Scam Goddess – Fraud Friday: The Shady Legal Squatter w/ Traci Thomas

Podcast: Scam Goddess
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Traci Thomas (Host of The Stacks podcast)
Original Air Date: October 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this Fraud Friday classic, Laci Mosley welcomes Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks (a podcast about books), for a laugh-out-loud dissection of recent scams and an in-depth breakdown of the notorious legal “squatter” Jameson Bachman—who turned roommate horror stories into an art form. The episode mixes audience letters, wellness scam talk, and the darkly comic saga of squatting gone criminal, all while maintaining the show’s signature comedic and conversational tone.

1. Opening Banter & Scam Pedigree (04:28–11:51)

Key Points:

• Laci and Traci bond over their uniquely spelled names and family backgrounds, exchanging childhood name stories.
• Traci shares her personal experience being scammed (05:10–07:55):
  • Fell for an Amazon account phishing scam during the pandemic while sleep-deprived with newborn twins.
  • She realized mid-call what was happening:

    "And then all of a sudden, of course, it dawns on me, and I just hang up. And then I, like, call Amazon, and I'm like, I think I got scammed." — Traci (05:32)

  • More recently, she thought she was targeted again but the contact was actually from her real bank.
• Both agree that shame isn't welcome; anyone can be scammed.

  "Listen, I am a mark. I'm a scammer. There is no shame." — Laci (06:53)

• They bond over their love for scam culture, con artistry, cults, and characters like Elizabeth Holmes.

Memorable Moment:
Traci admits how even passionate scam-watchers get fooled, emphasizing the audacity and psychology behind scams.

2. What's Hot in Fraud: The Self-Empowerment Pyramid Scheme (12:28–29:08)

Segment Summary

Laci and Traci review a listener letter (from a pseudonymous “Clancy”) detailing their journey through a “sister circle” that was, in fact, a high-buy-in pyramid scheme wrapped in new-age language.

Key Points:

• The “circle” required $10,000 buy-in under the guise of wellness, “manifesting abundance,” and group support.
• Levels were coded as “appetizer” (lowest) to “dessert” (top payout).
• The scam’s structure mirrored classic airplane games and pyramid schemes, with rapid splits and burnout.

  "So I just feel like if I'm manifesting abundance and I already got 10k, I should probably just work with that." — Laci (18:28)

• Many participants sourced their $10k from cash-rich endeavors, like growing weed; the scam ended with most left out to dry.
• Relationship between new-age language and old scams: making scams more appealing to modern, affluent, or wellness-minded women.

  "There's a lot of just rewording of old scams. You know, they just cut it off, they give it a new haircut and they put it back on Facebook." — Laci (27:37)

Notable Quotes:

• "You just over here, chicken wing, little appetizer." — Laci, on being left behind in the scheme (25:38)
• "If the math ain't mathing, there's a reason." — Laci (26:23)

Tone & Style:
Jovial, riffing on conspiratorial circles ("parallelogram for the people!") and mocking scam logic, segues into practical advice for listeners.

3. Headliner: The Shady Legal Squatter (30:09–58:14)

Main Story: Jameson Bachman, the Serial Roommate Squatter

Introduction to the Case (30:09–34:33)

• Laci introduces Jameson Bachman, the “serial squatter,” from the Intelligencer article “Worst Roommate Ever” by William Brennan, and the Netflix docuseries of the same name.
• He masqueraded as “Jed Creek,” a charming, educated New Yorker (really just a serial con man), who’d move in then weaponize tenants’ rights laws to take homes from under roommates.

"To those who first met him, Jameson Bachman was intelligent, educated, and charming... However, as soon as the first rent check was cashed, he would embark on a reign of terror against his victims..." — Laci (30:36)

The Scam in Action (34:33–41:23)

• His tactics:

  • Moved in with little more than Tupperware, a dog, and a surprise cat.
  • Refused to pay utilities, threatened court action when pressed.
  • Raided communal furniture for himself, e.g. taking all the dining chairs for his “desk.”
  • Used legal-sounding intimidation:

    "He offered to take her to court." — Laci (39:44)

  • Weaponized squatter’s rights (by receiving mail at the address, etc).

