エピソード

  • She Was 37. Her Family Thought She Was 12.

    She Was 37. Her Family Thought She Was 12.
    2026/09/07
    How does a 37-year-old woman convince a family she’s 12 years old—and live with them as their daughter for more than a year?Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira told people she was a vulnerable child who had survived abuse, abandonment, forced hormone treatments, and serious health problems.The family who took her in gave her a bedroom filled with toys, celebrated her 12th birthday, paid for medical care, and treated her like their own daughter.But “Gabriele” wasn’t really Gabriele.She was Amanda, an adult woman with a long history of allegedly assuming false identities across Brazil.In this episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we trace Amanda’s extraordinary history of deception: an online prayer group convinced she was a child dying of leukemia, repeated claims of abuse and exploitation, mysterious needles found inside her body, and the tactics that helped her gain the trust of people who wanted to protect her.We’ll also examine the competing explanations for why Amanda repeatedly presented herself as a child. And we explore the question at the center of her criminal case: If she wasn’t directly stealing cash, did the housing, food, clothing, medication, and other support she received through deception still amount to fraud?A Brazilian court ultimately ruled that it did.THE SIDE-EYE QUESTIONWhat would you do if you were in the family’s situation? Would you have questioned her story—or believed you were helping a vulnerable child?CONTENT NOTEThis episode includes discussion of alleged sexual abuse, child abuse, exploitation, and other disturbing subjects.HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.comFOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONGInstagram: @Nothing_Felt_WrongTikTok: @Nothing_Felt_WrongSOURCES & FURTHER READINGWashington Post:https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/08/19/37-she-pretended-be-child-now-shes-trial/Court of Justice of Santa Catarina: https://www.tjsc.jus.br/web/imprensa/-/mulher-que-se-passou-por-adolescente-para-ser-acolhida-por-familia-e-condenada-em-sc?redirect=%2FFolha de S.Paulo: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2026/08/justica-de-sc-condena-por-estelionato-mulher-que-se-passou-por-adolescente-e-enganou-familia.shtmlJovem Pan News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSZ4e4akikg&t=1sJornal Razão: https://jornalrazao.com/justica/laudo-pequena-amanda-fingiu-12-anos-sabia-o-que-faziaMetrópoles: https://www.metropoles.com/colunas/manoela-alcantara/mulher-presa-por-fingir-ter-12-anos-repetiu-golpe-contra-ex-vereadoraDiário de Pernambuco: https://www.diariodepernambuco.com.br/vida-urbana/2026/06/11716338-andava-com-ursinho-diz-psicologa-que-atendeu-no-recife-mulher-que-fingiu-ter-12-anos.htmlOCP News: https://ocp.news/seguranca/falsa-adolescente-procurou-hospital-infantil-de-sc-com-agulhas-espalhadas-pelo-corpoDiário do Nordeste: https://diariodonordeste.verdesmares.com.br/ultima-hora/pais/mulher-que-fingiu-ter-12-anos-tem-transtorno-mental-e-e-agressiva-diz-ex-delegada-1.3769136Estado de Minas: https://www.em.com.br/gerais/2026/06/amp/7435842-mulher-que-fingia-ser-crianca-foi-acolhida-com-marcas-de-200-agulhas.htmlDiário de Goiás: https://diariodegoias.com.br/mulher-presa-em-sc-por-se-passar-por-adolescente-ja-havia-sido-detida-em-goiania-em-2024/535766/NOTE: Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was convicted in Santa Catarina of fraud and false identity. Her attorneys have indicated they intend to appeal. References to incidents and investigations in other jurisdictions are described as allegations unless otherwise noted.Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    26 分
  • AI Job Scams Can Fake the Interview. Here’s How to Know What’s Real

    AI Job Scams Can Fake the Interview. Here’s How to Know What’s Real
    2026/08/31

    What if you got a job interview, saw the recruiter’s face, heard their voice—and none of it was real?

    AI is changing what job scams look like. Scammers can clone voices, create deepfake video, impersonate real recruiters and companies, and build fake job interviews convincing enough to fool even savvy job seekers.

