The Perfect Scam

Amy Nofziger, Sr. Director of Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network™, stops by The Perfect Scam to discuss some new variations on old scams and the tactics criminals are using to exploit our vulnerabilities during this busy time of year. Learn what you should never do if you receive a mysterious package and why you should always hang on to those little receipts that come with your gift card purchases. Amy also shares the latest AARP research on holiday scams.  

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2025

Hilarie, a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan, plans a weekend doubleheader to attend both a Phillies and an Eagles game with a friend. After successfully purchasing Phillies tickets through a Facebook resale group, she uses the same method for Eagles tickets—only to discover the promised tickets never arrive. Meanwhile, the NFL notices a rise in ticket fraud and seeks assistance from the NYPD. Detective Mike McCaffrey identifies the culprit, Nikhil Mahtani, who has defrauded sports fans and stolen thousands of dollars in a massive, multi-state ticket scam spanning five years.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2025

A call from someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission sends Linda on a quest to transfer $25,000, believing that she is assisting them in catching a criminal. The caller warns her not to tell anyone what she's up to, but perceptive bank employees at multiple branches suspect a scam and throw up roadblocks. Meanwhile, they alert Linda's children, who work quickly to get between their mother and the criminals. 

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2025

A prominent philanthropist and the center of New York society, Brooke Astor lived a tumultuous yet glamorous life. Left a fortune by her third husband, Vincent Astor, Brooke planned to live out her later years at her country estate. But when Brooke's son refuses to let her do so, then sells his mother's favorite painting (worth over $30 million), grandson Philip decides to step in. Philip's efforts to return his grandmother to the country home she loved would uncover one of the most prominent cases of financial elder abuse in U.S. history, with millions lost and a family torn apart.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2025

Jana always tries to do the right thing, so when she receives a call from the sheriff's office stating that she missed jury duty, she panics. She thinks back to studying for her American citizenship exam and learning how important it is to respond to a jury summons. She doesn't remember receiving a notice, but the officer knows all her personal information and says she will have to pay a $9,000 bond or face arrest. Jana spends the next several hours driving from the bank to various crypto ATMs, trying desperately to meet the payment demands. When Jana discovers that it's a scam and calls 911, she learns that seven other people in her county were victimized the same day.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2025

After several years of investing in crypto, Glen has built up a sizeable nest egg. The money means security and the ability to buy a home. One day, when trying to log in to Coinbase, he realizes that his account is locked. Seconds later, he receives a call from "Coinbase support." The customer service agent explains that due to a major data breach and the high volume of hacks, they are now being instructed to reach out and assist customers directly. He walks Glen through the account recovery process, which is reassuring, but within a day, Glen's account is drained of $180,000. 

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2025

When a couple pulls up to Gene's North Carolina home looking for their beagle puppy, he is not sure what to make of it. But soon, a steady stream of would-be pet owners arriving in the following days and weeks makes it clear that criminals are using his address to pull off their scams. Gene is patient and helpful with the disappointed families. Even after a fire destroys Gene's home, the scams continue

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2025

Dorothy is looking for a part-time job that will enable her to work from home and accommodate her medical disability. After applying for numerous jobs and posting her résumé online, she receives a message about an app testing job. It seems like a great fit, since she has done similar work in the past, but the complicated system has Dorothy adding her own money to an account in order to unlock elements. It’s a scam that has exploded in recent months - task scams are now the single biggest scam facing job seekers. 

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2025

Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan and FBI agent Joe Hooper recount the story of Christina Chapman, a Minnesota woman who is drawn into the world of laptop farming. She is struggling to make ends meet, living in a trailer without running water, and a job offer to be the US representative for an international company is a godsend. Laptop farms gained popularity in 2020 with the rise in remote work, allowing North Korean workers to evade sanctions, infiltrate American companies, and funnel money directly into North Korea's weapons programs. They hire people, like Christina, to run dozens of computers from their homes using software that allows remote access. The hiring companies, many of which are high-profile, are unknowingly giving North Korea money and access to sensitive data.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2025

In part 2, victims of a nationwide fraud scheme join forces on a Facebook group and share their stories with investigative journalist Lou Raguse of KARE in Minneapolis. Someone is selling water purification devices to entrepreneurs, who think they are getting in on the ground floor of a great opportunity, but then fails to deliver the promised gadgets. Lou discovers the criminal’s identity is Charles Fields, a suburban Minneapolis father who uses a host of aliases to pull off the scheme. Lou and the victims’ dedication, along with the discovery of key evidence in an unusual place, help law enforcement successfully bring Fields to justice. 

