306 Episodes

  1. 1701: The Doula part 1

    Published: 4/22/2024
  2. Confessions of a Ponzi Schemer

    Published: 4/9/2024
  3. The Treasure Hunter Revisited

    Published: 4/2/2024
  4. How to find people who don’t want to be found

    Published: 3/26/2024
  5. 1609: The Truth Experts part 2

    Published: 3/19/2024
  6. 1608: The Truth Experts part 1

    Published: 3/12/2024
  7. 1607: The Fake Lawyer

    Published: 3/5/2024
  8. 1606: The Grave Detector (Junk Science Bonus)

    Published: 2/20/2024
  9. 1605: The Stalker - Case Closed

    Published: 2/15/2024
  10. 1604: The Grave Detector part 3

    Published: 2/13/2024
  11. 1603: The Grave Detector part 2

    Published: 2/6/2024
  12. 1602: The Grave Detector part 1

    Published: 1/30/2024
  13. 1601: The High School Hoax (Shelby Hewitt)

    Published: 1/23/2024
  14. 1510: How to Disappear Revisited

    Published: 1/16/2024
  15. 1509: The One Who Got Away - Revisited

    Published: 1/2/2024
  16. 1508: The Christmas Con

    Published: 12/24/2023
  17. 1507 - The Stalker - It Will Never End (part 18)

    Published: 12/12/2023
  18. 1506: The Maury Povich Olive Lady

    Published: 12/5/2023
  19. 1504: The Red Collar Killer part 2

    Published: 11/28/2023
  20. 1503: The Red Collar Killer part 1

    Published: 11/21/2023

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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]