Holiday Ho-ho-hoodwinks w/ Bridger Winegar

Summary

Podcast Summary: Scam Goddess – "Holiday Ho-ho-hoodwinks w/ Bridger Winegar"

Release Date: December 24, 2024

Introduction

In the episode titled "Holiday Ho-ho-hoodwinks," hosted by Laci Mosley (also known as Scam Goddess) on the award-winning Earwolf podcast, the focus shifts to exposing and dissecting various holiday-themed scams. Joined by guest Bridger Winegar, the duo delves into notorious frauds surrounding festive events, corporate deceit, and influencer-driven cons. This episode, marked by sharp humor and insightful analysis, highlights how the holiday season, often associated with joy and generosity, can also be a breeding ground for deceitful practices.

---

Segment 1: Unveiling SantaCon’s Charitable Deception

Timestamp: [23:37] – [26:45]

The conversation opens with an in-depth examination of SantaCon, an annual worldwide pub crawl where participants dress as Santa Claus and engage in revelry across various cities. While SantaCon markets itself as a philanthropic endeavor, claiming to have raised over $1 million for charity over a decade, Scam Goddess and Bridger Winegar reveal the darker side of this festivity.

Key Points:

• Funding Misallocation: Although SantaCon advertises substantial charitable contributions, the hosts uncover that less than 20% of the funds actually reach designated charities. The majority of the money is siphoned off for event maintenance, including temporary staff, street permits, and entertainment.

• Event Misrepresentation: Bridger sarcastically critiques the event’s promotional material, highlighting the stark contrast between the advertised magical winter wonderland and the under-decorated reality attendees face. This misrepresentation is likened to the infamous Fyre Festival fiasco.

• Charitable Claims vs. Reality: The hosts discuss how SantaCon’s organizers claim that proceeds support various charities, yet the vague designation of "various" makes it nearly impossible for contributors to verify the allocations. This lack of transparency is a common trait in many fraudulent charities.

Notable Quotes:

• Bridger Winegar: “SantaCon is wild. It’s like the Purge but with Santas.”

• Scott Sahni: “They say we raised a million dollars for charity, but costs are essentially a million dollars.”

• Bridger Winegar: “Don’t let them fool you. Different.”

Insights:

The discussion underscores the importance of scrutinizing charitable claims, especially those tied to high-profile events. By dissecting SantaCon’s financial practices, the hosts educate listeners on identifying red flags in philanthropic endeavors, emphasizing the necessity for transparency and accountability.

---

Segment 2: Santa’s Winter Village – A Festive Letdown

Timestamp: [40:48] – [58:47]

Transitioning from large-scale events, the hosts explore the fraudulent execution of Santa’s Winter Village—a supposed magical winter wonderland experience in a South Australian shopping center. Marketed as a unique Christmas experience, the event turned out to be a deceptive replica reminiscent of the poorly organized Fyre Festival.

Key Points:

• Event Discrepancy: Promoted as a charming winter wonderland with activities like ice skating and enchanted forests, attendees were instead met with an under-decorated warehouse featuring flimsy attractions and subpar installations.

• Financial Mismanagement: Organizer Lorraine Malone reportedly spent upwards of $100,000 on the event, with minimal returns in terms of genuine charitable contributions or quality experiences for attendees.

• Public Backlash and Apology: Following widespread disappointment, Malone issued an apology, partially attributing the failure to poor communication and logistical mishaps. However, Scam Goddess and Bridger express skepticism about the sincerity and adequacy of this apology, suggesting that the apology itself lacked genuine accountability.

Notable Quotes:

• Bridger Winegar: “This is nightmare fuel. I can't believe they did this to the babies.”

• Scott Sahni: “If I brought my kid here, I'm calling the FBI.”

• Bridger Winegar: “Something's too loose at the bank. Something.”

Insights:

This segment highlights how the allure of holiday magic can mask underlying fraudulence. By presenting Santa’s Winter Village as an example, the hosts illustrate how event organizers can exploit festive sentiments to deceive and defraud participants. The discussion also points to the challenges victims face in seeking redress and the often inadequate responses from fraudsters attempting to mitigate backlash.

