Shows
You Probably Think This Story’s About YouCons of the Heart with Jim GrinsteadDelve into the dark side of online romance as Brit revisits the Kanon story, joined by con expert Jim Grinstead. This eye-opening episode will transform your perspective on digital dating and what to look out for. Brit and Jim explore the intricate world of love cons, unraveling tales of deception and financial exploitation featured in Jim's podcast, Scams and Cons. Together, they dissect the psychology behind emotional manipulation, offering valuable insights into the mechanics of these scams and their devastating impact on victims. Prepare for a gripping discussion that blends personal stories with expert analysis, shedding light on the...
2024-10-0823 min
Scams & ConsScammer robs family of $15k vacation. Smart TVs may be tricking you into giving up personal informationIn this week's news, we'll tell you about a woman who lost a half million dollars in a Social Security scam, con artists who offer up free pianos, then trick the customer into paying high shipping fees. You'll also hear how your smart TV could be robbing you.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-08-1511 minScams & ConsA man disguises himself as a woman to scam the groom out of his estateIn this week's news, a man disguises himself as a woman to scam the groom out of his estate and pet owners are being told their companions are in danger in order to con people out of medical expenses.Hear these stories and much more on this week's Scams & Cons News.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-08-0107 minScams & ConsWoman told she is on "secret probation" and loses hundreds of thousands of dollarsWoman told she is on "secret probation" loses hundreds of thousands of dollars, 60 Minutes Australia asks if Belle Gibson is a liar and Canadian police bust an international scam ring.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-07-1813 minScams & ConsREPLAY: Hoaxes vs ScamsWhat's the difference between a hoax and a scam? Are they the same thing? In this episode, we take a crack at the answer -- unless this whole program is a hoax.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-07-1115 minScams & ConsWoman falling down escalator marks return of pigeon scamA woman falling down escalator marks return of pigeon scam, members of British Parliament get caught in a honey trap and a Pennsylvania man loses $165,000 to romance scammer. Hear these stories and much more at ScamsAndCons.com or wherever you get podcasts.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-07-0410 minScams & ConsAn Uber driver was killed while delivering a package for a scammer and a Canadian scammer is in jail for a $175 million e-mail fraud in the U.S.An Uber driver was killed while delivering a package for a scammer and a Canadian scammer in jail for a $175 million e-mail fraud in the U.S. while a man cons people into letting him use their phones, then drains their bank account.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-06-2010 minScams & ConsWoman scammed by promise of free home make-overA woman scammed by promise of free home make-over, a scammer tries to hoodwink Drew Barrymore's guests and an Alabama woman has admitted to faking her own disappearance after earlier claiming she had been kidnapped.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-06-0612 minScams & ConsClean and green -- washing your checksWhen you write a check, you expect it to be secure, after all, you did write it in ink.That means bupkus unless you used a secure check and security pen. These days, scammers can use household chemicals to eliminate what you have written and fill in the blanks with whatever they want to whomever they want. They will even trace your signature so the banks won't notice.In this episode, we'll tell you about the rising crime of check washing and how you can protect yourself from it.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-05-2321 minScams & ConsA scam leaves a man in a coma and a woman's home is stolenAn East Tennessee woman stops a scam by people posing as a representatives of Publishers Clearing House and a Wisconsin woman must pay taxes on $200,000 she lost to a scammer. A federal law once protected such victims from taxes. The law was cut.We also tell the story of a Toronto man who encountered a scammer that left him physically broken and unable to walk.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-05-1613 minScams & ConsWhy steal your identity when all scammers need is a synthetic you?Identity theft was once fairly easy. Watch someone's mailbox for a credit card offer, then send it in with a new address; discover something like your Social Security number, then route that money to their bank account. There were lots of ways.But now there's a new one -- a fabricated synthetic identity. It's you without really being you. It can take your money in a quick hit or drain your money slowly.In this episode, we'll tell you how it's done and what -- if anything -- you can do about it.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
