Episodios

  • EP 27: Love, Bitcoin, and Lies: The Nigerian Romance Scam Indictment

    EP 27: Love, Bitcoin, and Lies: The Nigerian Romance Scam Indictment
    Jul 8 2025
    In this gripping episode of *Behind the Scams*, hosts Nick and Sue Henley dive into the harrowing case of Nigerian national Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, charged with orchestrating a complex romance scam that exploited victims across the U.S. for over three years. Discover how one woman unknowingly became a "money mule," transferring over $2.5 million in scam proceeds, much of it in Bitcoin. With insights into the psychological tactics used by scammers and the challenges of tracing cryptocurrency, this episode reveals the devastating impact of love, trust, and deception in the digital age. Don’t miss it!
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    1 h y 5 m
  • ️ EP 26: Behind the Scams: The $15 Million Sweepstakes Scam You Never Saw Coming

    ️ EP 26: Behind the Scams: The $15 Million Sweepstakes Scam You Never Saw Coming
    Jul 3 2025
    In another exciting episode of *Behind the Scams*, Nick and Sue Henley unveil the shocking $15 million sweepstakes fraud orchestrated by 80-year-old Barbara Trickle. Discover how Trickle and her co-conspirators manipulated thousands of victims, primarily seniors, with deceptive prize notices that promised life-changing sums of money. Learn about the psychological tactics used to exploit trust and urgency, and find out how federal authorities took action to shut down this elaborate scheme. Don’t miss the full story and essential tips to protect yourself from similar scams—visit stampoutscams.org for more insights! Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Behind the Scams: The Elder Fraud Case
    • (00:00:47) - Major Elder Fraud Scammer Pleads Guilty
    • (00:03:50) - Nevada Scammer Convicted of Prize Notice Fraud
    • (00:09:57) - Co-conspirators in the Mass Mailing Prize Notice Scheme
    • (00:16:27) - How To Fall for a Sweepstakes Scam
    • (00:23:58) - Phishing Scammer Caught in Six Year Scheme
    • (00:28:27) - How Did They Get Money From Scam Victims?
    • (00:31:37) - The Use of a Victim Database in the
    • (00:34:19) - Barbara Trickle Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire
    • (00:38:00) - Justice Department, Postal Inspection Service Arrests Fraudster
    • (00:41:47) - How Do Scammers Get You to Fall for Their Scams?
    • (00:46:17) - Phishing scams that ask for large cash prizes
    • (00:47:25) - Why Are Older Adults Targeted in Scam?
    • (00:49:37) - How to Avoid Prize Notification & Sweepstakes Scams
    • (00:55:43) - The National Elder Fraud Hotline
    • (00:57:22) - Federal and state resources to protect seniors from financial fraud
    • (01:03:42) - Behind the Scams: The Scammer's Plan
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    1 h y 5 m
  • EP 25: Houston Love Scam Ring Busted: $3M Stolen from Lonely Seniors!

    EP 25: Houston Love Scam Ring Busted: $3M Stolen from Lonely Seniors!
    Jun 28 2025
    In this explosive episode of Behind the Scams, hosts Nick and Sue Henley unravel a heartbreaking and jaw-dropping federal case involving a Houston couple who defrauded elderly victims out of millions through romance scams. Drawing from Nick’s former law enforcement experience and insights into federal indictments, this episode walks you through the scams, the tactics, and the justice system’s response. Akporugo and Sood’s indictment isn’t just another scam story—it’s a shocking revelation of how far scammers will go, and a call to action for listeners everywhere. The Scam Playbook: Fake Love, Real Money From fake oil rig engineers to... Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Behind the Scams
    • (00:01:03) - Five People Arrested in Romance Scam Fraud Case
    • (00:04:28) - Massive Fraud Ring Convicted in Romance Scam
    • (00:06:39) - The Heartbreaking Story of a 75 Year Old Widow Scammer
    • (00:07:27) - Romance Scammer Gets $644,000
    • (00:11:42) - The Palm Beach Scam
    • (00:16:34) - Scammer Gets Direct Financial Benefits from Victim Up
    • (00:19:10) - Akbarugo and Sud: Taking Gold Coins and Money From
    • (00:22:46) - Scammer Uses a Shell Company to Get Money From Victims
    • (00:30:16) - Scammer Uses a Shell Company to Launder Money
    • (00:37:39) - Malicious Scammer: Victim RK Again Stumped
    • (00:42:17) - Another Social Media Scammer Uses the Same Tactics
    • (00:43:38) - Scammers Convicted of Sending $910,900 to
    • (00:47:28) - The Criminal Case Against Darlington Akporugo and Jasmine
    • (00:55:17) - Federal Wire Fraud Charges Against Akperugo, Jasmine Sud
    • (00:56:32) - Akporugo and Sud Charged with Identity Theft
    • (01:01:35) - Why Are Romance Scams So Effective?
    • (01:04:55) - Signs That Money Scammer Is In the Trap
    • (01:07:16) - Behind The Scams: How to Catch a Scammer
    • (01:13:03) - Behind The Scams: The Fake Money Scams
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    1 h y 14 m
  • EP 24: Lost Pet Scam, Lost Trust: How Scammers Exploit Our Deepest Bonds

