Scam Secrets

WhatsApp is part of our daily lives – and criminals know how to weaponise that trust.In this episode, Shari Vahl and the team hear how a devastatingly simple trick handed the keys for a Scam Secrets listener's WhatsApp account to a scammer. Along with expert linguist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood, Shari finds out what the hacker did next - and how an old friend was tricked into handing over money.As ever, there will be red flags waving to show you what to watch out for - and essential tips from our guest expert to keep your account secure.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Anya Burskis, Head of Fraud Operations at Nationwide, shares her expertise on recruitment scams and victimization strategies. She reveals how fake job offers prey on the vulnerable, using psychological manipulation and forged peer support. Anya highlights alarming trends in younger demographics and the dangerous convergence of job, romance, and investment scams. She stresses the importance of never paying for a job and discusses the serious consequences of becoming an unwitting money mule. Learn how to recognize the warning signs and protect yourself!

Join David Geale, executive director at the Payment Systems Regulator, Richard Daniels, head of fraud prevention at TSB Bank, and Paul Hampson, director at CEL Solicitors, as they dive into the steps to take when you’ve been scammed. They discuss the crucial first actions, reimbursement rules for bank transfers, and what legal avenues exist for recovery. The conversation also covers how digital wallet fraud is on the rise and the importance of immediate reporting. Valuable insights to help reclaim your money are shared throughout!

You've probably got the scam Winter Fuel Payment text at least once. You might well have ignored it. But what happens when the criminals hit the jackpot, the circumstances fit, and you try to take up the offer?That's what happened to Peggy - and in this episode her experience is analysed by Scam Secrets regulars Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood.With the help of a convincing but very fake website, a one time passcode trick and the mind games that scammers deploy, the criminals wanted to go on a shopping spree on Peggy. But just as they were getting ready to splash her cash, an unexpected plot twist scuppered them.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Detective Chief Inspector Jon Hodgeon, an expert in economic and cybercrime, joins the discussion to unravel the chilling tactics of courier fraud. He explains how criminals impersonate police through fake emergency calls, luring victims into handing over their life savings. Hodgeon highlights the emotional manipulation tactics used, the risks of violent couriers, and critical safety advice, emphasizing that real police will never ask you to leave valuables outside. This eye-opening conversation sheds light on the evolution of scams and essential community awareness.

Getting an unexpected phonecall can be unnerving. If it's from a bailiff saying he's coming to take your possessions and is 40 minutes away, it can be terrifying.In this episode, Shari Vahl and the Scam Secrets team hear from two people who were subjected to this scarily plausible scam. Linguistics expert Dr Lis Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood pick apart the language used, and explain how the tactics are all designed to manufacture a 'fight or flight' response that plays into the hands of the criminals.As ever, red flags will be waved - so you'll end up better informed about this sophisticated and manipulative scam.And on this last episode in our first series of Scam Secrets, we'll even hear exactly what happened when a scammer tried similar tactics on Shari.If there's a scam you want the Scam Secrets team to look at, you can get in touch: scamsecrets@bbc.co.ukPRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Your phone pings - it's a loved one who needs your help. Would you know what to do?Lots of us have received the 'Hello Mum' text - sometimes it's dead easy to spot. But what if the circumstances fit, and they catch you completely unawares?In this episode, Shari Vahl, Alex Wood, and Dr Elisabeth Carter discuss how the scam, which preys on parental instinct and urgency, is getting increasingly cunning - and they examine the tools the fraudsters use to manipulate us.Listener Anne, who was almost conned out of £2,000, tells her story. Guest expert Nick Sharp from the National Crime Agency tells us how these criminals are targeting us - and he's no exception, having recently received a Hello Dad message that landed on his work phone.As ever, the red flags will be waving when there's something to watch out for, and you'll be armed with the knowledge to steer well clear of the criminals.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Who could resist the offer of a free grand piano? Or a remarkably cheap campervan? Just as long as you pay for delivery - but that's a small price to pay, right?This episode of Scam Secrets is about those times when you're offered something - perhaps something you've always fancied - on amazingly good terms. It's a scam - otherwise Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood wouldn't be talking about it. Luckily they've got their red flags ready to tell you what to watch out for.In this episode, Lis delves into the language used by the criminals - explaining how they trigger our desire for a musical instrument we didn't know we wanted - and former scammer Alex shares his insight into how people are manipulated by delivery scams like these.The Scam Secrets guest expert is Dr Jack Whittaker - an academic who wrote his PHD on precisely this kind of fraud. He tells the team where these scams come from and how to see them coming.Remember - if there's a scam you think we should be talking about, you can email the show: scamsecrets@bbc.co.ukPRESENTER: SHARI VAHL PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

A trusted celeb seems to be promoting a crypto investment. Would you know what to do?In this episode of Scam Secrets, Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood hear how an apparent endorsement from a trusted celebrity paved the way for the relentless psychological manipulation of a couple, with devastating consequences.The team discuss how helpless people can even be made to lie to their own banks while under the spell of criminals, and they highlight the red flags to watch out for so you can spot what the fraudsters are doing.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

A letter arrives at your home - addressed to a company you've never heard of. Would you know what to do?Criminals are registering companies at innocent people's addresses at a shocking scale - sometimes covering an entire street at a time. In this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Elisabeth Carter and former fraudster Alex Wood find out the alarming consequences if your home is targeted - and how to fight back.Fake companies expert Graham Barrow joins the programme to explain what the criminals are after, and to discuss whether Companies House's latest crackdown is working.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY