PRETEND – Details, episodes & analysis

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PRETEND

Creative Babble, LLC

True Crime

Technology

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/11d. Total Eps: 324

PRETEND 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 why deception works without shaming victims, combining ethical journalism with cinematic storytelling. Featured in lists of the best podcasts about con artists and scams, PRETEND investigates crimes of persuasion, trust, and betrayal. New episodes drop regularly with stories that reveal how manipulation shapes modern life, both online and off. PRETEND is produced by Creative Babble, LLC. © 2026 Creative Babble LLC [CLAIM:B6BT3XC4]

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https://www.advertisecast.com/CriminalConduct
6 shares
https://www.advertisecast.com/Pretend&nbsp
5 shares
https://www.podcastpundits.com/
4 shares

https://www.patreon.com/pretendradio
12 shares
https://www.patreon.com/cw/pretendradio
8 shares
https://patreon.com/CriminalConductPodcast

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RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 84%

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BONUS: How Doctors Diagnose Medical Child Abuse

Season 27

Saturday, October 3, 2026 • Duration 35:16

How does a doctor actually decide that a parent is making their child sick? Dr. John Melville is a child abuse pediatrician, president of the Ray E. Helfer Society, and one of the people who helped write the board exam that certifies child abuse pediatricians. In this bonus episode, he walks me through how medical child abuse is diagnosed. He explains the difference between Munchausen by proxy, factitious disorder imposed on another, and medical child abuse. And he answers the criticism that child abuse pediatricians are self-appointed experts who took a short course and now override the specialists who know the patient best. He also talks about what happens when he's wrong, in either direction, and about the myth that a child who's been abused is broken forever. Dr. Melville has cerebral palsy, which affects his speech. He asked me to mention it up front. Note: I didn't ask Dr. Melville about Gypsy Rose Blanchard, and he hasn't studied her case. He speaks here only about his own work, and for himself, not for any organization. Written and hosted by Javier LeivaTheme music by Joe Basile, thechicken.net © 2026 Creative Babble Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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BONUS: Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Partner Ken Urker Has Died

Season 27

Saturday, October 3, 2026 • Duration 15:01

Ken Urker, Gypsy Rose Blanchard's partner and the father of their daughter, Aurora, died on October 1, 2026, his 34th birthday. The sheriff is still investigating, and no official cause of death has been released. Gypsy has said publicly that she believes it was an overdose, and that she doesn't know whether it was intentional or accidental. Throughout The Gypsy Rose Obsession, Gypsy told me that Ken was struggling with relentless online harassment. The night he died, she texted me three words: "They killed him." In this bonus episode, I talk about what we know so far, who Ken was to Gypsy, what the research says about online harassment, and why I'm worried about Aurora and Gypsy. Whatever you think about Gypsy, a little girl lost her dad this week. Before you post about a real person, remember that a real person is reading it. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Learn more: https://thisispretend.com/blog/gypsy-rose-ken-urker-death/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PRETEND – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

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Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

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PRETEND – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other95

Patreon19

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other95

Patreon19

Spotify36