---

Segment 3: Influencer Endorsements Gone Wrong – The Kiara Ferrani Scandal

Timestamp: [58:47] – [76:56]

Shifting focus to the realm of social media, Scam Goddess and Bridger investigate influencer-driven scams, specifically targeting the collaboration between Italian influencer Chiara Ferrani and the company Baloco. Ferrani’s endorsement of the "Pandora Pink Christmas Cake" serves as a case study in deceptive marketing practices within influencer culture.

Key Points:

• Deceptive Endorsements: Chiara Ferrani, boasting nearly 30 million followers, promoted Baloco’s Christmas cakes, priced significantly higher than standard offerings. The campaign falsely claimed that proceeds would support an Italian children’s hospital.

• Financial Foul Play: Despite earning over €1 million from the campaign, neither Ferrani nor Baloco directed the promised funds to the designated charity. Instead, Baloco had preemptively allocated €50,000 to the hospital independently of the campaign proceeds.

• Regulatory Actions: Italian authorities fined Baloco €420,000 and Ferrani €1 million for violating consumer protection laws and engaging in misleading charitable claims. The imbalance in penalties, disproportionately affecting the influencer over the company, raises questions about accountability and fairness in influencer-mediated scams.

• Impact on Influencer Reputation: Post-scandal, Ferrani lost a significant follower base and corporate sponsorships, including with major brands like Coca-Cola, highlighting the severe repercussions of fraudulent endorsements.

Notable Quotes:

• Scott Sahni: “Steal the money. What are y’all trying to do?”

• Bridger Winegar: “If you’re gonna give to charity, you gotta give to charity.”

• Bridger Winegar: “She’s trying to be in the true spirit of hating.”

• Scott Sahni: “A portion means nothing.”

Insights:

This segment underscores the potent influence of social media personalities and the ethical responsibilities that come with their endorsements. The Kiara Ferrani case exemplifies how influencers can unwittingly or willingly participate in fraudulent schemes, leveraging their reach to propagate deceptive practices. The disproportionate fines levied against Ferrani also spark a conversation about regulatory frameworks and the need for equitable enforcement in influencer-related fraud.

---

Segment 4: Navigating the Labyrinth of Retail Return Policies and Scams

Timestamp: [02:16] – [07:04]

Early in the episode, Scam Goddess and Bridger recount personal anecdotes related to retail return policy manipulations—practices where individuals exploit lenient store policies to gain undue financial benefits. They reflect on how such tactics have evolved over time, leading to stricter regulations.

Key Points:

• Return Policy Exploits: The hosts discuss their teenage experiences of purchasing clearance items, removing price tags, and returning them to different retailers for substantial credit, amassing significant savings and free products through savvy manipulation.

• Policy Tightening: Bridger laments how their youthful exploits contributed to retailers tightening return policies, introducing stringent time frames and requirements like blood samples for returns, diminishing the feasibility of such schemes.

• Corporate Greed: The conversation shifts to broader issues of corporate pricing strategies, including artificially inflating prices before offering minimal discounts to create an illusion of savings, reflecting a form of consumer manipulation.

Notable Quotes:

• Bridger Winegar: “We fucked up our bag. Because now the policy is like, you have to return this in 13 days.”

• Scott Sahni: “I feel like people were taking tires.”

• Bridger Winegar: “This is another scam.“

Insights:

This segment highlights the cat-and-mouse dynamic between consumers exploiting retail policies and businesses responding with tighter controls. It illustrates how seemingly minor manipulations can lead to significant policy shifts, reflecting on the broader theme of consumer deception and corporate reactionary measures. The discussion serves as a microcosm of the intricate dance between fraudsters and their targets, underscoring the pervasive nature of scams across various facets of everyday life.

---

Segment 5: The Psychological Toll of Scamming and Influencer Life

Timestamp: [67:18] – [80:34]

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts delve into the psychological aspects of participating in scams and maintaining an influencer lifestyle. Bridger provides a heartfelt perspective on the challenges faced by influencers, shedding light on the less glamorous side of maintaining a public persona.