2024-05-0940 minScams & ConsA boy amputates his legs to get insurance month and "ghost hacking" sends messages to the deceased familyIn separate incidents, a man and a woman are arrested for romance scams. A boy in Taiwan agrees to have both legs amputated to gain insurance money and a woman who wanted a puppy pays the money, only to be told it's a scam.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-05-0212 minScams & ConsFaking your deathIt sounds exotic to fake your death, then just walk away, expect it almost never works. One woman was found in her home closet. Another was found by just pinging her phone.Then there is the woman who researched how to fake her death and took it so far as to hold her own death certificate in her hands.There are many ways to fake your death, but we don't advise that you try them ... unless your willing to sacrifice your own body.Frank AhernBooks by Frank AhernLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-04-2523 minScams & ConsNews: A Nebraska woman is conned out of a gold bar a woman buys the wrong kind of gift card, frustrating a scammer, but still losing her moneyNews: A Nebraska woman is conned out of a gold bar and a woman buys the wrong kind of gift card, frustrating a scammer, but still losing her moneyLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-04-1812 minScams & ConsWitness Protection Programs -- it's not an easy way to vanisht would seem if federal and state governments wanted you to disappear for your safety, it would be an easy thing to do. They can create all the documents you need, give you some money to get started and grease the wheels needed to get a new job.If only that were the case. Being uprooted is just as difficult -- if not more so -- than taking a powder on your own.In this episode, you'll hear from some people who were scooped up in the night to disappear and you'll hear from the people who created the federal...
2024-04-1116 minScams & ConsWoman recovers $147k from scammer and a man tries to own the New York HotelWoman recovers $147k from scammer and a man tries to own the New York HotelLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-04-0414 minScams & ConsHear from Maureen, a woman whose husband disappeared and she doesn't know whyThe theme of this series has been the long con of vanishing. Instead of a scammer targeting you, you are the one scamming everyone else. To be successful, you must do this the rest of your life, making it possibly the longest con of all.Maureen is the victim of this con. Her husband went missing and while she verified he was still alive, she doesn't know why he left -- or even if he is still alive.In this episode, you'll hear her tragic story and her best guess on what really happened, although she'll unlikely to never know...
2024-03-2826 minScams & ConsScammers break into a physician's prescription system, creating orders for tens of thousands of addictive drugs and a lawsuit has been filed against CitiGroup for not doing enough to protect customersScams & Cons News for March 21, 2024Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-03-2111 minScams & ConsVanishing: Where to go and dealing with lonelinessOnce you've decided to vanish, the question is: where do you go?In this episode we explore those possibilities and what you need to keep in mind when choosing a place.The odds are you'll end up somewhere that's not familiar and among people you don't know. That loneliness is one of the main reasons that a vanishing con fails. We'll tell you how people cope with that ... and sometimes it just means living on the street.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-03-1413 minScams & ConsWoman uses soap opera scheme in attempt to kill husband; catfishing scam hits business for $4 millionScams & Cons News for March 7, 2024Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-03-0709 minScams & ConsVanished: How to go missing and avoid those searching for you.The longest con of all may be vanishing -- leaving the place you know, going somewhere unfamiliar and never having contact with anyone or anything from your past life.In this episode, we tell you how to go missing and avoid those who will be looking for you.Private Investigative ServicesLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-02-2224 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News: Scammers use a smartphone with Bluetooth to steal 800 gallons of gasoline and the DEA accidently gives $500,000 to scammersScams & Cons News for February 15, 2024Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-02-1511 minScams & ConsThe longest con of all -- vanishing. Why would anyone want to do it?A good scam creates a reality where the mark thinks it makes perfect sense to go along with the con. A great con is when everyone else is fooled and you are the only one to know the truth.The next few episodes are about the longest con of all -- vanishing. These are people who voluntarily disappear. It does not include those who are running for the law or legal obligations. It doesn't include those in witness protection programs. It's about people who want to abandon one life and start again.The mark is everyone in the world, because...
2024-02-0814 minScams & ConsSeason 6 -- A user's guideRegular listeners are accustomed to hearing about different variations of a con in each regular episode. In season six, we're doing something different. We'll be focusing on one con -- vanishing.Vanishing may be the longest con of all because, if you're successful, no one will hear from you again.We'll talk about why people want to voluntarily disappear. We won't be talking about those trying to escape the law or legal obligations. Our focus will be on those who want to trade their current life for a new one.There will be episodes about why people want to disappear...
