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


[CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]

True Crime
Technology
Society & Culture
226
S607: The Treasure Hunter part 2
45 min
227
S606: The Treasure Hunter part 1
38 min
228
S605: The Inheritance
48 min
229
S604: How to disappear part 4
51 min
230
S603: How to disappear part 3
59 min
231
S602: How to disappear part 2
42 min
232
S601: How to disappear part 1
38 min
233
S512: COVID-19 Scams: The Rattlesnake King
39 min
234
S511: COVID-19 Scams: How to Steal a Stimulus C...
34 min
235
Inside Criminal Conduct
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236
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Criminal Conduct
2 min
237
S510: The Joe Schmo Show
57 min
238
S509: The Santa Claus Man
42 min
239
S508: The Prank Call part 4
33 min
240
S507: The Prank Call part 3
38 min
241
S506: The Prank Call part 2
40 min
242
S505: The Prank Call part 1
47 min
243
S504: The Cousins part 2
46 min
244
S503: The Cousins part 1
46 min
245
S502: The Sugar Daddy part 2
47 min
246
S501: The Sugar Daddy part 1
30 min
247
S411: The Norco Bank Heist part 2
60 min
248
S410: The Norco Bank Heist part 1
49 min
249
S409: The Psychic Vampires
37 min
250
S408: The Psychic Kids (James Randi and Project...
37 min