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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

44:09

Terror Over the Phone: Virtual Kidnappings, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/02/14

In part two of this special two-part episode on virtual kidnappings, we speak with the FBI to discuss how these scams started, why they’re so successful and what is being done to stop them. We talk to the FBI Special agent who cracked a virtual kidnapping ring, and — with virtual kidnappings on the rise in the U.S. — you’ll learn what to do if you receive a call. Then, for the first time ever, fraud expert and our host Frank Abagnale and his son, FBI Special Agent Scott Abagnale, sit down to do an

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22:50

Terror Over the Phone: Virtual Kidnappings, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/02/07

On an uncharacteristically rainy Southern California day, Kathie gets a call that will change her life. Her cellphone displays the caller as unknown. Even though she’s hesitant, Kathie decides to answer. On the line she hears screaming and a man claiming to have Kathie’s daughter. The man addresses both Kathie and her daughter by name, but something about the interaction feels off. Terrified, Kathie isn’t sure what to do next. Unbeknownst to Kathie, she has been drawn into a “virtual kidnapping,” a

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Bonus Episode: You’ve Got Mail, With Frank Abagnale,...

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/01/31

On this special episode of the podcast, our host, fraud expert Frank Abagnale, answers your questions. We dive into viewer emails to get Frank’s take on a wide variety of subjects, including using public Wi-Fi, DNA testing and cash transfer apps. Tune in to hear the answers to your burning questions and get Frank’s tips on how to protect yourself against fraud.

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08:49

Bonus Episode: You’ve Got Mail, With Frank Abagnale,...

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/01/31

On this special episode of the podcast, our host, fraud expert Frank Abagnale, answers your questions. We dive into viewer emails to get Frank’s take on a wide variety of subjects, including using public Wi-Fi, DNA testing and cash transfer apps. Tune in to hear the answers to your burning questions and get Frank’s tips on how to protect yourself against fraud.

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24:03

Stolen Homes: Mortgage Relief Scams

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/01/24

During the housing market crash, homeowners across the United States found themselves drowning in mortgage payments that they could not afford to make. Scammers like Jonathan Herbert took advantage of this crisis to steal money from unsuspecting homeowners. Herbert created Federal Mortgage Marketplace, a company that claimed to be government affiliated and able to help homeowners reduce their mortgage payments. Herbert preyed on homeowners whose desperation to avoid foreclosure made them

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21:05

Good Vs. Evil: Inside the World of an Ethical Hacker

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/01/17

Hackers are thought of as villains who use their advanced computer skills to gain unauthorized access to data and wreak havoc. But “ethical” or “white hat” hackers help companies protect themselves against attack. These information security experts use the techniques employed by malicious hackers to reveal real-world vulnerabilities that could result in a hack. Ethical hacker Jason Glassberg is a founder of a company that has been hired by Fortune 500 companies to hack into their systems and expose

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20:36

The $25 Million Tech-Support Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2020/01/10

A pop-up appears on your computer screen, freezing the browser. It warns that your computer has been infected with malware and urges you to call a toll-free number for assistance. The number connects you to Client Care Experts, and the person who answers claims to be an IT specialist. But the person on the other end of the line is no expert. He is one of more than a hundred employees who are sitting in a boiler room in Florida, answering calls day and night, making false claims and manipulating

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28:38

Beware the Boardwalk Psychic

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/12/27

TPS Ep 53 – Description Maurine is enjoying the Atlantic City boardwalk with a friend when a young woman approaches her. The woman introduces herself as Savannah and offers to give Maurine a psychic reading. Figuring it will cost her just a few dollars, Maurine takes her up on the offer. Savannah takes Maurine back to her shop. During the reading she picks up on many of the troubles Maurine is facing in her personal life. Having gained Maurine’s trust, Savannah offers her various items for sale in

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24:23

Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/12/20

Beloved Vermont children’s entertainer-turned-filmmaker Mac Parker has been raising funds for his film “Birth of Innocence” for nearly a decade. The film has yet to be completed, and what investors were promised — a three year, $1 million project — has ballooned in both time and cost. When the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation steps in to investigate irregularities in Mac’s fundraising practices, they discover he’s operating a $28 million Ponzi scheme. They dig deeper and find Mac has a

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20:06

Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/12/13

Malcom “Mac” Parker aspires to be a filmmaker. In Vermont, Mac is known as a beloved children’s entertainer, appearing on public television and performing around the state. Mac is so well respected in his community that when he begins to raise funds for his film “Birth of Innocence,” investors are quick to jump on board. His promises of high returns and a chance to be a part of the film industry sweeten the deal. Mac claims that he will need approximately $1 million and three years to complete his

