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
151
1411: The Lost and Found part 2 (Rudy Farias)
38 min
152
1410: The Lost and Found part 1 (Rudy Farias)
22 min
153
1409: The Shit Show (plus Stalker update)
27 min
154
1408: The Digital Pickpocket part 2
30 min
155
1407: The Digital Pickpocket part 1
24 min
156
1405: The Pests part 5
7 min
157
Criminal Conduct Season 4 - Getting Away with M...
27 min
158
1404: The Pests part 4
50 min
159
1403: The Pests part 3
31 min
160
1402: The Pests part 2
28 min
161
1401: The Pests part 1 (Gang stalking)
30 min
162
1311: The Stalker - Interview with the Doctor (...
29 min
163
1310: Love and Taxes (plus Stalker update)
39 min
164
1309: The Pale-Faced Lie part 2
16 min
165
1308: The Pale-Faced Lie part 1
26 min
166
1307: The Stalker - Fly on the Wall (part 15)
58 min
167
George Santos & The Harbor City Capital Ponzi S...
The Ponzi Playbook - New podcast from Javier Leiva and Neal McTighe
40 min
168
1305: The Stalker - In Time You'll Get the Trut...
17 min
169
1304: The Cuban Spy part 2
27 min
170
1303: The Cuban Spy part 1
28 min
171
1302: The Real Catch Me If You Can - The Promis...
18 min
172
1301: The Real Catch Me If You Can part 9 (update)
47 min
173
1215- The Proxy part 2
33 min
174
1214- The Proxy part 1
29 min
175
S1213: The Stalker part 13 (The Arraignment)
20 min