Dark Downeast: INTRODUCING Chameleon

Podcast: Dark Downeast
Host: Kylie Low
Original Air Date: February 13, 2026
Featured Podcast: Chameleon (Campside Media & Audiochuck) – Hosted by Josh Dean, with journalists Katrina Onstad and Hannah Ajala

Episode Overview

This episode of Dark Downeast is an introduction and preview for Chameleon, a podcast that explores the hidden world of online deception—specifically, a sprawling, global catfishing operation centered on a stolen identity, the cam girl Janessa Brazil. The story explores how her image was used to scam thousands, pulling listeners into a wider look at the psychology, industry, and culture that make catfishing so powerful.

Key Points and Insights

1. Kylie Low’s Fascination with Catfishing ([00:00])

• Kylie shares her "Obsession Level" interest with catfishing stories and introduces Chameleon as a show that captures the psychological depth and intrigue she seeks.
  • “The layers, the psychology, the way people can perform an entire life online and get away with it.” (Kylie Low, 00:06)
• The featured episode from Chameleon will play in full, focusing on the Janessa Brazil catfishing scam.

2. The Story of Simon and "Shrilly" ([01:54]–[06:03])

• Journalist Simon de Brusell receives a message from "Shrilly"—beginning a slow-burn online relationship.
  • “He ended up talking to this person who presented herself as an American in Flint, Michigan. A mother, a hard worker, an environmentalist.” (Joe Barrett, [02:49])
• Red flags emerge when she requests money, claiming to be stranded in Toronto.
  • “She was trapped there in a snowstorm. They had taken her passport and she needed help to get back.” (Joe Barrett, [03:29])
• Simon investigates and discovers similar stories and images under the name Janessa Brazil. The scam is multi-layered and emotionally manipulative.
  • “He finds other people online talking about being scammed by a woman using some of the same images Shirley had sent him.” (Josh Dean, [03:56])
• The final reveal: money sent through PayPal is flagged due to being redirected to West Africa, triggering a realization for Simon and sending him on a mission to expose the truth.
  • “He kind of snapped to and realized, ‘Oh God, I’m still being scammed. It’s just that the scam is always taking a new shape.’” (Joe Barrett, [05:39])

3. Who Is Janessa Brazil? The Roots of the Image ([06:03]–[15:55])

• Janessa Brazil, real name Vanessa, was an early, successful cam girl who shared a wide array of content online—photos both sexual and ‘everyday’.
  • “Before there was OnlyFans, she had a subscription-only service and she was making, she says at one point, about a million dollars a year.” (Joe Barrett, [08:32])
• This abundance of realistic footage made her the perfect bait for scammers.
• Vanessa’s own life: Brazilian immigrant, raised in hardship, worked in exotic entertainment and clothing, delayed by her undocumented status, eventually became a cam girl following a life-altering car accident.
  • “With the money from that car accident, she got a boob job and started performing online... her husband was sort of her agent.” (Joe Barrett, [13:47])
• She gradually realized scammers were using her likeness en masse.
  • “This guy comes into my chat and he says that we're married… and that's when I started to realize what was happening.” (Vanessa (Janessa Brazil), [14:35])
• The fallout: repeated angry or heartbroken messages from victims; she eventually withdrew from online life due to harassment and guilt.
  • “I think having to absorb the vitriol of that many people who felt that she had ruined their lives… it's hard to imagine what that would feel like.” (Joe Barrett, [16:22])

4. The Catfishing Industry: The West African Connection ([16:42]–[24:25])

• Many scams traced to West Africa—specifically Nigeria and Ghana—where organized groups known as the Sakawa Boys operate.
  • “The Love Janessa team was able to trace many of the scammers using Vanessa's images to a single region... West Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana in particular, is the global hub for romance scams.” (Josh Dean, [16:42])
• Hannah Ajala, a British Nigerian journalist, joins to penetrate this world. She explores the cultural and socioeconomic context that breeds these schemes.
  • “It's coming from desperation. Because you're in a country and a system where youth unemployment is skyrocketing and you want to find means to make a living.” (Hannah Ajala, [20:52])
• The culture of the Sakawa Boys includes ritual beliefs—using witchcraft and spiritual practices to succeed in scams.
  • “Someone that's heavily involved in fraudulent activities also may be heavily involved in witchcraft, in voodoo, and other dark spiritual activities.” (Hannah Ajala, [19:52])
• Scammers conduct "work" out of internet cafés, targeting Westerners, often using handbooks and scripts. Many refer to victims as “clients.”
  • “You could find yourself in a network that comes with a Saqawa handbook, a literal guide on how to be the best of the best romance scammer.” (Hannah Ajala, [23:10])

5. The Art of Online Manipulation ([23:23]–[26:38])

• Techniques used by both cam girls and scammers are shockingly similar—psychological manipulation, breadcrumbing, mirroring desires.
  • “The incredible skill that Vanessa... had in her sex work is this sort of psychological manipulation... giving them just exactly what they want and mirroring back to them their deepest needs and desires.” (Joe Barrett, [23:56])
  • “I read endless books on psychology, hypnotism, and how to manipulate their minds, but not in a bad way…. Win their hearts, you win their wallets, and the rest is history.” (Vanessa (Janessa Brazil), [24:25])
• New technology enables scammers: AI can now create convincing video, mimic voices, and hide identities.
  • “A scammer today can probably map Janessa's image onto his own face and become her in a video. You really can't even trust your eyes anymore.” (Josh Dean, [27:18])

6. Victims: The Human Cost ([27:50]–[34:18])

• The scam usually unfolds slowly—building a relationship, love bombing, then gradually escalating requests for money.
  • “The young man in Ghana described it as a courtship like any other... it's a long game.” (Joe Barrett, [27:50])
• Victims are not uniformly lonely or naïve—case of Roberto, a young, successful Italian farmer, losing nearly a quarter million euros over five years.
  • “He fell in love, like really and truly in love... had built a virtual relationship for just over five years.” (Joe Barrett, [31:11])
• The psychological effects linger: shame, heartbreak, ruined lives.
  • “It was a gradual deterioration of their lives.” (Hannah Ajala, [38:05])
• Vanessa (Janessa) herself became a victim—unable to turn to the police, carrying the blame and consequences for her image's misuse.
  • “She assumed [the police] would just say, you're a porn star. You brought this on yourself.” (Joe Barrett, [34:18])

7. Perspectives from the Scammers ([34:54]–[37:31])

• Some scammers feel guilt, others rationalize it as “reparations” against former colonizers.
  • “He said that he did feel bad, but the game is the game. Gotta keep it going. Like, you could see that he had some remorse.” (Hannah Ajala, [35:06])
  • “There's no remorse because we're taking back what was taken from us.…to encourage people… don’t fall back. Their ancestors stole from us, so it's time for us to get back what's ours.” (Hannah Ajala, [35:19])

8. Broader Implications and Final Thoughts ([37:31]–[39:43])

• Scamming thrives in regions with unstable governance and deep poverty. For many, it's a means of survival.
  • “No one is born bad... but that is the result for many people when they just can't see a way out in a system that's repetitively failing them.” (Hannah Ajala, [36:42])
• Raising awareness is critical: anyone can be a target, especially in an age of AI-deepened deception.
  • “It's raising awareness about the dangers of romance, scamming the lives that it ruins, and the importance of how careful we have to be when pursuing anything, romantic or not, online.” (Hannah Ajala, [37:35])
• Ultimately, it's a story about vulnerability and empathy—the universal desire for love, and how that can be both a person’s strength and undoing.
  • “Our ability to love is our greatest strength as a species, but it's our greatest vulnerability, too.” (Josh Dean, [38:42])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “PayPal says, no, you can't transfer this money because this money is going to West Africa. And then the scales… fell from his eyes.” (Joe Barrett, [05:39])
• “She became like a white whale. People are all over the Internet asking, who is this? Who is Janessa Brazil? Did she get in your pocket? Did she get into your head, your heart?” (Joe Barrett, [07:26])
• “She could charge, like a hundred bucks for five minutes. That kind of cam girl celebrity.” (Joe Barrett, [09:42])
• “You could tell he's a family man... he did feel bad, but the game is the game.” (Hannah Ajala, [35:06])
• “There’s no remorse because we’re taking back what was taken from us.” (Hannah Ajala, [35:19])
• “Love can make you imagine things. But then, oddly, it's quite warming and surprising to know how many human beings are willing to wear their heart on their sleeve like that.” (Hannah Ajala, [38:28])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |--------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Kylie Low introduces her passion for catfishing stories and pitches Chameleon | | 01:54 | The beginning of Simon and “Shrilly”’s online relationship | | 03:56 | Simon’s first doubts and investigation into Shirley’s real identity | | 06:03 | Introduction to Janessa Brazil—whose images were hijacked | | 14:35 | Vanessa realizes her identity is being used in romance scams | | 16:07 | Vanessa deals with victims’ anger and heartbreak | | 16:42 | Scams traced to West Africa; Sakawa Boys introduced | | 20:52 | The socio-economic roots of scamming in Ghana and Nigeria | | 23:10 | Training and handbooks for romance scammers | | 24:25 | Vanessa on her own psychological techniques as a cam girl | | 27:18 | The impact of new tech (AI, voice changers) on catfishing | | 30:22 | The story of Roberto, high-value catfishing victim | | 33:39 | Why Janessa Brazil’s image became so ubiquitous | | 35:06 | Interviews with scammers: guilt and rationalization | | 36:42 | Structural and economic drivers that fuel the rise of romance scams | | 37:35 | The importance of raising awareness; anyone can be a victim | | 38:42 | Final reflections on love, vulnerability, and human connection |

Overall Tone & Takeaway

Chameleon offers a deeply human, empathetic exploration of how catfishing preys on universal desires for connection—both a psychological thriller and social commentary. The episode is careful not to demonize victims, and it acknowledges both the skill and desperation among perpetrators. It raises tough questions about privacy, trust, and the future dangers unleashed by increasingly sophisticated technology.