Scams & Cons

Faking your death

It 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 Ahern Books by Frank Ahern Learn more about your ad choi...

News: 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 money

News: 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 money Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Witness Protection Programs -- it's not an easy way to vanish

t 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 cr...

Woman recovers $147k from scammer and a man tries to own the New York Hotel

Woman recovers $147k from scammer and a man tries to own the New York Hotel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear from Maureen, a woman whose husband disappeared and she doesn't know why

The 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, al...

Scammers 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 customers

Scams & Cons News for March 21, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanishing: Where to go and dealing with loneliness

Once 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

Woman uses soap opera scheme in attempt to kill husband; catfishing scam hits business for $4 million

Scams & Cons News for March 7, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanished: 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 Services Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scams & Cons News: Scammers use a smartphone with Bluetooth to steal 800 gallons of gasoline and the DEA accidently gives $500,000 to scammers

Scams & Cons News for February 15, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 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 agai...

Season 6 -- A user's guide

Regular 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 li...

Scams & 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

BONUS: Lee Goldberg tells how he writes scams into his books and TV shows

Any 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 BurningDreamtown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

REPLAY: Luxury scams

What 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 ...

REPLAY: Three Card Monte - Remastered

It’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 put all th...

REPLAY: The Russian Bride Scam

If 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 ...

See ya next year

We'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

Miracle cures have arrived! Whatever the ailment, they will do the job

Think 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

Scams & Cons News: Funeral home scammer takes money from widow, bank disses woman who was scammed, asking if her husband did it, and more!

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Scams & Cons News: Funeral home scammer takes money from widow, bank disses woman who was scammed asking if her husband did it and more!

Support the show

Robo calls -- How they work, who makes them and how you can cash in by listening

We'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 [email protected] for challenging robo callsSample challenge letter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scams & Cons News for November 16, 2023

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You 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

Scams & Cons News for November 2, 2023

Scammers 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

Justification: Scammers explain why they do what they do

Scammers 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

Scams & Cons News 2023-10-19

Scams & Cons News for October 19, 2023

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Imposters: 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

Scams & Cons News for October 5, 2023

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Scams & Cons News 2023-10-05

Time travelers are scamming thousands

People 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

Scams & Cons News September 21, 2023

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How to train pick-up artists

Con 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

Scams & Cons News for September 7, 2023

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This is no misdirection, Season 5 begins Sept. 7. To get things going, here's a full episode on Misdirection

Season 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 misdi...

Scams & Cons News for July 20, 2023

Scams & 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

Scams & Cons News 2023-07-20

Scams & 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!

Introducing Scams & Cons News

I'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 [email protected] & Cons News will be released on opposite weeks fro...

Bits and Pieces

Every 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

Donation scams: Give until you bleed

Unfortunately, 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 ke...

Three tales that continue to fool the world

The "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 Museum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Using the media to fool us

If 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

Medical secrets: How politicians hid life-threatening conditions that could have halted their political careers

How 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...

Harry Truman and the Kansas City mob

Two 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

Stadiums: Teams use a proven and legal plan to use your money to build new stadiums

New 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. L...

Bribery: How American corporations, the State of Illinois, Walmart and Fat Leonard steered public money their way

Suppose 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 thi...

Alabama sheriffs use 1939 law to starve prisoners and pocket the savings

In 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 expensi...

Season 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

Introducing 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