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
101
1901: The Return of the Stalker
30 min
102
1816: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 16
50 min
103
1815: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 15
38 min
104
1814: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 14
36 min
105
LADONNA BONUS: A Swing and a Miss
19 min
106
1813: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 13
31 min
107
1812: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 12
41 min
108
1811: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 11
56 min
109
1810: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 10
27 min
110
1809: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 9
45 min
111
1808: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 8
35 min
112
1807: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 7
38 min
113
1806: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 6
29 min
114
1805: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 5
40 min
115
1804: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 4
26 min
116
1803: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 3
44 min
117
1802: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 2
33 min
118
1801: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 1
38 min
119
TRAILER: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey
11 min
120
1705: Hockey Dad Poses as Delta Force Agent to ...
41 min
121
1704: Hockey Dad Poses as Delta Force Agent to ...
32 min
122
1703: The Doula BREAKING NEWS
6 min
123
1702: The Doula part 2
35 min
124
1701: The Doula part 1
26 min
125
Confessions of a Ponzi Schemer
The Timepiece Gentleman (Anthony Farrar) on the Ponzi Playbook
47 min