306 Episodes

  1. Birth of a Con Man (Revisited)

    Published: 7/20/2021
  2. The Hijacker (Revisited)

    Published: 7/6/2021
  3. PRETEND turns 4

    Published: 6/22/2021
  4. S710: The Sham vol. 1

    Published: 5/11/2021
  5. S709: The Liquor Guy

    Published: 4/27/2021
  6. S708: The Constable (Criminal Conduct)

    Published: 4/13/2021
  7. S707: The Lie Detector part 2

    Published: 3/30/2021
  8. S706: The Lie Detector part 1

    Published: 3/16/2021
  9. S705: The Word of Faith Fellowship Update

    Published: 3/2/2021
  10. S704: The Confident Woman

    Published: 2/16/2021
  11. S703: The Pharmacist

    Published: 2/2/2021
  12. S702: The Pill Mill

    Published: 1/19/2021
  13. S701: The Real Donnie Brasco

    Published: 1/4/2021
  14. S611: The Santa Claus Man (Rebroadcast)

    Published: 12/22/2020
  15. S610: The Party Crasher

    Published: 12/9/2020
  16. S609: The Treasure Hunter part 4

    Published: 11/25/2020
  17. S608: The Treasure Hunter part 3

    Published: 11/11/2020
  18. S607: The Treasure Hunter part 2

    Published: 10/30/2020
  19. S606: The Treasure Hunter part 1

    Published: 10/16/2020
  20. S605: The Inheritance

    Published: 10/2/2020

12 / 16

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 — from financial scams and Ponzi schemes to digital hoaxes and emotional cons. PRETEND explains how and why deception works without shaming victims, combining ethical journalism with cinematic storytelling. Featured in lists of the best podcasts about con artists and scams, PRETEND investigates crimes of persuasion, trust, and betrayal. New episodes drop regularly with stories that reveal how manipulation shapes modern life, both online and off. PRETEND is produced by Creative Babble, LLC. © 2025 Creative Babble LLC [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]