The Perfect Scam

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 and the tactics criminals are using to exploit our vulnerabilities during this busy time of year. Learn what you should never do if you receive a mysterious package and why you should always hang on to those little receipts that come with your gift c...

Hilarie, a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan, plans a weekend doubleheader to attend both a Phillies and an Eagles game with a friend. After successfully purchasing Phillies tickets through a Facebook resale group, she uses the same method for Eagles tickets—only to discover the promised tickets never arrive. Meanwhile, the NFL notices a rise in ticket fraud and seeks assistance from the NYPD. Det...

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 in catching a criminal. The caller warns her not to tell anyone what she's up to, but perceptive bank employees at multiple branches suspect a scam and throw up roadblocks. Meanwhile, they alert Linda's children, who work quickly to get between their...

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, Vincent Astor, Brooke planned to live out her later years at her country estate. But when Brooke's son refuses to let her do so, then sells his mother's favorite painting (worth over $30 million), grandson Philip decides to step in. Philip's effort...

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 thinks back to studying for her American citizenship exam and learning how important it is to respond to a jury summons. She doesn't remember receiving a notice, but the officer knows all her personal information and says she will have to pay a $9,000 bo...

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, when trying to log in to Coinbase, he realizes that his account is locked. Seconds later, he receives a call from "Coinbase support." The customer service agent explains that due to a major data breach and the high volume of hacks, they are now being i...

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 would-be pet owners arriving in the following days and weeks makes it clear that criminals are using his address to pull off their scams. Gene is patient and helpful with the disappointed families. Even after a fire destroys Gene's home, the scams con...

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 and posting her résumé online, she receives a message about an app testing job. It seems like a great fit, since she has done similar work in the past, but the complicated system has Dorothy adding her own money to an account in order to unlock elem...

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 world of laptop farming. She is struggling to make ends meet, living in a trailer without running water, and a job offer to be the US representative for an international company is a godsend. Laptop farms gained popularity in 2020 with the rise in re...

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 KARE in Minneapolis. Someone is selling water purification devices to entrepreneurs, who think they are getting in on the ground floor of a great opportunity, but then fails to deliver the promised gadgets. Lou discovers the criminal's identity is Char...

Job seekers all over the country answer ads for sales positions at a water filtration company. The offer is promising, and the contracts look professional. The only catch is the initial $5000 investment in a water purification unit. However, when the prepaid units never arrive, people begin to realize they are victims of a scam. They form a Facebook group, band together, and convince investigative...

Online criminals love cryptocurrency for many reasons – it's anonymous, can't be traced, and payments are irreversible. So when Paul discovers he has been targeted by a crypto scam and the thieves have stolen $450,000, he is resigned to the fact that he may never see that money again. That is, until an online search leads him to Wisconsin police detective Scott Simons. Following the trail of the s...

A tech support scam leads to criminals stealing one woman's life savings in gold bars. Gold bar scams have exploded in popularity as gold prices hit all-time highs. In this episode, Bob talks with a gold store dealer and a detective who are sounding the alarm about this trend. Hear how they are using gold bar sting operations to nab the criminals.  

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 betra...

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 my...

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 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 elabor...

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 to people who have recently been targeted. The helpline is a free resource available 5 days a week. If you or a loved one has been targeted by a scam, call the...

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 identity and are coming after his life savings. But there is nothing to worry about, Daisy works directly with the FBI, and she will help him protect his assets. Ove...

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 applications. He offers her what feels like the opportunity of a lifetime, getting in on the ground floor of this innovative tech, and she invests $50,000 of her i...

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 her of his identity. As the relationship deepens over three years, "Keanu" will borrow thousands of dollars from Diane for an ongoing legal battle with a former...

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 checking the VIN on multiple sites, consulting friends in the auto business, and even taking a mechanic friend with him to pick up the truck. So, a couple of weeks...

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 the house. Alarmed, Dreama and Larry register for a free alert system that will notify them of any changes to their property records. Just two days later, they re...

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 markets. Her portfolio plummets, losing tens of thousands of dollars. Karen is the victim of a classic "pump and dump" scam: scammers buy a very cheap stock, per...

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 to pick up a puppy they paid for. Some have driven over six or twelve hours with their family. Unfortunately, Rochelle must break the news that she has no pupp...

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 attorney, Brent Smith, comes in, waging what becomes a nearly two-year battle.