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 stories that reveal how manipulation shapes modern life, both online and off.


PRETEND is produced by Creative Babble, LLC.


© 2026 Creative Babble LLC


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True Crime
Technology
Society & Culture
1
Chain of Command part 2
29 min
2
The Raid | From Deep Cover: The Family Man
36 min
3
Chain of Command part 1
36 min
4
Operation Cockblock Revisited
52 min
5
The Greatest Podcast Episodes Ever Made (Bonus)
43 min
6
I Beg Your Pardon part 6: The MAGA Granny
45 min
7
I Beg Your Pardon part 5
26 min
8
I Beg Your Pardon part 4
23 min
9
Introducing Season Seven of Nobody Should Belie...
61 min
10
I Beg Your Pardon part 3
32 min
11
I Beg Your Pardon part 2
37 min
12
I Beg Your Pardon part 1
35 min
13
Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Revisited
39 min
14
Update on “The Hand That Held Me”
0 min
15
The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited
75 min
16
The Pests part 1 & 2 Revisited
59 min
17
2505: State of Corruption: The School That Didn...
36 min
18
Introducing Everything They Missed
31 min
19
2504: How to Spot a Fake ICE Agent
29 min
20
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming Part 3
15 min
21
2503: Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)
40 min
22
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming part 2
23 min
23
2502: Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)
29 min
24
Listener Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1
24 min
25
2501: Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)
36 min