Scam Goddess - "Fraud Friday: The Flying Teenage Fraud"

Host: Laci Mosley
Guests: Tracy Clayton & Josh Gwynn (hosts of Back Issue)
Date: November 21, 2025
Episode Theme:
A classic Scam Goddess re-release digging into the wild true story of Colton Harris-Moore, the teenage "Barefoot Bandit" who stole planes, boats, and hearts—plus hilarious scam stories and a catfish twist featuring a Swedish woman and her scammer-turned-friend.

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode is a lively, comedic deep dive into one of the most audacious teen scammers in U.S. history, Colton Harris-Moore (aka "The Barefoot Bandit"), exploring his improbable two-year crime spree of breaking into homes, stealing planes and boats—often barefoot—and his bizarre cult status. Laci, joined by podcast duo Tracy Clayton and Josh Gwynn, also shares tips for avoiding rental scams, delves into listener scam stories, and wraps up with a golden "Scammer of the Week" about a catfish-turned-soulmate scenario.

Tone:
Playfully irreverent, quick-witted, with plenty of side tangents and signature Scam Goddess humor.

Introduction & Guest Banter

• Laci welcomes Tracy (returning) and Josh (new) as guests, both hosts of the podcast "Back Issue."

  • They joke about Laci accidentally calling their show "Black Issue."
    • Laci: "It's called... the podcast is called Back Issue. Okay, but there are some blacks on it." (03:13)

• Guests share their fascination with scams:

  • Josh confesses love for scam documentaries, especially LuLaRich:
    • Josh: "Recently there's been all these, like, scam documentaries... I just watched the LulaRich one." (03:49)
      • Favorite part: Moldy leggings and clueless managers.
  • Tracy mentions marathon watching American Greed and Dr. Phil romance scams:
    • "One of my favorite things in the world right now is the relationship scam episodes of Dr. Phil. Absolutely. Top scammer." (06:11)

• Running gag:

  • If you see a lone Black person in a true crime reenactment, "They always die. Never good." (05:00)

[08:07] What's Hot in Fraud - Listener Scam Letter

[08:37] Listener "Sarita" reports:

Rental Scam Warning

• During the pandemic, Sarita's parents rented a long-term Airbnb in LA. The host persuaded them to pay by Venmo off-platform, supposedly to avoid service fees.
• The host later canceled, promising to Venmo back the deposit (thousands of dollars). She never did.
• Family tried contacting her (she's an LA actress), but got ghosted.
• Laci confirms: Venmo offers very little recourse for this kind of scam.
  • "If you send somebody money and it's a scam, all you can do is request on Venmo and then live on a prayer." (14:39)
• Scam Prevention Tips:
  • Don’t trust off-platform payments.
  • Only book through official channels with reviews and protections.
  • If a property is “too new” or has no reviews, it's a red flag.
  • Laci: "Do your due diligence... there's so many scammers on those websites." (23:14)

Notable Quotes:

• Tracy (re Airbnb scams): "No trust no bitch, as the Bible says." (19:08)
• Laci (on revenge): "If I need to pull up to your home and pop the trunk, all the receipts." (18:21)

[25:07] Historic Hoodwinks: The Barefoot Bandit

Who is Colton Harris-Moore?

• Born 1991, troubled upbringing in rural Washington.
• By age 15, homeless, robbing homes, and evading police by camping in woods—often barefoot.
• Had a partner early on with the real name "Harley Davidson Iron Wing."
  • Tracy: "If my name was Harley Davidson, I would feel so much pressure to be the coolest motherfucker on the planet." (27:21)

Colton’s Crime Spree Highlights

• Deliberate Branding: Left large chalk footprints at crime scenes, signed as "Barefoot Bandit."
  • "He left 39 large chalk footprints around the store and outside the door with a note that said, see ya." (30:44)
• Education Gap:
  • Stole credit cards to buy flight manuals, teaching himself to fly with "Flying for Dummies."
  • Josh: "Do you know the amount of confidence that you need in order to trust yourself to learn to fly by reading Flying for Dummies?" (32:10)
• Plane Thefts & Escapes:
  • Stole and crash-landed at least 5 planes (only improved bumping from major damage to "just a few scratches"), plus boats and cars.
  • Often evaded police despite wild circumstances, even after gunfire.
  • Notable: Successfully fled from police in multiple states; once hid out in the Bahamas, stealing yachts and evading international law enforcement.

