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PODCAST

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.

true crime

All Episodes

41:09

An Old Scam Is Making a Comeback: Check Washing

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/06/30

Consumers write far fewer checks than they did in the past, so it may seem surprising that the once-common crime of check washing is making a dramatic comeback. Criminals steal a check out of the mail, wash off the payee’s name and other information, and then cash the check and steal money from the owner's account. In this episode, we’ll learn how the crime is evolving and becoming more violent, putting mail carriers in danger, as well as how you can safeguard your checks from falling into the hands

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49:44

DEA Impostor Steals Montana Woman’s Life Savings

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/06/23

Retiree Susan moves from California to a beautiful Victorian home in Montana to be closer to her son and his growing family. One day, Susan notices some unusual charges from her Amazon account. She takes all the necessary steps to dispute and resolve the charges, but a few weeks later, she receives a call from “Amazon” informing her of additional fraudulent activity on her account. This call and the subsequent investigation by a man posing as a DEA agent, will put everything that Susan has,

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42:39

Team of Women Takes Down Serial Romance Scammer, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/06/16

Derek Alldred has spent decades using fake identities to date and steal money from hundreds of women around the country. He’s been arrested numerous times on fraud charges, but Derek skips town as soon as he is released on bail, and resumes committing his crimes in a new location. This time is different: After Derek drains Linda’s retirement account and leaves her in debt, she is determined to see him get his due. She bands together with other women also deceived by Derek, and they finally bring

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37:19

Team of Women Takes Down Serial Romance Scammer, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/06/09

After her divorce, Linda decides to take a chance on online dating. She’s pleasantly surprised to make an instant connection with a man named Rich. He’s handsome, charismatic and has an impressive résumé — a Navy reservist working on his PhD. The relationship progresses quickly, with Linda and her young son moving into Rich’s new house. One day Linda receives a troubling message from a woman name Missi who claims to also be dating Rich. Linda discovers that he’s been lying to them both. His real

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22:38

Bonus: ‘Catphishing the Catphisher’ with David Etue

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/05/26

In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with David Etue, CEO of Nisos, The Managed Intelligence Company®, to discuss a fascinating study his team recently conducted to learn more about criminal online activity to better protect online users. For the study, “Catphishing the Catphisher,” researchers set up fake social media profiles and waited for criminals to connect in hopes of engaging in conversation. Although they expected the study to take several months, maybe even a year, Etue and his team were

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01:08:08

Colorado Funeral Home Body Brokering Scheme, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/05/19

In part 2, a call from Reuters journalist Brian Grow confirms Diana’s worst fears about what really happened to her stepfather’s remains. As Brian digs deeper into the story, the truth he uncovers about Sunset Mesa Funeral Home and the body brokering scheme is worse than anyone could have imagined. The conviction of Megan Hess brings some needed closure to families devastated by her shocking betrayal of trust.

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43:53

Colorado Funeral Home Body Brokering Scheme, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/05/12

Planning a loved one’s burial or cremation is a difficult experience under the best of circumstances. When Diana’s stepfather, Cactus, gets sick during the early stages of Alzheimer’s and sees a billboard advertising simple cremations for $695 at Sunset Mesa Funeral Home, he requests that his family cremate him and not spend a lot of money. But when Cactus dies and his cremains go missing under mysterious circumstances, it sets off a series of events that not only exacerbates the family’s grief, but

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47:32

Real Estate Company Accused of Preying on...

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/05/05

In part 2, Philadelphia homeowners fight to be released from their 40-year contracts with MV Realty. Complaints from all over the city and the state reach the Pennsylvania attorney general, who files a lawsuit against the company for allegedly misleading consumers. Attorneys general in several other states follow suit, and state lawmakers race to take action against what they call unfair real estate agreements.

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24:37

Real Estate Company Accused of Preying on...

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/04/28

Homeowners all over Philadelphia are being inundated with ads for MV Realty’s Homeowner Benefit Program on social media, through robocalls, and some people even receive a knock on their door. The pitch is simple: Get a quick cash payment in exchange for a promise to use MV Realty as their real estate agent if they decide to sell their home in the future. Many homeowners say they were never informed that the contract is for 40 years and MV Realty can take out a mortgage on their home.

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43:15

Puppy Scammers Steal Thousands

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/04/21

After the loss of the family dog, Tana is determined to find a new canine companion for her husband who suffers from dementia. Hoping to surprise him for Christmas, Tana finds a breeder online and sends payment, but the puppy doesn’t arrive, and the breeders keep asking for more money for expenses. Hear how investigators from Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group follow leads on these types of crimes every day, leading to international arrests and litigation.

