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, an and based in the United States, 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. [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]
| Title | Date published | ||
| The Hypnotist - Alien Abductions | 2025-11-01 | ||
| The Haunted Tourist | 2025-10-31 | ||
| The Real Vampires | 2025-10-30 | ||
| 2304: Cracks in the Fandom part 4 | 2025-10-28 | ||
| 2303: Cracks in the Fandom part 3 | 2025-10-21 | ||
| 2302: Cracks in the Fandom part 2 | 2025-10-14 | ||
| 2301: Cracks in the Fandom part 1 | 2025-10-06 | ||
| 2210: The High School Hoax Update | 2025-09-30 | ||
| 2209: The Stalker: Rick Fernandez’s Guilty Plea | 2025-09-23 | ||
| 2208: The Monster | 2025-09-16 | ||
| 2208: State of Corruption: Ohio part 2 | 2025-09-09 | ||
| 2207: State of Corruption: Ohio part 1 | 2025-09-02 | ||
| The Real Donnie Brasco - FBI Case File Review | 2025-08-28 | ||
| 2205: Who’s Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey Part 18: The 911 Caller | 2025-08-19 | ||
| 2204: Who's Afraid of LaDonna Humphrey part 17 | 2025-08-12 | ||
| "Nobody Should Believe Me" — When the Advocate Is the Abuser | 2025-08-05 | ||
| 2203: The Playwright part 3 | 2025-07-29 | ||
| 2202: The Playwright part 2 | 2025-07-22 | ||
| 2201: The Playwright part 1 | 2025-07-15 | ||
| BONUS: The Digital Trail to Epstein’s Island | 2025-07-09 |