Scam Secrets

Being sent a shiny new phone when you weren't expecting one sounds great - but it most likely isn't. In this episode, the Scam Secrets team investigate mobile handset fraud - a widespread scam whereby criminals gain access to your telecoms account, then order new phones or tablets once inside. Shari Vahl, Elisabeth Carter and Alex Wood hear from two listeners who thought they were dealing with their mobile provider, only to find out they'd become the latest victims of this manipulative scam. There's also a glimpse into the criminals' techniques thanks to the recording of one of them in action.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

What's the name of your first pet? If a question like that holds the key to your email inbox, it might be time to beef up your security. In this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood talk about why our emails are so valuable to scammers, and hear some of the terrible things criminals will do if they can get inside. From booking a holiday to intercepting the proceeds of a house sale, they've got plenty of options. The team is also joined by Ollie Whitehouse, chief technology officer for the National Cyber Security Centre, to talk about the latest ways to keep your inbox secure. Ollie explains why the NCSC thinks it's time to move on from passwords, and explains the technology of passkeys, which he believes are now the safest option.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Your relative is in the grip of a scam. You can see it - but they can't. Would you know what to do?
It's a situation you never want to find yourself in. And if you do, it can be hard knowing where to turn and how to help.
This episode is inspired by the emails we've received from people whose friends and relatives are being scammed.
With the help of two experts who deal with this question every day - one from a bank, the other from the police - Shari, Lis and Alex set out to offer listeners a 'toolkit' of things to do in this horrible scenario.
They cover how to contact a victim's bank, tips on breaking the spell that the criminals have laid, and what the police will try to do to help.
Let us know your experience, and what else you want Scam Secrets to cover - scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Do you scan QR codes? Since Covid, they've become embedded in many aspects of our lives. But perhaps we're a bit too trusting of them.
On this episode, Shari Vahl, Dr Lis Carter and Alex Wood hear how criminals are finding different ways to exploit those little black and white squares.
Two Scam Secrets listeners give their experience - Les, who scanned a QR code while trying to pay for parking on a trip to the coast - and Keith, who used a QR scanner app he'd downloaded to try to buy a classic car book.
Both of them ended up with criminals taking money from their bank accounts in monthly chunks.
Professor Filipo Sharevski of DePaul University has studied the malicious use of QR codes. He tells Scam Secrets how they're increasingly used in emails to disguise phishing links - a technique known as quishing.
Prof Sharevski also describes his experiments testing the public's willingness to scan QR codes when they're out and about. You might think twice next time you encounter one.
Remember you can get in touch with the programme and tell us about the scame you want us to investigate - scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

What really happens when you report a scam?
In this special episode, Shari takes a trip behind the scenes at the fraud reporting service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For years, this was called Action Fraud - and victims often complained about the way they were dealt with when they tried to report what had happened to them.
Since the start of the year, there's been a new system in place. It's called Report Fraud, and the people in charge say it's a totally different operation.
So we went to check it out. With total losses from fraud estimated at well over a billion pounds last year, and scammers constantly evolving their techniques using the latest technology, there's never a quiet day.
Shari meets call handlers and victim support officers who are on the front line speaking to vulnerable victims, police officers trying to shut down scam sites - and puts listener questions to the overall boss of Report Fraud.
For this episode, she's joined by Professor Mark Button from Portsmouth University, a fraud specialist who has researched the experience of fraud victims in the UK.
PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY