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An old friend is posting about how well his investments are doing - and he's offering you the chance to get involved too. Would you know what to do?
In this final episode of the series, the Scam Secrets team unpick a fraud which ripped through a group of close mates. One by one, their Instagram accounts were infiltrated as, believing they were chatting to a friend, they handed over their login details, hoping to join a crypto investment scheme. But that gave the criminals all they needed to take over the account and use it as a platform to try the same trick on all their followers.
It's a modern day pyramid scheme that plays on the victims' desire to make money and their trust in their friends.
Scam Secrets will be back later in the year. In the meantime, you can contact the team at [email protected].uk.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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A roofer's at your door - they've spotted a couple of loose tiles and they can fix them straight away. It's only a quick job. Would you know what to do?
Almost all of the scams we've dissected so far have been done remotely - on the phone, by text or online. But what if the criminal is standing right in front of you - perhaps even inside your home? That's what the Scam Secrets team are looking at in this episode. Because while criminals have embraced the digital world and AI, they'll still steal from you face to face too - and many of the techniques are the same.
We hear from Jane, who got one of those knocks on the door from a 'roofer' - before long, she'd had thousands of pounds stolen by criminals who even used a fake video of birds on her roof to try to steal more.
It's not just rogue traders though - who can resist helping someone in need? We'll hear what happens when a man approaches people at a motorway service station with a simple-sounding request for help...
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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A group of young jobseekers are gathered outside a dental surgery in West London, nervously waiting for a trial shift for the job they've just applied for. But as time ticks on, they realise there is no shift. In fact there is no job. But it gets much worse - their identities have all been stolen.
Shari Vahl and the Scam Secrets team hear from one of those people, Joe. For him, the real impact of what the criminals had done only hit home several months later.
What started as a plausible looking job posting on a big recruitment site, from a business that checked out, ended with him trying to extract himself from thousands of pounds' worth of loans and the lingering fear of what the criminals would do next.
It's a growing scam aimed at anyone browsing online recruitment sites. Would you spot the red flags?
Remember you can get in touch with the Scam Secrets team: [email protected].uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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If you buy from a website that turns out to be fake and run by criminals, your first thought is probably about the money you've parted with. But that's not all they're after. Because you're also handing over personal data that can be far more lucrative than whatever you paid for the rubbish clothes that you're left with.
In this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood revisit the Great Knitted Cardigan Scam to find out what happens to the information victims enter into these sites. Email address, phone number, bank details...Shari calls it identity bingo. She's uncovered an audacious technique where victims' details are used as returns addresses to make these bogus sites look legitimate. And it doesn't stop there - cyber security expert Matthew Gracey-McMinn reveals how our data changes hands on the dark web and some of the other uses criminals make of it.
Remember you can contact the Scam Secrets team and tell us the scams you want to see investigated - [email protected].uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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You've been invited onto a well-known podcast (not this one). They'll even pay you to take part. Would you know what to do?
Shari Vahl, Alex Wood and Dr Lis Carter unravel an elaborate scam that's aimed at people and organisations with a big social following. They hear from a dog groomer who was tricked into handing over her Facebook account by an extremely convincing-sounding invitation to appear on a US podcast. The same trick has been used on other charities and influencers and it's made even harder to spot because the podcast does exist. So how are you supposed to check?
And crucially, what are the criminals really after?
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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You've booked a holiday and the hotel gets in touch to ask for a payment to confirm your booking. They know your name and they've got all the details of your reservation. Would you know what to do? In this episode, people using booking.com are targeted by a hard-to-spot scam where official-looking messages arrive, asking for payment. Needless to say, that payment doesn't go to the hotel. But how do the criminals do it? And what chance do you have of spotting it?
Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood find out, with the help of cyber crime expert Rafe Pilling.
Remember you can contact the programme at [email protected].uk.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Whether we're chatting, texting, buying or dating, the tech services we all use are being abused by criminals to worm their way into our lives. So what are these huge businesses doing to keep us safe?
In this episode of Scam Secrets recorded at the United Nations Global Fraud Summit in Vienna, some of the biggest names in consumer tech chat to Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood about the threats they're facing.
