Digital cons and catfish: ‘Love, Janessa’ investigates a global scam operation
Who is Janessa Brazil and why are her images stolen online? “Love, Janessa” is a new seven-part podcast from CBC True Crime revealing an elaborate con operation that swindles thousands of dollars from victims while stealing their trust and breaking some hearts. Does Brazil realize her images are used for a global operation of romance scams?
In this series, journalist Hannah Ajala attempts to find the real Brazil, an adult film star, and hopes to track down the catfishers. Stream all episodes from the beginning to catch the full narrative, with all episodes running less than an hour. “Love, Janessa” brings listeners from West Africa to the UK, Italy, and the United States to explore the scams.
Ajala speaks with victims and unpacks how they were lured, and why they fall for the scheme. The podcast also interviews a journalist who accidentally encountered the catfish online, realized what was happening, and attempted to expose the lies.
The podcast also interviews career con artists who specialize in running romance scams. Episode three dives into the scammers’ craft, examining how and why they make a living conning others. Hear firsthand stories from a scammer that admitted, “I always feel bad.” Interesting to know some might have a guilty conscience about it.
This carefully-constructed scheme takes time – it involves building trust with potential victims, strengthening their bond, talking on the phone late into the night, and other activities that build relationships in real life. This episode also discusses some stats that researchers have found – about half of international romance scams stem from West Africa. Learn more about the Sakawa Boys, a Ghana-based group that specializes in internet fraud.
Hear about Roberto in the second episode, an Italian sustainable farmer who believed he was in love with Brazil. He forked over thousands of dollars and asked her to leave the adult entertainment world behind. Roberto’s friends and family believed he was getting scammed. Tune into the second episode to hear what happened when Brazil said she was going to meet him at a European airport.
Fans of true crime series like “Queen of the Con” and “Chameleon” might also enjoy “Love, Janessa.” Tune in over the next few weeks for new episodes wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
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