PODCAST · education
Scammer Stories
by April
Scammers are targeting you and your loved ones. I know all too well. My mother spent $350,000 on a man she believed was her soulmate right before her death. The only way we can fight back is to arm ourselves with information. Scammer Warriors unite! These stories are from victims and their families. The details are so shocking that they're hard to believe.
Episodes
-
A therapist knew the signs until it happened to her
Send us Fan Mail Anatasia Vailas is passionate about helping others cope with trauma and loss, but one day she ended up on the other end of the ordeal. Now she helps victims try to see the light and heal... and she knows how to help the family members try and pick up the pieces in the aftermath....
-
Romance scam victim finds happy and leaves a trail of destruction behind
Send us Fan Mail Katharine’s family thought they were prepared when they discovered her loved one was caught in a romance scam. They had the resources. They had the ability to intervene. They even had a plan. But they quickly learned that stopping a romance scam is far more complicated than…
more -
Two romance scam families. One goes to prison... the other to ICU
Send us Fan Mail A romance scam doesn't just devastate the person sending the money. It can destroy entire families. In this episode, you'll hear two heartbreaking stories. In one, a family member ends up behind bars. In the other, the stress and trauma lands a loved one in the ICU. These are...
-
COVID takes a husband before a romance scam
Send us Fan Mail Mary's story begins with a love that lasted a lifetime. She met her husband when she was just six years old, and after decades together, they built a life filled with love, family, and memories. Then COVID changed everything. Mary survived. Her husband didn't. Grieving, lonely…
more -
Romance scam victim comes face-to-face with the scammer who broke into her home
Send us Fan Mail Heather Rovet thought she had finally found love when a charming handyman named "Jace" entered her life. Instead, she found herself trapped in a nightmare involving one of Canada's most notorious romance scammers. In this shocking episode of the Scammer Stories Podcast, Heather...
-
What happens when nothing works while trying to save a parent from a romance scam
Send us Fan Mail The number one question I get in my email inbox is from adult children desperately trying to save a parent who is trapped in a romance scam. They’ve tried everything… begging, interventions, cutting off money, even taking control through power of attorney. And still, nothing…
more -
Package to a romance scammer tips off federal investigators, leading to one woman's heartbreak
Send us Fan Mail The woman in this story was scammed twice. Once by love and the other by hanging on to hope that she could get her money back. Then, one day federal investigators came calling. Anola Johnson says her life was just normal before the scam. Click HERE to check out Anola's podcast...
-
Married man accused of tangled web of financial fraud with multiple girlfriends
Send us Fan Mail Scammers aren’t always sitting behind a screen in some far away land. Sometimes they're bold enough to meet in person and integrate into your life to steal your money. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they land behind bars. The law, and those investigating the crimes, haven’t...
-
Married Mormon man out $2 million dollars after pig butchering scam
Send us Fan Mail Micheal Breinig is a married father of three who had a great life before scammers stole $2 million dollars. The thing is… he wasn’t even looking for anything. He wasn’t even on social media before his co-workers told him he needed to be online to follow what was happening with…
more -
Scamnetic CEO Al Pascual describes innovative technology to battle scammers
Send us Fan Mail We usually hear from a survivor of a romance, or pig butchering scam, sprinkled with a sextortion case here and there because the human side of these stories connect with people’s emotions. However, talking to the experts is just as important. We’ve heard from FBI agents…
more -
Man uses digital forensics team to stop sextortion scam
Send us Fan Mail "Don" was married for 42 years, with a successful career, when his life was turned upside down by a single message on his Instagram. He hid his dark secret from his wife until one day he was forced to come clean AND found a way to fight back. Support the show
-
Caught in the web, pig butchering victim interrogated by the FBI
Send us Fan Mail A romance scam victim ended up on the other end of an FBI investigation after losing about $500,000 in a pig butchering scam. Jennifer’s story spun out of control when the scammers threatened violence against her family members while she had hundreds of thousands of dollars from...