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2025

Job seekers all over the country answer ads for sales positions at a water filtration company. The offer is promising, and the contracts look professional. The only catch is the initial $5000 investment in a water purification unit. However, when the prepaid units never arrive, people begin to realize they are victims of a scam. They form a Facebook group, band together, and convince investigative journalist Lou Raguse to take up their cause. Will they get justice?  

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2025

Online criminals love cryptocurrency for many reasons – it’s anonymous, can’t be traced, and payments are irreversible. So when Paul discovers he has been targeted by a crypto scam and the thieves have stolen $450,000, he is resigned to the fact that he may never see that money again. That is, until an online search leads him to Wisconsin police detective Scott Simons. Following the trail of the stolen money, Detective Simons traces it to a private crypto wallet and eventually recovers $80,000 of Paul’s money. Detective Simons works with the non-profit Operation Shamrock to offer hope to scam victims and fight transnational organized crime. 

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2025

A tech support scam leads to criminals stealing one woman’s life savings in gold bars. Gold bar scams have exploded in popularity as gold prices hit all-time highs. In this episode, Bob talks with a gold store dealer and a detective who are sounding the alarm about this trend. Hear how they are using gold bar sting operations to nab the criminals.  

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2025

In part 2, a call from Reuters journalist Brian Grow confirms Diana’s worst fears about what really happened to her stepfather’s remains. As Brian digs deeper into the story, the truth he uncovers about Sunset Mesa Funeral Home and the body brokering scheme is worse than anyone could have imagined. The conviction of Megan Hess brings some needed closure to families devastated by her shocking betrayal of trust.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2025

Planning a loved one’s burial or cremation is a difficult experience under the best of circumstances. When Diana’s stepfather, Cactus, gets sick during the early stages of Alzheimer’s and sees a billboard advertising simple cremations for $695 at Sunset Mesa Funeral Home, he requests that his family cremate him and not spend a lot of money. But when Cactus dies and his cremains go missing under mysterious circumstances, it sets off a series of events that not only exacerbates the family’s grief, but also tips off a lengthy investigation by Reuters journalists that rocks a small community in western Colorado and exposes the dark, unregulated side of the body trade industry. 

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2025

In this 2023 episode, Huntington, West Virginia, is an idyllic college town on the Ohio River, but it’s also the epicenter of a massive international internet crime ring. Federal prosecutor Katie Robeson hasn’t been on the job long when she learns that a woman in Huntington is acting as money mule, transferring millions of dollars overseas. Following the money, Katie and her team uncover an elaborate network of criminals, based in Huntington, targeting people all over the country.

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2025

In this bonus episode, Bob talks with two of the nearly 150 trained volunteers who answer calls on the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. Dee and Mike, both scam survivors, draw upon their experiences to offer emotional support and guidance to people who have recently been targeted. The helpline is a free resource available 5 days a week. If you or a loved one has been targeted by a scam, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360.   

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2025

When Joe can’t get his Apple Pay payment to go through, he does a quick search for their customer service number and reaches an operator named Daisy. Daisy informs Joe that his account has been flagged – criminals have compromised his identity and are coming after his life savings. But there is nothing to worry about, Daisy works directly with the FBI, and she will help him protect his assets. Over the following months, Joe is in constant contact with Daisy as she helps him transfer his savings and precious metals investments to safe accounts. He tells her all about his wife, who recently passed away, and she shares details about her life. As their connection grows deeper, they make plans for a future together. But as soon as the money is gone, Daisy disappears, leaving Joe heartbroken. 

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2025

A trusted friend introduces Taylor to a man named Sylvein William Maximilian D’Habsburg XVII, a tech whiz and the inventor of a fascinating new robotic technology. His gigantic insect-like robots promise to be a game changer in military applications. He offers her what feels like the opportunity of a lifetime, getting in on the ground floor of this innovative tech, and she invests $50,000 of her inheritance. But the returns she is promised never materialize, and when she seeks to withdraw her funds, Sylvein makes excuses and reveals he’s under investigation by the FBI. Ultimately, Sylvein pleads guilty to stealing nearly $6 million from investors, including many members of the local Filipino church community, and using the money to purchase luxury cars and rare antiques.

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2025

Diane is still mourning the death of her boyfriend when a game of Words With Friends leads to a connection. The man claims to be actor Keanu Reeves. While initially skeptical, the video chat and voice messages he sends eventually convince her of his identity. As the relationship deepens over three years, “Keanu” will borrow thousands of dollars from Diane for an ongoing legal battle with a former manager. He also asks for her help receiving funds for his charity, which unwittingly makes her a money mule. When a police detective comes knocking at her door, she realizes the man is an impostor who stole over $160,000 from her. 

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2025

John is in the market for a pickup truck when he comes across a Facebook Marketplace ad for a 2021 Dodge Ram. It needs a little TLC, but it’s a reasonable price, and he’s had luck buying used cars online before. He does his research by checking the VIN on multiple sites, consulting friends in the auto business, and even taking a mechanic friend with him to pick up the truck. So, a couple of weeks later, when he finds himself in his new truck suddenly surrounded by police cars, he is shocked to learn that the vehicle is stolen, and he is the victim of a sophisticated VIN cloning scam.

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2025

Dreama and Larry’s house is undergoing renovation after a tree fell on it. Since they cannot live there during the repairs, they set up security cameras to monitor the property. To their surprise, they notice a couple repeatedly visiting the house. Alarmed, Dreama and Larry register for a free alert system that will notify them of any changes to their property records. Just two days later, they receive an alert. Unbeknownst to them, Michelle Cherry and Victor Rodriguez have filed a quitclaim deed that will quickly and easily transfer ownership of their home. A quitclaim deed is typically used for transferring properties without a sale, such as from a parent to a child. However, in this case, criminals exploit it to steal from unsuspecting homeowners. Will Dreama and Larry be able to reclaim their home and help catch these “title pirates”?

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

Karen is experienced in investing, but she hopes to boost her retirement savings by joining an investors group on WhatsApp. After a few months of receiving positive trading tips, she follows the advice to invest in several stocks in Asian markets. Her portfolio plummets, losing tens of thousands of dollars. Karen is the victim of a classic “pump and dump” scam: scammers buy a very cheap stock, persuade investors to buy by spreading deceptive claims, and then sell their shares once the price rises, leaving investors with a loss. Learn how AI and an army of bots are making this age-old scam easier for criminals.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

Karen is experienced in investing, but she hopes to boost her retirement savings by joining an investors group on WhatsApp. After a few months of receiving positive trading tips, she follows the advice to invest in several stocks in Asian markets. Her portfolio plummets, losing tens of thousands of dollars. Karen is the victim of a classic "pump and dump" scam: scammers buy a very cheap stock, persuade investors to buy by spreading deceptive claims, and then sell their shares once the price rises, leaving investors with a loss. Learn how AI and an army of bots are making this age-old scam easier for criminals.

Published: 27 June 2025

In this 2021 episode, Rochelle scores a great deal on a house in northern Virginia, only to have her dream home transformed a few months later into Pet Scam Central. Day after day, strangers show up on her doorstep, claiming they’ve arrived to pick up a puppy they paid for. Some have driven over six or twelve hours with their family. Unfortunately, Rochelle must break the news that she has no puppies to sell, and the hopeful would-be owners leave heartbroken, confused and out hundreds of dollars. Even worse, over the course of a year, Rochelle finds herself accused of being the con artist. Desperate, she turns to a local news station for help in putting an end to the scam.  

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

In this 2021 episode, Rochelle scores a great deal on a house in northern Virginia, only to have her dream home transformed a few months later into Pet Scam Central. Day after day, strangers show up on her doorstep, claiming they've arrived to pick up a puppy they paid for. Some have driven over six or twelve hours with their family. Unfortunately, Rochelle must break the news that she has no puppies to sell, and the hopeful would-be owners leave heartbroken, confused and out hundreds of dollars. Even worse, over the course of a year, Rochelle finds herself accused of being the con artist. Desperate, she turns to a local news station for help in putting an end to the scam.  

Published: 20 June 2025

In part 2, as 72-year-old Steve Steele is released from jail, not only can he hardly stand or walk, but he is worried about how he will recover the property stolen by Elizabeth, the caregiver who worked for him. That’s where Steve’s attorney, Brent Smith, comes in, waging what becomes a nearly two-year battle.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2025

After 72-year-old Steve Steele’s life partner passes away, his housekeeper, Elizabeth, offers to work as his caregiver. Over time, Elizabeth takes over Steve’s finances, even persuading him to deed her his homes. It all comes to a head one Christmas Eve, when Elizabeth accuses Steve, who can hardly stand or walk, of assault and the police cart him off to jail for months. When the public defender’s investigator meets Steve, though, she quickly senses this is elder abuse. The judge agrees and releases Steve, but now he faces an even bigger battle: How does he get his homes back? And will Elizabeth be held accountable for her crimes?

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

Longtime homeowners on Chicago’s West Side trust Mark Diamond to help them access funds and carry out necessary home repairs. However, they are often unaware that they are entering into reverse mortgage agreements. The repairs are never completed, and Diamond disappears with the money, leaving families desperately struggling to save their homes from foreclosure.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

Douglas is enjoying a second career as an artist, selling his paintings online and in gallery shows. People occasionally ask about non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of his work. Still, he never gives it too much thought until a woman on LinkedIn approaches him with what seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Her company can convert his artwork to an NFT for free and sell it for him. He signs a contract and sets up a cryptocurrency account, and within a few months, he gets the good news that the image has sold. After paying large sums in fees and taxes, Douglas learns it is all an elaborate crypto scam.

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

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. Chloe and her family do everything they can to find him, but after several days, Percy still hasn’t returned. Then, they receive a call from the “Tampa Bay Humane Society” stating that Percy has been hit by a car and needs emergency surgery. The family acts quickly to pay the requested fee of $2,000. However, when they don’t hear back about Percy’s condition, they realize with heartbreak that it was all a scam.

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

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.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

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 kidnappings – steal millions and send one family into hiding. 

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with Josh Margolin, writer and director of the action/comedy film, Thelma, to discuss Josh’s real-life inspiration – his 104-year-old grandmother, Thelma, and her frightening experience as a scam victim. Josh took the experience to heart, especially because the criminal pretended to be him. Thelma is winner of the 2025 AARP Movies for Grownups Award for the Best Intergenerational Movie.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with Josh Margolin, writer and director of the action and comedy film, Thelma, to discuss Josh's real-life inspiration – his 104-year-old grandmother, Thelma, and her frightening experience as a scam victim. Josh took the experience to heart, especially because the criminal pretended to be him. Thelma is winner of the 2025 AARP Movies for Grownups Award for the Best Intergenerational Movie.

Published: 25 April 2025

In this bonus episode, Bob sits down with Josh Margolin, writer and director of the action and comedy film, Thelma, to discuss Josh’s real-life inspiration – his 104-year-old grandmother, Thelma, and her frightening experience as a scam victim. Josh took the experience to heart, especially because the criminal pretended to be him. Thelma is winner of the 2025 AARP Movies for Grownups Award for the Best Intergenerational Movie.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

Jordan is a star athlete and homecoming king who is packing for a beach vacation when he receives a message on Instagram. The account is of an attractive girl named Dani. Jordan exchanges flirty messages with her, and eventually, she convinces him to send an explicit photo of himself. That's when everything changes. Dani threatens to send the photo to his family and friends if he doesn't pay $1,000. Jordan tragically sees no way out and dies by suicide. Law enforcement tracks the crime to brothers in Nigeria, and in a landmark case, extradites them to the US where they are convicted and sentenced. Jordan's parents share his story in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

In part 2, US Postal Inspector Cory McManus is hot on the trail of criminals running an elaborate romance scam network. After identifying dozens of victims, he arrests two suspects who've been acting as money mules. They quickly give up information about how the scam works and the name of the ringleader, Wisdom Onyobeno, who lives in Atlanta. Onyobeno's many victims finally get justice when he pleads guilty and is sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

When Debbie's mother passes away suddenly, she is not prepared for what she finds. While sorting through financial records and paperwork, she discovers correspondence with the US Postal Inspection Service and letters to a victim's advocate. Debbie learns that her mother was hiding the painful secret that she was the victim of a romance scam that had stolen over $400,000 from her. But a US Postal Inspector is putting together the pieces to catch the ringleader of the elaborate, wide-ranging romance scam empire that is stealing millions of dollars from dozens of victims. Will Debbie get justice for her mom?

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

In this 2021 episode, when Shirley Gibson learns that her property in Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has been sold by someone using a forged deed, she is determined to fight. Working together with journalist Phil Prazen and lawyer David Winker, they uncover an elaborate real estate scam targeting dozens of elderly property owners in this historically Black neighborhood. Law enforcement is soon on the trail of the criminals, but will Shirley get her land back?

