Scams & Cons

Every now and then we come across stories that are so unique or rare that they don't merit their own episode, but that doesn't mean they should be forgotten. In this final episode of Season 4, we bring you stories of jetpacks, sucker lists and counterfeit whiskey. They have nothing in common except that they're interesting and they fool thousands. Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Unfortunately, the world has endless examples of people in need. The ones that real deserve our consideration, but the ones that are false ... those are the ones that deprive others of help they may desperately need. Whether it's a person seeking help for a relative who has cancer, a homeless man who gave up his lasts $20 to help a stranger or those jars you see in convenience stores seeking...

The "War of the Worlds" broadcast. The "Fountain of Youth." The "Cardiff Giant."Odds are you have heard of at least two of these three scams, but it's also likely you don't know the whole story. Even textbooks get it wrong. Don't worry, we're here to help. We'll set you straight, despite what's in your fourth-grader's history book. T...

If you want to fool thousands, you have to be able to reach thousands and mass media is built just for that purpose. Companies and pranksters have longed used these tools to peddle their tales, but don't be deceived. They still want your money -- they just want to distract you while they talk you out of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How would you feel if a person who had the power to destroy the world had a debilitating medical condition. Would you vote for them, unsure how they would perform in a crisis? Politicians don't want to find out, so they keep secret vital information the public needs to make informed choices. And what about a senator, who had legally been deemed incompetent by a judge because of her dementia,...

Two brothers turned their bar into a political machine that ruled Kansas City. From 1925 to 1939, the Pendergast brothers lined many pockets -- mostly their own -- by controlling public projects and contracts. They ran the city, the county, the state and, eventually, helped Harry Truman into the White House. We'll tell you how it was done, how taxpayers were aware of it and why they went alon...

New stadiums can cost several billion dollars to build and who wants to spend that kind of money when the public could foot most of the bill? True, there are some owners who have shouldered the entire cost, but those are rare. In this episode, we tell you how teams prepare years in advance to use fan money as no-interest loans, to avoid taxes on their share of the stadium revenues and gin up excit...

Suppose you wanted to build a new building for your business. You'd check the zoning laws, apply for the proper permits and hire a licensed contractor to do the work. These laws are intended to protect you and others from shoddy work that can lower the value of your new facility. It works pretty much the same in Mexico, but Walmart understood that putting some money in the right people's...

In 1939, Alabama gave local sheriffs control over prisoner food budgets. They could decide how the money was spent and what food was served. If they spent less than what was budgeted, the rest of the money would not go back to the county, it would go legally into the sheriffs' pockets. Hey, what could go wrong? It wasn't until 2019 when the Alabama legislature changed the law so any exce...

We're making a pivot in Season 4. Having run you though all of the scams run on individuals, we're taking a look at con jobs run on thousands or millions of people. Our teaser tells you what you need to know. The new season begins in just two weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's my second favorite scam podcast. Visit Scamapalooza's website for more episodes. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays are upon us and with them, the end of Season 3. We'll be back in January with Season 4.Expect some changes for Season 4. We'll be focusing on scams run against the public. Things like the bribery of public officials, the political machine of Tom Pendergast in Kansas City and an Alabama law that allowed sheriffs to steal funds intended for feeding inmates to fund vacation hom...

It's a mystery writing trope: Twins commit a crime, but can't be punished because they look alike. You should expect better than that from Scams & Cons and we're here to deliver. In this episode, we have stories of twins who ran their own scams, usually in different areas of the country and the fact that they were a twin had nothing to do with the scams they ran. In most cases,...

What time is it? 4:23? Thanks. You could have gotten the answer from your phone, a sign in front of a bank or dozens of other sources. So, why spend $150,000 for a Rolex to give you the same information. Luxuries are perceptions and scammers use those perceptions to make you think you're getting a very good deal on something that can perform the same function for far fewer dollars. Scammers h...

Golly, I'm sorry I spilled that mustard on your jacket, please let me help you clean it off. Mistakes happen, but this was no mistake. You've just been distracted long enough for someone to lift your wallet or steal your briefcase or luggage. Unfortunately, by the time you realize that, that helpful lady has vanished. This really old scam is called The Mustard this form of it is fading i...

Remember the movie "Catch Me If You Can?" It was based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr. Abagnale is still conning us -- and making good money doing it. Like any good con artist, the trick is in misdirection. He doesn't want us to see prison files that show he was in jail during much of the time he outlined his escapades. He doesn't talk about stealing expensive camera equipmen...

In Greek mythology, The Sirens were beautiful women with the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of birds whose bewitching songs lured sailors to their doom. Their singing lured sailors would try bringing their ships close to shore where they would either crash their ships or sailors would jump overboard and drown. Today's sirens are cult leaders, their methods draw you in, convince y...

Scammers and con artists generally trick suckers into handing their money over willingly. Blackmail is intended to have you believe you have no choice but to pay up, even though you know they'll be back for more. Experts nearly universally believe that blackmailers should not be paid and they rarely come through on their threats. But at the time, you're scared and afraid to turn to anyon...

Scams & Cons will be back in two weeks, but before we return, it seemed timely to talk about voter registration fraud. Registration fraud is different from voter fraud in that it seeks to change documentation. Voter fraud is when someone who is ineligible attempts to cast a ballot. We're apolitical here, but we do want to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote, gets to vote. List...

The new season of Scams & Cons begins Sept. 8 with an episode about Blackmail, but in the meantime, we thought we'd share one of our most popular episodes -- Parking Lot Scams. Parking Lot ScamsSome would say parking lots themselves are scams: $20 for two hours. Really?!!!They are also places where, for at least a short time, you’re trapped. When backing out of your parking space, someone...

Summer is for kicking back on the porch with some cheap wine and hot wings -- that is unless you live here in the Southeast where temps of 90+ have been common for about three weeks now. Instead, we'll be kickin' back here at the ranch reflecting on the ending of Scams & Cons' second season and the upcoming Season 3 coming this fall. We're already well at work with stories...

The hills are alive with the sound of scammersSinging lies and deceits that are decades old. Their songs fill my heart with hopes of stardom,But they just steal my songs and leave me broke. Musicians that travel to Nashville, Los Angeles, New York, Austin and other music centers are looking for a break and scammers step right up to boost their egos and brag about the now-famous who became stars on...

You open a letter that tells you that you've won a huge about of money in a sweepstakes you don't remember entering. Just send some money to cover taxes and fees and those riches will be  yours. You're a winner, but only if you toss that piece of mail in the trash. Sweepstakes scams come in many shapes and forms and we all want to believe that fortune has smiled upon us, but it like...

If an FBI agent appeared at your door, flashed a badge and said she had a few questions for you, would you comply? Would you ask to see the badge again. Would you know what an actual badge should look like? Those badges, diplomas on the wall and other credentials can be easily faked. We'll tell you how and what you can do to protect  yourself. I'm qualified to do it. I have a PhD in Phil...

Those little slips of paper -- coupons -- are real money and someone has to pay for the discount you just received. It could be the store, the manufacturer or someone else. You may have paid for it before you left the house. The world of coupons is complicated and there are lots of ways scammers can creep in. The average person is the most common way. It happens when we buy coupons online or try t...