Welcome to all of our new listeners! On today’s very special episode, the incredible Kate Spencer, from the award-winning podcast Forever35, is our guest. We briefly discuss the Netflix hit, The Tinder Swindler but then the conversation takes a turn to run the gamut from Kristen Stewart’s Oscar nomination, Olestra chips, and the weaponization of romance novels. Join us on this wild ride where we unpack toxic friendships, Instagram influencers, and pampering ourselves. Also, Kate’s debut novel, I...
Feb 24, 2022•58 min•Season 2Ep. 7
New York State probably won’t email you a holiday card or ask you to share a stimulus opportunity with 10 of your family members to get paid. Journalist Rommel Ojeda from Documented digs into a story (co-reported with Telemundo) about how scammers target immigrants with fake government benefits in WhatsApp chat groups and chains. Caity’s husband and journalist Allen Arthur (a Documented alum) joins into find out just how these spread so easily and how they exploit genuine confusion around resour...
Feb 17, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Investigative journalist and VICE contributor Sarah Berman joins Caitlin this week to talk about Keith Raniere and NXIVM. Sarah has been at the forefront of this story since the beginning, but she’s here to discuss another surprising side to the saga for the first time. It’s creepy, it’s convoluted, it's acapella. It’s also the subject of an episode of the HBO show How To with John Wilson, titled How to Appreciate Wine. Caitlin and Sarah unpack the messy story involving a cult leader, Allison Ma...
Feb 10, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 5
A fake boarding school that wanted to be a high school football powerhouse??! What could go wrong? This week, journalist and Caity’s husband Allen Arthur brings a scam hot off the ESPN broadcast! That’s right, even Disney can get in the scam game. Allen covers the fraudulent school and sports program, Bishop Sycamore. He'll talk about the fake school's distant connection to a real church, how many helmets they had (not enough), and the bounced checks to hotels the kids were put up in. This insan...
Feb 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min
This week is the 2nd half of our Crypto, shmipto, bipto episode. This episode is about NFTs and how to make them, sell them, and become obsessed. Are NFTs the new answer to financial stability as an artist? Do you trust yourself with a digital wallet? And can your automatic password be actually a foreboding sign to: STOP AND WALK AWAY! Sabra and Stephen Boyd share their own digital creation, video game worlds, and how they are navigating the arbitrary value of an NFT. And if you’re already an ex...
Jan 20, 2022•54 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Did you know that you can buy a 600k dollar invisible yacht? The incredibly kind, brilliant, and generous Sabra and Stephen Boyd join Caitlin Brodnick today to explain cryptocurrency and NFTs! Bitcoin. Ethereum. Crypto ATMs? Hear this explanation for the lay-woman and Caitlin finally understanding the world of scamming fake money. What is a crypto? How to not be scammed by a crypto-bro? Where is my password?! Keep up with the crypto-NFT-moneylaundering breakdown of the confusing and vast world o...
Jan 13, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Happy New Year from Caitlin Brodnick and Ellen Haun. Ellen joins Caitlin to discuss the trial of Real Housewife of Salt Lake City, Jen Shah. They discuss the Hulu documentary, The Housewife and the Shah Shocker, and all of the court transcripts they can get their hands on. Find out about how many companies Jen Shah is tied to, how she screams at her employees, and the influence of mormon perfectionism. Also is Whitney a secret detective/ true-crime junky we should all be listening to? Spoiler: H...
Jan 06, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Caity is off living her best holiday life, celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, and time with family. Producer Cait is stepping in to reminiscence about the last year of scams and great scam episodes. Producer Cait reads bad reviews AND supportive messages from our scam family. Then she plays some of her favorite clips from the most popular episodes and best scams of the year. Have a quick listen for some holiday cheer and check out our long and incredible catalog of great episodes. Also, let us kno...
Dec 23, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 148
This week Caitlin is joined by Scamspondant , resident Magician, and friend of the pod, Kevin Smith! Kevin shares his experience as a salesperson at a noted cell phone provider store, and all the cons involved. They discuss how a sales team is trained to lead the shopper into certain purchases and the emotional connection that gives each sales pitch an “X-Factor!” YUCK. It’s interesting, it’s creepy, and it is probably going to save you a lot of money next time you need an upgrade. Plus Kevin ex...
Dec 16, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 147
Happy holiday shopping season! Have no fear that with the many ways you can be bamboozled in shopping this year, ScamWow is here to guide you down the right path. Author and comedian Carrie McCrossen is here to discuss book scams! Covering everything from publishing to promotion, Caitlin and Carrie go over the hottest romance novel scams to ever hit your tablets and the drama behind #CockGate. Why are romance novel readers so angry about a court case involving cocky doctors and cocky firefighter...