-
Romance scam victim burned by love after she loses her heart and her home
Send us Fan Mail You like dogs? Do you have a passion for the elderly? This will break your heart. Kate has agreed to let AARS use her face as the image in the education campaign. Support the show
-
From the hood to high stakes: A realtor’s rise and a scammer’s trap
Send us Fan Mail Scammers will find you everywhere. This romance scam survivor was able to pull himself out of poverty as a child and rise above it. Little did he know one of his biggest threats would come years later while he was building his real estate empire. Marquise thought he had found a...
-
Love Con Revenge | The romance scam case that could change everything
Send us Fan Mail You may have seen the hit Netflix documentary. Now, hear the inside story from Attorney Scott Adrian who appears in the show. Adrian shares how he got creative in court to fight for justice for women who were losing hope. He also shares behind-the-scenes insights on building a…
more -
Former Houston TV reporter takes down a woman who scammed people all over the world
Send us Fan Mail Mair Smyth didn’t know who she was dealing with when she stole $100,000 from her “best friend.” Johnathan was a former TV journalist in Houston, Texas. His journalistic nose turned up a world of witchcraft and prostitution that would lead him all all over the world. Click on this...
-
Pig butchering scam victim loses more than a million in gold bars and retirement
Send us Fan Mail Jerry had just lost the love of his life when he received an urgent message from Apple Cash. The "customer service representative" instructed Jerry to get $750,000 of his gold bars to deliver to an SUV that pulled up outside of his house. Once the scammers had that in their dirty...
-
April's own story after testifying on Capitol Hill
Send us Fan Mail The host of the Scammer Stories Podcast made it to Capitol Hill to share information and solutions to lawmakers, who are now leaning into the issue. This episode takes you through the process of how she was chosen and what it was like to sit in that spot. The other speakers on…
more -
Former law enforcement officer tries to convince his mother of General Mark Milley scam
Send us Fan Mail Nate Cram talks about everything he did to try and convince his mother that she was talking to a scammer. He used to work in a sheriff's office... and you'd think if anyone could stop the scam, he could. Click HERE to watch Nate's mother on Social Catfish. Support the show
-
Romance scam leaves victim's daughter in a dire situation
Send us Fan Mail Renee thought her worst nightmare was the day she found out her mother had lung cancer. She had no idea that things were about to get so bad that she would have to worry about her own future. Renee is in trouble. She was diagnosed with a debilitating disease as a child, and then...
-
Romance scam expert concerned about the rise in sextortion
Send us Fan Mail Tracey spends most of her time trying to help romance scam victims and their families end the nightmare. She talks to victim daily and she's seeing an alarming rise in sextortion cases related to romance scams. Click HERE to reach Tracey. Click HERE to join her Onlinesafe group....
-
Pig butchering survivor goes public after scammers steal nearly $1 million
Send us Fan Mail Pig butchering scams grew by 40% in 2024 and it only started a few years ago. The scam is named in reference to the practice of fattening a pig before slaughter. The numbers have now far surpassed the typical romance scam.... and by some accounts the theft rivals money made by…
more -
Police detective discusses money mules used in scams
Send us Fan Mail Money mules aren't just used in romance scams and police departments all over the country are starting to notice. Lt. Andrew Weeden says his department has started to track them down after showing up at homes in his area. Click HERE to see the pictures of the suspected money…
more -
Scammers use politicians to dupe women who are passionate about politics
Send us Fan Mail The political donation scam is something I didn’t see coming. I had one friend contact me concerned about her mother who believes she’s working on President Donald Trump’s campaign…. and then another friend reached out with the same story about her mom! I’ve since learned that…
more -
Scams are now infiltrating the lives of all of my best friends
Send us Fan Mail This podcast started years ago because, at the time, there was very little information online and I needed to understand what happened to me and my family. In the beginning, trying to find people to interview was tough. Now all of the friends in my circle have a family member who...
-
Son shares difficult conversations with his romance scam mother
Send us Fan Mail We spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about romance scam victims, but there's another victim in this nightmare. The adult children of romance scams never asked for this. Sons and daughters are never the hero in the victim's mind. They're actually the enemy. If you have a...
