Romance Scam Rebellion

Anola Johnson
  • 5.0 (7)
  • DOCUMENTARY

The Romance Scam Rebellion is a bold, experience-led podcast that eposes the dark tactics behind online relationship scams and empowers targets to fight back.  Hosted by a real life survivor, each episode breaks the silence around digital deception, shares insider knowledge from lived experience, and dismantles the shame that scammers count on.  Whether you're reeling from betrayal, questioning red flags, or ready to reclaim your power, this is your battleground for truth and recovery.  No sugar coating.  No victim-blaming.  Just raw stories, real strategies, and rebellious self compassion.

  1. Testify - Life After a Romance Scam

    4D AGO

    Testify - Life After a Romance Scam

    Send us a text Two years after the scam, I'm 69 with 27 years left on a mortgage I almost owned outright. My professional reputation is damaged. My retirement is gone. And the systems that could help? Silent. This is what life after a romance scam actually looks like—and why I'm still fighting back, even on the days I wonder if it matters. The alternative is letting the scammers win. And I won't do that. If you've been scammed or love someone who has, you need to hear this. We're not alone—and silence is not an option. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    9 min
  2. Seen. Chosen. Scammed. Viola's Story

    JAN 27

    Seen. Chosen. Scammed. Viola's Story

    Send us a text Scammers don’t target a type — they target vulnerability.  Gender, age, education, politics, religion, or sexual orientation don’t matter. The tactics are the same. In this episode, I sit down with Viola Barker, a 68-year-old woman from Ohio who had just come out later in life and was beginning again after a decades-long marriage. What followed was not a random encounter, but a textbook romance scam that unfolded exactly the way these operations are designed to work. From an unsolicited message in an online community, to intense mirroring and emotional bonding, to fabricated military service, love bombing, future-faking, and escalating financial demands — Viola’s experience walks us step-by-step through the scammer playbook. You’ll hear how sympathy was weaponized, how isolation crept in, how secrecy was encouraged, and how requests for help turned into crypto ATM deposits, fake inheritances, and an $84,000 “vault” that never existed. As you listen, test yourself.  How many patterns do you recognize?  How early would you have spotted them? Viola shares not just what happened, but how it felt — the loneliness, the hope, the shame, and the psychological grip that made obvious contradictions easy to explain away in the moment. Her story is a powerful reminder that these scams don’t begin with money. They begin with connection — and they work because they hijack the brain long before logic has a chance to intervene. If you think this could never happen to you, this is the episode you need to hear. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    44 min
  3. Scammed Twice: Part 2 Who Profits When Victims Pay

    JAN 20

    Scammed Twice: Part 2 Who Profits When Victims Pay

    Send us a text In Part 1, I exposed how Bitcoin ATMs take 30-40% of scam victims' money through hidden markups. In Part 2, I investigate who's profiting from this system. Meet Brandon Mintz—Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, CEO of Bitcoin Depot, operator of 8,000+ Bitcoin ATMs across North America. When confronted with evidence that 98% of his Iowa customers were scam victims, here's what he told a podcast host about who uses his machines. I'm going to dismantle his claims, one by one. And I'm doing it from an actual horse pasture—because Brandon's serving us horseshit in silver bowls, and I'm going to prove it. Then I'll show you what Bitcoin Depot really does when law enforcement tries to help scam victims: they sue to keep the money.  So yes, this is my investigative journalism meeting my personal mission. And by the end, you'll understand exactly who profits when victims pay. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    16 min
  4. Scammed Twice: Part 1, The Machine Gets Its Cut

    JAN 13

    Scammed Twice: Part 1, The Machine Gets Its Cut

    Send us a text In Part One of Scammed Twice, we move past the emotional manipulation and into the machinery that quietly profits from it. This episode exposes how cryptocurrency ATMs have become a critical—and largely unregulated—link in the scam pipeline. I walk you through exactly what happened when I was directed to a Bitcoin ATM, how much these machines take from victims in fees, and why scammers rely on them so heavily. We examine who actually uses crypto ATMs, what companies claim about their purpose, and what state investigations are beginning to uncover about how often these machines are tied to fraud. This isn’t about bad decisions or lack of intelligence. It’s about systems designed without meaningful safeguards—and the people who pay the price. Part One lays the groundwork. In Part Two, we’ll pull back the curtain even further. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    14 min
  5. Your Cruelty is Their Business Model S2 E4

