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. Scam Secrets will publish weekly from 31 July. Subscribe on BBC Sounds so you never miss an episode. You can also email the Scam Secrets team - tell them which scams you want them to unpick: scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk
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. Scam Secrets will publish weekly from 31 July. Subscribe on BBC Sounds so you never miss an episode. You can also email the Scam Secrets team - tell them which scams you want them to unpick: scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk
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.uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY