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by AARP
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- 4 days ago50 min
Crossed Wires: Utility Scams Target Consumers
Fed up with the rising cost of electricity, Steve shops around and switches to a new provider in his Boston neighborhood. The process is simple, and Steve thinks the matter is settled until a week later, when he receives a call from his previous provider claiming he is in danger of having his electricity cut off. Steve initially dismisses it as a scam, but the caller seems to know all about his recent switch. What follows is an hours-long back-and-forth, with Steve passed between agents posing as representatives from two power companies. Frustrated and angry, Steve ultimately buys $900 worth of gift cards in the hope of keeping his electricity flowing. This sophisticated scam is one of a number of scams involving utility companies threatening to cut off basic services. Monica Martinez, the executive director for Utilities United Against Scams, shares tips on how to spot utilities-related scams.
- 1 weeks ago54 min
Vermont Woman Recoups $1.3M 4.5 Years After a Scam
Jeanette moves back to Vermont, expecting a peaceful retirement in a beloved community, but a tech support scam upends her life. She reaches out to her local police, who advise her to report the incident to the FBI. Now faced with an empty bank account, Jeanette starts making drastic changes to her lifestyle. She unplugs appliances to save on electricity and sets her thermostat to 58 degrees throughout the winter. After more than four years of living frugally and juggling tax bills, on Christmas Eve in 2025, Jeanette's life takes another unexpected turn.
- 2 weeks ago47 min
Bonus: Meet the Fraud Fighters Taking on Crypto Kiosk Scams
In this bonus episode, Bob meets some Fraud Fighters working to make their Nebraska community a little bit safer from scammers. When Omaha passes a city ordinance requiring all crypto kiosks to display a scam warning, local law enforcement teams up with AARP volunteers to ensure that every kiosk in the county has the necessary sticker. Along the way, they hear fraud stories and learn how looking out for our neighbors in one small way can make a big impact in the fight against fraud.
- 3 weeks ago50 min
Deepfake Doctors: AI-Generated Medical Ad Scams
Dr. Maurice Sholas, a pediatric rehabilitation specialist based in New Orleans, discovers that his likeness is being used in an ad when a friend sends him a TikTok clip that looks convincingly like him. It's an AI-generated version of him selling vitamin supplements, something he has never done. Feeling violated, Sholas must now defend his reputation, and attempt to protect potential victims from losing money on and possibly being harmed by a fraudulent product. In addition to causing monetary losses, AI‑generated impersonation of doctors and celebrities can undermine trust and speed up the spread of health misinformation.
- Apr 17, 202653 min
California Woman Warns of Facebook Job Scam
After taking a break from her tech career to care for her aging mother, Dawn is reentering the workforce in her mid-50s, and she isn't having much luck. She takes a chance on an offer for a new kind of job at "Facebook." Guided by a "mentor" through an onboarding process, she learns that her new role involves placing Facebook ads as part of an AI testing initiative. Dawn will have a digital wallet into which she must add her own money to pay for ad placements, but she will receive a percentage of the ad revenue. Dawn is reassured when she signs on to the platform and can see all the posts and private messages in her Facebook account. As required investments increase, Dawn deposits $176,000, only to have her account frozen when she tries to withdraw funds. Realizing that it is all an elaborate scam, Dawn comes forward to warn others about this sophisticated job scam.
- Apr 10, 202637 min
Bonus: Avoiding Tax Scams With Michelle Singletary
It's tax time, and that means it's also tax scam season. The Federal Trade Commission warns about a recent surge in fake IRS calls to taxpayers. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary joins host Bob Sullivan to discuss how AI might be supercharging these age-old scams, how recent changes in the way the federal government issues refunds could create new opportunities for scammers, and some practical tips for protecting yourself against these and other scams.
- Apr 3, 20261h 1m
The Science of Romance Scams
When Anola returns home from a picture-perfect trip to France, she finds an unexpected flirtation with a man who reaches out to her on LinkedIn. He showers her with love and attention, and over time, he steals thousands from her. When she discovers the deception, Anola reaches out to the real man behind the photo the scammer used, drawing her into a second betrayal. Criminals have figured out how to hack our brains, bypassing the rational and going directly for the emotional response. Austin Cusak, an expert in behavioral science at the FDIC, joins host Bob Sullivan to discuss the phenomenon known as "amygdala hijacking."
- Mar 20, 202651 min
Check Washing Scam Steals Thousands From Rhode Island Couple
Richy and Terri send a check to their son and daughter-in-law for their anniversary, but it never arrives. After a tough year of medical issues and the death of a close friend, they open a bank statement to see that their account is $10,000 short. They learn that a criminal has stolen their check from the mail, "washed" it, and fraudulently cashed it for big bucks. This sends the couple on a monthslong quest to try to get their money back.
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About The Perfect Scam
AARP's weekly podcast The Perfect ScamSM tells the stories of people who find themselves the target of a scam. Host Bob Sullivan introduces listeners to those who have experienced scams firsthand, as well as professional con artists and leading experts who pull back the curtain on how scammers operate.
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