The Guardianly Podcast on Scam Education
Technology alone isn’t enough. Education is just as important. That’s why we’ve created this series: to bring real scam stories to life — stories that are sometimes shocking, sometimes heartbreaking — but always full of lessons you can use to protect yourself and your loved ones. Find more on our YouTube channel.
Ep.1: The Global Pandemic of Online Scams
Scams are everywhere — from suspicious phone calls to deceptive text messages and online fraud. In this episode, we dive deep into why scams have exploded worldwide, how fraudsters trick even the smartest people, and what steps you can take today to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Ep.2: The Celebrity Impostor
Romance scams are among the most heartbreaking — and costly — frauds today. In this episode, we tell the true story of Rita, a 66‑year‑old woman from Montana who was manipulated into believing she had found love with a celebrity impersonator. Over months of emotional grooming, she was persuaded to send nearly $90,000 before discovering the devastating truth.
Ep.3: The $1 Million Romance Scam
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She had it all — a thriving career running the radiology department at a Connecticut hospital, close friends, and nearly $1 million saved for retirement. But when Jackie turned to online dating in search of love, she found herself swept into a years‑long scam that cost her everything.
Ep.4: The $14,000 Microsoft Support Scam Close Call
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Sometimes, the scam finds you — even when you think you are reaching out for help. In this episode, Garrett and Lila share the true story of a Washington, D.C., couple who thought they were calling Microsoft support. Instead, they reached a convincing con artist who staged a fake "sting operation" to trick them into transferring $14,000.
Ep.5: How an 81 Year Old Became a Money Mule​
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What happens when a scam victim is pulled so deep into the web of lies that they cross the line — from victim to accomplice? In this episode, we share the powerful true story of Glenda Seim, an 81-year-old widow from Missouri. After falling for a romance scam, Glenda unknowingly became a "money mule," helping criminals move over $500,000.
Ep.6: The Wrong Number Text That Cost $260,000
It all started with a simple "wrong number" text. In this episode, we share the shocking true story of a California man who replied to an unexpected message — and was slowly drawn into a sophisticated crypto scam that cost him over a quarter of a million dollars.
Ep.7: The $300,000 Gold Coin Microsoft Scam
A 73-year-old woman in Washington lost $300,000 in a Microsoft tech support scam with a shocking twist: instead of wires or crypto, the scammers convinced her to buy gold coins and hand them to a courier.
Ep.8: The $1.8 Million IRS Impersonation Scam
A 77-year-old woman lost $1.8 million in an IRS impersonation scam that began with a fake Amazon support call. This true story shows how scammers escalate, impersonating multiple trusted organizations to pressure victims into draining their life savings.
Ep.9: When AI Stole My Daughter’s Voice
An Arizona mother got a terrifying phone call: her 15-year-old daughter had been kidnapped. She could hear her daughter sobbing, crying, begging for help. But the voice wasn’t real - it was an AI-generated clone, part of a new and frightening scam trend.
Ep.10: $30,000 Lost at a Bitcoin ATM
A 76-year-old man in Massachusetts thought he was protecting his money. Instead, he was tricked into withdrawing $30,000 in cash and depositing it into a Bitcoin ATM at a gas station, convinced by scammers that it was an “FDIC machine” to keep his funds safe.
Ep.10: You Won $8 Million?
An 82-year-old Florida woman thought she had hit the jackpot: an $8 million Mega Millions prize. The caller even “paid off” her credit cards — payments that her banks confirmed as real. But the checks were fake, and soon she was on the hook for thousands.