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
251
S507: The Prank Call part 3
38 min
252
S506: The Prank Call part 2
40 min
253
S505: The Prank Call part 1
47 min
254
S504: The Cousins part 2
46 min
255
S503: The Cousins part 1
46 min
256
S502: The Sugar Daddy part 2
47 min
257
S501: The Sugar Daddy part 1
30 min
258
S411: The Norco Bank Heist part 2
60 min
259
S410: The Norco Bank Heist part 1
49 min
260
S409: The Psychic Vampires
37 min
261
S408: The Psychic Kids (James Randi and Project...
37 min
262
S407: The Psychic Spy (featuring Uri Geller)
57 min
263
S406: The Bounty Hunter Part 2
40 min
264
S405: The Bounty Hunter Part 1
34 min
265
S404: The Soccer Mom
35 min
266
S403: The One Who Got Away
51 min
267
S402: The Shawcross Letters
45 min
268
S401: The Commander
28 min
269
S311: The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word...
What does being gay mean at the Word of Faith Fellowship?
34 min
270
S310: The Prophet – Matthew Fenner vs. the Word...
Who will take over the Word of Faith Fellowship when Jane Whaley is gone?
29 min
271
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
272
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
273
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
274
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
275
S305: The Prophet - Brazil and the Word of Fait...
Did you know that the Word of Faith Fellowship has nearly 2,000 members internationally? They have affiliate churches all over the world including Brazil, Sweden, Scotland, and other countries. I don’t get it. Why would Jane Whaley want to branch...
32 min