Heists, Scams & Lies
The Crime DeskDavid Ames was a twice-bankrupt double-glazing salesman from Basildon with dreams of building a Caribbean property empire. His company, Harlequin, promised ordinary investors luxury resort properties at bargain prices – their slice of paradise and financial security.
Over nearly a decade, more than 8,000 people handed over £400 million. Many bet their entire pension pots on Ames' vision.
But behin... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 9 | Founded | 6 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | True Crime | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
It’s 2008 and business is booming at Harlequin. But Ames is spending investor money at an alarming rate – on pirate ships, imported sand, even plans for a private airline. Meanwhile, construction at Buccament Bay is spiralling into chaos. Builders va... more
A balmy evening in 2009. Steel drums, champagne, and celebrity endorsements. David Ames – a twice-bankrupt salesman from Essex – unveils his vision: Caribbean paradise resorts where ordinary people can own property for just £1,000. With backing from ... more
David Ames was a twice-bankrupt double-glazing salesman from Basildon with dreams of building a Caribbean property empire. His company, Harlequin, promised ordinary investors luxury resort properties at bargain prices – their slice of paradise and fi... more
With the chief suspect behind bars, some of their closest associates are ready to talk.
Gently, over the course of nearly a year, reporters George Odling and Andy Jehring follow a trail. Their enquiries eventually lead them to one person, who they ... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Hosts
Reviews
- Amazing
I loved this podcast so much that I listened every day
Apple Podcasts5Donut guy2025
United Kingdom3 months ago - Hope
Gee, I certainly hope those super rich people get their jewellery back.
Apple Podcasts3overbeay
New Zealand5 months ago - Smashing!
Thoroughly enjoyed this podcast. It gets better with each episode and it was fascinating to hear the twists, turns and revelations. Definitely worth a listen.
Apple Podcasts5Sausage754United Kingdom5 months ago - Brilliant from start to finish - is there going to be a follow up?
This series was genuinely excellent from start to finish, high quality, edge of your seat, investigative journalism presented by two really strong hosts. My only criticism is that I wanted the investigation to go further. Not really a criticism as such, more a polite request to PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE follow this story up when there’s some new information!
Apple Podcasts5Podman1987United Kingdom5 months ago - So far so good
I’ll change the rating as I listen to more episodes. May go up… or down yet
One other thing I’d like to say is. I don’t have one ounce of sympathy for anyone that owns that much jewellery. Think of all that money tied up in jewellery solely for the owners ego trip, that could instead be going to good charities in desperate need of funding.
I’ll never understand why certain people who already have more than enough, go onto hoard even more possessions while knowing others around them are suffe... more
Apple Podcasts4WoodyrobNew Zealand5 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #38 | United Kingdom/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #234 |  Australia/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #79 |  India/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #82 |  Finland/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #157 |  Israel/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #169 |  Sweden/True Crime |
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 Heists, Scams & Lies
What is Heists, Scams & Lies about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Focusing on major financial scams and heists, the content offers in-depth narratives surrounding various fraud cases, primarily centered on profound deception and its repercussions for unsuspecting victims. Each episode is likely to feature true crime storytelling that combines investigative journalism with interviews from those impacted by these frauds, experts, and industry insiders, helping listeners understand the emotional and financial turmoil caused by these criminal enterprises. Unique to this series is its emphasis on amplifying the voices of victims, providing a more human element to the often dry statistics of financial crimes. This approach not only explores the schemes themselves but also delves into the psychological impact on... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Heists, Scams & Lies?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Heists, Scams & Lies. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Heists, Scams & Lies and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Heists, Scams & Lies get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Heists, Scams & Lies, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Heists, Scams & Lies?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Heists, Scams & Lies, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Heists, Scams & Lies have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Heists, Scams & Lies has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Heists, Scams & Lies?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Heists, Scams & Lies:
1. Crime Next Door
2. The Trial: Australia Edition
3. Aftermath: Hunt for the Anthrax Killer
4. Stalked
5. British Scandal
How many episodes of Heists, Scams & Lies are there?
Heists, Scams & Lies launched 6 months ago and published 9 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 Heists, Scams & Lies?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Heists, Scams & Lies?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Heists, Scams & Lies from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Heists, Scams & Lies?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Heists, Scams & Lies. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.