-
Romance scam survivor inspires detective to learn crypto for future victims
Send us Fan Mail Debbie is one of the rare romance scam victims who let a TV reporter interview her on camera… knowing she would get some hate. She’s now decided that she’s going to delve into the world of advocacy after she was able to find a detective who took the time to learn how to trace...
-
Decorated retired Marine with PTSD loses his life after a romance scam
Send us Fan Mail A veteran ended up destitute and lonely after spending so much of his life serving his country. It wasn't a foreign war that ended up leading to his death. It was a romance scam... even though his dedicated niece tried everything in her power to save him. Support the show
-
Pig butchering scam victim found dead after daughter’s desperate fight to save her
Send us Fan Mail A Wyoming woman was the victim of a romance scam, turned pig butchering scam, long before most people knew anything about either scam. Her daughter discovered her mother living in a mobile home without electricity and running water. The scam ended up indirectly taking the…
more -
Daughter holds intervention to rid mother of “Vince Gill” romance scam
Send us Fan Mail The scammer in this story told the victim that he was country music star Vince Gill and that he needed money because he was being accused of rape. This victim’s daughter tells the story of the one picture she spotted on her mother’s social media account that led to the discovery...
-
Daughter of romance scam victim eviscerates scammer on a phone call
Send us Fan Mail Every family member of a romance scam victim dreams of being able to give the scumbag a piece of their mind. This woman actually did it… and it’s flawless. I wish I was able to handle my mother’s scammer like this when I got him on the phone, but I was too afraid to upset my...
-
Scam victim holds onto her sense of humor after help from her incredible financial advisor
Send us Fan Mail Sometimes laughter really is the best medicine in this dark terrible world of romance scams. A Michigan woman used her humor, her acting skills and advice from an amazing financial advisor to come out on the other side. She still has bad days, but she's decided to join the…
more -
Woman hilariously trolls romance scammers online
Send us Fan Mail Becky Holmes is out with a new book now available in the U.S. that's gaining a lot of traction in the world of romance scams. It's called Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You. The book is informative and delightfully entertaining. Becky took time out for Scammer Stories to have a...
-
Scammer uses fake $8 million savings account to lure in victim
Send us Fan Mail This romance scammer created a huge web of lies that ended up putting a woman in the middle of a scam with other victims. We’re going to tell you how he was able to get out of the mess and how she got involved in the first place. There was a huge web of lies that a scammer told...
-
Romance scams wreak havoc on families
Send us Fan Mail A romance scam doesn't just demolish a victim's life, it ruins life for everyone who touches the scam. Daughters of victims open up about how it changed their lives. Click HERE to contact April about your loved one. Click HERE to donate $1 a month to help continue to spread the...
-
Financial accountants are joining the fight against romance scams
Send us Fan Mail The financial industry is a tough nut to crack for people like us when it comes to romance scams. This is a rare interview with April Devalkenaere, a former law enforcement officer, who now fights financial crimes in court. She talks about what the direction financial…
more -
Woman executive on Wall Street takes her romance scammer to court
Send us Fan Mail Donna Hayes has quite the story before her scam even got started. Hayes grew up in poverty in Jamaica and was able to make it to America and make her dreams come true. She thought she met the man of her dreams who ended up stealing from her. However, she was able to actually get...
-
Psychology behind romance scam victim shaming
Send us Fan Mail Therapist Cathy Wilson, with Life Path Counseling, shares similarities between judging a romance scam victim and the victim of domestic abuse. Wilson says victims can be revictimized by harsh questions. Click HERE for the resources Cathy has created, including her book Emotional...
-
I paid my romance scam victim mother to talk right before her death
Send us Fan Mail As many of you know, my mother lost $350,000 in a romance scam while she was battling ovarian cancer. She asked me for $200 to pay a "doctor bill." I knew where the money was going, so I told her I would send her the money if she gave me an interview. She died days later.…
more -
Banker answers burning questions that we all have in the romance scam world
Send us Fan Mail FINALLY! I've been trying to interview a banking expert for years... and crickets. "Michelle" works for a major bank in the U.S. and the U.K. She answers so many questions that I've had for years. ***Please consider a one time donation to keep this podcast going. Every bit helps!...