Key Points:

• Influencer Struggles: Bridger articulates the exhaustive efforts required to sustain an influencer career—constant content creation, maintaining aesthetics, and the emotional labor involved in presenting a flawless image to the public.

• Perception vs. Reality: The hosts emphasize the disparity between the perceived ease of influencer life and the behind-the-scenes struggles, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of the influencer ecosystem.

• Defending Influencers: Bridger passionately defends influencers, acknowledging that while some engage in deceptive practices, many are genuine content creators facing intense pressure and scrutiny.

Notable Quotes:

• Bridger Winegar: “When I do influencer stuff, I have to hunt Scott down like Liam Neeson from Taken.”

• Bridger Winegar: “I am a victim. I am a victim. I'm a sexy Italian victim.”

• Scott Sahni: “She's trying to be in the true spirit of hating.”

Insights:

This introspective segment offers a balanced view of influencers, recognizing both the potential for fraudulent activities and the genuine challenges they face. By humanizing influencers and acknowledging their struggles, the hosts call for a more empathetic and critical approach to consuming influencer content, advocating for accountability without blanket condemnation.

---

Conclusion

In "Holiday Ho-ho-hoodwinks w/ Bridger Winegar," Scam Goddess effectively illuminates the myriad ways scams infiltrate holiday celebrations and social media landscapes. Through their engaging dialogue, Laci Mosley and Bridger Winegar provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of how festive goodwill can be exploited for deceit. The episode serves as a cautionary tale, urging consumers to remain vigilant and discerning amid the season’s cheer and digital allurements.

Final Takeaways:

• Vigilance in Philanthropy: Always verify the legitimacy of charitable claims, especially those tied to high-profile events or influencers.

• Critical Consumption of Media: Be skeptical of glitzy promotions and endorsements on social media, recognizing the potential for underlying fraudulence.

• Understanding Influencer Pressures: Acknowledge the complex dynamics influencers navigate, balancing authenticity with commercial pressures.

As the holiday season approaches, this episode of Scam Goddess equips listeners with the knowledge to enjoy festivities without falling prey to deceptive practices, embodying Laci Mosley’s mantra to "stay schemin'."

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Bridger Winegar [02:51]: “I have been a guest on his show, like this is. Are you returning?”

• Scott Sahni [07:04]: “Yeah, it used to be worth killing.”

• Bridger Winegar [10:03]: “So she was, she has three kids, it was like 8 o'clock at night and she was putting them to bed and she got a call or a text from Capital One…”

• Bridger Winegar [26:34]: “It's nonstop advertisement.”

• Scott Sahni [63:53]: “No, no, no, no. Because technically, unless she had a promo code that could be traced back by the Italian government, there's really no way to know.”

• Bridger Winegar [69:21]: “But I have already established a brand of baddie. I can't.”

• Scott Sahni [73:42]: “I just want to think that she's going to remember it fondly.”

These quotes encapsulate the hosts' critical perspectives on fraudulent activities and the influencer ecosystem, providing listeners with memorable insights into the mechanisms and impacts of various scams.

Transcript

[Lacey Mosley]

Prepare for the crime and investigation event of the new year with the premiere of A&E's gripping new series, Homicide New Orleans. Each week hit the streets of the Big Easy with a dedicated team of detectives as they investigate some of the most harrowing homicides in a never ending fight to keep their city safe. Join them in the relentless pursuit of justice in a new episode of Homicide Squad New Orleans. Thursdays at 9, part of a crime and investigation event only on A and D. Watch now on the A and D app. Netcredit is here to say yes to a personal loan or line of credit. When other lenders say no, apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. If approved, applications are typically funded the next business day or sooner. Loans offered by NetCredit or lending partner banks and serviced by NetCredit. Applications subject to review and approval. Learn more at netcredit.com partners NetCredit Credit to the People.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Scams, Robbery and fraud. Scam. Car robbery and fraud. Scam Goddess. What's poppin? Congregation? It's your girl, Lacey Mosley, AKA Scam Goddess, coming back to you with another episode of the pod, all about robbery, fraud and those who who practice it. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we hate them. We will see along the way. And for all my parasocial girlies out there, you already know, I'm what? Yes. Excited, thrilled, elated. It's Christmas Eve. Mary Mary FA la la la la la la la la la. Fraud. Yes. I hope that Santa Scamta is what I call him. Sl down your chimney. If you believe in that and robs you. Okay. Cause that's literally what he does. He's supposed to slide down the chimney and steal your cookies and milk and then he leave a little something in return. Okay, let's get to it. Y'all know I'm excited for today's guest. I have been a guest on his show. Like this is. Are you returning?