    EP 24: Lost Pet Scam, Lost Trust: How Scammers Exploit Our Deepest Bonds
    Jun 26 2025
    A Heartbreaking Tale of Love, Loss, and Deception: Lost Pet Scams When Chloe’s beloved family cat Percy went missing, the anxiety alone was almost unbearable. But what followed was even worse — a scam so cruel and calculated, it left emotional and financial scars. In this eye-opening episode of Behind the Scams, Nick and Sue uncover one of the most emotionally manipulative cons out there: The Lost Pet Scam. The Emotional Manipulation at the Heart of the Lost Pet Scam Lost pet scams are more than just financial frauds. They target people at their most vulnerable — pet owners terrified... Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Behind The Scams: Stolen Pet Scam
    • (00:01:03) - The Lost Pet Scam
    • (00:06:46) - Pet Scammer Targets Emotional Woman
    • (00:12:07) - Scammer Uses Pet Situation to Get Money
    • (00:16:09) - How Do Pet Scammers Get Your Money?
    • (00:20:44) - How Pet Sitters Are Placed in Fear
    • (00:22:50) - Signs That a Scam Is Real
    • (00:25:28) - Three Pet Scam Red Flags
    • (00:29:44) - How to Find Your Pet If He's Missing
    • (00:37:02) - Scammer: What to Do Immediately?
    • (00:39:00) - Lost Pet Scam
    • (00:43:53) - Behind the Scams: Pet Scams
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    45 m
  • EP 23: Crypto Scam Kingpins: The $245M Scam That Shocked America!

    EP 23: Crypto Scam Kingpins: The $245M Scam That Shocked America!
    Jun 24 2025
    Crypto Scam: Episode Overview In one of our most jaw-dropping episodes to date, Behind the Scams pulls back the curtain on a newly unsealed federal indictment that reveals a sprawling, highly organized cryptocurrency fraud operation. This is not your average crypto scam — it’s a full-blown cybercrime syndicate that used high-level social engineering, psychological manipulation, and tech-savvy laundering strategies to steal more than $245 million in digital currency from unsuspecting victims across the United States. Nick and Sue walk you through this complex case, breaking down how a cast of characters with nicknames like “King Greavys,” “Papa,” “GothFerrari,” and “The... Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Behind the Scams: Crypto Crime Lords Inside the $263 Million
    • (00:01:09) - Behind The Scams
    • (00:02:43) - Who Are The Defendants in the Case?
    • (00:04:37) - Felons Arrested in Connection With Money Laundering
    • (00:06:13) - The Indictment: Social Engineering Enterprise
    • (00:10:09) - Cryptocurrency, Virtual Currency, Wallets
    • (00:13:41) - Crypto Money Stealing With 'Seed phrase'
    • (00:14:56) - Bitcoin, Hosted Wallet and Other Cryptocurrencies
    • (00:16:37) - The Role of the Social Engineering Enterprise
    • (00:20:54) - How the SE Enterprise Stole Virtual Currency
    • (00:28:50) - The Crypto Money Laundering Case
    • (00:36:16) - How the SE Enterprise Money Laundering Conspiracy
    • (00:44:44) - The SE Enterprise's Role in the Malone Lamb Case
    • (00:50:23) - The Crypto Scam defendants face federal charges
    • (00:54:51) - Behind The Scams: Cryptocurrency Fraud
    • (00:59:00) - Scam Announcement: Crypto Bros In Miami
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    1 h
  • EP 22: Pink Promises & Pyramid Woes: Monique’s $75K Mary Kay Meltdown

