Scamfluencers
Media & Entertainment Podcasts
You never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? From Black Swan Murder to a fake social media influencer to an audacious Hollywood Ponzi schemer, each season will take the listener along the twists and turns, the impact on victims, and what’s left when the facade falls away.
New episodes come out every Monday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ or on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.
Location:
United States
Description:
You never really know someone…especially online. In today’s world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world’s most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery’s new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? From Black Swan Murder to a fake social media influencer to an audacious Hollywood Ponzi schemer, each season will take the listener along the twists and turns, the impact on victims, and what’s left when the facade falls away. New episodes come out every Monday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers. Listen ad-free on Wondery+ or on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription.
Language:
English
Episodes
Stephen Glass: Bad News
5/6/2024
Stephen Glass is a rising star in the ’90s magazine journalism world, breaking provocative stories that his editors love. But some find the stories too fantastical to believe. When he finally gets a close edit, the scope and scale of his scam will be stranger than fiction.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:44:33
Listen Now: The Price of Paradise
5/5/2024
When ex-Bunny girl Jayne Gaskin spots the desert island of her dreams for sale online, she decides to risk it all. Trading in their English village home, Jayne and her family relocate to their own private paradise, just off the coast of Nicaragua. And a reality TV crew follows them to film a new show, No Going Back. But soon they all discover that paradise has its secrets. The locals claim the island belongs to them, and it’s been sold illegally. Jayne’s not leaving without a fight. A fight that will soon turn deadly.
Hosted by Alice Levine.
Listen to The Price of Paradise on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/the-price-of-paradise/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:06:48
Game. Set. Scam.
4/29/2024
Grigor Sargysan turned the tennis world on its head by masterminding a global match-fixing scheme. He rallies underpaid players in fast cash, and spins authorities out with a scheme so carefully crafted, he becomes known as The Maestro. But international law enforcement agencies are watching and waiting to serve their ace.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:37:11
Listen Now: How I Built…Liquid Death
4/23/2024
Have you ever wondered how some of the biggest companies were built? On the podcastHow I Built This, host Guy Raz talks to the founders behind the world’s biggest companies and brands to learn the real stories of how they built them. How I Built This with Guy Raz is a master-class on innovation, creativity, leadership and how to navigate challenges of all kinds.
Follow How I Built This on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen toHow I Built This early and ad-free right now on Wondery plus. Wondery.fm/IFD_HIBT
For more deep dive and daily business content listen to Wondery– the destination for business podcasts. With shows like How I Built This, Business Wars, The Best One Yet, Business Movers and many more, Wondery means business.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:04:41
Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 2
4/22/2024
Leona Helmsley’s perch atop the world of Manhattan real estate is threatened by federal tax evasion charges. Her trial gives all the people she bullied a chance to hit back. With her dirty laundry aired out for all to see, the Queen of Mean is served her just desserts. But as she soldiers on without her beloved Harry, Leona will have terrible trouble defending her riches, and her heart.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:42:50
Leona Helmsley: The Art of the Steal Part 1
4/15/2024
Leona Helmsley escapes Depression-era poverty by marrying billionaire real estate magnate Harry Helmsley. She takes over his Manhattan hotels and declares herself Queen of the Palace, then earns a royal reputation for berating, bullying, and firing employees at the drop of a hat. But when her tax bills come into question, everyone who’s worked under Leona gets their pitchforks ready to take down the Queen of Mean.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:44:27
Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too
4/8/2024
Sandy Jenkins moves to the gossipy, small town of Corsicana, Texas to work in the town’s world-famous fruitcake factory. Desperate to keep up with his cliquey neighbors, Sandy starts cutting fruitcake factory checks to pay for jewelry, cars, a second home and private jet trips. But this half-baked scheme starts to crumble when a new employee takes a closer look at how Sandy cooks the books.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:40:16
Listen Now: The Big Flop
4/5/2024
The Wing was supposed to be a model for feminist social clubs, built on activism, inclusion, and self-care. But instead, The Wing became a glaring example of toxic girlboss culture and workplace discrimination. On each episode of Wondery’s podcast The Big Flop, comedians join host Misha Brown to chronicle one of the biggest pop-culture fails of all time and try to answer the age-old question: who thought THIS was a good idea?
This is just a preview of The Big Flop. Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or at wondery.fm/the-big-flop.
