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The Perfect Scam

The Perfect Scam

By: AARP
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About this listen

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.AARP Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • Scam Interception: How an NYPD Detective Tackles NFL Ticket Fraud
    Dec 5 2025

    Hilarie, a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan, plans a weekend doubleheader to attend both a Phillies and an Eagles game with a friend. After successfully purchasing Phillies tickets through a Facebook resale group, she uses the same method for Eagles tickets—only to discover the promised tickets never arrive. Meanwhile, the NFL notices a rise in ticket fraud and seeks assistance from the NYPD. Detective Mike McCaffrey identifies the culprit, Nikhil Mahtani, who has defrauded sports fans and stolen thousands of dollars in a massive, multi-state ticket scam spanning five years.

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    53 mins
  • Scam Declined: How Bank Employees Stopped a Scam
    Nov 21 2025

    A call from someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission sends Linda on a quest to transfer $25,000, believing that she is assisting them in catching a criminal. The caller warns her not to tell anyone what she's up to, but perceptive bank employees at multiple branches suspect a scam and throw up roadblocks. Meanwhile, they alert Linda's children, who work quickly to get between their mother and the criminals.

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    54 mins
  • Archive Episode: Brooke Astor, Famous Socialite Robbed
    Nov 14 2025

    A prominent philanthropist and the center of New York society, Brooke Astor lived a tumultuous yet glamorous life. Left a fortune by her third husband, Vincent Astor, Brooke planned to live out her later years at her country estate. But when Brooke's son refuses to let her do so, then sells his mother's favorite painting (worth over $30 million), grandson Philip decides to step in. Philip's efforts to return his grandmother to the country home she loved would uncover one of the most prominent cases of financial elder abuse in U.S. history, with millions lost and a family torn apart.

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    22 mins
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