2024-02-0805 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News: A dating app leads to a carjacking and are you being smished?Are you being smed? It's a scam that involves both texts and social engineering. A dating app leads to a carjacking in Florida and a Swiss bus museum. A cashier stole more than $1 million between 2008 and 2019 by reselling museum tickets twice.These stories and MUCH more on Scams & Cons News.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-02-0109 minScams & ConsBONUS: Lee Goldberg tells how he writes scams into his books and TV showsAny con, any story of a con, begins in the head of the author. Lee Goldberg isn't a con artist -- unless you count how he leads readers toward wrong conclusions -- but he does write successful books and TV shows that involve cons.In this episode, Lee talks with us about how he does it, how he comes up with his ideas and what it's to deal with publishers and television story runners. It's a great listen.Lee GoldbergLee's WorksMalibu BurningDreamtownLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2024-01-2523 minScams & ConsREPLAY: Luxury scamsWhat 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 have exploited those dreams for centuries, but now marketers have refined those techniques to scam us in legal ways.Listen in because, as always, we'll tell you how it's done and...
2024-01-1818 minScams & ConsREPLAY: Three Card Monte - RemasteredIt’s a simple game. It’s just a guy flipping three cards on top of a worn cardboard box.If you’re the sucker, the game is easy. It’s meant to be that way. A lot of effort by a lot of people has gone into creating that scene. No wonder Three Card Monte is called the longest running show on Broadway.The sucker sees it as a game of skill. They believe they can outwit the tosser. What the sucker doesn’t realize is that the game is not about the cards, it’s about getting the sucker to pu...
2024-01-1118 minScams & ConsREPLAY: The Russian Bride ScamIf you are a six and a 10 shows interest in you, at the very least you’d feel flattered. You might even spend a little time with them just to feed your ego.And if that contact happens online, it seems even better. No dinners to buy. No gifts to exchange. And you can walk away at any time.But if the person on the other end of the line is a scammer, it might not be as easy as you think. You’ll be showered with attention, endless flattery and the person will seem to have a genuine interest in yo...
2024-01-0417 minScams & ConsSee ya next yearWe're taking a break for the holidays, but we'll be back early next year. In the meantime, please enjoy some replays that have been a hit among our fans.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-12-2801 minScams & ConsMiracle cures have arrived! Whatever the ailment, they will do the jobThink of all the music jingles you've heard over the years, promising that this pill or that one will help prevent cancer, ease your aching bones or guarantee you a longer, healthier life.It's snake oil and in this episode we tell you the difference between Western medicine, alternative medicine and outright frauds.Pay close attention, because some people will swallow anything.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-12-1424 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News: Funeral home scammer takes money from widow, bank disses woman who was scammed, asking if her husband did it, and more!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-12-0713 minScams & ConsRobo calls -- How they work, who makes them and how you can cash in by listeningWe've done stories about robo calls before, but this one is different -- we're telling you how the technology works, who makes the calls and how you can make money by simply listening to the sales pitch, getting answers to a few questions and mail a complaint.robocalls@scamsandcons.comKit for challenging robo callsSample challenge letterLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-11-2315 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for November 16, 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-11-1607 minScams & ConsYou can be the victim of a con. Here's how.Our lasts episode asks how con artists reconcile the impact of their actions and how it harms their victims beyond the money they have stolen.This time we ask what is it about people that make them suckers for scammers. Certain behaviors signal scammers that we're good for some cash. Listen in and find out what they know about you and how they use it against you.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-11-0920 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for November 2, 2023Scammers are pulling gasoline dispensers from customers' hands to fill their own cars.Canadian women are more willing to report scams than men.And ProPublica says a scammer has succeed in getting people kicked off Instagram, then blackmailing them to release the account. He claims to have made $300k off the con.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-11-0212 minScams & ConsJustification: Scammers explain why they do what they doScammers might take people for a little or a lot of money. Sometimes their scams ruin people's lives and leave them feeling unsafe -- maybe for the rest of their lives.In this episode, scammers tell us how they became scammers and how they rationalize what they do.