Pretend
Deep psychological dives into con artists and fraudsters — the why, not just the what.
Podcasts Like Pretend
If you loved Pretend, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Fraud, White-Collar Crime, Organised crime shows.
Why listeners love Pretend
Pretend fills a gap between true crime and social psychology — it's not about blood, it's about belief, and why we want to trust people who are lying to us.
Binge Factor
7/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Verdict
Worth a listen
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like Pretend
Anatomy of a Scam
Explains how scams work in Australia and who runs them.
Hunting Warhead
CBC/Vice's award-winning investigation into the international hunt for a dark web child abuse network.
The Missing Cryptoqueen
BBC journalist Jamie Bartlett tracks down Dr Ruja Ignatova, who persuaded millions to invest in OneCoin before vanishing without a trace.
Sweet Bobby
Tortoise Media's definitive account of a years-long catfishing scheme — one of the most-discussed UK true crime podcasts of the decade.
The Retrievals
True crime fans interested in medical crime, systemic bias, and the treatment of women in healthcare; essential for anyone who has ever been dismissed by a doctor.
The Lazarus Heist
BBC World Service investigates North Korea's billion-dollar state-sponsored hacking operation.
British Scandal
The obvious companion to American Scandal — a season-by-season anthology of Britain's biggest political and institutional scandals.
Scam Factory
Wondery investigates people tricked into working at scam call centres in Myanmar under armed guard — the trafficking operation behind the messages you dismiss as spam.
I Am Not Nicholas
BBC Studios tracks Nicholas Rossi, a man accused of sexual assault who spent years evading justice by claiming to be someone else entirely.
Catch and Kill: The Podcast Tapes
Ronan Farrow's raw tapes from the Weinstein investigation — including what NBC refused to broadcast.
The Clearing
Amanda Knox and Jon Ronson examine cult psychology through the prism of Knox's own experience.
Crime Story
CBC's Kathleen Goldhar brings journalistic integrity and a conversational edge to white-collar scandals, high-profile trials, and under-the-radar Canadian stories.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretend (original) | — | United States | 7/10 |
| Anatomy of a Scam | Serialized | Australia | — |
| Hunting Warhead | — | Canada | 9/10 |
| The Missing Cryptoqueen | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| Sweet Bobby | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| The Retrievals | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Lazarus Heist | — | United Kingdom | 8/10 |
| British Scandal | Serialized | United Kingdom | 8/10 |
| Scam Factory | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to Pretend?
The best alternatives to Pretend are podcasts that share its Fraud, White-Collar Crime, Organised crime focus and compelling format. We've matched alternatives based on case types, storytelling format, and community ratings from our database.
Why do people love Pretend?
Pretend is known for its compelling approach to Fraud and White-Collar Crime. It scores 7/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it.
Where can I listen to Pretend?
Pretend is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.