    In this Side-Eye Session, Nothing Felt Wrong host Anne Genduso is joined by job scam expert Mark Anthony Dyson, founder and writer of The Job Scam Report, to explore how AI is making employment scams harder to spot—and what job seekers can do to protect themselves.

    Mark shares his “zero trust” mindset: clarify, verify, don’t just apply, along with practical ways to independently verify recruiters, companies, websites, and job opportunities when seeing or hearing someone is no longer enough to prove they’re real.

    They also discuss recruiter impersonation, deepfake interviews, fake company websites, hijacked profiles, the value of the personal data job seekers share—and how to stay vigilant without becoming paranoid.

    WATCH ON YOUTUBE
    Watch the full video conversation on YouTube.

    SIDE-EYE QUESTION:
    What would convince you that a job opportunity was real?

    MORE FROM MARK ANTHONY DYSON:
    The Job Scam Report on Substack
    Listen to The Job Scam Report Podcast on Apple Podcasts
    The Voice of Job Seekers
    Listen to The Voice of Job Seekers on Apple Podcasts
    ABOUT NOTHING FELT WRONG

    Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories about scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the psychology behind how people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable.

    Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso.

    Subscribe to Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception, manipulation, and human behavior.

    HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

    Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com

    Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous.

    FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG

    Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong
    TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong

    Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    34 分
  • She Was the Queen of True Crime. Now She’s Wanted by the FBI.

    She Was the Queen of True Crime. Now She’s Wanted by the FBI.
    2026/08/24
    IN THIS EPISODE• How Mary Carole McDonnell built a true crime television empire• The first signs that something inside Bellum Entertainment was wrong• The employees and contractors caught in the fallout• How an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud began to unravel• The psychology that made McDonnell’s story seem believable• How a true crime producer became an FBI fugitiveSIDE-EYE QUESTIONWhat part of Mary Carole McDonnell’s story seemed the most believable to you? What would have made you buy into one of her investment schemes?And bonus question: Do you think she’ll eventually be captured and brought to justice—or will she be able to keep up her con while on the run?HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.comFOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONGInstagram: @Nothing_Felt_WrongTikTok: @Nothing_Felt_WrongSOURCES & FURTHER READINGBusiness Insider — Mary Carole McDonnell, Bellum Entertainment & the FBI manhunthttps://www.businessinsider.com/mary-carole-mcdonnell-fbi-most-wanted-bellum-entertainment-2026-7FBI — Mary Carole McDonnell Wanted Noticehttps://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/mary-carole-mcdonnell/download.pdfCBS Los Angeles — Bellum Entertainment & unpaid employeeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyy1LlkearwNBC News — Former employees detail McDonnell’s alleged long conhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fake-heiress-fugitive-former-employees-detail-alleged-long-con-blamed-rcna248863NewsNation — Mary Carole McDonnell & Bellum Entertainmenthttps://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/mary-carole-mcdonell-bellum-entertainment-ponzi-scheme/NewsNation — Interview with former Bellum crew memberhttps://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/videos/mary-carole-mcdonell-was-worried-about-reputation-ex-crew-member-banfield/853504584229125/Next TV — McDonnell leaves Raycom to focus on Bellumhttps://www.nexttv.com/news/exclusive-mcdonnell-departing-raycom-focus-bellum-133160Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crimehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092Deadline — Bellum Entertainment unpaid wage claims & Labor Commissioner investigationhttps://deadline.com/2017/09/bellum-entertainment-unpaid-wage-claims-labor-commission-investigation-1202178336/Banc of California lawsuit / court recordshttps://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-dis-crt-cd-cal/115207308.htmlRolling Stone — The true crime producer, fake heiress & FBI fugitivehttps://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/true-crime-fake-heiress-fbi-most-wanted-1235589737/Additional source: Archived MaryCaroleMcDonnell.com webpage created by Aaron Cadieux and provided to Business Insider.NOTE: Mary Carole McDonnell has been charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Allegations related to the criminal charges remain allegations unless and until proven in court.Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don’t.Hosted by Anne Genduso.Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    29 分
  • 3 Reddit Stories That’ll Make You Trust No One

    3 Reddit Stories That’ll Make You Trust No One
    2026/08/17

    Your bank calls to stop a $2,000 scam. The problem? The person on the phone is the scammer.

