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 | Weekly | Episodes | 378 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | True CrimeTechnology | |||
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Latest Episodes
Gypsy Rose Blanchard thought no one was listening.
For years, everything she said from inside Chillicothe was being recorded. Now it's public. More than five hundred hours of it.
Some of those recordings broke through on social media, because on th... more
"I didn't f---ing get my own f---ing mother murdered just so I could live for everybody else."
That is Gypsy Rose Blanchard on a recorded prison line, saying the quiet part out loud. She had taken the plea and could never be tried again, so she let ... more
There are people online right now who don't believe Dee Dee Blanchard had Munchausen by proxy. Some of them don't believe Munchausen by proxy is a real thing at all. So if the abuse wasn't real, how do you explain the feeding tube, the shaved head, t... more
According to the anti-Gypsy camp, they've found it. The smoking gun. Gypsy Rose Blanchard has a rare genetic disorder, a microdeletion on chromosome 1, and depending on who you ask online, that one word explains the feeding tube, the leukemia, the pa... more
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- I always come back to this Podcast
I work from home and I absorb a lot of investigative podcasts. I love content about quirky/different stories that can unfold as the narrative of the podcast is forming. I also love subjects where stories turn into places you didn’t expect. Time and time again I keep coming back to PRETEND. Javier’s storytelling is one of the most natural I’ve heard and I love how I feel like he’s telling me, personally, a crazy story over a few long coffee chats. I’ve loved The Stalker series, LaDonna and curren... more
Apple Podcasts5Harryhausen
United Kingdom2 months ago - I wait with baited breath for the Truth to be brought out, as a start I feel he may do this the just
So for once, as lovely Nancy from @thetollpodcast, I will reserve all judgement u til this whole month long series comes out…. I know this may be in vain, however, I can’t wait and hopefully he will follow this addressing the new Prison calls ?
Be blessed guys 1 I know we all are thinking this could be another fluff piece , but pls I know , give it time - he may explain even why he is addressing this the way he is .. for just the beginning ❤
Furthermore,
My psychiatric professor (student MH ... more
Apple Podcasts3ckprankin30United Kingdom2 months ago It was a good podcast but now there's a ad break every 5 to 10 minutes and it's the same ad I can't handle that crap
Podcast Addict12 months agoBeardedRingo- The work is done with care in every aspects
Rigorous, diligent , empathetic work; journalism, communication and approaches. Always very surprising and informative episodes and series. Thank you
Apple Podcasts5COBOU21
Canada3 months ago - FAVORITE PODCAST IN WORLD
Genuinely nothing like it, my mom played the Ladonna series in the car on a 17 hour road trip, we listened to the whole thing together and i still relisten to the ladonna series at least twice every year :) Love ur show Javier, and im excited for everything thats to come!
Apple Podcasts5JanieJello
United States3 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 | #126 | United States/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #98 | Canada/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #167 | United Kingdom/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #136 |  Australia/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #101 |  Philippines/True Crime |
Apple Podcasts | #114 |  Switzerland/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?
PRETEND is an investigative true-crime series focused on real people who lie for a living—con artists, scammers, and the victims caught in their wake. Each episode blends thorough reporting with cinematic storytelling to unpack how deception operates, from financial schemes and phishing to social engineering and manipulation. The host, a journalist known for rigorous interviewing and balanced framing, guides conversations with insiders, victims, and experts to illuminate the psychology of persuasion without shaming those harmed. Across seasons, the show stands out for its ethical approach, storytelling variety (long investigations and stand-alone episodes), and its willingness to examine systemic harms behind complex scams and high-control ... 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. Chameleon
4. Johnathan Walton Media
5. Scamfluencers
How many episodes of PRETEND are there?
PRETEND launched 9 years ago and published 378 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?
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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. Audacious Audrey
2. Kira Dineen
3. Fancy Maselli
4. Christie Blanchard
5. Nick Godejohn
6. Andrea Dunlop
7. Gypsy Rose Blanchard
8. Shelby Danielle Fernandez
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.