Show overview
The Perfect Scam has been publishing since 2018, and across the 8 years since has built a catalogue of 331 episodes, alongside 62 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 200 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 28 min and 45 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language True Crime show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 6 days ago, with 31 episodes already out so far this year. Published by AARP.
From the publisher
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.
Latest Episodes
View all 331 episodesPhony Publisher Promises Bestsellers
How One Family Stopped a Crypto Romance Scam
Archive Episode: FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 2
Archive Episode: FBI and Grandmother Bring Down Crime Ring, Part 1
Friend Group Falls Victim to Large Job Scam
A Hawaii News Icon and a Sweepstakes Scam
Scam Targets AT&T Customers to Steal Cellphones
A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 2
A Pilot's Stolen Identity Leaves a Trail of Broken Hearts, Part 1
Archive Episode: Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 2
Archive Episode: Million Dollar Movie Ponzi Scheme, Part 1
Scammers Use AI to Make Lost Pet Scams More Believable
LA Fire Survivor Faces PayPal Impostor Scam
Crossed Wires: Utility Scams Target Consumers
Vermont Woman Recoups $1.3M 4.5 Years After a Scam
Bonus: Meet the Fraud Fighters Taking on Crypto Kiosk Scams
Deepfake Doctors: AI-Generated Medical Ad Scams
California Woman Warns of Facebook Job Scam
Bonus: Avoiding Tax Scams With Michelle Singletary
Ep 251The Science of Romance Scams
When Anola returns home from a picture-perfect trip to France, she finds an unexpected flirtation with a man who reaches out to her on LinkedIn. He showers her with love and attention, and over time, he steals thousands from her. When she discovers the deception, Anola reaches out to the real man behind the photo the scammer used, drawing her into a second betrayal. Criminals have figured out how to hack our brains, bypassing the rational and going directly for the emotional response. Austin Cusak, an expert in behavioral science at the FDIC, joins host Bob Sullivan to discuss the phenomenon known as "amygdala hijacking."