-
Son of a therapist takes care of his dying mother after discovering she was taken for nearly $1 million in a romance scam
Send us Fan Mail Rory MacLeod was off living his best life overseas when he came home for a surprise Christmas trip and found himself in the middle of a nightmare. His mother was a successful therapist for couples. He never thought she would be the victim of a romance scam of any kind... let…
more -
PART TWO: Jeff takes his romance scam victim mother to court
Send us Fan Mail Jeff had the unimaginable task of facing his mother in court so he could save her. Even after that, he had to chase his mother’s scam all over the place. He talked to bank branch managers, lawyers, doctors, credit card representatives and FedEx workers. ***Please consider a one...
-
PART ONE: Dedicated son does everything in his power to stop his mother’s romance scam
Send us Fan Mail Jeff’s world was turned upside down when he figured out that his mother was involved with a romance scammer. To top it off, his dad was still married to his mom. ***Please consider a one time donation to keep this podcast going. Every bit helps! Send donations to...
-
"Real man" suspected of scamming multiple women in California
Send us Fan Mail The cards are stacked against this woman who thought she fell in love with a professional poker player. The justice system has failed her... and other women like her. Investigators believe she gave her money away. There is no crime here right? You decide. ***Please consider a one...
-
Family gets a financial conservatorship for romance scam victim
Send us Fan Mail Ever since my mother died, I wondered what would have happened if I would have demanded a financial conservatorship. How do you get one? Do you need a lawyer? Does it work? In this episode, we find out what it does to a victim who is in deep with her scumbag scammer. ***Please...
-
There's a new type of scam that even confuses me
Send us Fan Mail According to the Federal Trade Commission, a growing trend in scammers involves cryptocurrency. Do you know how to spot it? The scam is complicated and growing. The only way to arm everyone against this scam is to educate ourselves. This episode addresses everything you need to...
-
Woman victimized in romance scam carried out by dangerous mafia group
Send us Fan Mail A very organized, and dangerous, group out of Nigeria nearly ruined a successful career for an interior architect. The victim is still trying to dig herself out of the hole, but is grateful to survive. Click HERE for more on the book “Who Is The Real Man Behind The Screen?” by...
-
Daughter outlines long list of steps she took to try and stop her mother’s romance scam
Send us Fan Mail “Jenny” is trying to protect both her mother AND father from losing everything. She went through her mother’s messages and told her father. She even called police, the bank and the cell phone store workers at the mall. She's a good daughter with a lot to share for the rest of us....
-
Man turned dating and scam expert talks do's and don'ts
Send us Fan Mail Daniel Harrold and I both went through painful divorces. We both quickly discovered that scammers are out there. His pictures were used... my mom was used. In this episode, we talk scams and how to successfully date online. If you are struggling to find a companion, it's ok. Most...
-
Scam victim’s daughter confronts the scumbag in an epic phone call
Send us Fan Mail Kaitlyn’s mother is now living in a trailer after losing her home in a romance scam. It started after the death of her father two years ago. Her mother was lonely during the pandemic, lost her husband and is now in denial. ***Please consider a onetime donation to keep this…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Scammers are targeting you and your loved ones. I know all too well. My mother spent $350,000 on a man she believed was her soulmate right before her death. The only way we can fight back is to arm ourselves with information. Scammer Warriors unite! These stories are from victims and their families. The details are so shocking that they're hard to believe.
HOSTED BY
April
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Scammer Stories have?
Scammer Stories currently has 99 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Scammer Stories about?
Scammers are targeting you and your loved ones. I know all too well. My mother spent $350,000 on a man she believed was her soulmate right before her death. The only way we can fight back is to arm ourselves with information. Scammer Warriors unite! These stories are from victims and their...
How often does Scammer Stories release new episodes?
Scammer Stories has 99 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Scammer Stories?
You can listen to Scammer Stories on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Scammer Stories?
Scammer Stories is created and hosted by April.
URL copied to clipboard!