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Artwork for Scam Secrets

Scam Secrets

BBC Radio 4
Scams
Fraud
Online Fraud
Fraud Prevention
Psychological Manipulation
Cybersecurity
Emotional Manipulation
Piano Scams
Whatsapp
Investment Fraud
Fake Companies
Scam Prevention
Courier Fraud
Mobile Scams
Two-Step Verification
Cryptocurrency
Identity Theft
Knitted Cardigan Scam
Vulnerability Of Musicians
Fake Recruitment Scams

It might look like a perfectly ordinary message. It could come from someone you thought you trusted. Or it could be a phone call that catches you off guard. Whatever the method, the goal is the same. They want your money.

But if you know their secrets, you can spot the red flags before it is too late.

Shari Vahl, who has investigated fraud for the BBC for 20 years, is joined by the criminologist a... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes19Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategory
True Crime

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Artwork for Scam Secrets

Latest Episodes

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 target... more

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 ... more

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.... more

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 rom... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Abigail Bishop
Amazon's head of scam prevention
Amazon
Episode: Behind the Fake Profiles
Joel Roth
Head of Trust and Safety at Match Group
Match Group (Tinder, Hinge, etc.)
Episode: Behind the Fake Profiles
Murray McKenzie
Director of Fraud Prevention
Virgin Media O2
Episode: Behind the Fake Profiles
Tristan Redman
Co-host of Global Story (BBC)
Global Story
Episode: Behind the Fake Profiles
Elias Hattas
Acting Head of Organized Crime for the United Nations
United Nations
Episode: Following the Trail
Nick Court
Head of Interpol's Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Center
Interpol
Episode: Following the Trail
Dr Martina Dove
Expert in scam psychology and persuasion
Independent researcher / academic
Episode: Please Call Me
Paul Maskell
Strategic Fraud Prevention Lead for UK Finance
UK Finance
Episode: Could You Grab Me Some Gift Cards?
Kirsty Jackson
Cyber protect officer at Nottinghamshire Police
Nottinghamshire Police
Episode: The WhatsApp Takeover

Host

Shari Vahl
Host and investigator of fraud with extensive experience in investigative journalism, focusing on scams and fraud prevention.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 48 ratings
  • informative

    I looked up Podcasts about scammers and fraudsters because my son , who is 13 , was scammed online last week. It shook me to my core and I want to know more. I truly hope this podcast continues in 2026.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    L Sales
    United Kingdom3 months ago

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#65
United Kingdom/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#169
Australia/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#179
France/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#86
Sweden/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#109
Ireland/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#137
New Zealand/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Please Call Me
Q: What is your one tip to avoid getting caught up in this horrible type of scam?
The most important tip is not to respond to texts or emails from people you don't know. Once you start communicating, commitment and consistency make it easy for scammers to keep you engaged, so any initial contact should be treated as a red flag and ignored or verified through trusted channels.
The WhatsApp Takeover
Q: What should someone do first if they find themselves in a situation like Yo's?
They should recognize the emotional impact and immediately reach out to friends through different platforms to verify what is happening, then log out of suspicious sessions and reinstall WhatsApp to secure their account.
How Do I Get My Money Back?
Q: How can people recover their money after being scammed?
Individuals should contact their banks, utilize fraud reporting services, and gather as much evidence as possible about the scam.
How Do I Get My Money Back?
Q: What should you do first if you think you've been scammed?
Stop any further payments, hang up if on the phone, and call your bank immediately.
Would You Like This Piano?
Q: What should listeners take away from this episode?
Remove the online from online fraud; always view the product in person before making a purchase.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Scam Secrets

What is Scam Secrets about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content primarily focuses on the various sophisticated tactics employed by scammers to exploit individuals and organizations, shedding light on common scams such as gift card fraud, WhatsApp takeovers, fake recruitment pitches, and romantic scams. Each episode merges real victim accounts with expert analyses, providing listeners with insights into the psychological manipulation and urgency that characterize these fraudulent schemes. Furthermore, it emphasizes the emotional and financial repercussions faced by victims while equipping listeners with knowledge to recognize and avoid falling prey to scams. The blend of expert commentary, investigative journalism, and personal stories makes for an engaging exploration of modern fraud tactics... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Scam Secrets has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Scam Secrets?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Scam Secrets:

1. Sliced Bread
2. The Food Programme
3. What's Up Docs?
4. File on 4 Investigates
5. The News Agents

How many episodes of Scam Secrets are there?

Scam Secrets launched 9 months ago and published 19 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Scam Secrets?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Scam Secrets?

Recent guests on Scam Secrets include:

1. Abigail Bishop
2. Joel Roth
3. Murray McKenzie
4. Tristan Redman
5. Elias Hattas
6. Nick Court
7. Dr Martina Dove
8. Paul Maskell

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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