The Real Scam

In this eye-opening episode of the Stolen Podcast, host Erin West interviews Chris Colocousis, a romance scam survivor who lost 90% of his retirement savings to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud known as "pig butchering." Chris shares his detailed story of how what began as a Facebook friend request from an attractive woman led to months of manipulation, fake cryptocurrency trading p...

In this episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with former U.S. Secret Service agent Matt O’Neill — a pioneer in fighting cyber-enabled fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and transnational organized crime. They dig into why the U.S. is losing ground in the battle against pig butchering scams, romance scams, and large-scale investment fraud — and what actually works to disrupt these criminal networks. O’...

In this episode of Stolen, Erin West speaks with Nahid, a mother who lost everything to a romance-driven cryptocurrency scam known as “pig butchering.” What started on a dating app quickly spiraled into a nightmare of fake investments, manipulated trust, and financial ruin. Nahid courageously shares how scammers used love, deepfakes, and a counterfeit “Fidelity Options” platform to steal over a mi...

Romance scam survivor Cecilie Fjellhøy, made famous by Netflix’s The Tinder Swindler, joins Erin West to expose the real cost of online fraud — and why justice is still out of reach for victims. In this powerful episode of The Stolen Podcast, Erin and Cecilie dive deep into: What really happened in the Tinder Swindler romance scam The psychological tactics scammers use to trap victims Why victims...

In this eye-opening episode of Stolen, host Erin West sits down with anti-money laundering expert Alison Jimenez to discuss the rapidly growing crisis of financial sextortion targeting teenage boys. Learn how this transnational crime works, how scammers move money, and what parents and financial institutions can do to protect children. What You'll Learn: How financial sextortion schemes target tee...

In this eye-opening episode of the Stolen Podcast, host Erin West interviews Chris Colocousis, a romance scam survivor who lost 90% of his retirement savings to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud known as "pig butchering." Chris shares his detailed story of how what began as a Facebook friend request from an attractive woman led to months of manipulation, fake cryptocurrency trading p...

In this jaw-dropping episode of Stolen, Erin West sits down with Jacob Sims—one of the most brilliant and fearless voices in the global fight against human trafficking and financial crime. Together, they unpack the explosive truth about how Cambodia has become the epicenter of next-gen fraud, fueled by a shadow economy of pig butchering scams, forced labor, and elite corruption. From the streets o...

This episode explores how a Minnesota police sergeant became a cryptocurrency crime investigator after discovering Bitcoin scams targeting elderly victims in his community, ultimately developing blockchain investigation techniques that help law enforcement agencies nationwide. Sergeant Jake Tuzinski discusses pig butchering scams, cryptocurrency ATM fraud prevention, digital asset recovery methods...

In this episode of Stolen, Erin West and Aleks Ring discuss the complexities of transnational organized crime, focusing on the role of forensic accounting, community education, and legislative advocacy in combating scams and protecting victims. They explore the challenges posed by cryptocurrency and the importance of collaboration between law enforcement and community members to address these issu...

In this episode, Erin West and Matt Hogan discuss the complexities of financial crimes, the role of technology, and the impact on victims. They explore various scams, including job scams and cryptocurrency-related fraud, and emphasize the importance of law enforcement's role in combating these issues. The conversation highlights the need for collaboration among law enforcement, legislation, and co...

In this episode, Erin West and Matt Hogan discuss the complexities of financial crimes, the role of technology, and the impact on victims. They explore various scams, including job scams and cryptocurrency-related fraud, and emphasize the importance of law enforcement's role in combating these issues. The conversation highlights the need for collaboration among law enforcement, legislation, and co...

In this episode Erin West speaks with Dr. Martina Dove, a psychologist specializing in the study of scams and human behavior. They discuss the psychological manipulation techniques used by scammers, the impact of scams on victims, and the societal consequences of eroded trust. Dr. Dove emphasizes the importance of empathy in interventions with victims and provides insights into the evolving nature...

In this episode of Stolen, host Erin West delves into the complex world of transnational organized crime with special guest Michele Ilich-Daubas. Erin shares her experience at a conference by the International Association of Financial Crime Investigators, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and collaboration in combatting financial crime. Michelle, who works at a small police department in Norw...

In this episdoe of Stolen, A Podcast, host Erin West sits down with investigative journalist Cezary Podkul to delve into the dark world of international scam compounds. Cezary introduces himself, sharing his background in finance journalism and his deep dive into cybercrime after moving to Asia. The discussion focusses on the origins and operations of scam compounds in Southeast Asia, particularly...

In the inaugural episode of Stolen, a podcast, Erin West shares her journey from being a local prosecutor to becoming a crusader against transnational organized crime. Joined by producer Brandon Doble, Erin discusses the compelling reasons behind starting this podcast and the staggering scale of financial scams orchestrated by organized criminals. She reveals her motivation rooted in witnessing co...

We have another episode of The Real Scam with 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. This is their story of how a scammer impersonated the SPCA Anytime Radio · Find the show on Just Gospel - Mondays at 6pm CAT

Nothing escapes the scammers and certainly not lodge owners and guests. At Lemala Wild Waters, their biggest enemy is Tik Tok and the social media platform just won't do anything about it. Listen to how you can avoid being scammed when searching for that perfect holiday on Just Gospel Radio at 6pm and the podcaset follows for you to listen in case you miss it! Anytime Radio · Find the show...

Our Real Scam hour with myself and Tracey Grummett, our favourite scam warrior who takes on those who are determined to scam us all. We look at the cosmetic world and how diet pills are not what they say they are. Follow our podcast on Spotify. Anytime Radio · Find the show on Just Gospel - Mondays at 6pm CAT

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 in danger from a Mexican drug cartel. The stories are so convincing that some victims are hesitant to talk to the FBI. Anytime Radio · Find the show on...

Part 1 - The scam that sent a family into hiding for 10 months! 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 deceptions – from investments in rare coins and sports memorabilia to stories about drug cartels and kidn...

Recovery scams are fraudulent schemes that target individuals who have already lost money—often to previous scams—by falsely promising to help them recover their lost funds. These scams are especially cruel because they exploit the victim's desperation and hope. Scammers typically contact victims using information from so-called “sucker lists,” posing as law enforcement, government agencies, lawye...

The worsst of all scams. Sextortion can have devastating effects on young victims from all walks of life, and it is easy to become a victim. Online perpetrators might gain your trust by pretending to be someone they are not. They lurk in chat rooms and record young people who post or live-stream sexually explicit images and videos of themselves, or they may hack into your electronic devices using...

Ever had one of these messages come in on WhatsApp. I did. I thought why not? I gave it a bash and I then received my R50! *My name is Minenhle assistant HR Manager from Pivotal (Pty) Ltd. Nice to meet you! I hope you're having a wonderful day. We have a part time work offer that requires no experience and pays well. Your role is to make a pleasant review and add stars after get paid 50 Rand immed...

Tracey and Geniene follow the awful truth of scam calls, their effect on people and Operation Shamrock. The human trafficking that takes place behind the scenes for Scam Compounds around the world. Remember Hang Up and Call Back! Anytime Radio · Find the show on Just Gospel - Mondays at 6pm CAT

Helping victims of online fraud all over the world. Scamawarness! Wicked sense of humour!! Warrior! Working Voluntarily on Social media platforms, Antiscam and victims advocate. Tracey Grummet creates awareness and provides education about cybercrime. Helping and supporting victims of scams globally. Closure of fake accounts on social media platforms. One woman with a passion and commitment to hel...