Dec 09, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 146
Josh Gondelman joins Caity to discuss the ever popular sextortion scams that are probably sitting in your junk folder as you read this. Josh is a comedian, writer, kind human, and quite possibly the perfect guest. His other credits include being a writer and producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, as a staff writer. He’s earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards, and has performed on Conan (TBS), Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)...
Dec 04, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 145
Oh geeezzzz this episode is maybe too up close and personal? But Caitlin gets incredibly honest about her current state of financial affairs. Something has to change quickly before she becomes so desperate she creates a new MLM. Talking about money is so hard, but scammers it’s important to talk about it so you don’t end up like Caity! So after listening to how you can scam yourself into credit card debt (so easy btw) then send us your stories and advice about your own money woes. RESOURCES: I w...
Nov 11, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 143
Caitlin is welcomed by Comedian and writer Jess Keefe and they’re talking about scams inside addiction treatment centers. Treatment centers vary wildly between services and prices, but when the bill is 60k a month for “brushing a donkey” could it also be a scam, or the very thing that cures ya? This is a truly personal and heartfelt episode and we hope you enjoy! Also if you are dealing with addiction yourself or know someone who is, check out the resources below to learn about legit treatment o...
Oct 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 142
That’s right, Sue’s back! And she’s brought an absolute scam classic, the documentary LulaRIch on Amazon Prime. True scammers will know that this was literally the very first episode of ScamWow covered by Sue and Caity ages ago, but now it’s back and fresh with new details. Caity and Sue discuss the best characters from the documentary, analyze the depositions, and talk about the crappy scam tactics by the founders. They also catch up about mommy outfits and that Caity has started putting on mak...
Oct 21, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 141
Little bit of blood but a lotta bit of trouble! Rebakah Sebastian guest on this week’s episode to update us on the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos trial. Caity and Rebekah go over the new evidence, the basis of the case, and the absolutely unbelievable gall of starting a medical company without any background in medicine. Caity shares her own experience with blood testing and genetics counseling and why it’s SO important for accurate, informed work in this industry for the sake of patients. Rebekah an...
Oct 15, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 140
Comedian, writer, Harvard graduate and college prep tutor (YES SHE DOES IT ALL) Taylor Kay Phillips, joins Caitlin to break down the nitty gritty details behind college admissions scams. Taylor and Caitlin revisit the infamous Operation Varsity Blues college admission scam, ane look at in from an entirely new perspective. Move over Aunt Becky, this story isn’t focused on influencer Olivia Jade, but on the details behind college admissions. They discuss unfair rules and NCAA restrictions inflicte...
Oct 07, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 139
Producer Cait is back for the second half of our special mailbag episode. We learn about fraudulent archaeology, creepy kinks, and the power of pig GIFs. Learn how to protect yourself with cash lending apps like Paypal and the best ways to scam a small pizza shop. These tips and tricks from our listeners and so much more! RESOURCES: @caitmolden @caitybrodnick @scamwowpodcast Scamwowpodcast.com DISCLAIMER: We are comedians and this is satire. C’mon Send us your scams! scamwowpodcast@gmail.com Or ...
Oct 02, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 138
Producer Cait is our special guest this week, and gives all the tips and tricks to avoid your homework! We are having a big catch up, but don’t get too close- one of them unfortunately smells like a hotdog. Did you have a crazy emotional experience during Covid? If so you better share because that is the only way to build a relationship. Sit back, relax, share all your feelings and emote like crazy so Cait and Caity can become your new best friends. Just think of it as a mental health day, much ...
Sep 30, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 137
Comedian, writer, and pictionary enthusiast Rekha Shankar, joins Caitlin to discuss the savant who destroyed the Press Your Luck game in 1984. Michael Larson single handedly brought down an entire network by simply being very focused, very obsessed, and very weird. His obsession over Press Your Luck won him $110,237 ($283,000 in today’s dollars) plus trips to the Bahamas, Kauai and a sailboat. Was it a scam, was it great work, or was it just too many TV’s? Guest Rekha Shankar is currently writin...
Sep 24, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 136
We’re on the line with Stasia, a former professional catfish! Caitlin asks Stasia about what is was like working for a dating website. The dig into what exactly is the almost mathematical process to capture a heart. There’s vague rules and juicy topics, where you can learn how people were just freely giving away their secrets for a little love (and sexting, let’s be honest). Get up close and personal with an incredibly honest, sweet woman who also happens to be a professional liar. Sit tight for...