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-10-2619 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for October 19, 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-10-1907 minScams & ConsImposters: Which is real: Batman or Bruce Wayne?Scammers become other people to convince you to turn over your money, but sometimes they want something else. Your pity, your admiration or your love.We take a look at imposters and why they do what they do.And check out the Pretend podcast. It's one of our favorites and when you hear Javier's story about a reported stalker, you'll be amazed!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-10-1216 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for October 5, 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-10-0508 minScams & ConsTime travelers are scamming thousandsPeople are coming back from the future. Some want computers to help solve problems for which the need ancient software, while others need some cold, hard cash to survive in this primitive world of ours.People are handing money over to these con artists without asking a simple question: Why are future IT people too stupid to keep their technology up-to-date and they need to travel back in time so we can fix it for them?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-09-2816 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News September 21, 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-09-2111 minScams & ConsHow to train pick-up artistsCon artists are using wanting to get into your pants for a wallet, but there are those who are looking for something else.In this episode, we tell you how pick-up artists, wings and matchmakers work.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-09-1419 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for September 7, 2023Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-09-0708 minScams & ConsThis is no misdirection, Season 5 begins Sept. 7. To get things going, here's a full episode on MisdirectionSeason 5 launches September 7 and here's a full episode on how con artists use misdirection to sucker people in.We believe Season 5 is our best yet with stories about pick-up artists, time travel scammers, how con artists justify what they do, fake medical cures and much, much more.Plus we're going weekly with our new feature called Scams & Cons News that will bring you up-to-date with real scams happening in the field right now.We look forward to being back with you again and that's no misdirection!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-08-1718 minScams & ConsScams & Cons News for July 20, 2023Scams & Cons News begins officially this September, but we thought we'd give you and update on some of the things happening this summer.See you in September!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-07-2009 minScams & ConsIntroducing Scams & Cons NewsI'm headed off on summer hiatus and to produce shows for Season Five. I'm really excited about Season Five because we're producing shows on Pick-Up Artists, Time Travelers and Imposters -- plus a lot more. It will be fun!We'll also be adding a new feature called Scams & Cons News about recent scams from around the world. This episode provides a preview and I'd love to hear what you have to say, so drop me email at news@scamsandcons.com.Scams & Cons News will be released on opposite weeks from our regular episodes, so we are now a weekly podcast!E...
2023-06-0110 minScams & ConsBits and PiecesEvery 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. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-05-1817 minScams & ConsDonation scams: Give until you bleedUnfortunately, 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 aid for someone in your community, you can bet there are scammers ready to count on your kindness to keep their wallets full.We'll tell you how it works, but don't...
2023-05-0423 minScams & ConsThree tales that continue to fool the worldThe "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. The Cardiff GiantThe Farmer's MuseumMarvin's Marvelous Mechanical MuseumLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-04-2031 minScams & ConsUsing the media to fool usIf 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
2023-04-0617 minScams & ConsMedical secrets: How politicians hid life-threatening conditions that could have halted their political careersHow 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, continued to vote on public issues for four months?And there is the president who chose to have a risky surgery at sea to keep the press from finding out...
2023-03-2327 minScams & ConsHarry Truman and the Kansas City mobTwo 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 along.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-03-0923 minScams & ConsStadiums: Teams use a proven and legal plan to use your money to build new stadiumsNew 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 excitement among fans to drive up the cost -- and profits -- of a new venue.And it doesn't stop there. Listen in as we lay...
2023-02-2323 minScams & ConsBribery: How American corporations, the State of Illinois, Walmart and Fat Leonard steered public money their waySuppose 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 pockets could bypass local and U.S. laws to get the job done exclusively and cheaper.ATT tried the same thing in Illinois and drug companies do the same to...
2023-02-0923 minScams & ConsAlabama sheriffs use 1939 law to starve prisoners and pocket the savingsIn 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 excess funds would go back into public coffers.Before then, sheriffs abused prisoners so they could build expensive private homes, but that's not the only way prisoners and their families were extorted...