    EP 22: Pink Promises & Pyramid Woes: Monique’s $75K Mary Kay Meltdown
    Jun 20 2025
    ️ Episode Description The Hook: Dreams, Pizza & Pink Cadillac Promises Monique was fresh out of the Air Force, craving purpose and community when a friend invited her to a Mary Kay “opportunity night,” a typical event in multi-level marketing. Between the free pizza, glossy brochures, and a $99 starter kit that “practically pays for itself,” success seemed inevitable. What she didn’t see were the crushing credit-card balances, mounting inventory, and psychological pressure waiting beneath the pink confetti. In this episode of Behind the Scams, hosts Nick & Sue Henley reveal how a single slice of pepperoni turned into a... Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - How To Catch Mary Kay Scams
    • (00:00:50) - Behind the Scams
    • (00:01:31) - The Scam Story That Hurt My Soul
    • (00:02:13) - How One Woman Lost $75,000 to an MLM
    • (00:03:49) - Mary Kay Beauty Consultant for Military Women
    • (00:08:23) - Mary Kay Cosmetics Cadd
    • (00:14:13) - Scammer Uses MLMs to Get Money
    • (00:15:30) - What's the Big Problem with MLM?
    • (00:17:44) - Mary Kay consultant on the Mary Kay Train
    • (00:22:01) - Mary Kay Saleswoman on How To Sell Her Product
    • (00:24:01) - Mary Kay consultant's battle to get to Red Jacket
    • (00:28:04) - Mary Kay Princess Court of Sales
    • (00:32:36) - Mary Kay's 'Hamster Wheel'
    • (00:37:36) - Mary Kay Sales Director's Secret to Not Quitting
    • (00:42:03) - Mary Kay consultant quits
    • (00:46:30) - Mary Kay Beauty Consultant Jessica Coach Exploited Money
    • (00:52:41) - Mary Kay Coaches Scammed Former Clients
    • (00:57:07) - Mary Kay Losses $70,000 in MLM
    • (00:59:41) - The Secret to Placed in a Pyramid Scheme
    • (01:01:45) - Behind The Scams: Multi-Level Marketing Scams
    • (01:02:58) - Behind The Scams: Make-Up Scams
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    1 h y 4 m
  • EP 21: The Mirage in the Desert - UAE Start-Up Scam Culture Part 2

    EP 21: The Mirage in the Desert - UAE Start-Up Scam Culture Part 2
    Jun 4 2025
    In the United Arab Emirates, a new breed of Ponzi schemes is thriving, disguised as modern tech startups. In our latest episode, we delve into the harrowing real-life stories of victims who have lost millions to these scams. From a $85 million real estate fraud led by a flashy con artist to a fake AI crypto platform that duped investors out of $40 million, the emotional and financial toll is devastating. Join us as we uncover the dark side of startup culture and share essential tips to protect yourself from becoming the next victim. Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - The Ponzis in the Desert: UAE Startup Scam
    • (00:00:54) - Are Scammers Targeting Retired People?
    • (00:07:58) - Are Investment Scammers Scamming People?
    • (00:09:51) - What Kind of Due Diligence Should Investors Do Before Investing
    • (00:12:23) - Red flags in Tech Investment Scams
    • (00:13:57) - Are there any resources investors can use to spot scams?
    • (00:16:18) - Will Technology Help Regulators Catch Scammers?
    • (00:22:05) - Scammer's Guide to Startup Funding
    • (00:23:55) - These Scams Are Affecting Startup Communities Around the World
    • (00:28:05) - Emerging Markets' Scammering
    • (00:30:31) - Five Things We Learned From The Ponzi Scams
    • (00:31:23) - Are You Vulnerable to Investment Scams?
    • (00:33:39) - Behind The Scam
    • (00:35:27) - Behind the Scams: The Real Scams
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    36 m
  • EP 20: The Mirage in the Desert: Exposing the UAE's Start-Up Scam Culture Part 1

    EP 20: The Mirage in the Desert: Exposing the UAE's Start-Up Scam Culture Part 1
    May 28 2025
    Introduction: Start-Up Scams In this gripping two-part exposé from the Behind the Scams podcast about on-going start-up scams, hosts Nick and Sue take listeners deep into the heart of one of the world’s most deceptive financial frontiers: the United Arab Emirates. Known for its ultramodern cities, luxury lifestyle, and business-friendly climate, the UAE—particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi—has also become a hotbed for sophisticated scams masquerading as innovation. In Part One of this special series, we uncover how traditional Ponzi schemes are evolving in plain sight, cloaked in the language and appearance of high-tech startups. The Setup: Startup Scam Culture or... Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Behind The Scams: The UAE
    • (00:02:18) - Behind the Scams: Ponzi Scams in the UAE
    • (00:04:23) - What Exactly Is a Ponzi Scheme?
    • (00:08:02) - The Secret to Scamming Startups in Dubai
    • (00:13:02) - How Ponzi Scams Mimic Real Tech Startups
    • (00:15:43) - What About the People Running These Scams?
    • (00:16:17) - What Are the Red Flags That Investors Should Watch Out For?
    • (00:17:58) - UAE Ponzi Scammer's
    • (00:23:19) - Scamsters targeting expatriate workers in the UAE
    • (00:26:15) - How is the UAE's regulatory environment influencing scammers?
    • (00:30:19) - Are There Any Regulatory Weaknesses in the UAE?
    • (00:33:12) - US Authorities Investigate UAE Scammer's
    • (00:35:39) - How to Stop Money-Laundering Scammers in the UAE
    • (00:40:05) - The Real Cost of Scamsters
    • (00:41:23) - Behind the Scams: Startup Scams
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    43 m