[Scott Sahni]

Returning?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes, he's been a guest on my show, so you know he's already been to church. He's in the congregation. My guest today is a super talented comedy writer who works on on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live. Have you heard of it? The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Oh, that's one of my favorite shows. And the after party. I also couldn't think of a better person to have on today's holiday episode as he's made a career out of scamming people into giving him gifts, including myself. Please welcome the hilarious host of the podcast, I said no Gifts. Bridger Weiniger, how dare you?

[Scott Sahni]

I. I'm the victim in this situation. I have been given too many gifts. My house is overflowing with garbage.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I love that for you. I hope that you end up on, like, TLC level hoarding. We're headed there.

[Scott Sahni]

We're absolutely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I want people to have to come to your house and be like, move that bus at the end.

[Scott Sahni]

I just got three expired mustards. That's the sort of gift I'm getting on this podcast.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. To be fair, I did give you an American flag.

[Scott Sahni]

That was a rough one.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was. I gotta get this out of my house.

[Scott Sahni]

But in your defense, you gave it to me because you agree with everything that's happening in America all the time.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my God. Yes. We're reclaiming Project 2025. If you want to call us wokes, we're taking back Project 2025 and be like, it's lit.

[Scott Sahni]

Other things can be Project 2025. Anyone can have their own personal Project 2020 25.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I have so many projects.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, of course. I'm loaded with projects.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. So we're going to just, like, take that from them and keep it for ourselves. Now, on this podcast, we always ask, what is your relationship to scams? Do you love them? Do you hate them? Have you ever been scammed and even run any that are past statute of limitations?

[Scott Sahni]

I mean, it's all of the above. I really think I love scams. Not when they're happening to me, of course. I have two kind of recent scam situations. I was also, as a teenager, a real scammer with the return policy game where you bought. My friends and I are good at that. Oh, we ran off thousands of dollars. I'm not kidding you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I hate the return policy game because maybe it was better when you were a teenager.

[Scott Sahni]

I think I ruined it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, now I'm mad at you.

[Scott Sahni]

I'm the reason they had to change the policy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We fucked up our bag. Because now the policy is like, you have to return this in 13 days.

[Scott Sahni]

And six hours with a blood sample.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If you give it back in a fortnight, we'll take it back. It's like, they don't. It's not a normal two weeks. It's not a normal month anymore.

[Scott Sahni]

It used to be not even. You didn't even need a receip.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Nordstrom's used to do that. You could return anything.

[Scott Sahni]

They still do.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They changed it. Have they changed it? Yeah.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, that's hard to hear. That was kind of Nordstrom's big claim to fame. You could take anything back. I feel like people were taking tires.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was like a tire returned a tire. Yes. The myth of the tire.

[Scott Sahni]

Someone's got to try. Now that's my project 2025. I'm going to try to return a tire to Nordstrom and I'll let everybody know how it goes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes, please do.

[Scott Sahni]

What happens.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But with your return policy as a team, what were you doing?

[Scott Sahni]

So we would buy RIP Circuit City. We would go to Circuit City and buy clearance video games that were like $5.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Scott Sahni]

And then take the sticker off of them and then take them to a another large national wide retailer that had a very loosey goosey policy and get $50 in credit. 50 to $60. So this was.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wow.

[Scott Sahni]

This bought me a lot of video games and toys and whatever I wanted at Walmart. This is how I got my Xbox.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. That is so smart.

[Scott Sahni]

It was very. It was very crafty.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And what are they gonna do if they catch you? Like, they can't arrest you. It's like just, okay, say no. Okay.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, right. It's like, well, you don't have the receipt. Okay, you have to leave.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, then I'll leave.

[Scott Sahni]

That happened once, and we sent our friend in wearing a suit and tie, did the same thing, and they let him return it. Listen, it's all about the polish. Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Costumes. I'm proud of you.

[Scott Sahni]

Throw a tie on and they'll let you do anything.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I also love that y'all didn't give up. Y'all were like, oh, they didn't take it back. Somebody you got a suit and tie you remember from your grandma funeral. Yeah. Put that. Put that on.

[Scott Sahni]

Let's put that to.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And go back into the retail store. They'll respect a business team.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah. I don't know why we stopped. They must have changed the policy while we were doing it, because otherwise I would still be doing it. Why not?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, we should all be doing it.

[Scott Sahni]

I know. They owe us.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They don't really clearance like they used to clearance.

[Scott Sahni]

No, no, no, no. The clearance sales are bad now.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, I saw a TikTok that was like when we used to do Black Friday and it would be like 95% off or like, if you spend a hundred, do you get 50 back? Like it used to be an actual deal. Like, that's why we were trampling over each other and like killing each other to get flat screens. And now they'll be like, you get 3% off if you buy today. It's like, there's no deal.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, it used to be worth killing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Someone for a TV trampling over a greeter at Walmart who is somebody's pop Pop.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, yeah. And now it's just Black Friday sale from, like, September till January 1st. And, yeah, they raised the prices and then lowered them so it seems like they're lower. Yeah, I mean, it's another scam.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Exactly. And that's a part of marketing. That's a specific strategy. Certain stores. I've talked about that on the show. Certain stores always have sale. Like, they're always on sale. So anytime you walk in, you feel like you're getting a discount at the register, but really they're just charging you the price that it actually is.

[Scott Sahni]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And so I feel like we're just all getting, like, corporate greed is crazy. You know that one big box store that might sponsor the show. So I'm not going to say their name, but they're very expensive. Expensive. And it's like the store you go into to buy toothpaste and then you spent 500 on things, and you're like, how did I get here? Store. And they just announced that they're going to lower their prices because their demand was getting lower. Because you know when you go in that store, you're going to leave with like. Like, a kidney missing. Like, you'll trade anything to get the things they have. And they were like, we're going to lower our prices because we know people are struggling. And everyone was like, you raised your prices and told us it was cause of the economy. And the economy is still bad. So if you lowering them. This is corporate greed y'all were doing to us.

[Scott Sahni]

Well, all those grocery stores were, like, getting together to raise their prices.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The egg mafia.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, the egg machine.

[Bridger Weiniger]

When I see the egg mafia, it's on site.

[Scott Sahni]

Apparently egg prices have gone back up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, they were doing price fixing, and I'm like, when are they going to court? When are they going to jail? I'm putting on a neck brace. I will be at the Senate hearing to talk about what they did to me with the eggs.

[Scott Sahni]

I went to buy sugar last night, and I was like, this. This price is insane. They're out of control. How much would you pay for a bag of brown sugar? What do you think that costs?

[Bridger Weiniger]

$3.

[Scott Sahni]

I paid $6.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's too much.

[Scott Sahni]

And this was not at a nice grocery store.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right. It's one of those. Just a real regular head on a swivel in the parking lot.

[Scott Sahni]

So something's going on. Eggs and sugar. I guess those are like the two classic Things you can borrow from a neighbor. That's my deal.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, y'all, we gotta start borrowing cups of sugar again. Cause we're down bad. Okay? I'm knocking on all my neighbors door like you got some sweet and low.

[Scott Sahni]

Like you got borrow a cup of sweet and low from a neighbor.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We gotta bring back borrowing cups of sugar. Cause can't nobody afford a whole bag anymore.

[Scott Sahni]

We've gotta get a community bag, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

You don't even need a whole bag. You go get the sugar.

[Scott Sahni]

Ye. Yeah, no, exactly.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So you also were talking to me earlier, before we got on Mike, about another scam. You said something that happened in Utah.

[Scott Sahni]

My sister got scammed big time. No, And I wish I could remember all the details because when I explained the scam, it's probably going to make her seem like a moron that just got tricked. No, because it's like it was really sophisticated. Because I want to shame her, embarrass her publicly.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Sibling behavior.

[Scott Sahni]

Okay, so she was, she has three kids, it was like 8 o'clock at night and she was putting them to bed and she got a call or a text from Capital One and said there's some irregular behavior happening on your account.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You know how they text you when the irregular behavior is happening?

[Scott Sahni]

They kind of, they do, they text.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You or they used to confirm a purchase, one specific purchase. And they say yes or no. And if a card declined, then swipe it again. They are not like, hey girl, it's some weird stuff going on over there. We can't tell you what the weird stuff is, but it's a lot of weird happening in your account.

[Scott Sahni]

So the brother strokes I'm painting do make my sister look like a complete fool in situations.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, she doesn't look like a fool at all. I'm just clarifying that for the listeners.

[Scott Sahni]

Because she might be the reason they stop. Because she looked at the number, double checked it against like their website, everything. Then they call. It's the Capital One phone number. She gets on. They're like, something's going on, blah, blah, blah, blah. Start sending her codes, all of this stuff. And they're like, we'll have somebody call you back tomorrow. She goes to bed, wakes up the next morning, $25,000 have been removed from her account.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Holy shit.

[Scott Sahni]

Just completely devastated.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So what they did was they cloned the number for Capital One, called her, like, you got to call Capital One yourself. And I've always said this, like if you get an email or a statement or anything like that, call the legitimate business number yourself. If they call you, you can clone numbers. And then basically, I know what they did. They probably were like, to reset your account. And so when she reset the account, they were like, give us the code. And they probably had enough information and all they really needed was that confirmation.

[Scott Sahni]

Code to get two step verification.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, two step verification to get into her account.

[Scott Sahni]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't think that she's stupid for that one. They called her late at night. She got kids, she tired as hell.

[Scott Sahni]

I know she's got enough on her plate.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right. She was about to have a glass of wine and watch Love is Blind and get mad at the show.

[Scott Sahni]

She loses $25,000.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She got robbed.

[Scott Sahni]

But what happened was, like, she ended up being part of this huge investigation with Capital One for, like, it went for months. They were calling her almost like an FBI thing. And they, of course, gave her the money back. But then after all this happened, that's when they sent out an email about the situation of like, if we call you, do not answer. Call us back. And so I think she may have been like one of the first in this.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, did she leave the bank? If my bank puts out a statement, that's like, if we call you, call us back. That's not a place I want to put my mom money. That's. That's scary.

[Scott Sahni]

Something is too loose at the bank. Something. Let's tighten it up, please.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They said, look, if you need to make a withdrawal, you gonna have to wait till next Friday. We only doing withdrawals on Friday. What are y'all doing with my money?

[Scott Sahni]

But I think she might have been kind of patient zero for one of these particular type of scam. And now, like, we all know about, like, these cloning and masking number sort of things, but at the time, she's like, oh, yeah, they're calling me, these people.

[Bridger Weiniger]

How long ago did it happen?

[Scott Sahni]

It was a couple years ago.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, so she wasn't patient zero. They've been doing it for a minute. They used to do it with Social Security. They would call you from the Social Security number, and they'd be like, hey, we need to verify your information. And then because the number matched with Social Security, people would give their Social Security numbers on the phone. I mean, you only really need two major things to steal an identity. You got a driver's license, you got a Social Security number. Like, you're pretty golden. You can get far with their hair. You can, right? You can open a lot of accounts with just those little bits of information.

[Scott Sahni]

Right, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because your driver's license has your address, your date of birth, your name, your full name, everything. And then if they have your social, you can start opening up. You can at least get a Forever.