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38:26

International Crime Ring Sets Up in West Virginia...

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/04/14

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 learns that a woman in Huntington is acting as money mule, transferring millions of dollars overseas. Following the money, Katie and her team uncover an elaborate network of criminals, based in Huntington, targeting people all over the country.

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39:36

Words Matter: Blame Fraud on Criminals, Not Victims

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/04/07

In this special episode of The Perfect Scam, Bob hosts a roundtable discussion on changing the conversation around victim blaming. Far too often, the blame for financial fraud is directed at the victims rather than the criminals. This keeps victims from speaking up and enables the crimes to continue. Bob welcomes special guests: Kate Kleinert, a romance scam survivor-turned-advocate; Paul Greenwood, a former prosecutor and head of San Diego’s Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit; and Mark Solomon, former

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04:25

‘The Perfect Scam’ Celebrates 5 Years!

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/03/31

This April marks five years of “The Perfect Scam” podcast! Since launching in 2018, we’ve brought you stories of fraud told by the people who lived them, stories of trauma but also of bravery and triumph. With the FTC reporting a staggering $8.8 billion in losses to scammers in 2022, we remain committed to continue bringing you the very latest information and resources to give you power over scams.

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41:58

FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/03/24

In Part 2, criminals are running the grandparent scam all over the San Diego area. Often crimes like this go unsolved, but FBI agent Brady Finta and his law enforcement partners believe this situation is unique. There is a video and an eyewitness. Arresting the messenger who took Susan’s $9,000 might just bring down an entire criminal operation. But investigators must proceed carefully.

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24:28

FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/03/17

When Susan gets a frantic call from her “grandson” saying he’s been in a terrible accident, she doesn’t waste any time. She rushes to get him the $9,000 he requested for legal fees, but as soon as she hands the money to the courier, the phone line goes dead. She knows instantly that it was a scam. Similar crimes are popping up all over her area, and the stack of case files is pretty big by the time it lands on FBI agent Brady Finta’s desk.

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46:01

A Texas Hospice Provider’s Deadly Scheme, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/03/10

As FBI Special Agent Cook and partners at the Department of Health and Human Services dig deeper into the records of Novus Healthcare, they are shocked to find fraud every step of the way. From falsifying required doctor visits to providing kickbacks to referring doctors, Novus CEO Bradley Harris and doctors, nurses and administrators are driven by greed. Together, the hospice group defrauded Medicare of more than $27 million and may have contributed to the premature deaths of countless

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27:26

A Texas Hospice Provider’s Deadly Scheme, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/03/03

Hospice is an essential service that many families depend on during a difficult time, but the combination of loved ones under emotional stress plus hospice benefits provided by Medicare can attract unscrupulous operators. When Judy’s mother enters care with Novus Healthcare, a Dallas-based hospice provider, Judy soon realizes that something isn’t right. Rather than providing comfort, Novus staff push back on even the most basic care requests. Meanwhile, Novus and its CEO, Bradley Harris, are

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37:51

Bonus: Trending Scams to Look Out for in 2023

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/02/03

In this bonus episode, Bob Sullivan invites anti-fraud activists Frank McKenna and Ayelet Biger-Levin to take stock of where we are in the fight against fraud and look ahead to the trends listeners should watch for in 2023. Learn how criminals exploit advances in technology (such as bots, deep fakes and ChatGPT) and how an old scam is making a big comeback.

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26:01

Fake Doctor Runs Phony Medical Spa Scheme, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/01/27

In part 2, Jill Alper has already made a $10,000 investment in Dr. Dan’s medical spa business when her friend Holly Saunders learns that he is a con man with a lengthy criminal record. Determined to stop him from targeting his next victim, the friends team up with the FBI to lay a trap for Dr. Dan, culminating with a dramatic sting operation at a restaurant.

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34:59

Fake Doctor Runs Phony Medical Spa Scheme, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2023/01/20

Longtime friends Jill Alper and Holly Saunders are dazzled when they meet Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Dan, a man of many talents and interests. When Dr. Dan invites them to invest in his medical spa business, Jill dives in with a $10,000 offering. Holly, though, is beginning to think Dr. Dan may not be the man he claims. Will this scammer be any match for these friends when they team up with the FBI?

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303 results

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