Red flags at the ready, we ask Amazon what the world's biggest online marketplace is doing to protect users. Match Group, owner of Tinder, Hinge and a host of other well-known dating sites tells us it's trying to weed out fake profiles. And Virgin Media/O2 lifts the lid on how those Winter Fuel Allowance texts arrive on your phone.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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A message pops up. It's a scam, you can spot that. But who sent it? Where in the world did it come from? And how has it ended up in your inbox? For this special episode of Scam Secrets, the team visit the United Nations Global Fraud Summit in Vienna. Pretty much everyone engaged in the world fight against scams is there too, from politicians and police to the biggest tech companies on the planet. Challenged by listener Catherine to find out more about the criminals who stole £200,000 from her dad in the previous episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood ask Interpol why it isn't easier to track criminals down. And the organised crime chief of the United Nations tells us how networks of global organised crime lie behind that message you received - and offers harrowing evidence of why the scammers are often victims too.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Scam Secrets is back with a close look at a disturbing and emerging scam technique that can totally clean out its victims.
In a hybrid scam - or pig butchering, as the criminals describe it - the manipulation reaches new levels as investment and romance scams are combined. Shari Vahl, criminal language expert Dr Lis Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood hear from Catherine, whose father was targeted in this way. A chilling voicenote reveals the romantic element to the scam, while a criminal pretending to be an investment adviser was busy stealing more than £200,000 from the 84-year-old.
One of the leading experts on this trend, Dr Martina Dove, tells the team how she's read detailed scripts guiding criminals through how to psychologically manipulate different types of victims to a terrifying level of detail.
Remember if there's a scam you want the team to investigate, or if you want to let us know what you thought of the programme - get in touch at [email protected].uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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It's coming up to Christmas, and you might have gift cards on your mind. The perfect present choice for many scenarios - but also the perfect weapon for criminals.In 2023, Action Fraud got more than 6,000 crime reports about gift cards. More than £13 million was stolen.
So what turns these versatile gifts into gold dust for criminals? That's what Shari Vahl, Elisabeth Carter and Alex Wood will be finding out, along with the shocking story of Sarah, who thought she was helping out her boss while on work experience but ended up buying £1,300 in gift cards for criminals.
As always, the team will get under the skin of the scam, hearing how criminals target their victims and why even a simple LinkedIn post could put you at risk.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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WhatsApp is part of our daily lives – and criminals know how to weaponise that trust.
In this episode, Shari Vahl and the team hear how a devastatingly simple trick handed the keys for a Scam Secrets listener's WhatsApp account to a scammer. Along with expert linguist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood, Shari finds out what the hacker did next - and how an old friend was tricked into handing over money.
As ever, there will be red flags waving to show you what to watch out for - and essential tips from our guest expert to keep your account secure.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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You might be on the lookout for work - so when a message arrives with a job offer, the timing is perfect. This is what happens to the people who are drawn in by the fake recruitment text scam that has been bombarding people's phones.
Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and Alex Wood hear how one man was lured in with promises of payment for simple tasks - then trapped in a cycle of payments and false earnings, even unwittingly becoming a money mule for the criminal pretending to be his boss. Just to ramp up the psychological pressure, his 'co-workers' were also in on the act.
The Scam Secrets team will dissect the criminals' methods, revealing what lies behind this extremely common and seemingly innocuous text message. And they'll wave their red flags so you can safely steer clear of what could turn out to be a very expensive job offer.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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You've just been scammed. The red flags didn't work this time and criminals have stolen your money. Your mind's all over the place. Will you ever see that cash again? In this special episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl and a cast of experts walk you through the process so you know your rights. She'll point out the factors that improve your chances of a refund - as well as the dreaded circumstances that could mean your money is lost forever. And they'll walk you through the crucial steps you should take as soon as you realise what has happened, because the actions you take in the aftermath can have a big impact on getting your money back. For this episode, Shari is joined by David Geale, executive director of the Payment Systems Regulator, Richard Daniels, head of fraud at TSB and Paul Hampson, director at CEL Solicitors.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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You've probably got the scam Winter Fuel Payment text at least once. You might well have ignored it. But what happens when the criminals hit the jackpot, the circumstances fit, and you try to take up the offer?