    What makes us trust the wrong person—and why can the very things that make someone seem safe make deception even harder to spot?

    In this Side-Eye Session, I'm joined by life and mindset coach Tina Unrue to unpack three true Reddit stories involving a sophisticated bank impersonation scam, a work-from-home opportunity that escalates into thousands of dollars in losses, and a family business allegedly used by a father to commit fraud.

    Together, we look at the psychology that makes these situations feel believable—including authority bias, urgency, sunk costs, opportunity, family dynamics, and our natural instinct to give people the benefit of the doubt.

    And we tackle a harder question: After someone betrays your trust, how do you protect yourself without becoming afraid to trust anyone again?

    Side-Eye Question: Which would you have trusted: the bank, the boss, or the dad?

    In this episode:

    • The bank impersonation scam that looked completely legitimate
    • How fake work-from-home jobs use escalation to keep victims paying
    • Why a “mentor” or authority figure can make a scam more convincing
    • The psychology of sunk costs and misplaced trust
    • What changes when the person deceiving you is family
    • How to learn from betrayal without carrying distrust into every future relationship


    ABOUT NOTHING FELT WRONG

    Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories about scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the psychology behind how people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso.

    Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception, manipulation, and human behavior.

    HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?

    Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com
    Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous.

    FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG

    Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong
    TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong

    SOURCES & EDITORIAL NOTE
    Reddit stories featured in this episode:
    • Story 1 – Bank impersonation scam
    • Story 2 – Work-from-home/crypto scam
    • Story 3 – Family business fraud

    Stories have been edited and condensed for clarity. Commentary and analysis are our own.

    Statistic: According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2025, Americans lost $1 billion to business impersonators, predominantly bank impersonation schemes.

    Because nothing felt wrong…until it did.
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    45 分
  • How Job Scams Fool Smart People | Hiring Expert Katrina Collier

    How Job Scams Fool Smart People | Hiring Expert Katrina Collier
    2026/08/10

    What if your next job offer cost you more than it paid—because it was never real?

    Job scams have become increasingly sophisticated, fooling intelligent, experienced professionals every day.

    In this episode, hiring expert and author Katrina Collier joins me to explain how scammers impersonate recruiters, exploit today's difficult job market, and use AI-generated emails, fake interviews, and convincing websites to steal money and personal information.

    Together, we discuss three real stories involving employment scams, identity theft, and fake recruiters while breaking down the psychological tactics that make these scams so believable. We also share practical red flags to help you recognize and avoid modern job scams.

    Whether you're searching for a job or simply want to protect yourself from increasingly sophisticated scams, this episode will change the way you evaluate unexpected job opportunities.

    Sources & Further Reading

    Reddit Stories Featured

    Story #1 – I Think I Was Job Scammed
    https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/1tciz6z/i_think_i_was_job_scammed/

    Story #2 – Fake Job Scam on LinkedIn (Hacked Recruiter)
    https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/1t6ai29/fake_job_scam_on_linkedin_hacked_recruiter/

    Story #3 – Finance Job Scam
    https://www.reddit.com/r/UKJobs/comments/1ugnjei/finance_job_scam/

    Additional Sources

    Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker

    Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Job Scams

    Katrina Collier's website: https://katrinacollier.com/

    Katrina Collier's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katrina-Collier/author/B07Z8356ZX

    Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso.

    Have a story to share? Email stories@nothingfeltwrong.com

    Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.

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    48 分
  • The Man America Adopted… But Was It All a Lie? | The Benjaman Kyle Mystery

    The Man America Adopted… But Was It All a Lie? | The Benjaman Kyle Mystery
    2026/08/03

    For more than a decade, America rallied behind Benjaman Kyle—the mysterious man found naked behind a Burger King with no memory of his identity.

    After years of searching, DNA finally revealed who he really was.

    But instead of ending the mystery, the discovery raised an even bigger question.

    Did Benjaman Kyle genuinely suffer from amnesia...or did he know his identity all along?