2023-01-2622 min
True Crime BingeJim GrinsteadThis week, Bob and Erica are joined by the host of Scams & Cons, Jim Grinstead. On his podcast, Jim covers cases involving victims who are scammed and conned out of their money. Our hosts chat with Jim about Netflix shows, comedy, and winter weather. They also discuss The Russian Bride Scam, a long-running con where women form relationships with men online and eventually scam them out of their money.
To hear more about the case, and binge all episodes of Scams & Cons, click here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-russian-bride-scam/id1567590051?i=1000521721196.
2023-01-2547 minScams & ConsSeason Four begins in two weeks!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
2023-01-1204 minScams & ConsIntroducing Scamapalooza!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
2023-01-0542 minScams & ConsA fan favorite and the end of season 3The 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 homes and more. In one case, two sheriffs split the $1,000 cost for a trailer of corn dogs and fed them to prisoners twice a day.We're hard at work, but we hope you have...
2022-12-0115 minScams & ConsTwins: They may look alike, but they don't work as a teamIt'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, they ended up running different scams entirely.Is it nature or nurture? We'll tell the stories, you figure that one out for yourself.Learn more about your ad choices...
2022-11-1715 minScams & ConsLuxury scams: Luxury can't be stolen -- it's a state of mindWhat 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 have exploited those dreams for centuries, but now marketers have refined those techniques to scam us in legal ways.Listen in because, as always, we'll tell you how it's done and...
2022-11-0319 minScams & ConsThe Mustard: Pockets cleaned at no extra chargeGolly, 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 into history. The Mustard is now played differently in a form that safer for the scammers and far more dangerous for you.The Mustard remains a squeeze play, but its methods a...
2022-10-2014 minScams & ConsWe caught him because we could: Frank Abagnale Jr. still conning usRemember 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 equipment from a summer camp. He doesn't talk about pretending to be a doctor at Arizona State University performing examinations on potential stewardesses.When asked about these and other contradictions...
2022-10-0632 minScams & ConsCults: I know what's best for you. Give me your money and abandon your family. You'll be glad you did.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 you they can ease your pain and making you part of their family, all along siphoning off your money and all connections to the outside world.Cults can be dangerous things. In this episode we...
2022-09-2219 minScams & ConsBlackmail: I know a guy who knows a guy. Know what I mean?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 anyone for help because you must confess what it is that the blackmailer is threatening you with.In this episode, Scams & Cons, tells you how to recognize blackmail, how it works and that help...
2022-09-0822 minScams & ConsA quick look at voter registration fraudScams & 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. Listen in a find out how to protect your rights.Our regular Scams & Cons episodes return September 9 for our third season with a program on blackmail. Be sure to listen. We know...
2022-08-2510 minScams & ConsAwww... I've missed you guysThe 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 could rap on your window, and ask for money to buy food or for a bus ticket to get home. There is no escape and you must deal with the situation somehow.There ar...
2022-08-1116 minScams & ConsSummer break! We'll be back in the fall!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 about blackmail, cults and the Mustard Con.We'll be in touch when we get ready start Season 3, so, choose a temperature-appropriate spot, dangle your feet in the water and stay safe.Learn...
2022-07-1402 minScams & ConsMusic scams: Both musicians and listeners can be off-keyThe 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 only after meeting them.It’s quite a temptation and hopefuls rarely do the due diligence to find out whether what they’re being told is true.Fans get dupe...
2022-06-3022 minScams & ConsSweepstakes scams: You may already be a loser!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 likely hasn't. Particularly if that letter is postmarked standard presort -- a class used primarily for bulk delivery.But whether it's a letter, a phone call o...
2022-06-1618 minScams & ConsCredentials scams: Not worth the paper it's written onIf 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 Philosophy from Springfield University. It says so on the diploma that hangs on my wall.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
2022-06-0219 minScams & ConsCoupon scamsThose 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 to print our own.Then there is the coupon processing system that provides another entry point.We'll explain it all to you so that...