Sep 16, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 135
Cozy up with a hot cup of choice and settle down for a great discussion as Caity is joined by special guest Lindsay- Elizabeth Hand. Lindsay is a three time Emmy nominated producer, actor, writer and one of the kindest guests on ScamWow. Lindsay is also an owner and founder of Edge In Motion Productions, a full-service production company specializing in comedic tv, pilots, and viral internet content, wow wow wow. Caity and Lindsay share stories from the stage and times they’ve been scammed as pe...
Sep 09, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 134
Two scam crazed worlds collide this week as Caitlin welcomes the hosts of “What The Hack Podcast, With Adam Levin” . Adam Levin, Beau Friedlander, and Travis Taylor help breakdown cyber hackers and catfishing. What are the fundamentals for keeping your privacy safe? Why is it good to lie about where you went to high school and your mother's maiden name? Do you really need help with carrying your bags from Penn Station or are you just a tourist who might get shived? These and SO many more questio...
Aug 26, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 133
Fumi Abe, comedian and writer for the Late Late Show with James Corden, joins Caitlin to reminisce about all the times they have been scammed. Fumi is an hysterical host of the “Asian Not Asian Podcast” and has had plenty of experience, maybe too much experience, with scams! This episode gets really deep really quick. TW they talk about the time Caitlin was almost kidnapped and that one time Fumi was alone in Japan when things got real weird, so it’s a little stressful in case you need to skip i...
Aug 19, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 132
Caitlin is joined by the iconic Maggie Brodnick, AKA her mother, as they discuss The Donner party. That’s right, the cannibals! Although that should be debated, because cannibalism was just an itsy bitsy part of the whole story. Caity’s Mom, the goddess and obvious historian, details the specifics of the Donner party history, including that SCAMS that led them to suffering, failure, and oof… eating each other. They explain why the “Hastings CutOff” was a total scam, built on male hubris OF COURS...
Aug 12, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 131
Scamspondant Ellen Haun is back! She brings us breaking housewives news about the Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi divorce, bankruptcy, and embezzlement scandal. You guys, this story has now evolved to Tom being in a conservatorship a la #freebritney and Erika has to learn how to do her own laundry. Ellen breaks down the history of Tom’s law firm, between the famous cases and some of the dubious practices that should have tipped people off earlier. More importantly, Caity and Ellen debate DID ERIKA K...
Aug 05, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 130
You didn't think Caitlin could contain her excitement with the first inperson guest in over a year to just one episode, did ya???? Good! Because this is part 2 of one of the most gripping unsolved cases of our time. We’ve got the Mafia, bad cops, priceless art, hilarious Mafia sisters, and Boston being Boston. Caitlin and Brandon continue their discussion about the Isabella Stewart Garder Museum Art heist, based on the Netflix doc. They both dive deep into the actual crimes committed, and what t...
Jul 29, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 129
The comeback kid - Brandon Saloy is the first guest post-break and in-person! Caitlin hasn't been able to sit next to a guest in, well, what feels like forever. Up first, Caitlin shares her most recent scam experiences, including being a one-woman Etsy bridesmaid in a knockoff dress. Then Brandon and Caitlin discuss a juicy juicy heist! This episode is about the infamous 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist which remains UNSOLVED to this day. You’d think $500 million dollars worth of h...
Jul 22, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 129
After a long hiatus, Sue and Caitlin are back in the studio with all of your incredible emails and messages to share to the world! In just two months Caitlin was scammed, listeners were scammed, and Sue’s son is traveling all over this country before he can even walk. Get ready for everything that MUST BE discussed. Why is Caroline Calloway selling snake oil? Why is Caitlin desperate to be a bridesmaid? And who do they agree is a “sweaty piece of turd?” These and many more questions on this week...
Jul 15, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 128
Murf Meyer, an old UCB comedy friend and host of the Murf Meyer is Self-Medicated podcast, joins us to talk about a legendary lottery scam that happened in the ‘80s in Pennsylvania. Honestly? This scam is genius and more people should pull it because scamming the lottery is a great idea. RESOURCES: https://www.selfmedicatedpod.com/ scamwowpodcast.com https://www.youtube.com/c/caitlinBrodnick http://suesmithcomedy.com https://stereo.com/caitybrodnick https://stereo.com/suesmith666 www.formulate.c...
May 06, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 127
The queen of scam reporting, Gabrielle Bluestone, joins us this week to talk about all of our favorite scams. This woman broke the news about the Fyre Festival, people, and now she has a new book out about it all. She also tells us her opinion on Khloe Kardashian, Instagram, and even the Barbra Streisand effect. Plus, why aren’t more people talking about Vandepump alum, Jax, already scamming his baby? AND Gabrielle spills the tea on why Billy McFarland’s ass wasn’t in the Netflix doc about the F...
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 126