Social Media Fame:

• Fans created "Fly, Colt, Fly" t-shirts.
• His mother: "I hope to hell he stole those airplanes. I would be so proud, but put in there that I want him to wear a parachute next time, not shoes." (36:12)
• Laci: "His wiki feet is popping. People love to get photos of the Barefoot Bandit." (30:18)

Systemic/Inequality Observations:

• Tracy: "If he was black, Joe, I feel like this would have been a much shorter story." (42:31)
  • Acknowledgement that he survived wild crimes due to his whiteness.

Arrest & Aftermath:

• Finally caught in the Bahamas after two years on the run.
• Convicted for multiple felonies (boats, cars, planes, guns); sentenced to 7 years.
• Owes $1.4 million restitution, released early (2016), attempted to GoFundMe his way into flight school and to fund his mother’s cryogenic freezing.
  • "He now attempts to work as an entrepreneur and motivational speaker." (48:42)

[51:05] Scammer of the Week: The Catfishing Turned Friendship

Story:

• Maria, a 62-year-old Swedish artist, falls for “Johnny” (supposedly a Danish man) online.
• After months of romance—with “Johnny” routinely requesting money for emergencies in Nigeria (son shot, hospital bills, etc)—Maria sends thousands of euros.
• Eventually, “Johnny” admits the truth: He’s a 24-year-old Nigerian scammer.
• The kicker—Maria and Johnny become genuine friends. She visits Nigeria, helps Johnny and his artist friends get grants, and even brings him to America for school.
  • Tracy: "So happy to have just been robbed of several thousand dollars." (56:44)
• Laci's take: “See, sometimes scams aren’t that bad. She had a good time.” (56:49)
• The guests agree this is the happiest ending for a scam they’ve ever heard.
  • Tracy: “In the name of reparations, this is definitely a win. White lady. Lots of money directly to Africa. Put the homies on—activism, yes.” (62:19)

[62:34] Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "No trust no bitch, as the Bible says." — Tracy Clayton (19:08)
• "He left 39 large chalk footprints around the store and outside the door with a note that said, see ya." — Laci Mosley (30:44)
• "Do you know the amount of confidence that you need in order to trust yourself to learn to fly by reading Flying for Dummies?" — Josh Gwynn (32:10)
• "[Colton’s mother]: I hope to hell he stole those airplanes. I would be so proud, but put in there that I want him to wear a parachute next time, not shoes." (36:12)
• "If he was Black, this would have been a much shorter story." — Tracy Clayton (42:31)
• "Eat Pray Scam." — Laci Mosley, about Maria’s story (59:49)
• "In the name of reparations, this is definitely a win." — Tracy Clayton (62:19)

Key Timestamps

• [03:49] — Josh on LulaRich doc and the moldy leggings scam
• [08:07] — Listener letter: The Venmo Airbnb scam
• [25:07] — Main segment: The Barefoot Bandit (Colton Harris-Moore)
• [30:44] — The all-chalk, all-footprint crime scene
• [36:12] — Colton’s mother’s infamous quote
• [42:31] — Racial double standards in scam infamy/arrest
• [51:05] — "Scammer of the Week" — Maria & Johnny, the catfishing romance
• [59:49] — "Eat Pray Scam" and the recontextualization of being scammed

Advice & Takeaways

• Rental Scams: Don’t go off-platform; verify hosts through reviews; if it’s "too good to be true," it probably is.
• Internet Scams: Even smart, savvy people can fall for romantic cons—compassion and lessons learned.
• Scammer Fame: Sometimes, scam artists become anti-heroes or cultural phenomena; the stories often blend crime, media, and race.
• Giving Back?: In rare cases, scams can forge strange, genuine connections and lead to good—though it’s definitely not recommended.

Closing and Where to Find the Guests

• Follow "Back Issue" on Instagram @backissuepodcast
• Josh Gwynn: @regardingjosh
• Tracy Clayton: @brokeymcpoverty
• Laci Mosley: @divalaci
• Send scam stories: scamgoddesspod@gmail.com

As Laci always says: "Stay scheming!"