Rephonic
Artwork for Chameleon
Gretchen Whitmer
FBI
Alkaline Diet
Wolverine Watchmen
Social Media
Vincent Richardson
Domestic Terrorism
Michigan
Amina Arraf
Tom Mcmaster
Fraud
Miracle Ranch
Colton Harris-Moore
Cancer
Arab Spring
Campside Media
True Crime
Law Enforcement
Robert Young
LGBT Rights

We are living in a golden age of deception. It feels like everyone has an angle and that, everywhere you turn, someone’s trying to scam you. Chameleon is a new weekly show from veteran journalist Josh Dean (co-creator and host of The Clearing, Hooked, White Devil, and the original Chameleon season, Hollywood Con Queen) that takes you inside an incredible, stranger-than-fiction story about someone—... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes91Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
True CrimeDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Chameleon

Latest Episodes

Jacob Kingston wanted money, status and the approval of his family. Then he met a charismatic Armenian oil tycoon called The Lion. What began with a deal over a shipment of stranded biofuel turned into a sprawling billion dollar scam where religious ... more

When Mike Shannon was nine years old, he was told that his father had died fighting the Germans at the Battle of El Alamein. Michael’s father hadn’t died at all. He’d been a successful novelist and, quite possibly, a spy. We follow one journalist dow... more

A British band called The Zombies had a smash hit single in America with ‘Time of the Season’ in the late 60s. Shortly afterwards, four handsome Texans hit the road pretending to be the Zombies. This is the unbelievable true story of rock’s most braz... more

The views from New York's luxury high-rise apartments can be spectacular. And the higher up you go, the more exclusive, and expensive the properties become. An artist became obsessed with those views, and the hidden world hiding behind them. She just... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Daniel Ralston
Writer and zombiesologist who researched and discussed the Fake Zombies story
Independent writer / BuzzFeed article author
Episode: REVISITED: The Undead Tour: How The Fake Zombies Fooled America
Andi Schmied
Artist and architect
Budapest, Hungary (based); worked globally
Episode: A View To Deceive: An Artist Goes Undercover To Expose The Uber Rich
Arthur Rapkin
Milwaukee's colourful life subject and raconteur
Episode: The Artist of Cons: The Unbelievable but Totally Real Life of Milwaukee’s Most Interesting Man
Javier Leiva
Journalist and host of Pretend
Pretend podcast
Episode: Lie in The Sky: Is Frank Abagnale Jr's story too good to be true?
Max Marshall
Journalist who covered the Sidney Gilstrap-Portley story
Dallas Morning News / Campside Media
Episode: Big Man on Campus: The Hoops Phenom Who Tried High School Twice
Randy Waldron Jr.
Subject of the story, portrayed as the con artist in question
Self-described worker in aviation industry (fraudulent claims)
Episode: The Wannabe Pilot: Fish Swim, Birds Fly, and Randy Lies
Brad Rosenberg
Former friend and colleague who helped expose Randy
Former friend, airplane enthusiasts community
Episode: The Wannabe Pilot: Fish Swim, Birds Fly, and Randy Lies
Sarah Herbert
Chameleon listener turned activist who highlighted pipe-cleaner cat story; participant in investigation
Individual listener featured and contributor to the story
Episode: For The Love Of Dogs: The Scam Shelters Abusing Animals For Clicks
Meg Jkwe
American living in Uganda, founder/secretary of Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda
Animal Welfare Alliance Uganda
Episode: For The Love Of Dogs: The Scam Shelters Abusing Animals For Clicks

Host

Josh Dean
Host of Chameleon; lead interviewer and narrative guide.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 13.2k ratings
  • Great show

    Great reporting in digestible bites.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    drnikkog
    United Kingdom12 days ago
  • Inviting

    The stories are Interesting. On my ‘Play next’ list. It’s a good choice for many reasons. I’m not AI. I’m truthful. It’s good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Susan's Library
    United Statesa month ago
  • Stop supporting United Health Care

    I looove this show. The show is amazing. I hate the ads by United Health Care though. They are the worst of the worst and every time you play that sickening ad where they say they care about people it makes me want to turn your show off. I leave this review so you know that ad is ruining this show. It doesn’t fit. Surely you can get better more ethical advertisers. Please don’t support such a corporation. They don’t care about people they only care about money. Your show cares about people a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    JenJen StarWalker
    United Statesa month ago
  • Excellent

    Great storytelling

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jeffwinstead
    United Statesa month ago
  • A Must Listen

    Engaging, thoughtful and well constructed. I look forward to these!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JenT.
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback often highlights production quality and engaging, posture-focused investigations; some criticism exists around repetition in a few episodes.
Many commend the host's interviewing skill and the show's ability to weave diverse topics into cohesive narratives.
Overall reception skewed positive with admiration for investigative rigor and survivor-centered storytelling.
Listeners praise high-quality storytelling, thorough research, and strong host delivery.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#105
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#98
Canada/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#221
United Kingdom/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#181
Australia/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#202
France/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#242
Germany/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Big Man on Campus: The Hoops Phenom Who Tried High School Twice
Q: How did a grown man manage to pass as a high school student and date a teenage girl without being detected?
The reporting reveals a combination of homelessness narrative, lax truancy monitoring, and a media landscape hungry for a compelling story, along with an individual who leveraged documentation and perception to appear younger than his actual age for a period of time, before the truth surfaced through investigations.
Memoir Mystery: The Blockbuster True Story That Maybe Wasn't True At All
Q: How do you respond to criticism about the integrity of memoirs?
There is a delicate balance between artistic license and factual truth.
Memoir Mystery: The Blockbuster True Story That Maybe Wasn't True At All
Q: What do you think about Rainer Wynn's method of storytelling?
Emotionally compelling despite potential inaccuracies.
The Barefoot Bandit: Catch Him If You Can
Q: Why do you think you should do motivational speaking?
He believes that he has a lot of relevant experiences to share that others can learn from.
The Barefoot Bandit: Catch Him If You Can
Q: What did you honestly have to offer beyond the wild stories of your crimes?
Colton Harris-Moore answered that he thinks he has exceptional abilities for planning and executing high-stakes objectives, which people can relate to.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Chameleon

What is Chameleon about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly true-crime and documentary series that uncovers elaborate cons, scams, and impostor stories from across different industries. Each season weaves investigative journalism with survivor and eyewitness perspectives to reveal how deception works at scale—from cult leadership and money laundering to identity fraud and high-profile frauds in sports, media, and politics. Episodes are meticulously researched, often feature first-person accounts from victims and investigators, and combine archival audio with on-the-ground reporting. A standout quality is the show's knack for turning complex schemes into compelling, character-driven narratives that emphasize human impact and accountability. The show frequently explores how communities, insti... more

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How many listeners does Chameleon get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Chameleon?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Chameleon:

1. The Binge Cases: Doctor Billions
2. The Binge Crimes: What Happened to the Harrisons?
3. Scamfluencers
4. Park Predators
5. Dark Downeast

How many episodes of Chameleon are there?

Chameleon launched 6 years ago and published 91 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Chameleon?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Chameleon?

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What guests have appeared on Chameleon?

Recent guests on Chameleon include:

1. Daniel Ralston
2. Andi Schmied
3. Arthur Rapkin
4. Javier Leiva
5. Max Marshall
6. Randy Waldron Jr.
7. Brad Rosenberg
8. Sarah Herbert

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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