When Debbie's mother passes away suddenly, she is not prepared for what she finds. While sorting through financial records and... more

In this 2021 episode, when Shirley Gibson learns that her property in Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has been sold... more

In this 2021 episode, Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has recently become a hot real estate market. So hot, in... more

Suzi and Gary retire to Tucson and find the perfect house with a less-than-perfect kitchen. They love to cook and... more

Retired priest, Father Robert Banzin, has devoted his life to the service of others. Now in his 80s, he continues... more

In part 2, Chris and his family try without success to stop their father, Alfred, from sending money to a... more

When Alfred's sons notice unusual transactions on their dad's bank statements, they start asking questions. But Alfred's reaction tells them... more

After 25-year-old Niki Hutchinson loses her mother, she uses some of her inheritance to start fresh in California. Not knowing... more

When Cathy's disabled husband loses his Medicaid coverage, she must look for a job to help pay the rent. The... more

80-year-old David lives in a tight-knit community, frequently helping his neighbors with yard care and other tasks. So when he... more

Rodney Baldus, a retired truck driver from Minnesota, believes he is the recipient of a large inheritance belonging to his... more

Ray is retired but always looking for interesting opportunities. So, when he gets a cold call from a whiskey brokerage... more

In this 2023 episode, YouTube star Kitboga has turned scam baiting into performance art, delighting his 3.6 million followers with... more

In this 2022 episode, host Bob Sullivan welcomes special guest Alexis Conran. Conran’s insight into the mind of a... more

We use our smartphones for just about everything these days, and that makes them a prime target for scammers.... more

Imagine you've just had everything stolen from you by a ruthless scammer. You are wondering how you will pay... more

Thanksgiving is a time for sharing food with family and feeling grateful. It means a lot to Georgete, a struggling... more

Alice hires a local handyman, Joey, as a live-in caregiver after her shoulder surgery. She recovers, but soon COVID-19 hits,... more

Debbie, a Colorado native and mother of three adult children, leads a fulfilling life of travel, salsa dancing and... more

It’s a typical busy day for Amanda as she sees her teenaged daughter off to work. But five... more

Dennis, an 82-year-old proud father and grandfather, makes a connection with a woman he meets on Facebook named... more

In this 2019 episode, Marlene is enjoying the Atlantic City boardwalk with a friend when a young woman approaches... more

In Part 2 of this 2022 episode, Darlene Asher, as the head of her local dart league, has been leading... more

In this 2022 episode, Darlene Asher is the head of her local Minnesota dart league, a close-knit group of... more

Kim is grieving the tragic death of her son, who was serving in the Army, when she learns that... more

Neill is a successful ER physician and business owner who has regrets after a recent missed investment opportunity that proved... more

The Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes is famous for showing up at winners’ homes with a giant check and transforming lives.... more

When Penny signs up for a few magazine subscriptions, she thinks she is helping some kids with a school fundraiser.... more

In this 2021 episode, an IT professional in the UK who goes by the alias Jim Browning is battling... more

In this 2021 episode, credit card scammer Lisa Reid’s methods are sophisticated, creative and callous. After gaining credit card... more

Summer is the prime time for road trips. And as more people are out there on the roads, scammers are... more

Volunteer firefighters are vital to the communities they serve, selflessly giving up their time to provide lifesaving emergency fire, rescue... more

Daniel no longer lives in his hometown of Fairfield, Connecticut, but he still owns a plot of land... more

Lori is enjoying her early retirement, pursuing her hobbies and caring for her animals in rural Ohio. One... more

Phillip and his family are planning a move from Las Vegas to Denver and need a new place... more

Michael and Kelli are empty nesters after their three adult children move out, and they aren’t prepared for how... more

Lindsay, an Army veteran and single mother of a young daughter with cystic fibrosis, is taking a much-needed day to... more

In part 2 of this 2021 episode, Rookie FBI agent Mike meets 80-year-old Alan, who has sent $600,000 to “friends”... more

In this 2021 episode, after 80-year-old Alan returns from a trip to the Middle East and Africa, where he visited... more

In part 2, James is becoming suspicious of the people who are “helping” him sell his Lake Tahoe... more

When James receives a call from a company offering to sell his Lake Tahoe time-share, he jumps at... more

Jody and her husband love to travel, and they love to save up credit card reward points to make their... more

The pandemic is tough for Victor’s small business, but the loan he receives from the Paycheck Protection Program is a... more

Lorraine is grieving her father when she receives a letter claiming to be from Florida Power & Light notifying her... more

Amid quickly changing technology and social trends, criminals are constantly developing new methods of defrauding consumers. In this bonus episode,... more

The criminal side of the internet, the Dark Web, is unknown to most of us. This week’s guest, criminologist... more

After a divorce, Nancy moves to North Carolina and takes a job as a caregiver for older patients who are... more

Marlene is suffering from terrible back pain and preparing to have surgery in a few days when her computer suddenly... more

Employment scams are one of the fastest growing types of fraud. The recent surge can be traced to several post-pandemic... more

In Part 2 of this 2021 episode, young ICU nurse Whitney Kirkpatrick’s life is turned upside down when the... more

In this 2021 episode, recent graduate Whitney Kirkpatrick is starting her career as a nurse when she meets Gregory Thomas,... more

Linda Khandro is a busy college professor who spends her spare time playing her harp in hospitals and hospice... more

In Part 2, Michael, an Iraq War veteran who has fallen on hard financial times, thinks he has found... more

The men and women who bravely fight for our nation are too often the target of financial criminals. After serving... more

When a fire destroys his Wisconsin home, Royce Babcock and his family are forced to live out of their garage.... more