    In this episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we explore one of America's most fascinating identity mysteries, examine the evidence on both sides, and uncover the manipulation tactics and psychological biases that may explain why so many people believed his story.

    Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso.

    Have a story to share? Email stories@nothingfeltwrong.com

    Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    36 分
  • Would You Have Fallen for These? | 3 True Stories of Scams & Manipulation

    Would You Have Fallen for These? | 3 True Stories of Scams & Manipulation
    2026/07/27

    How does someone end up in a situation that seems so obvious in hindsight, when, at the time, nothing felt wrong?

    In this Side-Eye Session, I'm joined by Lyssa to unpack three true stories involving a jury duty scam, a revenge story involving a conning ex, and a devastating romance scam.

    Together, we examine the manipulation tactics behind each story, the red flags that are much easier to spot in hindsight, and why these situations can feel completely believable while they're happening.

    Would you have fallen for any of these?

    Share your thoughts on Instagram or TikTok, and take a seat next to us at the Side Eye Society.

    Stories Discussed

    • Jury Duty Scam – Reddit
    https://www.reddit.com/r/ScamSupport/comments/1t1fjlz/i_just_got_scammed_and_i_feel_a_deep_shame_that/

    • Conning Ex / Revenge Story – Reddit
    https://www.reddit.com/r/traumatizeThemBack/s/tRsteEBxVw

    • Romance Scam – Reddit
    https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1gg1jn7/i_dated_a_real_life_con_artist_who_scammed_me_and/

    Stories have been edited and condensed for clarity. Commentary and analysis are our own.

    About the Show

    Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso.

    Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception and human behavior.

    Have a Story to Share?

    📧 stories@nothingfeltwrong.com

    Follow Nothing Felt Wrong:

    Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong
    TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong

    Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    56 分
  • How Do You Steal $30,000 Without Breaking In? | The Virginia Wine Heist

    How Do You Steal $30,000 Without Breaking In? | The Virginia Wine Heist
    2026/07/27
    Two bottles of rare wine worth more than $30,000. A toupee. A trench coat. And a suspected thief who fled the country.

    When two seemingly respectable prospective clients arrived at L'Auberge Provençale in Virginia wine country, nothing about their request for a tour seemed particularly alarming. But while one kept the sommelier distracted, the other allegedly walked away with some of the rarest and most coveted wine in the world.

    In the first episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we break down the extraordinary Virginia wine heist—and the social engineering tactics that may have helped the thieves gain access without ever having to break in.

    We'll look at three psychological patterns that can make deception feel completely believable in the moment:

    • Normalization
    • Social context
    • Values exploitation

    THE SIDE EYE QUESTION:
    Which tactic do you think would have been most effective on you: normalization, social context, or values exploitation? Share your answer with us on Instagram or TikTok.

    SOURCES & FURTHER READING

    • L'Auberge Provençale – Wine Heist Press Release:
    https://www.pr.com/press-release/954421

    • The Washington Post – A $24,000 Bottle of Wine Was Stolen, Then Returned:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/05/18/prized-pinot-noir-stolen-daring-virginia-wine-heist-is-returned/

    • FOX 5 DC – Thieves Posing as Event Planners Steal Rare Wine from Virginia Restaurant:
    https://www.fox5dc.com/news/thieves-posing-event-planners-steal-rare-wine-from-virginia-restaurant-business-says.amp

    • L'Auberge Provençale – YouTube Video:
    • Domaine de la Romanee Conti Heist, Wednesd...

    • The Northern Virginia Daily – Wine Heist Suspect Pleads Guilty, Will Serve One-Year Sentence:
    https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/wine-heist-suspect-pleads-guilty-will-serve-one-year-sentence/article_bac1f720-bc35-5ab0-8a82-ac131a8689f7.html.

    • Additional reporting and materials: L'Auberge Provençale website and press kit; Clarke County Sheriff's Office public communications.

    ABOUT THE SHOW
    Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't.

    Hosted by Anne Genduso

    Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception and human behavior.

    HAVE A STORY TO SHARE?
    Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com

    FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG
    Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong
    TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong

    Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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    29 分