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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 — 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 stor...

The Forensic Musicologist

30 mins; April 05, 2022

PRETEND's 100th Episode

45 mins; March 22, 2022

Javier Interviews a Serial Killer — Criminal Conduct Season 3

32 mins; March 08, 2022

The Business of Cults part 3

60 hours 44 mins; February 22, 2022

The Business of Cults part 2

45 mins; February 14, 2022

The Business of Cults part 1

41 mins; February 08, 2022

Bonus: Cons, Scams, and Flim-flams

43 mins; January 25, 2022

The KGB Agent

45 mins; January 11, 2022

The Truth About Santa

25 mins; December 24, 2021

The Hypnotist part 4 - Alien Abductions and Hypnosis

41 mins; December 21, 2021

The Hypnotist part 3 - Is hypnosis admissible in court?

51 mins; December 07, 2021

The Hypnotist part 2

41 mins; November 23, 2021

The Hypnotist part 1

53 mins; November 09, 2021

The Real Vampires

40 mins; October 26, 2021

Bonus: Michael plays air guitar

21 mins; October 12, 2021

The King of Lies

35 mins; September 28, 2021

The Ransomware Negotiator

38 mins; September 14, 2021

The Sovereign Man

36 mins; August 31, 2021

The Naked Sovereign Surgeon

51 mins; August 17, 2021

The Sovereign Citizen

42 mins; August 03, 2021

Birth of a Con Man (Revisited)

47 mins; July 20, 2021

The Hijacker (Revisited)

70 hours 33 mins; July 06, 2021

PRETEND turns 4

29 mins; June 22, 2021

The Sham vol. 1

35 mins; May 11, 2021

The Liquor Guy

30 mins; April 27, 2021

The Constable (Criminal Conduct)

42 mins; April 13, 2021

The Lie Detector part 2

49 mins; March 30, 2021

The Lie Detector part 1

47 mins; March 16, 2021

The Word of Faith Fellowship Update

74 hours 39 mins; March 02, 2021

The Confident Woman

30 mins; February 16, 2021

The Pharmacist

43 mins; February 02, 2021

The Pill Mill

44 mins; January 19, 2021

The Real Donnie Brasco

56 mins; January 04, 2021

The Santa Claus Man (Rebroadcast)

46 mins; December 22, 2020

The Party Crasher

42 mins; December 09, 2020

The Treasure Hunter part 4

48 mins; November 25, 2020

The Treasure Hunter part 3

61 hours 55 mins; November 11, 2020

The Treasure Hunter part 2

49 mins; October 30, 2020

The Treasure Hunter part 1

41 mins; October 16, 2020

The Inheritance

51 mins; October 02, 2020

How to disappear part 4

54 mins; September 18, 2020

How to disappear part 3

62 hours 11 mins; September 04, 2020

How to disappear part 2

44 mins; August 21, 2020

How to disappear part 1

41 mins; August 07, 2020

COVID-19 Scams: The Rattlesnake King

42 mins; June 16, 2020

COVID-19 Scams: How to Steal a Stimulus Check

36 mins; May 26, 2020

Inside Criminal Conduct

20 mins; March 16, 2020

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Criminal Conduct

2 mins; February 03, 2020

The Joe Schmo Show

59 mins; January 13, 2020

The Santa Claus Man

43 mins; December 17, 2019

The Prank Call part 4

34 mins; December 03, 2019

The Prank Call part 3

39 mins; November 19, 2019

The Prank Call part 2

41 mins; November 06, 2019

The Prank Call part 1

49 mins; October 23, 2019

The Cousins part 2

48 mins; October 08, 2019

The Cousins part 1

49 mins; September 24, 2019

The Sugar Daddy part 2

50 mins; September 10, 2019

The Sugar Daddy part 1

33 mins; August 27, 2019

The Norco Bank Heist part 2

63 hours 42 mins; July 30, 2019

The Norco Bank Heist part 1

52 mins; July 19, 2019

The Psychic Vampires

40 mins; July 03, 2019

The Psychic Kids (James Randi and Project Alpha)

41 mins; June 18, 2019

The Psychic Spy (featuring Uri Geller)

59 mins; June 05, 2019

The Bounty Hunter Part 2

43 mins; May 21, 2019

The Bounty Hunter Part 1

37 mins; May 07, 2019

The Soccer Mom

38 mins; April 23, 2019

The One Who Got Away

55 mins; April 09, 2019

The Shawcross Letters

47 mins; February 19, 2019

The Commander

31 mins; January 29, 2019

The Prophet Matthew Fenner vs. the Word of Faith Fellowship Cult Part 2

37 mins; December 04, 2018

The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word of Faith Fellowship Cult Part 1

31 mins; November 27, 2018

The Prophet – Inside the Mind of Cult Leader Jane Whaley

47 mins; November 20, 2018

The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whaley Part 3

45 mins; November 13, 2018

The Prophet - Meet Jane Whaley Part 2

54 mins; November 06, 2018

The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whaley Part 1

32 mins; October 30, 2018

The Prophet - Brazil and the Word of Faith Cult

34 mins; October 23, 2018

The Prophet - Allegations of Cult Abuse and Corruption

34 mins; October 16, 2018

The Prophet - Former Cult Members Speak Out

26 mins; October 09, 2018

The Prophet - Who is cult leader Jane Whaley?

34 mins; October 03, 2018

The Prophet - Word of Faith Fellowship Cult Revisited

62 hours 39 mins; September 27, 2018

The Hijacker, Part 2 - Martin McNally

43 mins; July 24, 2018

The Hijacker, Part 1 - Martin McNally

43 mins; July 17, 2018

The Jolly Roger Social Club

37 mins; July 03, 2018

Pretend Radio Anniversary Bonus Episode

38 mins; June 18, 2018

The Babalawo - Secrets of Santeria

46 mins; June 05, 2018

The Good Cop, Bad Cop

39 mins; May 21, 2018

The Stranger

34 mins; May 08, 2018

The Gambler Part 2 - Art Schlichter

21 mins; March 13, 2018

The Gambler Part 1 - Art Schlichter

21 mins; March 06, 2018

The Reporter - Vester Flanagan

27 mins; February 27, 2018

The Taker

26 mins; February 20, 2018

The Boy and the Girl

20 mins; February 13, 2018

The Snake Oil Salesman Part 2 - Curing Autism

26 mins; February 06, 2018

The Snake Oil Salesman Part 1 - Curing cancer & depression

25 mins; January 30, 2018

The Bigamist

33 mins; September 12, 2017

The Pretender Part 2 - Undercover FBI Agent Marc Ruskin

26 mins; September 04, 2017

The Pretender Part 1 - Undercover FBI Agent Marc Ruskin

19 mins; August 26, 2017

The Sculptor

23 mins; August 22, 2017

The Real Estate Agent - Part 2 - Todd Kohlhepp

22 mins; August 09, 2017

The Real Estate Agent Part 1 - Todd Kohlhepp

27 mins; August 08, 2017

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PRETEND

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