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 | 390 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | True CrimeTechnology | |||
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Latest Episodes
When I was eight months old, I pulled a rice cooker full of boiling water and oil off the kitchen counter, and it spilled down the left side of my body. I still have the third-degree burn scars, but I have no memory of it happening. So I booked a ses... more
Growing up Catholic in Miami, I heard all kinds of stories about Santeria. People talked about dead chickens on doorsteps, curses, and spirits taking over people’s bodies. Even the people who didn’t practice it all said the same thing: “I don’t belie... more
According to police, Shelbey Fernandez ran a stalking campaign for years. She used burner numbers, fake accounts and fake 911 calls. She asked Google how detectives trace a texting app, how long a burner number lasts, and whether police can tell when... more
A 19-year-old says members of his church held him down, choked him, and beat him for two hours, trying to cast out what they called his “homosexual demons.” That was in 2013. Thirteen years, a mistrial, and countless delays later, the minister accuse... more
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- New Shows?
I really enjoy Javier, but are there going to be any new shows, or is it just the Gypsy series for the foreseeable future?
Apple Podcasts5Montana Susie
United States9 days ago - New to Show
Just became a huge fan via Gypsy Rose series, then Chain of Command. Great storytelling and Javier has an intuitive nose to drill down into the core of a topic or person. Just love the show, been sharing it out the wazooo!
Apple Podcasts5BillyMacMasterUnited States9 days ago - Genius
Javier’s wit is fantastic and the way he balances both sides of the story is better than most
Highly recommend
Apple Podcasts5piggyd825United States12 days ago - Didn’t see it coming
So, there can be no possible way to consider yourselves having busted up psychics but not realizing all religions are the same bunch of nonsense.
Apple Podcasts1BellamammalUnited States14 days ago - Refreshing!
I normally don’t leave reviews, but after being a very long time listener, I was completely stunned to hear Javier gets one star reviews. Javier’s approach is different and refreshing and although I am not interested in some of his stuff, I ALWAYS listen. His character studies span a huge range of subjects and he is always respectful of those he interviews. He does his research and is transparent. I cannot recommend this show highly enough. Keep it up Javier!
Apple Podcasts5Fargo's FollyUnited States17 days ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #140 | United States/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #126 |  Canada/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #176 |  United Kingdom/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #129 |  France/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #188 |  Australia/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #192 |  Italy/True Crime |
Talking Points
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Audience Metrics
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Frequently Asked Questions About PRETEND
What is PRETEND about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Investigative true-crime storytelling centered on deception, manipulation, and the complicated lives of people caught in high-profile cases. Journalist Javier Leiva builds long-form narratives from interviews, court and public records, archival material, and ongoing reporting, often returning to a case across multiple episodes. The coverage examines not only alleged offenders and crimes, but also how abuse, media attention, online communities, and public judgment shape the people involved.
Leiva is the recurring host, with occasional guest-led reports and conversations featuring people directly connected to a case, journalists, content creators, and subject-matter experts. The approach is distinctive for weighing competing accounts and exp... more
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?
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What are the audience demographics for PRETEND?
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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. Johnathan Walton Media
4. Chameleon
5. Scamfluencers
How many episodes of PRETEND are there?
PRETEND launched 9 years ago and published 390 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. Susan Fenston
2. Gypsy Rose Blanchard
3. Andrew Barbari
4. Andrea Dunlop
5. Nancy Simpson
6. Sir Morbid X
7. Audacious Audrey
8. Fancy Macelli
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.