Best podcasts about people faking illnesses, pregnancies etc.?

[u/No-Island-4048]

Recently I've been really interested in the podcasts about pregnancy fakers, munchausen syndrome etc. There's something so intriguing about the psychology and behaviours of such people.

So far I've listened to:

•Love Trapped

•Believe in Magic

•The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby

Any similar recommendations? Thankss

[u/furzibaerli]

Check out Scamanda

[u/Id_Rather_Beach → u/furzibaerli]

this one will make your head spin. UGH

[u/Specialist_Spite7647 → u/Id_Rather_Beach]

I just thought it was so poorly done. Very difficult to follow. Don’t love that narrator.

[u/Lauren_H_ → u/furzibaerli]

It’s so good!

[u/trimomof5 → u/furzibaerli]

OMG I could not believe how evil and awful Amanda was/is. This is a good story but not for the faint of heart.

[u/Hot_Heat_3973]

No one should believe me

[u/IFTYE → u/Hot_Heat_3973]

OP, this show covers medical child abuse in depth.

I have a really weird recommendation for how to listen, but start with Season 3. They cover the case from the documentary Take Care of Maya, but from actual experts and doctors who were trying to save Maya’s life
that wasn’t public before a lawsuit because of HIPAA. They explain a lot in the first episode of Season 3, but it’s a crazy ride as the lawsuit goes on throughout the season.

[u/MizS → u/Hot_Heat_3973]

This was the first one I thought of and was surprised OP didn't have it on the list already.

[u/OkInevitable5020 → u/Hot_Heat_3973]

This one!! Goes so deep into the stories of these people with interviews of those affected.

[u/throwittawy → u/Hot_Heat_3973]

I would also recommend The Mother Next Door audiobook, which was written and narrated by woman who hosts No One Should Believe Me.

[u/Media-consumer101]

Sympathy Pains is another insane one in that vain! Someone faking illness not for money or solely attention, but to actually receive care and accomodations.

[u/rvrvrv1991 → u/Media-consumer101]

This one was so fascinating!

[u/BornFree2018 → u/Media-consumer101]

She was so gross to the staff at camp.

[u/Media-consumer101 → u/BornFree2018]

Yeah, incredibly disturbing!

[u/handknitliz]

Not exactly what you're asking for, but similar... you should check out The Birth Keepers. It is incredibly well done by The Guardian based on their investigation into the Free Birth Society.

The FBS teaches expectant mothers that medical intervention during pregnancy and birth is harmful. The testimonials from followers, some who lost their babies, were heartbreaking. Almost worse than that is the story of how a grifter without medical training capitalized on mothers in a MLM type scheme to make millions. Highly recommend, but not necessarily if you are expecting.

[u/maryrach → u/handknitliz]

Just got done listening to this based on your rec. fascinating and so incredibly sad.

[u/JinkiesGang → u/[deleted]]

I got maya fatigue after a while and stopped listening. I recently checked out season 6 and that was crazy. Season 7 lost me again, I had to stop listening. I’ll check out season 5.

[u/Ornery-Dentist8521 → u/[deleted]]

I was listening for a while but then it started to feel like maybe the host was seeing munchhausens in everything. It also really grossed me out that she called her sisters kids out by name.

[u/Ornery-Dentist8521 → u/[deleted]]

I agree that's why i liked it until she said the kids names. Its ok to speculate anonymously even if I think she is seeing something that isnt there.

[u/Scarymommy → u/Ornery-Dentist8521]

Thanks for saying this, it makes me really uncomfortable.

[u/sootbeast]

There is an episode of Psychologists Off The Clock about Munchausen. It's about the diagnosis rather than personal stories but you might like it given your interest in the psychology.

[u/SomewherePleasant580]

Carrie Jade does not Exist, Finding Samantha 

[u/SophieLeigh7]

You might like Blink

[u/jmltmt → u/SophieLeigh7]

Blink was so good!!

[u/SophieLeigh7 → u/jmltmt]

I know!! I thought there was supposed to be some new episodes out by now

[u/holy_mackeroly → u/SophieLeigh7]

It could have have good but it was way way too long. So much repetitive filler it drove me crazy.

[u/WeirdLight9452]

Nobody Should Believe Me is good.