    12/30/2025

    Your Cruelty is Their Business Model S2 E4

    Send us a text In this episode, I confront the cruel comments often directed at romance scam survivors — calling them stupid, desperate, or deserving of what happened. These reactions aren’t harmless opinions. They actively protect scammers. When the criminal is visible, we aim our outrage at them.  When the criminal is invisible, that anger gets redirected toward the victim. Through real public comments, historical fraud cases, cult leaders, and modern scam operations, this episode exposes a hard truth: intelligence, wealth, education, faith, and “common sense” do not protect people from manipulation. Grooming, coercive control, and emotional exploitation bypass our internal alarm systems — not our intelligence. Victim-blaming keeps survivors silent, prevents reporting, and allows these crimes to continue in the dark. Empathy isn’t weakness — it’s how scams are exposed. If you’ve ever thought, “That could never happen to me,” this episode is for you. Because cruelty isn’t just collateral damage — it’s the business model. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    22 min
  6. Jennifer French Tomasic MSc on Coercive Control S2 E3

    12/23/2025

    Jennifer French Tomasic MSc on Coercive Control S2 E3

    Send us a text In this powerful episode of The Romance Scam Rebellion, Anola sits down with Jennifer French Tomasic MSc, a psychologist and expert in coercive control, to explore one of the most insidious psychological dynamics behind manipulation and abuse. Jennifer shares her deep expertise — rooted in both academic study and lived experience — including her MSc in the Psychology of Coercive Control and her work as a trauma practitioner and expert witness. Together, they unpack: What coercive control really means — beyond just “abuse” or “manipulation”How patterns of undue influence and power imbalance show up in relationships, cults, and high-control environmentsWhy intelligent, confident people fall deeper into deception than they ever expectedThe psychological and emotional mechanics that keep victims trappedHow to recognize the signs early — before it’s too lateThis conversation bridges the worlds of romance scam psychology and the broader terror of coercive control. It offers practical insight and compassion for anyone trying to make sense of manipulation in their relationships — whether romantic, familial, or institutional. If you’ve ever wondered why people stay in harmful dynamics long after the red flags appear, this episode provides clarity and context.  Welcome to a deeper understanding of how control works — and how to break free. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    1h 15m
  7. The Manipulation Playbook. S2 E2

    12/16/2025

    The Manipulation Playbook. S2 E2

    Send us a text Romance scams don’t happen by accident.  They follow a script. In this episode of The Romance Scam Rebellion, I'll break down the exact psychological playbook scammers use worldwide to brainjack trust, attachment, and decision-making—tactic by tactic, step by step. What feels like love…  What feels like destiny…  What feels deeply personal… …is actually engineered. Drawing from my own experience inside a long-term romance scam, I expose how manipulation works at the neurological and psychological level—and why intelligence, education, and life experience offer no immunity. This episode unpacks the core manipulation tactics scammers rely on, including: • Love bombing and emotional flooding  • Mirroring and manufactured “perfect matches”  • Future faking and fantasy construction  • The Ben Franklin Effect (how helping them makes you trust them more)  • Intermittent reinforcement and emotional withdrawal  • The sunk cost fallacy and “too invested to quit” thinking  • Isolation, secrecy, and reality distortion These tactics don’t operate alone. They chain together, creating a psychological trap that can make walking away feel impossible—even when red flags are everywhere. This is not a story about being naïve.  It’s a story about how the human brain works—and how that knowledge is weaponized against victims across the globe. If you’ve ever wondered “How could this happen?”—to yourself or someone you love—this episode explains exactly how. Because once you can see the playbook,  the manipulation loses its power. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    20 min
  8. Brainjacked: The Dopamine Trap S2 E1

    12/09/2025

    Brainjacked: The Dopamine Trap S2 E1

    Send us a text In the Season 2 opener, Anola exposes the hidden psychological mechanism powering nearly every modern romance scam: love bombing. This isn’t just cheesy sweet talk — it’s a deliberate strategy built to overwhelm your emotions and chemically hijack your brain. Using her own experience with “Pedro,” she illustrates how scammers identify emotional vulnerabilities, flood victims with affection, and use dopamine and oxytocin to create deep, false attachment that bypasses logic and silences red flags. This episode breaks down how victims get “brainjacked,” why the relationship feels real, why walking away is so difficult, and how scammers use a fabricated romantic fantasy to set the stage for financial exploitation. It also offers concrete steps to protect yourself, help loved ones, and get clarity if you’re experiencing love bombing right now. Powerful, validating, and eye-opening — this episode exposes the emotional engineering behind online fraud and gives you the tools to recognize manipulation before it becomes abuse. Support the show Email me at romancescamrebellion@gmail.com if you have a story you need to tell.

    16 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Romance Scam Rebellion is a bold, experience-led podcast that eposes the dark tactics behind online relationship scams and empowers targets to fight back.  Hosted by a real life survivor, each episode breaks the silence around digital deception, shares insider knowledge from lived experience, and dismantles the shame that scammers count on.  Whether you're reeling from betrayal, questioning red flags, or ready to reclaim your power, this is your battleground for truth and recovery.  No sugar coating.  No victim-blaming.  Just raw stories, real strategies, and rebellious self compassion.

Information

  • Creator
    Anola Johnson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Romance Scam Rebellion
  • Show Website
    Romance Scam Rebellion

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