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 operate.
Episodes
Archive Episode: International Crime Ring Sets Up in West Virginia College Town
In this 2023 episode, Huntington, West Virginia, is an idyllic college town on the Ohio River, but it’s also the epicenter of a massive international internet crime ring. Federal prosecutor Katie Robeson hasn’t been on the job long when she…
Bonus: Scam Survivors Use Experience to Help Others
In this bonus episode, Bob talks with two of the nearly 150 trained volunteers who answer calls on the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. Dee and Mike, both scam survivors, draw upon their experiences to offer emotional support and guidance…
Tech Support Scam Turns Romance Scam
When Joe can’t get his Apple Pay payment to go through, he does a quick search for their customer service number and reaches an operator named Daisy. Daisy informs Joe that his account has been flagged – criminals have compromised his ident…
Tech Startup Defrauds Investors
A trusted friend introduces Taylor to a man named Sylvein William Maximilian D’Habsburg XVII, a tech whiz and the inventor of a fascinating new robotic technology. His gigantic insect-like robots promise to be a game changer in military app…
Romance Scammer Poses as Keanu Reeves Using AI
Diane is still mourning the death of her boyfriend when a game of Words With Friends leads to a connection. The man claims to be actor Keanu Reeves. While initially skeptical, the video chat and voice messages he sends eventually convince h…
VIN Cloning Scams: What Car Buyers Need to Know
John is in the market for a pickup truck when he comes across a Facebook Marketplace ad for a 2021 Dodge Ram. It needs a little TLC, but it’s a reasonable price, and he’s had luck buying used cars online before. He does his research by chec…
Title Pirates: How Scammers Use Quitclaim Deeds to Steal Homes
Dreama and Larry’s house is undergoing renovation after a tree fell on it. Since they cannot live there during the repairs, they set up security cameras to monitor the property. To their surprise, they notice a couple repeatedly visiting th…
How AI is Making “Pump and Dump” Investment Scams Easy for Criminals
Karen is experienced in investing, but she hopes to boost her retirement savings by joining an investors group on WhatsApp. After a few months of receiving positive trading tips, she follows the advice to invest in several stocks in Asian m…
Archive Episode: Knock Knock, Where’s My Puppy?
In this 2021 episode, Rochelle scores a great deal on a house in northern Virginia, only to have her dream home transformed a few months later into Pet Scam Central. Day after day, strangers show up on her doorstep, claiming they’ve arrived…
Archive Episode: Courage of Steele, Part 2: How One Man Fought Back Against His Abusive Caregiver
In part 2, as 72-year-old Steve Steele is released from jail, not only can he hardly stand or walk, but he is worried about how he will recover the property stolen by Elizabeth, the caregiver who worked for him. That’s where Steve’s attorne…
Archive Episode: Courage of Steele, Part 1: Housekeeper Turned Caregiver Steals Homes
In this 2021 episode, after 72-year-old Steve Steele’s life partner passes away, his housekeeper, Elizabeth, offers to work as his caregiver. Over time, Elizabeth takes over Steve’s finances, even persuading him to deed her his homes. It al…
Reverse Mortgage Scam Leaves Chicago Families Fighting to Save Homes
Longtime homeowners on Chicago’s West Side trust Mark Diamond to help them access funds and carry out necessary home repairs. However, they are often unaware that they are entering into reverse mortgage agreements. The repairs are never com…
The NFT Scam Targeting Artists
Douglas is enjoying a second career as an artist, selling his paintings online and in gallery shows. People occasionally ask about non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of his work. Still, he never gives it too much thought until a woman on LinkedIn a…
Lost But Not Found: The Lost Pet Scam
When Chloe’s mom experiences a medical emergency, Chloe rushes to be by her side. Amid the stress and chaos of the following days, her mother’s cat, Percy, slips out one evening. Chloe and her family do everything they can to find him, but …
Serial Scammer Targets Hockey League Parents, Part 2
In part two, law enforcement narrows in on Kota Youngblood and his scheme to steal millions of dollars from neighbors and fellow hockey league parents. His cruel lies have many believing that his life and, in some cases, their own lives are…
Serial Scammer Targets Hockey League Parents, Part 1
Kota Youngblood is known as a larger-than-life character in his small Texas town, spinning wild tales of military service and work as an undercover federal agent to his neighbors and acquaintances from his son’s hockey league. His deception…
Bonus: 'Thelma' Director Shares Grandmother’s Experience with Scam
In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with Josh Margolin, writer and director of the action and comedy film, Thelma, to discuss Josh’s real-life inspiration – his 104-year-old grandmother, Thelma, and her frightening experience as a scam vic…
Sextortion Scam Targeting Michigan Teen Ends in Tragedy
Jordan is a star athlete and homecoming king who is packing for a beach vacation when he receives a message on Instagram. The account is of an attractive girl named Dani. Jordan exchanges flirty messages with her, and eventually, she convin…
Romance Scam Kingpin Brought to Justice, Part 2
In part 2, US Postal Inspector Cory McManus is hot on the trail of criminals running an elaborate romance scam network. After identifying dozens of victims, he arrests two suspects who've been acting as money mules. They quickly give up inf…
Romance Scam Kingpin Brought to Justice, Part 1
When Debbie's mother passes away suddenly, she is not prepared for what she finds. While sorting through financial records and paperwork, she discovers correspondence with the US Postal Inspection Service and letters to a victim's advocate.…
