Joyce is a retired teacher who works part-time with special needs kids. She's recently divorced after a long marriage, facing a cancer scare, and acti...
Author Entangled in Recovery Scam After a Crypto-Dating Scam
Josh loves his job as a full-time novelist, but writing and working from home don't give him many opportunities to meet people. So he decides to try a...
A $7.5 Million Lie: PCH Sweepstakes Scam Targets Veteran
When Manny, an Air Force veteran living in Las Vegas, loses his wife of 62 years, he turns to playing Publishers Clearing House online games to help e...
Don't Believe Your Eyes: An AI-Powered Romance Scam
David is a retiree who remains active in his Florida community, but he would like to have someone to share his life with. When an Indiana woman named...
Archive Episode: Job Hunting? Look Out for These Scams
Employment scams are one of the fastest growing types of fraud. The recent surge can be traced to several post-pandemic factors that make these crimes...
Archive Episode: Phone Scams and the Human Trafficking Connection
Have you ever thought about who might be on the other end of those scam calls and messages we all receive? The answer could be far more sinister than...
Archive Episode: Recent MBA Wakes Up From Dream Work-From-Home Job
Remote work, which was a necessity for many during the pandemic, is now commonplace. While it's hard to beat the commute, criminals are paying close a...
Bonus: AARP's Guide to Avoiding Holiday Scams
Amy Nofziger, Sr. Director of Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network™, stops by The Perfect Scam to discuss some new variations on old scams...
Scam Interception: How an NYPD Detective Tackles NFL Ticket Fraud
Hilarie, a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan, plans a weekend doubleheader to attend both a Phillies and an Eagles game with a friend. After successfu...
Scam Declined: How Bank Employees Stopped a Scam
A call from someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission sends Linda on a quest to transfer $25,000, believing that she is assisting them...
Archive Episode: Brooke Astor, Famous Socialite Robbed
A prominent philanthropist and the center of New York society, Brooke Astor lived a tumultuous yet glamorous life. Left a fortune by her third husband...
Criminals Threaten Jail Time in Jury Duty Scam
Jana always tries to do the right thing, so when she receives a call from the sheriff's office stating that she missed jury duty, she panics. She thin...
Thieves Drain Crypto Wallets in Sophisticated Phishing Scam
After several years of investing in crypto, Glen has built up a sizeable nest egg. The money means security and the ability to buy a home. One day, wh...
From Puppies to Heartbreak: How a Pet Scam Targets One Man’s Home
When a couple pulls up to Gene's North Carolina home looking for their beagle puppy, he is not sure what to make of it. But soon, a steady stream of w...
This Job Scam is Suddenly Everywhere
Dorothy is looking for a part-time job that will enable her to work from home and accommodate her medical disability. After applying for numerous jobs...
North Korean “Laptop Farm” Scams Target American Companies
Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan and FBI agent Joe Hooper recount the story of Christina Chapman, a Minnesota woman who is drawn into the...
Job Seekers Targeted in Water Filtration Job Scam, Part 2
In part 2, victims of a nationwide fraud scheme join forces on a Facebook group and share their stories with investigative journalist Lou Raguse of KA...