Rephonic
Artwork for The Perfect Scam

The Perfect Scam

AARP
Scams
AARP
Identity Theft
Romance Scams
Fraud Prevention
Fraud
AARP Fraud Watch Network
Cryptocurrency
Job Scams
Elder Abuse
Scam Baiting
Tech Support Scams
FBI
Scamming
Financial Fraud
Remote Work
Youtube
Reverse Mortgage
Cryptocurrency Scams
Online Scams

AARP's weekly podcast The Perfect ScamSM tells the stories of people who find themselves the target of a scam. Host Bob Sullivan introduces listeners to those who have experienced scams firsthand, as well as professional con artists and leading experts who pull back the curtain on how scammers operate.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes329Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
True CrimeSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Perfect Scam

Latest Episodes

In this 2023 episode, when Susan gets a frantic call from her "grandson" saying he's been in a terrible accident, she doesn't waste any time. She rushes to get him the $9,000 he requested for legal fees, but as soon as she hands the money to the cour... more

Eunice, a busy mom of four, discovers what appears to be the perfect work-from-home job opportunity with flexible hours and the chance to make some extra income for her family. She must make a small initial investment, but soon the job is paying off.... more

Linda Coble is retired from a storied career as Hawaii's first female news anchor, but she stays active in her community through charity work. So when she receives a phone call informing her that she has won a $5 million prize from Publishers Clearin... more

After a long day as a school bus driver, Nate checks his voicemail and finds a message from "AT&T" offering a discounted rate and a new phone. He has been a loyal customer and is looking for ways to lower his expenses, so he calls them back. The agen... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Eunice Hovland
Participant in the scam story, stay-at-home parent
Episode: Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Patti Hsu
FTC lawyer, Chief of Staff of the Division of Marketing Practices
Federal Trade Commission
Episode: Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Linda Coble
Retired Hawaii TV anchor and journalist
Episode: A Hawaii News Icon and a Sweepstakes Scam
Julie Ferguson
Co-founder and CEO of The Merchant Risk Council
The Merchant Risk Council
Episode: Scam Targets AT&T Customers to Steal Cellphones
Eric Gillespie
Detective from South Carolina involved in the investigation
South Carolina Police Department
Episode: A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 2
Pam Dodds
Romance-scam victim featured in the episode
Episode: A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1
Pat Marsh
Imposter whose identity was stolen and used in romance scams
Self-described stunt pilot; real Pat Marsh
Episode: A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1
Lisa Fletcher
Investigative journalist from ABC News
ABC News
Episode: A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1
Detective Gillespie
Detective working on the Pat Marsh case
South Carolina law enforcement
Episode: A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1

Host

Bob Sullivan
Host of the series focusing on scam stories and expert insights into fraud prevention and law-enforcement responses.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Good podcast, terrible episode

    The phone scam episode was simply too convoluted. The guest was hard to hear and it’s hard to believe a lot of the tale. Can’t imagine many people falling for this one.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Joe's View
    United States23 days ago
  • More crucial tips, please!

    Great show, very important. However, you have missed some important opportunities: for example, with the woman and the fake Facebook job, I wish you would’ve said, “if somebody asks you upfront for money as part of applying for a job, or after you have landed the job, IT IS A SCAM!” 100%.

    Also, I heard on another scam podcast that if somebody asks you to transfer money to and from crypto or use a crypto ATM, IT IS A SCAM! 100%.

    Putting money into a crypto ATM is ONLY USED FOR SCAMS. 100%. I l... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Deborah K., Portland OR
    United States2 months ago
  • Important!

    Such a timely and compassionate podcast. Must listen for all especially our older friends and relatives.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SqKat42
    United States2 months ago
  • Like it

    Good stories

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hit the nail right
    New Zealand2 months ago
  • Jeanette

    I’ve listened to this podcast for years and I just have no sympathy for these marks any longer. Jeanette thought that an Indian security team would get her a new US social security number? She also doesn’t seem to know how electricity works. So many of the guests deserve their plights. I can’t believe how these idiots made so much money to begin with. The crime is that these privileged people never had to fend for themselves.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Meh9873
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some critics note audio/music quality or pacing issues in a few episodes.
Listeners praise the host's empathy and storytelling, especially with victims.
Many comments highlight the show's usefulness for real-world scam prevention and reporting.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#213
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#81
Spain/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#126
Saudi Arabia/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#136
South Korea/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#239
New Zealand/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#246
Hong Kong/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Q: What caused the collapse of the scheme?
Withdrawal failures, a forced app update, and a manager firing the team signaled a total loss of access to funds and the end of the scam.
Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Q: How did the scheme evolve financially for the couple?
They started with small daily credits, then moved to a tiered VIP system that dramatically increased potential earnings, leading them to invest thousands and recruit others.
Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
Q: What appealed to Eunice about the opportunity at first?
The promise of staying home, flexible hours, minimal experience, and high earnings seemed achievable; she and Daniel saw a path to improving finances and paying bills.
A Hawaii News Icon and a Sweepstakes Scam
Q: What broke the illusion for you?
Seeing the real Bank of Hawaii check and being told not to cash it, which made the reality of the scam finally hit me.
Crossed Wires: Utility Scams Target Consumers
Q: What can consumers do to protect themselves during energy-provider transitions?
Verify contact information against official billing statements, contact the utility directly, slow down, and avoid giving payment information or gift-card codes to suspicious callers or numbers.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Perfect Scam

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

A series focused on real people who encountered scams, from intimate victim stories to the methods scammers use and the responses from law enforcement, policy makers, and guardians of consumer protection. Episodes tend to mix personal narratives with expert insights, covering financial fraud, romance scams, SIM swaps, check washing, and deepfake technology, while highlighting practical prevention tips and resources. A notable strength is the breadth of guests, spanning victims, police, prosecutors, researchers, and advocacy organizations, which offers both emotional resonance and actionable guidance. Listeners may find the show especially helpful for recognizing red flags, understanding scam ecosystems, and learning how communities mobilize... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Perfect Scam?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Perfect Scam. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Perfect Scam and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Perfect Scam get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Perfect Scam, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Perfect Scam?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Perfect Scam, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Perfect Scam have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Perfect Scam 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 The Perfect Scam?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Perfect Scam:

1. American Greed Podcast
2. Scamfluencers
3. The Opportunist
4. Swindled
5. American Scandal

How many episodes of The Perfect Scam are there?

The Perfect Scam launched 8 years ago and published 329 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 The Perfect Scam?

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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Perfect Scam?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Perfect Scam from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Perfect Scam?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Perfect Scam. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Perfect Scam?

Recent guests on The Perfect Scam include:

1. Eunice Hovland
2. Patti Hsu
3. Linda Coble
4. Julie Ferguson
5. Eric Gillespie
6. Pam Dodds
7. Pat Marsh
8. Lisa Fletcher

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days