PRETEND
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PRETEND
PRETEND is an investigative true crime podcast about real people who lie for a living — con artists, scammers, and the victims caught in their web. Hosted by journalist Javier Leiva, PRETEND exposes the human psychology behind deception and fraud. Each episode follows a real case of manipulation —...
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304 эпизодов
Introducing Season Seven of Nobody Should Believe Me
Introducing Season Seven of Nobody Should Believe Me. Andrea revisits the case of Maya Kowalski—the story at the center of the Netflix film Take Care...
I Beg Your Pardon part 3
You know that little bottle of 5-Hour Energy sitting on the counter of almost every gas station in America? Someone was faking it. Millions of bottles...
I Beg Your Pardon part 2
Twelve days. That’s how long David Gentile spent in federal prison for a $1.8 billion fraud that wiped out the retirement savings of 17,000 people.
I Beg Your Pardon part 1
Jerry Bush was a plumber from Virginia with fourteen employees, a wife battling cancer, and a business his father built from nothing. When a big const...
Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Revisited
CONTENT WARNING: Graphic content. Listener discretion is advised.
Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey — Revisited
Update on “The Hand That Held Me”
I want to share a quick update about the "Hand That Held Me" series.
Due to some recent developments, I’ve made the decision to postpone...
The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited
We conclude one of the most disturbing series ever covered on this podcast. Here are parts 3 and 4 of the Pests.
Learn more about...
The Pests part 1 & 2 Revisited
This week, we're revisiting one of the most terrifying series ever produced for PRETEND. It's about a gang-stalking internet group known as The Pests....
2505: State of Corruption: The School That Didn't Exist
Look, I'm not anti-private school. You want your kid to learn in an environment that matches your beliefs? Cool. To each their own. But should your ne...
Introducing Everything They Missed
Hey guys, it's Javier here with a new recommendation! I've come across a true crime podcast that I just had to share with you all. It's called 'Everyt...
2504: How to Spot a Fake ICE Agent
Criminals have been impersonating ICE agents, using fake badges to rape, rob, kidnap, and terrorize communities across America. These imposters have c...
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming Part 3
Patreon supporter Kenito Wills joins Javier to break down the finale of the "Didn't See It Coming" series.
They talk through Susanne Wils...
Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)
The sting is set. The bait is in place. Six skeptics are logged into a Zoom call, pretending to be grieving siblings. They've paid $1,400 for a privat...
Listener's Reactions: Didn't See It Coming part 2
Patreon supporter Christine Harnos (not the Star Trek actress, the other one) joins Javier to break down Part 2 of the "Didn't See It Coming" series b...
2502: Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)
In Part 1, we watched skeptic Susan Gerbic dissect a celebrity psychic's cold reading techniques. But cold reading is the little leagues of the psychi...
Listener's Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1
Longtime Patreon supporter Rebecca Catalfu joins Javier to unpack her firsthand experience going undercover at Matt Fraser's psychic readings.
<...
2501: Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)
Skeptic Susan Gerbic invited PRETEND inside one of her psychic sting operations. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we go inside "Operation Gobble G...
2408: PRETEND Live AMA
PRETEND's first live YouTube AMA, co-hosted by Patreon supporter Katie Watson. The conversation covers listener questions about the making of PRETEND,...
2407-Licensed to Kill Revisited
A Montana oncologist allegedly treated patients for cancer they never had and made millions doing it. We're re-releasing our two-part investigation in...
2406: The Real Life Grinch
'Tis the season for true crime chaos! Hosts Kristen Seavey from Murder, She Told, Javier Leiva from PRETEND, and Shaun from Sins & Survivors join forc...
Bonus Episode: Listener Reaction - Matthew Fenner vs. Ted Bell
This bonus episode features Kim, a Patreon supporter who connected with the Matthew Fenner story...but not for the reasons you might expect.
2405: The Prophet: Matthew Fenner vs Ted Bell
What happens when the person responsible for prosecuting your case seems more interested in protecting your attackers? Matthew Fenner has been asking...
Off Script: Pretend, Murder She Told & Sins and Survivors Spill the Tea (BONUS)
Join hosts Javier from Pretend, Kristen Seavey from Murder She Told, and
Shaun from Sins and Survivors for a special holiday crossover episode...
2404: Open Enrollment, Open Season for Scammers
This is the story of Simple Health Plans, a $150 million health insurance scam that preyed on desperate Americans and left thousands buried in medical...
2403: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 3
Harry spent nearly two years believing the woman he loved was dying of brain cancer. He stood by her for every surgery, organ failure...None of it was...
Listener Reaction: The Cancer Sympathy Machine (BONUS)
In this bonus episode, Ali, one of my longtime Patreon supporters, reached out after listening to the Cancer Sympathy Machine series.
Ali...
2402: The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 2
Why would anyone fake cancer?
Money? Sure.
Attention? Definitely.
But as I learned in this episode… the motives...
The Cancer Sympathy Machine part 1
Some people fake cancer for sympathy. Others do it for money. But the truth is darker than most of us want to believe.
In t...
Dakota Spotlight: Meanwhile in Mankato
On PRETEND, we tell stories about people who build false identities and hide the truth in plain sight. This week, we are featuring a case that fits ri...
2309: From Smallville to NXIVM: The Psychology Behind Allison Mack
Smallville's Allison Mack is out of prison, and she's finally talking.
What was NXIVM, and how did Allison Mack become a high-ranking mem...
Bonus: The Psychology Behind Parasocial Relationships (Cracks in the Fandom)
This bonus episode is a chance to step back and make sense of everything that just unfolded in Cracks in the Fandom. If you listened to the series, yo...
The Hypnotist - Alien Abductions
Alien abductions.Hundreds of people say it’s happened to them.They’re not looking for fame or attention.Some keep it a secret...haunted by memories th...
The Haunted Tourist
It’s Day 2 of my Halloween Marathon, and today we’re diving into The Haunted Tourist.
I’m joined by Brandon Schexnayder, host of Southern...
The Real Vampires
Hey, it’s Javier. Quick update: Meghan Walsh, the subject of my Cracks in the Fandom series, has filed copyright complaints on every major platform. A...
2304: Cracks in the Fandom part 4
Important Update on “Cracks in the Fandom”Meghan Walsh, the subject of my latest series, filed a copyright infringement claim with all major podcast p...
2303: Cracks in the Fandom part 3
Cracks in the Fandom — Part 3 (Edited Copyright Cut)PRETEND: Stories about real people pretending to be someone they’re not
Michelle Ivey...
2302: Cracks in the Fandom part 2
Meghan Walsh says she is being stalked by three people. One of them is Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. Sounds impossible, right?
...
2301: Cracks in the Fandom part 1
🎧 NEW SERIES: “Cracks in the Fandom”
What would you do if you thought your favorite celebrity was stalking you?
That’s exa...
2210: The High School Hoax Update
A 32-year-old woman enrolled herself in three Boston high schools and passed as a teenager. She sat in classrooms, made friends with freshmen, and eve...
2209: The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea
Breaking news in the stalker case: Rick Fernandez has pleaded guilty to harassment. Instead of facing trial, he admitted responsibility for a new wave...