2022-05-1916 minScams & ConsLong cons: Patience is the rewardThree-card-monte can take all your money in fewer than eight minutes. Long cons can take days, weeks, months or years -- just ask Bernie Madoff.The con artists generally have to put up significant amounts of money to pull it off. They usually enlist others and must gain use of offices and facilities.On top of that, they have to think on their feet because many things can happen over time. You've got to be good to run a long con and in one case we'll tell you about, the sucker took the bait, then came back so the same co...
2022-05-0518 minScams & ConsSex scamsDon't you just hate it when the new $5,000 sex doll you ordered turns out to be a cheap knock-off? Or that super-fun-pack of condoms you bought is counterfeit?Men thinking with the wrong head are mostly the victims of these crimes, but their variety may surprise you. Like that help-wanted ad you saw for a sex toy tester. I don't want to spoil this one -- you just have to listen.Vice article about online adult gamesLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-04-2117 minScams & ConsArt scams -- the play's the thing!Art scams are like no other. They are like a theatrical play with scammers and art forgers producing, writing and directing the show. Even the suckers are part of the script, anxious to play their roles, even when they suspect there may be an unhappy ending for them.The majority of the rules that apply to most scams, don't apply here. Some people get involved for fame, some for ego and others for fortune. Those that are in it for fame or ego, usually don't get a cut of the fortune, and they are just fine with that. As the c...
2022-04-0722 minScams & ConsUnbelievable consMost cons are well planned. After all, the con artists don't want to go to jail.But sometimes, things come together in such a way that the scams have to be pulled off quickly while the con artists make things up on the spot.Today we'll tell you the story of three scams that were run only once. OK, there's a fourth one, but you'll know it when you hear it. Listen closely.The Kitchen Table HistorianLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-03-2414 minScams & ConsThe Pigeon Drop: No dry cleaner required. Scammers will clean you for free.Recently -- and I kid you not -- I found a $100 bill as I got into my car after buying groceries. It was on the ground beside my door, folded in thirds. I immediately thought someone was setting me up for a Pigeon Drop, but no one approached and no other people were around, so I put the bill in my pocket.It took weeks before I used that money. Finding $100 is just too rare a thing. I wondered if it was counterfeit. I eventually went to a bank, they looked the bill and marked it. It was real.This...
2022-03-1015 minScams & ConsPet scams: Karma's a bitchThe idea of unconditional love is unknown to scammers, unless you're talking about a sucker's money. There's never a trick they aren't willing to perform for a treat -- except being told to "stay."Doggone it, we should have seen it coming, but there's more involved than companionship. Our emotions get wrapped up and that makes us perfect suckers.Listen in and we'll tell you how to protect yourself.Colin Butcher - Pet DetectiveLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-02-2416 minScams & ConsValentine's Scams: I love you, but I love your money more.Falling in love is a risk, but on Valentine's Day, we're all suckers. We're sharing our love by telling what to look out for.A scammer's poemWords of love from my keyboard make your heart take flight,So don’t mistake my plea for money as a reason for fright.My needs are genuine and my motives are clear, So please wire your money so I can disappear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-02-1014 minScams & ConsWe're back Feb. 10, but first, a warning about QR codesSeason Two of Scams & Cons begins Feb. 10 with an episode on Valentine's Scams. It will be good to see you again, but don't feel as if you need to send flowers.While we were putting that episode together, something caught our eye -- QR code scams. It requires no human interaction and there are only a few ways you can see it coming, so we decided to do this mini-episode telling you all about it.XOXOLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-01-2709 minScams & ConsScams & Cons is back in February, but first ...Scams & Cons will be back with new episodes in February, but until then, we thought we’d share some information about the man pictured in the corner of our logo – Victor Lustig.Lustig conned Al Capone and sold the Eiffel Tower twice. That's how he earned his corner seat. Other con artists have sold public monuments, so to tide you over until the new season, we’re sharing their stories.Buy Me A CoffeeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2022-01-0609 minScams & ConsAs Season 1 ends, it's beach time!!! Season 2 begins in February.I have sand between my toes, a perfectly positioned chaise lounge and plenty of suntan lotion. It's a welcome break to mark the end of Season 1.Fear not! I've already begun work on Season 2 with stories about ... well, listen in to this 3-minute episode where you can join me on the beach and I'll tell you all about it.Until next year, be happy, healthy and watch out for scammers and con artists.And stay safe.P.S. I need to ask a favor and it has nothing to do with your credit card. I don't make money from the po...
