Podcast suggestions - scams, hoaxes and cults

[greenplantsandtrees]

I've got a long drive ahead of me at the weekend (15 hour round trip) and looking for some good podcast recommendations!

I loved Scamanda (about a woman who faked a cancer battle) and I have enjoyed most of Something was wrong (largely about women who were victims of romance fraud or toxic relationships).

I like true life stories and preferably like the ones where there's a resolution (the person gets caught etc) rather than unexplained/unsolved. Not a fan of blood or gory detail.

So wonder if anyone has any suggestions - anything to do with Frau, scams, cults, hoaxes etc? Would love to get a bunch of stuff queued up on Spotify to listen to.

Thanks!

A very British cult is a great one as is Filthy Ritual.

Sweet Bobby - about a catfish scam that ran for several years

The lady vanishes is excellent. About a woman from Australia who disappeared decades ago. Sounds like her partner killed her. But the twists are crazy.

The Dream - about pyramid schemes

Believe in Magic - sounds a bit like your Scamanda (which I will check out!).

Dirty John - everyone's heard of this by now but if you haven't heard the podcast it's just fabulous.

Carrie Jade Does Not Exist, although no real conclusion to the story

Sweet Bobby. It’s so insane I wonder did I dream it!

I enjoy "Was I in a cult?" on Spotify. It's individuals talking about their time in various cults. Both the hosts have their own background of involvement with cult groups. They like to keep it light (there's a disclaimer at the start about their approach so I guess they've come under some fire for this) but obviously some cults are more disturbing than others. Generally hugly eye opening. Plus there's loads of episodes for your playlist!

Just read your caveat properly! There's nothing gory really but a couple of the cults are quite upsetting - Children of God for example were just terrible terrible people.

A different subject but I've heard a few episodes of "Normal gossip" and it's also immensely compelling. People write to the hosts to tell them about local gossip they've been involved with. Sounds like it's going to be rubbish but I got sucked in very quickly

I've listened to that one - loved it!!!

The Cult Vault

What about twin flames? That is wild!

I loved sweet Bobby too

This was an interesting one I recently listened to on BBC sounds
The Disciples

It's a few years old but Fake Heiress on BBC Sounds is great fun to listen to. Way better than the Netflix version of the Anna Sorokin story.

The witch trials of JK Rowling is good (listening at the moment)

Also, on BBC Sounds, 'Real Survival Stories' is also good. It's about people going overboard on ships, getting trapped under ice etc.

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford is good.

The dropout. I’ve just finished watching the TV series and want to listen to the podcast now as it was fascinating .

This is my go-to when I'm stuck for something to listen to - I just re-listen to this one. The narrator's voice is great.

There's one on BBC Sounds with Vicky Pattison I think it's called Love Bombed. Not normally my cup of tea, but I enjoyed it. Very short episodes though so you end up listening to a lot of intros.

I like v similar and love Swindled, it's corporate crimes and scams, chancers etc. It is brilliant!

Swindled is brilliant. I love the narrator’s deadpan delivery too.

There’s also several series of ‘Something Was Wrong’, some of which aren’t very good but other series where you go ‘wtaf?’.

The ‘Anthony Godby Johnson’ episode of Swindled was jaw-dropping.

Conspirituality

Behind the Bastards

Threadless

QAnon Anonymous

Back to the Vax

All vvv good.

Several series of American Scandal deal with cults. I love American Scandal in general - also really love British Scandal with Alice Levine and Matt Forde which is much funnier. But as far as I remember they've never done a cult series. Lots of other interesting scandals, though, I thoroughly recommend it!

Hoaxed is good. Also a New Zealand based podcast called ‘The Commune’. ‘Unfollow by Megan Phelps Roper about her leaving her family cult and absolutely heartbreaking and not for the faint hearted is ‘Vishal’ about a child disappearance. It’s not in the category you mentioned but it’s so shocking and well told.