306 Episodes

  1. 1914: BONUS: Grapes, Grifts, and Gavel

    Published: 12/26/2024

  2. 1913: The Christmas Con Revisited

    Published: 12/24/2024

  3. 1912: BONUS: Affirmative Pretend Bullsh**

    Published: 12/23/2024

  4. 1911: Love and Taxes Revisited

    Published: 12/18/2024

  5. 1910: The Maury Povich Olive Lady - Revisited

    Published: 12/11/2024

  6. 1909: The Woman Who Almost Stole Graceland

    Published: 12/3/2024

  7. BONUS: How to Spot a Con Artist on the First Date and When to Walk Away

    Published: 11/26/2024

  8. 1908: LaDonna's Surrogates part 4

    Published: 11/19/2024

  9. 1907: LaDonna's Surrogates part 3

    Published: 11/12/2024

  10. 1906: LaDonna's Surrogates part 2

    Published: 11/5/2024

  11. 1905: LaDonna's Surrogates part 1

    Published: 10/29/2024

  12. 1904: The White Collar Support Group

    Published: 10/22/2024

  13. 1903: The Naked Surgeon Revisited

    Published: 10/15/2024

  14. 1902: The Greatest Footballer Who Never Played

    Published: 10/8/2024

  15. 1901: The Return of the Stalker

    Published: 10/1/2024

  16. 1816: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 16

    Published: 9/24/2024

  17. 1815: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 15

    Published: 9/17/2024

  18. 1814: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 14

    Published: 9/10/2024

  19. LADONNA BONUS: A Swing and a Miss

    Published: 9/3/2024

  20. 1813: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 13

    Published: 8/27/2024

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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]