In Part 2, Homeland Security Agent Justin Deutsch and colleagues pursue Mary Marr, the leader of a fraud and money... more

In 2014, Homeland Security Agent Justin Deutsch inherits a case concerning an international fraud and money laundering ring. Callers from... more

Todd Alper is a recently retired lawyer and teacher in New York City. One day in 2020, he learns that... more

In Part 3 of this 2022 episode, when Therin Miller walks into the FBI office to throw himself on the... more

In part 2 of this 2022 episode, Therin Miller’s exciting new business venture with his roommate, Brent Holloway, is quickly... more

In this 2022 episode, National Guardsman Therin Miller never imagined that placing an online ad for a roommate would result... more

The heartwarming story of a homeless veteran, Johnny Bobbitt, who spends his last $20 to help a stranded woman captures... more

In part 2, Kelly and her husband Ryan, who is retired from the Navy, are reeling from the theft of... more

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen is renowned for incredible, one-of-a kind images of polar bears, leopard seals, narwhals and other... more

YouTube star Kitboga has turned scam baiting into performance art, delighting his 3.3 million followers with his many characters and... more

Our smartphones contain access to just about everything that’s important to us, so when criminals figure out how to exploit... more

While we are busy planning holiday gatherings and travel and buying gifts, scammers are working overtime coming up with ways... more

Have you ever thought about who might be on the other end of those scam calls and messages we all... more

When David meets a woman, based in the Philippines, on a dating app he feels he’s made a real connection.... more

You’ve heard the advice: When you receive an unexpected phone call from a company, hang up and call its verified... more

This week, we are bringing you a very special episode about a new development in the tech world that threatens... more

In 2018, The Perfect Scam brought you the story of the French psychic Maria Duval mail fraud impostor scheme. For... more

Caring for ailing senior dogs is a passion project for Helen and her husband, who run the nonprofit dog hospice... more

In part 2, Gerard Puana stands accused of stealing the mailbox of his niece, the deputy city prosecutor, Katherine Kealoha.... more

In this 2021 episode, Katherine and Louis Kealoha report that their mailbox has been stolen, a strange occurrence in the... more

Thieves think that stolen cryptocurrency is the perfect crime — anonymous, secret and safe from seizure. But prosecutor Erin West... more

In part 2, after a scammer she meets playing Words With Friends steals most of her family’s savings, Kathy is... more

Like many of us, Kathy struggles in the early days of the pandemic to adjust to isolation from family and... more

Jerry Hsu, a retired engineer living in Florida, receives a phone call from someone claiming to be his cellphone provider.... more

Lisa is an avid concertgoer with extensive experience buying and selling tickets online. So when pop megastar Taylor Swift announces... more

Wayde McKelvy and Troy Wragg stir up enthusiasm for their company, Mantria, and a green energy revolution they promise in... more

In Part 2 of this 2019 episode, after losing her job and breaking up with her boyfriend in the same... more

In this 2019 episode, Debra is a divorced mother and ballroom dancer who travels between her home in Florida and... more

Hoping to build her hobby into a business, Penny takes an online training course in social media marketing. After this initial... more

Consumers write far fewer checks than they did in the past, so it may seem surprising that the once-common crime... more

Retiree Susan moves from California to a beautiful Victorian home in Montana to be closer to her son and his... more

Derek Alldred has spent decades using fake identities to date and steal money from hundreds of women around the country.... more

After her divorce, Linda decides to take a chance on online dating. She’s pleasantly surprised to make an instant connection... more

In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with David Etue, CEO of Nisos, The Managed Intelligence Company®, to discuss a... more

In part 2, a call from Reuters journalist Brian Grow confirms Diana’s worst fears about what really happened to her... more

Planning a loved one’s burial or cremation is a difficult experience under the best of circumstances. When Diana’s stepfather, Cactus,... more

In part 2, Philadelphia homeowners fight to be released from their 40-year contracts with MV Realty. Complaints from all over... more

Homeowners all over Philadelphia are being inundated with ads for MV Realty’s Homeowner Benefit Program on social media, through robocalls,... more

After the loss of the family dog, Tana is determined to find a new canine companion for her husband who... more

Huntington, West Virginia, is an idyllic college town on the Ohio River, but it’s also the epicenter of a massive... more

In this special episode of The Perfect Scam, Bob hosts a roundtable discussion on changing the conversation around victim blaming.... more

This April marks five years of “The Perfect Scam” podcast! Since launching in 2018, we’ve brought you stories of fraud... more

In Part 2, criminals are running the grandparent scam all over the San Diego area. Often crimes like this go... more

When Susan gets a frantic call from her “grandson” saying he’s been in a terrible accident, she doesn’t waste any... more

As FBI Special Agent Cook and partners at the Department of Health and Human Services dig deeper into the records of Novus... more

Hospice is an essential service that many families depend on during a difficult time, but the combination of loved ones... more

In part 2, Jill Alper has already made a $10,000 investment in Dr. Dan’s medical spa business when her friend Holly... more

Longtime friends Jill Alper and Holly Saunders are dazzled when they meet Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Dan, a man... more

Five months after a hung jury, Chemirmir is again brought to trial. This time a conviction brings a much-needed feeling... more

The arrest of Billy Chemirmir and the identification of more victims confirm the suspicions of many family members. Chemirmir has... more

Reports of a suspicious person, posing as a maintenance worker, entering Dallas-area independent living communities are followed by an attack on a resident.... more

Four women move to independent living communities in the Dallas area, hoping to continue enjoying their active lives in the... more

The Perfect Scam returns on December 2nd with a special 4-part series in connection with AARP – The Magazine.  Host... more

After 25-year-old Niki Hutchinson loses her mother, she uses some of her inheritance to start fresh in California. Not knowing... more