Archive Episode: Miami Property Scammers, Part 2
In this 2021 episode, when Shirley Gibson learns that her property in Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has been sold by someone using a forged deed, she is determined to fight. Working together with journalist Phil Prazen and lawyer…
Archive Episode: Miami Property Scammers, Part 1
In this 2021 episode, Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has recently become a hot real estate market. So hot, in fact, that it has attracted the attention of scammers. It wasn’t always so. Shirley Gibson’s family has owned property i…
Dream Kitchen Renovation Ruined by a Scam
Suzi and Gary retire to Tucson and find the perfect house with a less-than-perfect kitchen. They love to cook and entertain, so they put their energy and money into renovating their dream kitchen. Construction starts and is going smoothly u…
PayPal Impostor Scam Steals Priest's Life Savings
Retired priest, Father Robert Banzin, has devoted his life to the service of others. Now in his 80s, he continues to preach every Sunday at his Chicago-area parish. Father Bob, as he is known in his community, gets an alarming email claimin…
Family Fights to Disentangle Father from Romance Scam, Part 2
In part 2, Chris and his family try without success to stop their father, Alfred, from sending money to a series of criminals he met online – some claiming to need medical care and one even impersonating WWE wrestler Alexa Bliss. One day wh…
Family Fights to Disentangle Father from Romance Scam, Part 1
When Alfred's sons notice unusual transactions on their dad's bank statements, they start asking questions. But Alfred's reaction tells them that there is much more to the story than he is letting on. The family spends the next several year…
Archive Episode: Woman’s Inheritance Wiped Out in Crypto-Dating Scam
After 25-year-old Niki Hutchinson loses her mother, she uses some of her inheritance to start fresh in California. Not knowing anyone, she does what many people do today and joins a dating app to make connections. She develops a friendship …
Job Seekers Targeted by a Work-From-Home Reshipping Scam
When Cathy's disabled husband loses his Medicaid coverage, she must look for a job to help pay the rent. The retired Army Reserve veteran has impressive work experience, so when she puts her resume online, she almost immediately gets an off…
Phony Home Contractors Steal Over $450,000
80-year-old David lives in a tight-knit community, frequently helping his neighbors with yard care and other tasks. So when he gets a knock on the door from two brothers claiming they are working on his neighbor's home, and noticed a hole i…
Minnesota Man Caught in Blind Mule Drug Trafficking Scam
Rodney Baldus, a retired truck driver from Minnesota, believes he is the recipient of a large inheritance belonging to his late wife. The inheritance is in Italy, but he is told he must first fly to Africa to sign papers before going on to …
Whiskey Investment Scheme Goes Barrel-Up
Ray is retired but always looking for interesting opportunities. So, when he gets a cold call from a whiskey brokerage firm asking if he wants to invest in some of the world's rarest whiskeys, he's intrigued. He meets with a wealth manager,…
Archive Episode: YouTube Star Kitboga Fights Fraud With Humor
In this 2023 episode, YouTube star Kitboga has turned scam baiting into performance art, delighting his 3.6 million followers with his many characters and laughs at the expense of online criminals. It started out as pure curiosity, and a wa…
Archive Episode: Scams, Magic and the Art of Deception With Alexis Conran
In this 2022 episode, host Bob Sullivan welcomes special guest Alexis Conran. Conran’s insight into the mind of a con man comes from acting as one on the popular BBC show The Real Hustle. On the series, Conran, an actual trained magician, …
SIM Swapping: Scammers Hijack Smartphones and Steal Thousands
We use our smartphones for just about everything these days, and that makes them a prime target for scammers. Online banking often relies on a code sent in a text message to verify the account holder's identity, but criminals have figured …
Scam Victims Taxed on Stolen Money
Imagine you've just had everything stolen from you by a ruthless scammer. You are wondering how you will pay your bills, maybe even have enough money to buy food. And then a bill arrives from the IRS – you owe taxes on the stolen money. Un…
A Family’s Thanksgiving Dinner Ruined by a SNAP Scam
Thanksgiving is a time for sharing food with family and feeling grateful. It means a lot to Georgete, a struggling mom who just wants to make the holiday special for her kids. She relies on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) b…
Trusted Caregiver Steals Oklahoma Woman's Savings
Alice hires a local handyman, Joey, as a live-in caregiver after her shoulder surgery. She recovers, but soon COVID-19 hits, and Joey, who is down on his luck, stays on to help around the house. Alice has known Joey for years and trusts hi…
Love Online Leads to $60,000 Theft
Debbie, a Colorado native and mother of three adult children, leads a fulfilling life of travel, salsa dancing and volunteer work. While her life is full, she would like to have someone to share it with. So, Debbie looks for love online an…
AI is Making Virtual Kidnappings More Real Than Ever
It’s a typical busy day for Amanda as she sees her teenaged daughter off to work. But five minutes later, everything changes when she receives a call from a local number and hears her daughter’s voice crying. A man comes on the line with …
Suicide After a Scam: One Family’s Story
Dennis, an 82-year-old proud father and grandfather, makes a connection with a woman he meets on Facebook named Jessie. Jessie claims to have made a lot of money through crypto investments and offers to teach Dennis how she did it. Having…