Scamfluencers Wondery
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- Society & Culture
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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.
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Dial M for Mom
This episode comes out for free on 03/25, and is available early and ad-free for Wondery+ subscribers.
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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. -
ENCORE: Wine Crime
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. -
ENCORE: Coachella Con Artist
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. -
ENCORE: The Book Bandit
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. -
Listen Now: The Spy Who
These are stories you were never meant to hear. The invisible but vital work of the world’s intelligence services: secret operatives playing to very different rules. The Spy Who, hosted by Indira Varma and Raza Jaffrey, takes you deep inside that shadow world to meet spies who risked everything in the national interest – or, sometimes, their own.
Search and follow The Spy Who wherever you listen to podcasts, or binge entire seasons early and ad-free on Wondery+ on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
The King of Good Times
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.
Customer Reviews
Great podcast - but please stop with the Encores!
I love every episode these people put out. Super good story telling and funny! They have great chemistry together.
This probably has more to do with the producers, but please stop with the encore episodes!! They are so annoying!! Makes me think there’s a new episode out and then I see it’s just a re-release of a previous episode. Stop it!!!
Love the podcast but….
What’s w all the encore episodes?! Are you guys coming back? At first I thought it was for a little break but it’s been going on for months it seems! Hope all is well! Please come back! This is my fav pod!
I love y’all!!
I love this podcast!! I also am chuckling at all the angry white folks.
During the Coachella episode there was a reference to how Julia Roberts character “dunked” on a clerk in a store.
That clerk was very rude to her and treated her like she was nothing based on what she was wearing. She went back to show her that was a huge mistake. A lesson in not judging a book by it’s cover.