• Their commentary highlights the absurdity:

  "I just feel like if you can’t afford a bed, you can’t afford rent." — Laci (38:12) “My bed and my desk could be ruined.” — Traci, sarcastically (43:27)

The Dark Turn (43:32–58:14)

• Jameson, while acting as a roommate, commits escalating acts: property damage, intimidation, and ultimately violence.
  • Revelation: he never passed the bar, though he attended law school. His pro per legal defense was all bluster.
  • After a series of disputes, he violently attacked one victim. (Trigger warning: physical assault.)
  • He eventually murdered his brother after being released on bail, then took his own life in jail before trial.

Key Analysis:

• They discuss how Jameson’s motivation became less about free rent and more about inflicting anguish:

  "His roommates could never do anything to satisfy him because he wanted nothing from him but the sadistic pleasure of watching them squirm as he displaced them." — Laci (50:07)

• Laci gives advice on vetting roommates and the legal risk of taking in strangers, especially in “live-in” cities:

  “Before you allow somebody to move into your place, you need to vet them, because as soon as they start getting mail...they could prove that they were a resident.” — Laci (52:18)

• Discussion of squatting and tenancy laws, and how unvetted roommates become hard to evict—even becoming entitled to legal protections as residents.

4. Scammer of the Week: Glenda, the Romantic Money Mule (58:14–64:47)

Key Points:

• Glenda, 81, from Missouri, was convicted for acting as a money mule for a supposed Nigerian lover.

  • She lost/sent over $1 million, ignored warnings from family & the FBI.
  • As part of sentencing, she filmed a PSA:

    "In 2014, I met the love of my life online...he told me he was a US citizen working in Nigeria..." — Glenda’s PSA (62:20)

• Laci and Traci riff hilariously on Glenda’s love-blindness, calling out the lack of support from her community and poking fun at her colorful online romance.

Notable Quotes:

• "She just wanted a worldly dicking, that’s exactly it, in her old age." — Traci (60:19)
• "Don’t be a mule." — Laci, on Glenda’s FBI PSA (62:52)

5. Tips, Takeaways & Final Thoughts

Practical Advice:

• Be wary of roommate offers that seem too good to be true.
• Vet roommates thoroughly; anyone can claim mail at your address and become hard to remove.
• If you’re being asked for codes or large sums of money online—don’t respond, hang up, check directly via official channels.
• If a group demands large “membership” fees with no product/service—run.

Memorable, Funny Moments:

• The ongoing bit about geometric shapes and scam language ("parallelogram for the people")
• Laughing at fake legalese—“would you like to go to court?”
• “If I have to go to Craig and his list, and I ain’t even met Craig, nobody met Craig…” — Laci, on the absurdity of roommate-hunting (32:25)

Traci’s Takeaway:

• Traci confirms her love for scam drama—for the entertainment, not for being personally scammed.
• Endorses being careful, skeptical, and checking in with friends about weird opportunities.

Important Timestamps

• 04:28 – Guest Traci Thomas joins, scam conversation begins.
• 12:28 – Letter segment: pyramid scheme disguised as wellness circle.
• 29:08 – Discussion of roommate/tenancy and scam housing.
• 30:09 – Begin Jameson Bachman case (“Worst Roommate Ever”).
• 43:50 – Analysis of squatters rights and tenant legalities.
• 58:14 – “Scammer of the Week”: Glenda’s romance scam.
• 64:47 – Episode close, plugs.

Guest Info & Plugs

• Traci Thomas: Host of The Stacks (book podcast).
  • The Stacks on Instagram
  • On Twitter: @itracial

Episode Tone

Signature Scam Goddess blend of comic relief and true crime, with a warm, inclusive, comedic, and irreverent lens. Solid scam education laced with laughter and relatable anecdotes. As always: Stay Schemin’.

This summary captures the full flow, humor, and vital insights of the episode, providing newcomers with both entertainment and warning—and enough story beats to appreciate the wild world of “True Con.”