Scam Goddess Podcast Summary

Episode: Fraud Friday: Fraud van Gogh (w/ Jonathan Van Ness)
Release Date: January 10, 2025
Host: Laci Mosley (Scam Goddess)
Guest: Jonathan Van Ness
Duration: Approximately 58 minutes

1. Introduction & Guest Welcome (00:00 - 02:44)

The episode kicks off with Laci Mosley, aka Scam Goddess, introducing the show and welcoming Jonathan Van Ness as the guest. Laci sets the stage for "Fraud Fridays," a segment dedicated to revisiting classic scam stories from the podcast's archives. Jonathan brings his vibrant energy to the conversation, expressing excitement about the episode and teasing the deep dive into historical scams.

2. Kat Dennings’ Glamour Shots Scam (02:44 - 08:55)

Key Discussion:
Kat Dennings shares her personal experience working at Glamour Shots in the mid-2000s. She describes her role as a front-line employee tasked with attracting customers to the Glamour Shots booth in the Mall of America. Kat reveals the deceptive tactics used by the company to upsell customers into expensive packages, ultimately leading them to take out loans to afford services they didn't need.

Notable Quotes:

• Kat Dennings (05:30): "I had to stand in front of the Glamour Shots and flag walkers by to be like, would you like to get your glamour shots today?"
• Jonathan Van Ness (08:03): "It's a scam. Like having someone refinance their home for some photos."

Kat elaborates on how her commission was minimal compared to the exorbitant prices customers were charged, highlighting the manipulative sales strategies employed by Glamour Shots.

3. Breaking Down the Glamour Shots Scam (08:55 - 16:09)

Key Discussion:
The conversation deepens as Jonathan and Kat dissect the Glamour Shots scam. They discuss the unethical practices, such as selling life-sized cutouts and unnecessary dental work, which forced customers into financial distress. Kat expresses her regret over participating in the scam and emphasizes the importance of ethical practices in sales.

Notable Quotes:

• Kat Dennings (06:54): "They gave them some clicking teeth, honey, to. And they really, like, they just really gave them a full transformation."
• Jonathan Van Ness (12:27): "Like door to door only fans is amazing to me. I want that. I want to be a part of that."

Kat also shares an amusing anecdote about enforcing dress codes at Glamour Shots, illustrating the rigid and dehumanizing work environment.

4. Historic Hoodwinks: The Keane Art Fraud (16:09 - 51:23)

Key Discussion:
Jonathan introduces the "Historic Hoodwinks" segment, focusing on the infamous art fraud involving Walter and Margaret Keane, famously portrayed in the film Big Eyes. This historical deep dive uncovers how Walter Keane fraudulently took credit for his wife Margaret's artwork, which featured distinctive big-eyed children.

Notable Quotes:

• Jonathan Van Ness (26:45): "Walter Keene's Big Eye paintings could be found on postcards at every grocery store and pharmacy in the 1960s."
• Kat Dennings (33:28): "I can't believe I predicted the paint off, you guys. I didn't even know that."

The discussion covers the origin of the Keane scam, detailing how Walter exploited societal and gender norms of the time to pass off his wife's talent as his own. They delve into the abusive dynamics of their marriage, Walter's eventual downfall, and Margaret's fight for recognition, culminating in their iconic court paint-off where Margaret ultimately exposed the deceit.

Notable Insights:

• The scam thrived in a period when women had limited autonomy, allowing Walter to manipulate and control the narrative around their artwork.
• Margaret's resilience and eventual triumph highlighted the importance of perseverance and truth in overcoming fraud.

5. Scammer of the Week: Tina Kumar’s Credit Card Scam (51:23 - 54:24)

Key Discussion:
In the "Scammer of the Week" segment, Jonathan presents a contemporary scam where Tina Kumar's credit card account was fraudulently associated with 70 different individuals. This unusual and large-scale fraud raised questions about security loopholes within Chase Bank's credit system.

Notable Quotes:

• Jonathan Van Ness (52:52): "So, Tina, I don't think that you're this, you guys scammed here like you're not the scammer of the week."
• Kat Dennings (53:01): "So what the hell was that about?"

They speculate on the nature of the scam, considering possibilities of insider involvement and systemic failures within the banking institution that allowed such a breach to occur without immediate red flags.

Notable Insights:

• The case underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring of financial statements.
• It highlights the evolving complexity of scams in the digital age, where large-scale identity fraud can impact numerous unsuspecting victims simultaneously.

6. Conclusion & Promotions (54:24 - 58:27)

The episode winds down with final thoughts from Jonathan and Kat, reiterating the importance of staying informed and vigilant against scams. They briefly mention upcoming projects and encourage listeners to follow their respective ventures.

Notable Quotes:

• Jonathan Van Ness (56:08): "Congregation, Stay scheming. Scam Goddess."
• Kat Dennings (58:19): "Have you ever seen a movie that's so bad that it's actually good? Eh? That's what we're talking about."

Listeners are reminded to visit the Scam Goddess website for more information and to engage with the podcast community via email for reporting scams.

Key Takeaways:

• Ethical Awareness: Kat Dennings' account of working at Glamour Shots serves as a cautionary tale about unethical sales practices and the importance of integrity in business.
• Historical Fraud: The Keane art fraud illustrates how societal norms and personal relationships can be manipulated to perpetrate large-scale scams, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
• Modern Scams: Tina Kumar’s credit card fraud highlights the vulnerabilities in banking systems and the necessity for robust security measures to protect consumer information.
• Vigilance: Across all segments, the episode stresses the importance of being proactive in identifying and reporting fraudulent activities to safeguard personal and financial well-being.

Final Thoughts:

This episode of Scam Goddess masterfully intertwines personal anecdotes with historical and modern fraud cases, offering listeners a comprehensive look into the world of scams. With engaging dialogue, insightful analysis, and a touch of humor from Jonathan Van Ness, the podcast delivers both entertainment and valuable lessons on fraud prevention.

Stay Scheming!
If you have experienced a scam or have information to share, contact the Scam Goddess community at scamgoddesspod@gmail.com.