For more deep dive and daily business content listen to Wondery – the destination for business podcasts. With shows like How I Built This, Business Wars, The Best One Yet, Business Movers and many more, Wondery Means Business.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:04:23
The Cell(phone) Block Tango
4/1/2024
After a daring bank robbery, Arthur Cofield winds up behind bars as a teenager. But prison doesn’t put an end to his life of crime. Instead, it only emboldens him. From his cell, he becomes the head of a powerful criminal syndicate that targets the bank accounts of billionaires. But when Arthur gets a little too brazen, the authorities realize they know exactly where to find him: He’s already in custody.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:37:23
Dial M for Mom
3/25/2024
When ex-cop Chris Butler opens a private investigation agency, he recruits some unlikely employees: good-looking soccer moms. His agency starts garnering tons of positive press and even gets a reality T.V. deal. It all seems too good to be true, but Butler is hiding a dirty secret. Pretty soon, his P.I. agency will become the subject of a different kind of investigation – this time, by the Department of Justice.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:38:53
ENCORE: Wine Crime
3/18/2024
The so-called “super-taster” is back at it again. In this re-run about the wine world’s most infamous fraudster, we revisit the story of Rudy Kurniawan. Using his extraordinary tasting skills, Rudy’s able to gain influence and rake in serious cash. But when wine aficionados start to suspect Rudy’s been lying, they blow the cork off one of the industry’s juiciest scandals.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:43:12
ENCORE: Coachella Con Artist
3/11/2024
With the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on the horizon, we’re revisiting an epic Coachella scam. This encore episode follows a wealthy, glamorous and mysterious business woman looking to cash in on the California dream. When she announces her latest project — a luxury resort she plans to build in the desert — she quickly nets millions of dollars. There’s just one problem: Her dazzling property is nothing more than a mirage.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:38:35
ENCORE: The Book Bandit
3/4/2024
The mystery thickens in this rerun about a puzzling phishing scam. When some of the biggest authors, publishers, and agents in the world become targets, it throws the industry into chaos – and turns everyone involved into an amateur detective. Rumors about the scammer’s identity – and motives – abound. And as the scammer gets bolder, his targets become determined to crack the mystery wide open.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:44:38
The King of Good Times
2/26/2024
Vijay Mallya loves racing cars and partying hard – and being an heir to a multi-million dollar empire makes it easy to do both. When Vijay takes over his father’s company, he doubles down on its beer brand, launches a glamorous airline, and buys a Formula 1 racing team. He becomes a hometown hero and an inspiration to many people in India – until they discover that his victories are coming at their expense.
This episode contains a reference to suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:42:51
The Shark Tank Charlatan
2/19/2024
Nate Holzapfel is a natural salesman. When he goes on the television show “Shark Tank” in 2012, he wows investors with his line of ratchet-style belts, which he claims are “like a giant zip tie for your pants.” His company takes off, but Nate still isn’t satisfied – he wants to live even larger. That’s when he decides to take on a much darker business venture: defrauding the most powerless people he can find.
This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence and assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assualt and would like to speak with an advocate who is trained to help, the U.S. National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached at 1-800-656-HOPE.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:41:38
Death Becomes Him
2/12/2024
Alexandre Despallieres gets to live out his lifelong fantasy of recording a pop song when he’s just 19 years old. He thinks it’s his chance to achieve everything he’s always wanted, including music industry stardom. But when the single falls flat, Alexandre will have to find other ways of becoming rich and famous – even if it means lying, committing crimes, and swindling the wealthy benefactors who fall in love with him.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:44:33
The Solar-Powered Scammer
2/5/2024
When Jeff Carpoff starts a business making portable solar generators, it becomes an instant hit among big corporations, Hollywood studios, and deep-pocketed investors. They think they’re getting a good deal on green energy – and a huge tax credit to go along with it. But Jeff’s clients don’t realize that he’s been playing them. And when he flies too close to the sun, it’ll blow the fuse on his whole operation.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:42:55
Rebecca: A Real Showstopper
1/29/2024
When Louise Forlenza sees a production of “Rebecca” in Europe, she knows she wants to be the one to bring it to America. But she and her co-producer are going to need major cash to put on a Broadway musical. They put all their hopes in a mysterious angel investor, but when he turns out to be too good to be true, their show risks going up in flames.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:40:59
The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa Giudice
1/22/2024
Teresa Giudice learns from her Italian-born parents that the most important thing in life is family. When she starts a family of her own with her long-time lover, Joe, he does everything he can to give her the American dream — including fabricating tax documents and taking out phony loans. When Teresa joins the cast of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, her stardom rises with a flip of a table. But once she’s in the spotlight, she’ll have to answer for her over-the-top lifestyle.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:44:29
Martha Stewart: The Homemaker Hustler Part 2
1/15/2024
In the summer of 2003, Martha Stewart is indicted for obstruction of justice and lying to investigators. She stubbornly maintains her innocence and vows to fight the charges, but her cover-up falls apart during a messy and humiliating public trial. She and her stockbroker are facing prison time, but she’s determined to come out on top – no matter what it takes to get there.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Duration:00:43:08