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Global investigations from the BBC. Uncovering gripping stories from around the world and telling them episode by episode. Delve into a World of Secrets. 

Latest season: 

Somewhere in America, a twelve year old girl is being abused in her own home - photographs of it are being shared to a vast community of child abusers on the ‘dark web’ — an encrypted corner of the internet where users are untraceable. But, hidden amongst them, are two men whose job it is to try and find her: US Special Agents Greg Squire and Pete Manning. For over seven years, BBC Eye journalist Sam Piranty has been granted rare access to follow their work - observing the extraordinary lengths they will go to hunt down offenders and rescue children. Every detail matters, and every decision has consequences. They will not look away. The race is on. 

Also, previously on World of Secrets: 

The Child Cancer Scam: Millions of dollars are donated to help kids with cancer but families never see the money. 

Death in Dubai: A woman falls from a tower block and her name starts trending. But behind the online rumours lies an even darker reality. 

And the Abercrombie Guys: Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch.

World of Secrets

Somewhere in America, a twelve year old girl is being abused in her own home. Her abuser is sharing photographs of her with a vast community of child abusers on the ‘dark web’ — an encrypted corner of the internet where users are untraceable. But, hidden amongst the paedophiles, are two men whose job it is to try and find her: US Special Agents Greg Squire and Pete Manning. For more than seven years, BBC Eye journalist Sam Piranty was granted rare access to follow their work, observing the extraordinary lengths they will go to hunt down offenders and rescue children. Every detail matters, and every decision has consequences. They will not look away. The race is on. 

Season 11 of World of Secrets, The Darkest Web, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service.

The Darkest Web: Trailer

After never receiving the money raised in their children’s name, mothers are finally confronting the scammers and demanding answers. 

Now is the time to ask why. Where is the money? 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model. 

World of Secrets will be back with gripping new investigations in 2026.

The Child Cancer Scam: 6. The calls

The investigation into why millions of dollars promised to families with sick children never reaches them moves to Israel. There we find misleading addresses and more questions than answers. Who is making these online campaigns which claim to help desperate parents? New ones keep appearing, but the story’s the same. 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: 5. The agency

A mother from Ukraine signs a contract, hoping that it will help her young daughter. Viktoriia has a brain tumour: her story is plastered all over social media despite her family’s request that the video they made isn’t shared. 

Olena says she wasn’t given time to read the contract properly. When we look more closely, it makes for shocking reading. Now she knows the truth, she wants to stop the scammers, agreeing to help us go undercover. 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: 4. The contract

A woman called Isabel pushes a little girl to send videos from her hospital bed. It’s part of a recruitment drive for sick children in Colombia to take part in campaigns. What does she know about the hundreds of thousands of dollars that appear to have been raised? It’s money the family never saw. Who was she working for, and what can she tell us about this scam? 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: 3. The recruiters

As videos of other sick children pleading for money are found online, we find out more about the man behind the camera. And it becomes clear that there’s a complex network of organisations registered in Israel, the United States and Canada, exploiting families who just need help. 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: 2. The director

Seven-year-old Khalil from the Philippines has cancer. His family hope making a campaign video might save him, because they desperately need help to pay for his treatment. But the shoot is demanding, exhausting. Khalil even has onions put in front of his eyes to make him cry. 

For his mother Aljin, it’s a last-ditch attempt to help her son. But despite following every demand made by a “foreign sponsor”, she’s told the video doesn’t make any money. 

Season 10 of World of Secrets, The Child Cancer Scam, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the child depicted is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: 1. The video

Your child is critically ill with cancer. It’s the worst news you can get. But to make the situation even more awful, you struggle to afford the care they need. So, when someone tells you a foreign sponsor can help raise the money, you’ll do anything. 

You make a video: your child begs for help from strangers online. But it comes to nothing. You wait and wait for the cash from the donations. It never comes, and all the while your child is fighting for their life. 

In this World of Secrets podcast from the BBC World Service, BBC Eye uncovers the shocking truth. 

Released from 15th December. 

Please note, the show image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.

The Child Cancer Scam: Trailer

An undercover meeting with the pimp we’ve been investigating for two years. And a chase from Dubai to the UK to get answers. Back in Uganda, Monic’s family have been waiting for this moment. 

This episode includes discussion of suicide and some disturbing events. 

Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.

Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation, produced in association with Thread Studios, for the BBC World Service. 

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.

If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org 

For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse, or with feelings of despair, are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. 
 
Here’s a link to the BBC Eye documentary film, which we recommend you watch after listening to this podcast: https://bit.ly/bbcdeathindubai

If you are in the UK, you can watch on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n12t256jg

Death in Dubai: 6. The deal

The story behind the viral Dubai Porta Potty rumours and why, even in death, Monic became the subject of an online witch hunt. Meanwhile we go undercover – are we getting closer to Monic’s boss? And a breakthrough in the quest to find where she is buried. 

This episode includes discussion of disturbing events, including sexual abuse and violence. It also contains racist language.

Presented by investigative journalist Runako Celina.

Season 9 of World of Secrets, Death in Dubai, is a BBC Eye investigation for the BBC World Service, produced in association with Thread Studios.

Please note, the image is being used for illustrative purposes only and the person depicted in it is a model.

Audio for this episode was updated on 22nd September 2025.

If you feel distressed by the references in this story, please speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support such as Befrienders Worldwide. www.befrienders.org 

For UK listeners, details of organisations offering information about or support after sexual abuse, or with feelings of despair, are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline. 
 
Here’s a link to the BBC Eye documentary film, which we recommend you watch after listening to this podcast: https://bit.ly/bbcdeathindubai 

If you are in the UK, you can watch on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n12t256jg

The Darkest Web: Trailer

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