That's what happened to Peggy - and in this episode her experience is analysed by Scam Secrets regulars Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood.
With the help of a convincing but very fake website, a one time passcode trick and the mind games that scammers deploy, the criminals wanted to go on a shopping spree on Peggy. But just as they were getting ready to splash her cash, an unexpected plot twist scuppered them.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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A phone call from the police out of the blue. You want to help. Who wouldn't?
Scam Secrets returns with the chilling story of an audacious scam that reached all the way to the doorstep of its victims.
Jane and Neville were so convinced they were part of a police operation that they handed over their life savings - more than £670,000 - to criminals behind a scam known as courier fraud.
Fraud investigator Shari Vahl, criminal language expert Dr Lis Carter and former criminal Alex Wood analyse the tactics used - the fake emergency call, the mind games and the relentless contact - to lift the lid on how the criminals did it.
Along with guest expert DCI Jon Hodgeon, they'll raise their red flags to highlight the things you can watch out for - so you'll know whether the police officer you're talking to is a criminal in disguise.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Getting an unexpected phonecall can be unnerving. If it's from a bailiff saying he's coming to take your possessions and is 40 minutes away, it can be terrifying.
In this episode, Shari Vahl and the Scam Secrets team hear from two people who were subjected to this scarily plausible scam. Linguistics expert Dr Lis Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood pick apart the language used, and explain how the tactics are all designed to manufacture a 'fight or flight' response that plays into the hands of the criminals.
As ever, red flags will be waved - so you'll end up better informed about this sophisticated and manipulative scam.
And on this last episode in our first series of Scam Secrets, we'll even hear exactly what happened when a scammer tried similar tactics on Shari.
If there's a scam you want the Scam Secrets team to look at, you can get in touch: [email protected].uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Your phone pings - it's a loved one who needs your help. Would you know what to do?
Lots of us have received the 'Hello Mum' text - sometimes it's dead easy to spot. But what if the circumstances fit, and they catch you completely unawares?
In this episode, Shari Vahl, Alex Wood, and Dr Elisabeth Carter discuss how the scam, which preys on parental instinct and urgency, is getting increasingly cunning - and they examine the tools the fraudsters use to manipulate us.
Listener Anne, who was almost conned out of £2,000, tells her story. Guest expert Nick Sharp from the National Crime Agency tells us how these criminals are targeting us - and he's no exception, having recently received a Hello Dad message that landed on his work phone.
As ever, the red flags will be waving when there's something to watch out for, and you'll be armed with the knowledge to steer well clear of the criminals.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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Who could resist the offer of a free grand piano? Or a remarkably cheap campervan? Just as long as you pay for delivery - but that's a small price to pay, right?
This episode of Scam Secrets is about those times when you're offered something - perhaps something you've always fancied - on amazingly good terms. It's a scam - otherwise Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood wouldn't be talking about it. Luckily they've got their red flags ready to tell you what to watch out for.
In this episode, Lis delves into the language used by the criminals - explaining how they trigger our desire for a musical instrument we didn't know we wanted - and former scammer Alex shares his insight into how people are manipulated by delivery scams like these.
The Scam Secrets guest expert is Dr Jack Whittaker - an academic who wrote his PHD on precisely this kind of fraud. He tells the team where these scams come from and how to see them coming.
Remember - if there's a scam you think we should be talking about, you can email the show: [email protected].uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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A trusted celeb seems to be promoting a crypto investment. Would you know what to do?
In this episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood hear how an apparent endorsement from a trusted celebrity paved the way for the relentless psychological manipulation of a couple, with devastating consequences.
The team discuss how helpless people can even be made to lie to their own banks while under the spell of criminals, and they highlight the red flags to watch out for so you can spot what the fraudsters are doing.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
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A letter arrives at your home - addressed to a company you've never heard of. Would you know what to do?
Criminals are registering companies at innocent people's addresses at a shocking scale - sometimes covering an entire street at a time. In this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood find out the alarming consequences if your home is targeted - and how to fight back.
Fake companies expert Graham Barrow joins the programme to explain what the criminals are after, and to discuss whether Companies House's latest crackdown is working.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY
- Visa fler
