Épisodes

  • 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 min
  • Criminals Threaten Jail Time in Jury Duty Scam
    Nov 7 2025

    Jana always tries to do the right thing, so when she receives a call from the sheriff's office stating that she missed jury duty, she panics. She thinks back to studying for her American citizenship exam and learning how important it is to respond to a jury summons. She doesn't remember receiving a notice, but the officer knows all her personal information and says she will have to pay a $9,000 bond or face arrest. Jana spends the next several hours driving from the bank to various crypto ATMs, trying desperately to meet the payment demands. When Jana discovers that it's a scam and calls 911, she learns that seven other people in her county were victimized the same day.

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    52 min
  • Thieves Drain Crypto Wallets in Sophisticated Phishing Scam
    Oct 31 2025

    After several years of investing in crypto, Glen has built up a sizeable nest egg. The money means security and the ability to buy a home. One day, when trying to log in to Coinbase, he realizes that his account is locked. Seconds later, he receives a call from "Coinbase support." The customer service agent explains that due to a major data breach and the high volume of hacks, they are now being instructed to reach out and assist customers directly. He walks Glen through the account recovery process, which is reassuring, but within a day, Glen's account is drained of $180,000.

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    1 h et 1 min
  • From Puppies to Heartbreak: How a Pet Scam Targets One Man's Home
    Oct 24 2025

    When a couple pulls up to Gene's North Carolina home looking for their beagle puppy, he is not sure what to make of it. But soon, a steady stream of would-be pet owners arriving in the following days and weeks makes it clear that criminals are using his address to pull off their scams. Gene is patient and helpful with the disappointed families. Even after a fire destroys Gene's home, the scams continue

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    50 min
  • This Job Scam is Suddenly Everywhere
    Oct 17 2025

    Dorothy is looking for a part-time job that will enable her to work from home and accommodate her medical disability. After applying for numerous jobs and posting her résumé online, she receives a message about an app testing job. It seems like a great fit, since she has done similar work in the past, but the complicated system has Dorothy adding her own money to an account in order to unlock elements. It's a scam that has exploded in recent months - task scams are now the single biggest scam facing job seekers.

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    56 min
  • North Korean "Laptop Farm" Scams Target American Companies
    Oct 10 2025

    Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan and FBI agent Joe Hooper recount the story of Christina Chapman, a Minnesota woman who is drawn into the world of laptop farming. She is struggling to make ends meet, living in a trailer without running water, and a job offer to be the US representative for an international company is a godsend. Laptop farms gained popularity in 2020 with the rise in remote work, allowing North Korean workers to evade sanctions, infiltrate American companies, and funnel money directly into North Korea's weapons programs. They hire people, like Christina, to run dozens of computers from their homes using software that allows remote access. The hiring companies, many of which are high-profile, are unknowingly giving North Korea money and access to sensitive data.

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    58 min
  • Job Seekers Targeted in Water Filtration Job Scam, Part 2
    Oct 3 2025

    In part 2, victims of a nationwide fraud scheme join forces on a Facebook group and share their stories with investigative journalist Lou Raguse of KARE in Minneapolis. Someone is selling water purification devices to entrepreneurs, who think they are getting in on the ground floor of a great opportunity, but then fails to deliver the promised gadgets. Lou discovers the criminal's identity is Charles Fields, a suburban Minneapolis father who uses a host of aliases to pull off the scheme. Lou and the victims' dedication, along with the discovery of key evidence in an unusual place, help law enforcement successfully bring Fields to justice.

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    40 min
  • Job Seekers Targeted in Water Filtration Job Scam, Part 1
    Sep 26 2025

    Job seekers all over the country answer ads for sales positions at a water filtration company. The offer is promising, and the contracts look professional. The only catch is the initial $5000 investment in a water purification unit. However, when the prepaid units never arrive, people begin to realize they are victims of a scam. They form a Facebook group, band together, and convince investigative journalist Lou Raguse to take up their cause. Will they get justice?

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    27 min