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

In this 2021 episode, Miami’s historic West Grove neighborhood has recently become a hot real estate market. So hot, in fact, that it has attracted the attention of scammers. It wasn’t always so. Shirley Gibson’s family has owned property in West Grove since her great-grandmother immigrated from the Bahamas over 100 years ago. Now in her 80s, Shirley had hoped to pass on the property to her niece and nephew. But when Shirley goes to pay her taxes one day, she learns that her property has been sold without her knowledge for $230,000. When another of her properties shows up on Zillow, it becomes clear this is not a fluke but an elaborate real estate scam, targeting property owners in this historically Black neighborhood.  

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

Suzi and Gary retire to Tucson and find the perfect house with a less-than-perfect kitchen. They love to cook and entertain, so they put their energy and money into renovating their dream kitchen. Construction starts and is going smoothly until the payment for cabinets is due. The designer requests immediate payment by wire transfer, but a week later they discover that the designer never received the payment. Suzi and Gary discover that they are the victims of a BEC (business email compromise) scam.

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025

Retired priest, Father Robert Banzin, has devoted his life to the service of others. Now in his 80s, he continues to preach every Sunday at his Chicago-area parish. Father Bob, as he is known in his community, gets an alarming email claiming that his PayPal account had been used for a purchase on eBay. Concerned, he calls a number he believes to be PayPal's customer service and is informed that his bank account has been compromised. Within weeks, every penny of his life savings had been stolen. But all is not lost, as former students and parishioners rally to support him.

Published: 7 March 2025

Retired priest, Father Robert Banzin, has devoted his life to the service of others. Now in his 80s, he continues to preach every Sunday at his Chicago-area parish. Father Bob, as he is known in his community, gets an alarming email claiming that his PayPal account had been used for a purchase on eBay. Concerned, he calls a number he believes to be PayPal's customer service and is informed that his bank account has been compromised. Within weeks, every penny of his life savings had been stolen. But all is not lost, as former students and parishioners rally to support him.

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

In part 2, Chris and his family try without success to stop their father, Alfred, from sending money to a series of criminals he met online – some claiming to need medical care and one even impersonating WWE wrestler Alexa Bliss. One day when Alfred comes to him asking for a $5,000 loan, Chris thinks it could be a turning point. The optimism is short-lived, however, as Alfred's story will soon take an even more tragic turn.

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

When Alfred's sons notice unusual transactions on their dad's bank statements, they start asking questions. But Alfred's reaction tells them that there is much more to the story than he is letting on. The family spends the next several years trying desperately to disentangle their father from various scams, one even involving an online romance with an impostor posing as WWE wrestler Alexa Bliss.

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

After 25-year-old Niki Hutchinson loses her mother, she uses some of her inheritance to start fresh in California. Not knowing anyone, she does what many people do today and joins a dating app to make connections. She develops a friendship with a man named Hao and, in time, he offers to teach her how to invest in cryptocurrency. With some small successes and lots of encouragement from Hao, she dives in and invests her inheritance, plus some of her dad’s money as well. That’s when her friend becomes less helpful.

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

After 25-year-old Niki Hutchinson loses her mother, she uses some of her inheritance to start fresh in California. Not knowing anyone, she does what many people do today and joins a dating app to make connections. She develops a friendship with a man named Hao and, in time, he offers to teach her how to invest in cryptocurrency. With some small successes and lots of encouragement from Hao, she dives in and invests her inheritance, plus some of her dad's money as well. That's when her friend becomes less helpful.

Published: 14 February 2025

When Cathy's disabled husband loses his Medicaid coverage, she must look for a job to help pay the rent. The retired Army Reserve veteran has impressive work experience, so when she puts her resume online, she almost immediately gets an offer. The job is for a shipping company, receiving, inspecting, and forwarding packages, and it allows her to work from home while caring for her husband. It seems like the perfect job for a while, but when they offer her a promotion to purchasing agent, it could end up putting their home in jeopardy.

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

80-year-old David lives in a tight-knit community, frequently helping his neighbors with yard care and other tasks. So when he gets a knock on the door from two brothers claiming they are working on his neighbor's home, and noticed a hole in his roof, David agrees to let them fix it. But one repair turns into many as the brothers find more and more work that needs to be done on his house. David's daughter is suspicious, and when she finds out that the work has cost her father over $450,000, she jumps into action to help catch the criminals.

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025