That mysterious $1.99 charge from a company you've never heard of? It might be the most important line on your whole statement — a criminal "testing" your stolen card number before the big hit. In this episode, host Mark Sullivan turns you into a statement detective: how card numbers get stolen (usually through no fault of yours), what those tiny test charges really mean, the free "fraud alarm" you can set up in minutes, and your surprisingly strong legal protections — plus the key difference between credit and debit card fraud that most people don't know.

In this episode: data breaches, skimming, and "sucker" marketplaces explained, the small-test-charge early warning, how to read a statement line by line, free transaction alerts that buzz your phone the instant fraud hits, why credit cards protect you better than debit cards, and exactly what to do the moment you spot a charge you didn't make.

Note: Online Scams — Real Stories of Fraud and How to Identify a Scammer has no partnership, sponsorship, or financial relationship with any organization, bank, card company, or app mentioned in this episode. Mark Sullivan is not a financial advisor and this episode is not financial advice. Resources are shared purely for listener benefit.

• How card data is stolen — breaches, skimming, criminal marketplaces. Standard FTC and consumer-protection guidance on how payment card data is compromised and resold. FTC consumer education (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current wording before recording.
• Test charges as an early indicator. Criminals commonly run small "test" transactions to verify a stolen card is active before making larger purchases. Widely documented consumer-protection and card-industry guidance; confirm wording via consumer.ftc.gov or a card issuer's fraud-education page before recording.
• Credit card liability — $50 cap / zero-liability. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, liability for unauthorized credit card charges is capped at $50; most major issuers offer zero-liability policies. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current figures before recording.
• Debit card liability — tiered by reporting speed. Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, debit card liability depends on how quickly you report: up to $50 if reported within 2 business days, up to $500 if reported later (within 60 days of the statement), and potentially unlimited beyond that. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current figures and timeframes before recording.
• Protective tools — transaction alerts, fraud alerts, credit freezes. Free transaction alerts are offered by most banks/issuers; free fraud alerts and credit freezes are available through the three major credit bureaus. FTC consumer guidance (consumer.ftc.gov) and IdentityTheft.gov; confirm before recording.
• Older adults and financial fraud context. Older adults reported billions in fraud losses; statement monitoring and fast reporting are key mitigations. FTC "Protecting Older Consumers" report (ftc.gov); FBI/IC3 (fbi.gov).
• Reporting and recovery resources mentioned. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, consumer.ftc.gov, and IdentityTheft.gov. FBI: IC3.gov. AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline (free, non-members welcome).

"Congratulations! You've won!" — possibly the most expensive sentence in America. The prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scam is one of the oldest cons there is, and it has never stopped working because it preys not on fear, but on hope. In this episode, host Mark Sullivan reveals how the dream of a windfall becomes a trap, the cruel "sunk-cost" spiral that keeps victims paying fee after fee, and the single, never-fails detector that exposes every version instantly: a real prize never asks you to pay to collect it. Backed by FBI and FTC data.

In this episode: why this scam uses joy instead of fear, the "fees" that are really the entire con (taxes, customs, processing), how one payment turns into many, the "sucker list" that paints a target on victims' backs, and the magic-wand rule — if you have to pay to collect winnings, it's a scam, every time.

Note: Online Scams — Real Stories of Fraud and How to Identify a Scammer has no partnership, sponsorship, or financial relationship with any organization, sweepstakes, website, or app mentioned in this episode. Resources are shared purely for listener benefit.

• Older adults more likely to lose money to prize/sweepstakes/lottery scams. Older adults were much more likely than younger adults to report losing money on prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams (alongside tech support, romance, and government impersonation scams). FTC, "Protecting Older Consumers" report and FTC press releases (ftc.gov); CNBC summary (cnbc.com), Dec 2025.
• Sweepstakes and lottery scams as common threats to older citizens. Common scams targeting older citizens include romance, tech support, grandparent, government impersonation, sweepstakes and lottery, home repair, and TV/radio scams. FBI, "Scammers Target Older Adult Victims" (fbi.gov/news/stories/scammers-target-older-adult-victims).
• Mechanics — fees to "release" a prize, sunk-cost escalation, "sucker lists," and recovery scams. Reflects long-standing FTC consumer guidance on prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams (you never pay to collect a legitimate prize; you can't win a contest you didn't enter; payment via gift card/wire/crypto is a red flag; victims are re-targeted, including by recovery scams). FTC consumer education (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current wording before recording.
• Reporting resources mentioned. FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and consumer.ftc.gov. FBI: IC3.gov. AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline (free, non-members welcome).

Not every scam comes through a screen — some knock politely on your front door. The crew with "leftover asphalt" for your driveway. The roofer who "noticed" damage from the street. The free inspection that finds an expensive emergency. In this episode, host Mark Sullivan steps off the keyboard and onto the porch to break down the in-person home repair con — why it targets older homeowners, how it leans on our good manners, the dangerous "distraction burglary" version, and a simple, confident game plan for handling any unexpected knock. Includes guidance grounded in FBI and FTC consumer-protection resources.

In this episode: the driveway-paving and roof-repair classics, the cash-only / "let me drive you to the bank" red flag, why letting a stranger inside is a physical-safety risk, how to vet a real contractor (multiple written quotes, licensing, your own timeline), how to verify a "utility worker," and your permission slip — you can always say no at the door and never decide or pay on the spot.

Note: Online Scams — Real Stories of Fraud and How to Identify a Scammer has no partnership, sponsorship, or financial relationship with any organization, contractor, or service mentioned in this episode. Resources are shared purely for listener benefit.

• Home repair / contractor scams as a common threat to older adults. Common scams targeting older citizens include home repair and contractor scams, alongside romance, tech support, grandparent, government impersonation, and sweepstakes/lottery scams. FBI, "Scammers Target Older Adult Victims" (fbi.gov/news/stories/scammers-target-older-adult-victims).
• Door-to-door / home improvement scam tactics. Reflects standard FTC and state consumer-protection guidance: unsolicited offers, "leftover materials," pressure for same-day decisions, cash-only/upfront payment demands, unlicensed operators, and substandard or phantom work. FTC consumer education (consumer.ftc.gov); confirm current wording before recording.
• Distraction burglary / utility impersonation. Reflects law-enforcement and consumer-protection warnings about scammers posing as utility workers or contractors to gain entry or distract while an accomplice steals valuables. General police/consumer-protection guidance; confirm wording via a reputable source (e.g., consumer.ftc.gov or a state AG office) before recording.
• Vetting contractors — multiple quotes, licensing, verification. Standard FTC/consumer guidance on hiring legitimate contractors. consumer.ftc.gov; confirm before recording.
• Reporting resources mentioned. Local police (for theft or entry); state attorney general / local consumer protection offices (for contractor fraud); FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and consumer.ftc.gov. AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline (free, non-members welcome).