Love and Scams

About Love and Scams

So, you meet someone online. The photos look real, the conversations get personal, and somehow they always know exactly what to say. Then one tiny detail doesn’t match. And another. Catfishing Scam Victims dives into online relationships that seemed completely normal—until suspicious excuses, changing stories and unexpected red flags revealed that the person behind the screen might not be who they claimed to be. Fake identities, manipulated photos, romance scams and carefully constructed lies can turn trust into a maze of questions. Each story follows the human side of online deception: how the connection became believable, what first raised suspicion, and the discoveries that began pulling the illusion apart. Because when the profile, the promises and even the person you fell for could all be fake, there’s only one question left: who have you really been talking to?

Publisher

Creator at Obomedia

Category

fiction · society & culture · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jul 2026

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

139 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   The Geranium Was Inside. Then It Wasn't

   The Geranium Was Inside. Then It Wasn't In this episode, we delve into the unsettling case of Frances Rogers, a speech-language pathologist whose quiet life in Alderton, Ohio, was targeted by an intricate operation. Discover how a fabricated identity, a series of calculated encounters, and a seemingly minor detail about a pet's medication schedule exposed a sophisticated scheme. Person: Frances Rogers Date: March 14, 2019 Location: Alderton, Ohio Status: Unresolved Topic: Romantic scam - Frances Rogers, 44, worked as a licensed speech-language pathologist in Alderton, Ohio. - Her geranium, always kept inside for eleven years, was found on her porch on March 14, 2019, with a handwritten note. - Frances had not missed a single dose of medication for her cat, Bertie, in four years. - In late September 2018, Frances was introduced to "Michael Mueller," a supposed 51-year-old civil engineer. - A reverse-image search in February 2019 revealed the man in a photo sent by "Michael Mueller" was actually Daniel Asante, a real project manager in Accra. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

2. 

   27 Oct 2026

   My Charles: The Lie in the Love Note

   My Charles: The Lie in the Love Note Imagine burying a zip-top bag of photographs, marked "My Charles," only for the man in them to be a complete stranger who has never heard your name or set foot in your country. This is the chilling reality of a methodical woman named Marcia, whose careful nature was exploited in a romance scam that cost her seven months and thousands of dollars. How did a seemingly trustworthy nutrition coach become the center of a deception that unraveled far more than one woman's loss? In this episode, we delve into the story of Marcia O'Connor, a woman who meticulously planned her life but fell victim to a sophisticated online romance scam. We explore the timeline of her relationship with "Charles," from their first interaction on a nutrition app to the moment she realized the man she loved was a phantom, and how her fraud complaint exposed a larger network of deceit. Person: Marcia O'Connor Date: February 3, 2022 Location: Sutter Pines, Grover, Tennessee App: NutriPath Loss: $4,800 - Marcia O'Connor was 28 years old in winter 2022 and described as methodical. - She joined the NutriPath app in July 2021, a nutrition and wellness coaching app costing $12 a month. - Within 48 hours of creating her profile, she received a message from "Charles.M.Nutrition." - The relationship lasted seven months, with calls averaging 90 minutes by November. - Marcia filed a fraud complaint with Grover PD on February 15, 2022. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

3. 

   26 Oct 2026

   The Unsent Letter Found in Sallow Creek

   The Unsent Letter Found in Sallow Creek Imagine finding a sealed plastic bag in a frozen creek, containing 41 printed emails, a photocopied badge, and a handwritten letter that was never sent. This discovery ignited a federal fraud case that unraveled 14 months of meticulously crafted lies. What hidden depths of deception could such a find reveal? In this episode, we delve into the story of Rachel West, a resilient rancher in Garner County whose life took an unexpected turn after connecting with "Jerry Parker" on a professional networking platform. We explore the intricate setup of a romance scam, from its initial digital footprint to the moment a fabricated UN badge arrived at her ranch, and the first financial request was made. Case: Federal fraud case Person: Rachel West, Jerry Parker (alias), Doug Fessler (photo source), Pat Engel (choir director), Denise Berry (detective) Location: Sallow Creek, Garner County, West Africa, Billings Montana, Boise Idaho, Atlanta Georgia, Raleigh North Carolina Date: January (bag found), February (first connection request), April (UN badge arrived), May (CD matured), June (first financial request) Status: Case closed after nine months - Diane Weaver found a sealed plastic bag with 41 printed emails and a photocopied badge in Sallow Creek. - Rachel West, 54, managed a 680-acre cattle ranch in Garner County after her husband Tom's death. - The "Jerry Parker" profile claimed to be a civil engineer based in Billings, Montana, with 212 connections. - The photograph used by "Jerry Parker" belonged to Doug Fessler, a 61-year-old retired structural engineer from Boise, Idaho. - The WhatsApp number for "Major Osei," used to contact Rachel, was activated six days before the first connection request. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

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