{"podcast":{"title":"The Perfect Scam","slug":"the-perfect-scam-550137","podcast_index_feed_id":550137,"rss_url":"https://perfectscam.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://www.aarp.org/podcasts/the-perfect-scam","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/f/c/8/3fc806ad839b4351/PS_01_Compressed.jpg","author":"AARP","episode_count":322,"summary":"AARP's weekly podcast The Perfect ScamSM tells the stories of people who find themselves the target of a scam. Host Bob Sullivan introduces listeners to those who have experienced scams firsthand, as well as professional con artists and leading experts who pull back the curtain on how scammers operate.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-12T14:18:45.797194+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-perfect-scam-550137"},"episode":{"title":"Crossed Wires: Utility Scams Target Consumers","slug":"crossed-wires-utility-scams-target-consumers","published_at":"2026-05-15T04:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-perfect-scam-550137/crossed-wires-utility-scams-target-consumers","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-perfect-scam-550137","url":"https://perfectscam.libsyn.com/crossed-wires-utility-scams-target-consumers","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/perfectscam/tps_s24_ep255_Utility_Scam_final_mix_3.mp3?dest-id=684119","summary":"Fed up with the rising cost of electricity, Steve shops around and switches to a new provider in his Boston neighborhood. The process is simple, and Steve thinks the matter is settled until a week later, when he receives a call from his previous provider claiming he is in danger of having his electricity cut off. Steve initially dismisses it as a scam, but the caller seems to know all about his recent switch. What follows is an hours-long back-and-forth, with Steve passed between agents posing as representatives from two power companies. Frustrated and angry, Steve ultimately buys $900 worth of gift cards in the hope of keeping his electricity flowing. This sophisticated scam is one of a number of scams involving utility companies threatening to cut off basic services. Monica Martinez, the executive director for Utilities United Against Scams, shares tips on how to spot utilities-related scams. To learn more about utility scams, visit: aarp.org/utilityscams","meta_description":"Fed up with the rising cost of electricity, Steve shops around and switches to a new provider in his Boston neighborhood. The process is simple, and Steve…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3035,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-perfect-scam-550137/episodes/crossed-wires-utility-scams-target-consumers/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-perfect-scam-550137/crossed-wires-utility-scams-target-consumers.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}