2021-12-0204 minScams & ConsTools of the con artist's tradeCarpenters need hammers and saws. Cooks need pots and pans. Con artists need a good story to tell and a mark to believe it.In this episode, you’ll learn about the basic skills a con artist needs to succeed. Strap your tool holster on for this apprentice class on how to set up and execute a successful con.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-11-1815 minScams & ConsHouse stealing: No good deed is scam-proofDon’t you just hate it when you come home from vacation to find that some scammer now owns your home? Or when con artists move in, and the law allows them to stay while you go through a long court battle to have them evicted?House stealing is a real thing and it is frighteningly easy to do and once you learn how the scam is run, you’ll never want to leave home again.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-11-0417 minScams & ConsBlinded by scam scienceScience explains life's mysteries using procedures intended to weed out false results and outright lies. That process doesn't always work.Don't worry, Scams & Cons is here to help. We'll tell you how fake science happens, the people who flush it out, why DNA evidence isn't that reliable and how Charlie Hatfield (maybe) made it rain.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-10-2119 minScams & ConsThe grave undertakings of con artistsWhen tragedy strikes, you’re vulnerable and that makes you a prime target for con artists. Death is a time when we’re most vulnerable. Scammers sweep in to sell family history books, offers to bring your loved one back to life through cryogenics, and unneeded and expensive caskets that are destined for incineration. Even before death, scammers may sell you a pre-need policy, then disappear with your money, leaving your insurance worthless. In this episode about death scams, you’ll learn about all of this, plus the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory will give you advice about how to deal with the retu...
2021-10-0714 minScams & ConsParking lot scams: Why you give money to strangers even when you know you're being connedSome 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 could rap on your window, and ask for money to buy food or for a bus ticket to get home. There is no escape and you must deal with the situation somehow.There are many more scams that depend upon confronting you in vulnerable moment. In this episode, you’ll learn what they are and how con artists manipulate you into giving them money, even when you...
2021-09-2318 minScams & ConsScams vs HoaxesWhen the Trojans rolled the horse into their city, they thought they were claiming the spoils of war. Instead, it was a hoax that eventually allowed the Greeks to sneak in and destroy their city.So, is a hoax a scam, or is it the other way around? Fortunately, Ian Keable stops by to sort it for us as we talk about the differences. His new book, The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in Eighteenth Century England, includes tales about Ben Franklin and a woman who gave birth to rabbits. It’s a hare-raising story, to be su...
2021-09-0918 minScams & ConsLottery scamsAdmit it, you’ve played the game that asks “What would you do if you won a lottery?” The first step is to make sure you actually won a lottery.Lottery scams abound. Some trick people into sending cash to cover a few fees and taxes before the winnings can be sent to them. Others approach actual winners as experienced, trusted advisors only to pad service fees. Then there are those who try to cheat the lottery itself by rigging the game to offer up predetermined numbers.It’s said that it’s better to be lucky than smart. When it comes t...
2021-08-2616 minScams & ConsThe Badger GameWhat’s the first thing you do when you trip on the sidewalk – you look around to see if anyone noticed and, if so, did they laugh.But what if you were recorded comparing bits and pieces with someone on the internet? Maybe someone caught you with an illegal substance in your pocket or, as we describe in this episode, ride escalators in hopes that someone will take an upskirt photo of you. This is the badger game. You can call it extortion or blackmail, but this scam sets a trap and if you are caught, your tighty-whities will bunch up. L...
2021-08-1213 minScams & ConsImpersonation scamsImpersonators hide in plain sight. They tell you who they are and back up their claims. Trusting soul that you are, you think, “why would they lie?”They lie because they want your money and they use other people’s credibility to gain your trust.Some of these scams are relatively harmless. The con gets a free meal, maybe a hotel room or some other relatively low-value prize. Other impersonators go for big treasure. They pretend to be movie stars (you’ll hear Tyler Perry tell you about that), rich entrepreneurs or other people you want to be associated with. After all...
2021-07-2912 minScams & ConsSo, you want to be a star?Fame comes at a price. Scammers want your money and don’t care if it also costs you your self confidence.Those trying to get noticed are vulnerable and the path to success is different for everyone. It often depends upon getting to the right person at the right time. To increase your odds, you’ve got to put yourself out there and hustle. You’ll fail a lot, but that’s how the game is played.This makes you a perfect mark -- you must depend upon the kindness of strangers and put yourself in unfamiliar situations. But be careful...
2021-07-1518 minScams & ConsCarnival ConsEven at a distance, you’ll know the carnival is in town. You can see the lights of the Ferris Wheel. Maybe you can hear the screams of people on one of the rides to scare the hell out of you. When you arrive, you’ll smell fresh popcorn … the carnies smell a sucker.Except for the prices, the rides are straight. No con there. No short pours on the drinks because you can see how high the liquid is, although the cup may be smaller than those you are accustomed to or the bottom is inset a little too far to...
2021-07-0113 minScams & ConsAdvertising scams: But wait ... there's more!Have you tried this new air freshener? A herd of stallions could spend the night in your house and with one puff of this spray, you’d never know they were there! And this kitchen gadget is fantastic! It slices and dices, makes ice cream and turns rancid meat fresh again. It’s just amazing! No, it’s not. It’s false advertising and it’s a scam. There are laws that are supposed to protect us from that, but they are not difficult to skirt. You’ve heard of miracle supplements than can cure anything from a bad cold to every cance...
2021-06-1718 minScams & ConsPsychicsYou may be psychic!In fact, there is a good chance you are – or could be. The Census Bureau says one of the fastest growing job descriptions in this decades will be psychics. As of this writing, PsychicPro Job Center has one client with 25 immediate job openings.If you don’t feel qualified, psychic training is readily available.Don’t expect us to answer the question of whether psychics are bona fide – OK, they are fradulent – but you will learn how the business works and the tools it employs.Ian Rowland explains how to do a cold reading, sessions he calls perso...
2021-06-0318 minScams & ConsThe Russian Bride scamIf you are a six and a 10 shows interest in you, at the very least you’d feel flattered. You might even spend a little time with them just to feed your ego.And if that contact happens online, it seems even better. No dinners to buy. No gifts to exchange.And you can walk away at any time.But if the person on the other end of the line is a scammer, it might not be as easy as you think. You’ll be showered with attention, endless flattery and the person will seem to have a genuine interest in yo...
2021-05-1318 minScams & ConsThe Money BoxUnless you work for the U.S. Mint, odds are you can’t print legal currency. But if you could print money, it’s unlikely you’d get much sleep for a while. Once you were rested, you would crank up the printer again and begin shopping for an elegant place to lay your head. Your personal chef will bring milk and warm cookies to your bedside so you can easily fall asleep.We all want easy money, but unless an unknown rich relative dies and leaves you a fortune, it’s not likely to happen. What’s more likely to happen...
2021-05-1315 minScams & ConsThree Card MonteIt’s a simple game. It’s just a guy flipping three cards on top of a worn cardboard box.If you’re the sucker, the game is easy. It’s meant to be that way. A lot of effort by a lot of people has gone into creating that scene. No wonder Three Card Monte is called the longest running show on Broadway.The sucker sees it as a game of skill. They believe they can outwit the tosser. What the sucker doesn’t realize is that the game is not about the cards, it’s about getting the sucker to pu...
2021-05-1319 minScams & ConsTRAILER: Scams and ConsWhy would anyone give thousands of dollars to a Nigerian prince? Or play Three Card Monte – it’s a well-known scam? Or be lulled into a marriage with someone you’ve never met face-to-face.Scammers and con artists do it all the time and the Scams and Cons podcast pulls the curtain back and tells you how it is done.Trust us. You should subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2021-04-2200 min