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
26
Chain of Command part 3
30 min
27
Chain of Command part 2
29 min
28
Chain of Command part 1
36 min
29
Operation Cockblock Revisited
52 min
30
The Greatest Podcast Episodes Ever Made (Bonus)
43 min
31
I Beg Your Pardon part 6: The MAGA Granny
45 min
32
I Beg Your Pardon part 5
26 min
33
I Beg Your Pardon part 4
23 min
34
I Beg Your Pardon part 3
32 min
35
I Beg Your Pardon part 2
37 min
36
I Beg Your Pardon part 1
35 min
37
Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Revisited
39 min
38
Update on “The Hand That Held Me”
0 min
39
The Pests part 3 & 4 Revisited
75 min
40
The Pests part 1 & 2 Revisited
59 min
41
2505: State of Corruption: The School That Didn...
36 min
42
Introducing Everything They Missed
31 min
43
2504: How to Spot a Fake ICE Agent
29 min
44
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming Part 3
15 min
45
2503: Didn't See It Coming (Part 3)
40 min
46
Listener Reaction: Didn't See It Coming part 2
23 min
47
2502: Didn't See It Coming (Part 2)
29 min
48
Listener Reaction: Didn't See That Coming Part 1
24 min
49
2501: Didn't See It Coming (Part 1)
36 min
50
2408: PRETEND Live AMA
63 min