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.


© 2025 Creative Babble LLC


[CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]

True Crime
Technology
Society & Culture
226
S508: The Prank Call part 4
33 min
227
S507: The Prank Call part 3
38 min
228
S506: The Prank Call part 2
40 min
229
S505: The Prank Call part 1
47 min
230
S504: The Cousins part 2
46 min
231
S503: The Cousins part 1
46 min
232
S502: The Sugar Daddy part 2
47 min
233
S501: The Sugar Daddy part 1
30 min
234
S411: The Norco Bank Heist part 2
60 min
235
S410: The Norco Bank Heist part 1
49 min
236
S409: The Psychic Vampires
37 min
237
S408: The Psychic Kids (James Randi and Project...
37 min
238
S407: The Psychic Spy (featuring Uri Geller)
57 min
239
S406: The Bounty Hunter Part 2
40 min
240
S405: The Bounty Hunter Part 1
34 min
241
S404: The Soccer Mom
35 min
242
S403: The One Who Got Away
51 min
243
S402: The Shawcross Letters
45 min
244
S401: The Commander
28 min
245
S311: The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word...
What does being gay mean at the Word of Faith Fellowship?
34 min
246
S310: The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word...
Who will take over the Word of Faith Fellowship when Jane Whaley is gone?
29 min
247
S309: The Prophet – Inside the Mind of Cult Lea...
In a secret recording, Jane Whaley admits withholding a child sexual abuse allegation because of penitent privilege.
46 min
248
S308: The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whale...
The world first learned about the Word of Faith Fellowship cult after an Inside Edition exposé  in 1995. The investigation, led by the Trinity Foundation, revealed accusations of abuse within the church.  Watch the Inside Edition story:...
43 min
249
S307: The Prophet - Meet Jane Whaley Part 2
Previously on Pretend Radio, I came face-to-face with pastor Jane Whaley of the Word of Faith Fellowship. When I arrived, we met in her office for a few minutes before the church service began. I was surprised by everyone's friendliness. Suddenly, the...
51 min
250
S306: The Prophet - Meet Cult Leader Jane Whale...
As far as I know, I'm the first journalist who has ever interviewed pastor Jane Whaley. Heck, I might be the only member of the media to have attended church service. How was I able to pull this off? The short answer is, I have no idea. In fact, when...
30 min