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: [email protected]