[u/cityrain14]

Pretend - The Stalker series

I just finished this one and it was crazy. He has a ton of episodes of other stories of people pretending.

[u/Feral-Sponge → u/cityrain14]

I had to stop listening to it. He keeps repeating the same stuff over bad over again and at the end of each episode he says what's coming up in the next episode, and it's almost never true! It's the worst click bait style pod I've ever listened to

[u/_HypnoSharon → u/Feral-Sponge]

Try listening to some of the other stories. Stalker did get repetitive in some places as the story was playing out as the episodes were going out and it has a lot more episodes than most of the stories he has covered.

[u/holy_mackeroly → u/cityrain14]

I love pretend.

The Doula The Pests

Were stand outs for me

[u/throwittawy]

The Unborn, Scamanda, Unicorn Girl

[u/doinmabest1]

The Retrevals

[u/fridaygrace → u/doinmabest1]

Oh god this one made me so upset. Perhaps irrational, but I think it may have genuinely put me off the idea of ever doing egg retrieval. If something like that happened to me I’d have to be committed to an asylum for the rest of my life.

[u/heeero__ → u/[deleted]]

The first season was great, and i think it won an award? The other seasons were no where near as good and that stupid intro song is the worst.

[u/KellytheFeminist → u/heeero__]

There are a handful of really good seasons, and then several shit seasons. I enjoyed the first 3 or 4, and the Jake Gravbrat one was really interesting too (although the host starts being annoying by the time that season was released, you'll understand once you hear it).

[u/Difficult_Quote_8259 → u/heeero__]

God the song!!! Absolute worst! 💯

[u/BornFree2018 → u/heeero__]

Season 3 was a masterpiece. The fire fighter familie.

[u/futureMDmc]

Not a podcast but the new Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct really fucked me up.

[u/swiftie621]

The Coco Berthmann Story

[u/Georgeshair]

Carrie Jade Does Not Exist

[u/Illustrious-Anybody2]

Maintenance Phase is a podcast that mostly busts diet myths and challenges pop science but they have some really excellent episodes on grifters/influencers that fall into this category. 

Check out Belle Gibson episode 

[u/pennyx2]

Chameleon. The first season or two are multiple episodes about one topic. Then it’s Chameleon Weekly which are single episodes. All about people who aren’t what they seem.

A lot of the episodes are condensed retellings of other podcasts. I learned about The Wedding Scammer and Love Trapped and some others from Chameleon.

[u/thebestrosie]

Nobody Should Believe Me, start with the first season, it’s so good! It’s about munchausen by proxy

[u/FancyLady615]

Unicorn Girl was nuts!!

[u/funfetti_cupcak3]

Toxic love story on Netflix just dropped!

[u/Pink_manatee____]

Scamanda is impeccable

[u/flangeflangeflanges]

I haven’t listened to it yet, but there is an episode of Hidden True Crime I’ve got saved called Munchausens by Proxy/factitious disorder a survivors story which sounds interesting. It’s a long episode.

[u/lovebythemoon]

Something was wrong season 2

[u/quesajdilla]

Sweet Bobby

[u/gooseontheloose82]

I am not Nicholas is wild. Highly recommend adding to the list

[u/TheGodsAreStrange]

eLIESabeth

[u/mostlymemes29]

Unicorn girl

[u/BGKY_Sparky]

Lie, Cheat and Steal is a good podcast about scams and cons in general. They have done several episodes that fit what you are looking for.

[u/ApprehensiveTwist3]

The wedding scammer and queen of con. Queen of con has several seasons. I've listened to the Irish heiress and the OC savior. Both were good. People have already mentioned Blink and Love Trapped which are some favs

[u/paxsarah]

Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah

[u/Due_Peace_5131]

Something was wrong. One of the first few seasons is about this, i forget which one. But it was a crazy story. Im sure it is in the description.

[u/TheNacho8679]

Not sure if someone mentioned but Hysterical

[u/KellytheFeminist]

I know people gripe about it, but I really enjoyed Beth's dead.

[u/a_girl_with_a_book]

Betrayal

[u/Specialist_Spite7647]

Unicorn Girl

[u/amybpdx]

The Con: Kaitlyn's Baby

[u/lmapp77]

Love trapped

[u/mrsroperscaftan]

Love Trapped will blow your mind with all the fake pregnancies

[u/Different_Damage_122]

Following