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21:42

The $16,500 Grandparent Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/12/06

In upstate New York, an older couple receives a startling call from an unknown voice. They are told their grandson has been in a car accident. The caller knows their grandson’s name, where he lives and other details about his life. The caller shares alarming news that police suspect his grandson is at fault for the accident and are holding him in jail. If the grandparents want to help their grandson, they’ll need to pay for a lawyer and send money immediately. Terrified, the grandparents agree to

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24:06

The $2 Million Romance Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/11/29

New Yorker Jerry Needleman was married for over 40 years when his wife passed away in 2008. The devoted couple never had children, and now in his 80s, Jerry settled into a quiet life alone as a widower. Meanwhile in Florida, a woman named Sylvia is pursuing a relationship with a retiree. The man has spent thousands of dollars on his much-younger girlfriend. When they become engaged, the man’s son steps in. In 2012, the family successfully sues Sylvia for fraud. One year later, Jerry is out for his

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29:07

Holiday Special: The 1920s Santa Claus Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/11/22

Journalist Alex Palmer tells the story of his great-granduncle, colorful conman John Duval Gluck, who created the Santa Claus Association. Before Gluck started his charity, letters from New York City children to Santa were destroyed, unopened, by the U.S. Post Office. Gluck saw an opportunity, and created the Santa Claus Association in 1913. The organization claimed to use the donations it collected to answer children’s letters to Santa and deliver them Christmas gifts. For a time, the charity did

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06:52

True or False With Frank Abagnale

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/10/11

We’ll be back with new episodes in November. In the meantime, enjoy this bonus episode featuring The Perfect Scam show producers as they test their fraud-busting knowledge in a game of True or False, with questions from host Frank Abagnale’s new book, Scam Me If You Can.

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21:11

Threats From Home: The Chinese Consulate Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/10/04

Chinese Americans are being targeted by scammers in schemes known as the “Chinese consulate scam” and the “blessing scam,” through which victims have lost millions. When Mandarin-language calls began to bombard residents across the U.S., authorities take a deeper look. They find that these illegal robocalls are targeting areas with large Chinese American populations. Victims of the Chinese consulate scam are told they are in legal trouble with the Chinese government. The scammers then persuade them

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28:11

FBI Agent Brings Lottery Kingpin to Justice

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/09/27

Looking for a change of pace, FBI agent Gasper decides to move from New York, where he’s lived his entire life, to North Dakota. As he settles in to his new field office in the Midwest, Gasper discovers that there are an alarming number of lottery scams being perpetrated against residents in his area. The cases are complex, and with many of the scammers overseas, they are hard to bring to trial. But Gasper is set on getting justice for the victims of these swindles and dedicates himself to

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23:50

Kentucky Fights Back Against Scammers

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/09/20

Pat, an 81-year-old woman from Kentucky, receives a call that she has won a $7.5 million lottery prize. Pat can’t believe her luck. Unaware that the call is a scam, she begins speaking with the scammers multiple times a day. Over the next seven months, they befriend Pat in an effort to convince her that she’ll receive the prize money as soon as she pays taxes on her winnings. Slowly they gain Pat’s trust, and she starts sending money to the scammers. Every time she thinks she has made a final

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18:17

The Hidden World of Psychic Scams, Part 2

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/09/13

After losing her job and boyfriend in the same day, a distraught Debra pays a visit to a psychic shop. Little does Debra know that the shop is part of a larger criminal organization and Sylvia, the psychic who gives her a reading, is a scammer. After a series of readings of increasing cost, Sylvia tells Debra that all of her troubles stem from her trust issues surrounding money. To solve these problems Sylvia prompts Debra to hand over a $28,000 check — to prove that she trusts others with her

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27:51

The Hidden World of Psychic Scams, Part 1

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/09/06

Debra is a divorced mother and ballroom dancer who travels between her home in Florida and New York to train with her dance partner. When Debra loses her part-time job in New York and boyfriend in the same day, she’s distraught. Without the extra income from her job and a place to stay from her boyfriend, Debra knows she’ll have to quit ballroom dancing — even though she and her partner have been climbing the ranks on the Pro-Am circuit. Walking in Greenwich Village, Debra sees a psychic shop she

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19:10

They Stole My Savings in Minutes: Social Security Scam

The Perfect Scam ·

2019/08/30

Rob, a veteran in his 70’s, was a caretaker for his wife for years. He is still grieving her death when he receives a call from a woman claiming to be from social security. The woman tells Rob that his social security number has been used to defraud multiple banks and there is a warrant out for his arrest. Even more troubling for Rob, the woman tells him that he will need to get all new identification cards. Rob has been looking forward to taking his special needs daughter on a much needed vacation

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