PRETEND
Creative Babble, LLCPRETEND 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... more
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 340 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | True CrimeTechnology | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
Skeptic Susan Gerbic invited PRETEND inside one of her psychic sting operations. In Part 1 of this three-part series, we go inside "Operation Gobble Gotcha," a Thanksgiving sting targeting celebrity psychic Matt Fraser. Susan and her team of voluntee... more
PRETEND's first live YouTube AMA, co-hosted by Patreon supporter Katie Watson. The conversation covers listener questions about the making of PRETEND, behind-the-scenes stories, and what's coming next.
Highlights include: how Javier knows when a sto... more
A Montana oncologist allegedly treated patients for cancer they never had and made millions doing it. We're re-releasing our two-part investigation into Dr. Thomas Weiner, plus a brand new interview with whistleblower Dr. Randy Sasich on what's happe... more
'Tis the season for true crime chaos! Hosts Kristen Seavey from Murder, She Told, Javier Leiva from PRETEND, and Shaun from Sins & Survivors join forces to explore Christmas crimes gone horribly wrong.
From a bath salts-fueled home decorator in subu... more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- I have to do a title?
I was enjoying listening to this podcast until an ad came on today that made me feel sick. If my listening to this podcast pays for those ads to be played, then I’m out. Stop normalizing murder and making it sound as though it is pain-free and risk free. It harms everyone involved, most especially the victim. Stop making it sound like it’s as easy and harmless as women just getting their teeth whitened. See ya wouldn’t be ya
Apple Podcasts1Don’t Murder
United Statesa month ago - Fantastic!
Such a great storyteller!!!
Apple Podcasts5MrsGinaGioUnited Statesa month ago - Can’t support your advertiser.
Hate to be that person but will not support your advertiser for abortion services, which are illegal in the state of Texas. It’s a small thing, but it’s my stand.
Apple Podcasts1KingsDaughUnited States2 months ago Aborting babies should never be an advertisement
Podcast Addict12 months agobucktoothzombie- Obsessed
So good!
Apple Podcasts5lpearlmomUnited States2 months ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #178 | United States/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #177 |  Canada/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #217 |  Australia/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #235 |  Italy/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #118 |  Philippines/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #141 |  Russia/True Crime |
Talking Points
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Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About PRETEND
What is PRETEND about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This podcast presents a gripping exploration of deception and fraud, focusing on the lives of con artists and the victims they ensnare. Each episode investigates real-life cases that reveal the intricacies of human psychology behind lies, manipulation, and scams, ranging from elaborate financial frauds to emotional cons. With a commitment to ethical journalism, the host guides listeners through engaging narratives that reveal how deception affects individuals and society, without placing blame on those deceived. The storytelling is likely to intrigue true crime enthusiasts and those interested in understanding the mechanics of trust and betrayal in everyday life, making it a compelling listen.
Where can I find podcast stats for PRETEND?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for PRETEND. 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 PRETEND and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does PRETEND get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for PRETEND, 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 PRETEND?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for PRETEND, 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 PRETEND have?
To see how many followers or subscribers PRETEND 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 PRETEND?
These podcasts share a similar audience with PRETEND:
1. Nobody Should Believe Me
2. The Opportunist
3. Scamfluencers
4. Swindled
5. Betrayal: Weekly
How many episodes of PRETEND are there?
PRETEND launched 9 years ago and published 340 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 PRETEND?
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 PRETEND?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for PRETEND 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 PRETEND?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of PRETEND. 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.
What guests have appeared on PRETEND?
Recent guests on PRETEND include:
1. Scott Warwick
2. Dr. Fareed Fata
3. Matthew Fenner
4. Bill Petrich
5. Elizabeth Tekkenbrock
6. Trey Renee
7. Michelle Ivey
8. Meghan Walsh
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.