Dateline NBC
Also in True Crime
True Crime
Scam Secrets
by BBC Radio 4
Today: #174 in True Crime, Japan on our combined chart.
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From BBC Radio 4
Ranking history · South Africa
No ranking history for this show in South Africa over the last 7 days.
Latest episodes
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The 'Money Back' Scam
September 24, 2026 · 28 minBeing scammed once can be a devastating, life-changing experience. But the criminals we hear about on Scam Secrets don't care about that. They'll often come back for more, with bogus offers to help you get your money back. It's known as…
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Mobile Handset Fraud
September 17, 2026 · 28 minBeing sent a shiny new phone when you weren't expecting one sounds great - but it most likely isn't. In this episode, the Scam Secrets team investigate mobile handset fraud - a widespread scam whereby criminals gain access to your telecoms…
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The Power of Your Email
September 10, 2026 · 28 minWhat's the name of your first pet? If a question like that holds the key to your email inbox, it might be time to beef up your security. In this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood talk about why our emails are so valuable to…
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How to Help Someone Who's Being Scammed
September 3, 2026 · 29 minYour relative is in the grip of a scam. You can see it - but they can't. Would you know what to do? It's a situation you never want to find yourself in. And if you do, it can be hard knowing where to turn and how to help. This episode is…
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QR Code Scams
August 27, 2026 · 28 minDo you scan QR codes? Since Covid, they've become embedded in many aspects of our lives. But perhaps we're a bit too trusting of them. On this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood hear how criminals are finding different ways…
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Inside Report Fraud
August 20, 2026 · 29 minWhat really happens when you report a scam? In this special episode, Shari takes a trip behind the scenes at the fraud reporting service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For years, this was called Action Fraud - and victims often…
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The Customer Complaints Scam
August 13, 2026 · 29 minHave you ever been desperately trying to contact a company to complain about shoddy service? Or needed to cut through the automated responses and speak to a human who can help? Most of us have - and the criminals have latched onto it. Scam…
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How To Spot A Deepfake
August 6, 2026 · 28 minScam Secrets is back with a close look at deepfakes. Lots of the stories we hear involve victims being lured into scams by fake videos or photos of trusted people. Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood hear what happened when a listener…
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The Instagram Takeover Scam
June 4, 2026 · 28 minAn 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…
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The Knock at the Door
May 28, 2026 · 28 minA 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…
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The Trial Shift Scam
May 21, 2026 · 29 minA 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…
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The Customer Service Returns Scam
May 14, 2026 · 28 minIf 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…
About the show
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 and forensic linguist, Dr Elisabeth Carter, and Alex Wood - a former criminal who now tries to stop scams - to dissect the shadiest techniques criminals use to steal your cash.
In each episode, they dig deep into a different scam, with first-hand accounts from the people targeted, forensic analysis of the techniques and mind games being used - and even secret recordings of the scammers themselves.
Got a scam you want us to investigate? Email the team: scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk