WhatsApp is part of our daily lives – and criminals know how to weaponise that trust.In this episode, Shari Vahl and the team hear how a devastatingly simple trick handed the keys for a Scam Secrets listener's WhatsApp account to a scammer. Along with expert linguist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood, Shari finds out what the hacker did next - and how an old friend was tricked into handing over money.As ever, there will be red flags waving to show you what to watch out for - and essential tips from our guest expert to keep your account secure.PRESENTER: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

WhatsApp is part of our daily lives – and criminals know how to weaponise that trust. In this episode, Shari Vahl and the team hear how a devastatingly simple trick handed the keys for a Scam Secrets listener's WhatsApp account to a scammer. Along with expert linguist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former criminal Alex Wood, Shari finds out what the hacker did next - and how an old friend was tricked into handing over money. As ever, there will be red flags waving to show you what to watch out for - and essential tips from our guest expert to keep your account secure. PRESENTER: SHARI VAHL PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

The WhatsApp Takeover

It might look like a perfectly ordinary message. It could come from someone you thought you trusted. Or it could be a phone call that catches you off guard. Whatever the method, the goal is the same. They want your money.But if you know their secrets, you can spot the red flags before it is too late.Shari Vahl, who has investigated fraud for the BBC for 20 years, is joined by the criminologist and forensic linguist, Dr Elisabeth Carter, and Alex Wood - a former criminal who now tries to stop scams - to dissect the shadiest techniques criminals use to steal your cash. In each episode, they dig deep into a different scam, with first-hand accounts from the people targeted, forensic analysis of the techniques and mind games being used - and even secret recordings of the scammers themselves. 
 
Scam Secrets will publish weekly from 31 July. Subscribe on BBC Sounds so you never miss an episode.
 
You can also email the Scam Secrets team - tell them which scams you want them to unpick: scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk

True Crime

It might look like a perfectly ordinary message. It could come from someone you thought you trusted. Or it could be a phone call that catches you off guard. Whatever the method, the goal is the same. They want your money. But if you know their secrets, you can spot the red flags before it is too late. Shari Vahl, who has investigated fraud for the BBC for 20 years, is joined by the criminologist and forensic linguist, Dr Elisabeth Carter, and Alex Wood - a former criminal who now tries to stop scams - to dissect the shadiest techniques criminals use to steal your cash. In each episode, they dig deep into a different scam, with first-hand accounts from the people targeted, forensic analysis of the techniques and mind games being used - and even secret recordings of the scammers themselves. Scam Secrets will publish weekly from 31 July. Subscribe on BBC Sounds so you never miss an episode. You can also email the Scam Secrets team - tell them which scams you want them to unpick: scamsecrets@bbc.co.uk

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The WhatsApp Takeover

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