Scams & Cons
Scammers don't steal your money, they create a world where it makes perfect sense to hand your cash over to them. Three-card-monte, the longest running show on Broadway, seems easy. You're watching the tosser and you always see the queen. What you don't see is a group of shills working you into the gate where you'll lose everything you have. Sometimes a large sum of money is accidentally sent to you and the sender asks for the additional cash to be sent back. In the meantime, they empty your bank account. We'll tell you all about the scams, how they work and why people fall for them. Don't become a sucker. Listen in.
Episodes
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 complaint.
robocalls@scamsandcons.com
Kit for challenging robo calls
Sample challenge letter
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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.
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 h...
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!
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 sa...
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.
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 co...
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 Car...
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.
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 publi...
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