[Scott Sahni]

21 card, probably a Capital One card. Drive on over to the Capital One Cafe.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I feel like I could go in there and be like, I'm Bridger Weiniger. Don't check.

[Scott Sahni]

Can I run another thing? Somebody said I almost got scammed. Can I run it by you? Yeah, a couple of months ago. I'm going to read you the text because this one was, like, the first that. I mean, they didn't get me, but it was. It was a situation that I was like, this is insane. So I got a text that said, hello, Lucy, please cancel my yoga class next week. I'm Eileen. Thank you. And so I responded, that does it. I'm leaving the yoga business. And thought that was going to be the end of it. But then I.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Did you know the number?

[Scott Sahni]

No.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay.

[Scott Sahni]

So then I get a response.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The first thing they said was, lucy.

[Scott Sahni]

Hello, Lucy, please cancel my yoga class next week. I'm Eileen. Thank you. I tell Eileen, that does it. I'm leaving the yoga business. Just fucking around. And then she responds, God, I'm such a careless woman. I dialed the wrong number. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. And people told me that that was supposed to be the beginning of a scam, but it feels like there's so little bait for me to take there. But people are like, maybe they're trying to confirm that it's your phone number's active. But most of these places, a bunch of other people already know my number's active. I'm getting scam calls all the time. So this is a route. Maybe it's a startup scam.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A lot of people have been getting that phishing scam where they text you. It's happened to me. They text you the wrong name and they're like, oh, hey, Tom, I'm excited for our golf game. It's always something innocuous. And then you're supposed to say, oh, I'm not this person. I'm this.

[Scott Sahni]

That's a crazy way to respond to.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A test or whatever. But it's because a lot of times these are coming from foreign countries. So they're going through, you know, chatgpt or, like, they're going through, like, translators, Google Translate to, like, you know, speak in English and then hopefully engage you in a conversation that leads to WhatsApp, that leads to money transfers or whatever the case may be.

[Scott Sahni]

But this feels like a real Flop of an attempt.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because that was definitely a phishing scam. Because if they had text Eileen, Eileen, Eileen into your bank account, Eileen in our life, Eileen into your wallets. If Eileen had really text the wrong person, any normal person would have been like, oh, wrong number. Like, or not said shit.

[Scott Sahni]

Right. Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Cause clearly this is not the person.

[Scott Sahni]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. So the fact that they were like, oh, I am so sorry. Wrong number.

[Scott Sahni]

Such a careless person.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Careless person.

[Scott Sahni]

I'm such a careless woman. No one talks that way, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

No one. That's. Cause they're literally. English is not their language. They're going through an app. That's happened to me. But when I tried to keep the conversation going, because I really wanted to keep the conversation going.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, it's very. I mean, it's fun, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

So I was texting back, and I was like, yeah, what's up? No, yeah, I'm so. And so, what do you need? And I just wanted to keep it going. And then I think they Googled me, or I. You know, I did. I posted on my Instagram story, like, I'm gonna see how far I can get with this. And then right after I posted that on my story, they were like, oh, never mind. Wrong person. Whoa.

[Scott Sahni]

So they're really keeping an eye on you.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Which is kind of scary.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, that's terrifying.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Like, I. It's not a good scam.

[Scott Sahni]

No, it's not a good scam. And it sounds like one of your fans was trying to scam you. Maybe she was, like, looking at your Instagram stories and also doing her scam job and then realizing, oh, no, I'm doing this to Lacey.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right. I would hope they would lay off of me. I want to know how far it goes, though. I'm so curious about it, because so many people it's happened to, and I don't know what these people want.

[Scott Sahni]

It must work on somebody, but I.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Don'T know what is what they trying to work.

[Scott Sahni]

Right. I guess eventually they're like, what does Eileen want? She gets your trust and is like, okay, now would you send me all of your information?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, Eileen, write to the show and tell us, what do you want? Because we're confused.

[Scott Sahni]

Eileen, reach out.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my goodness. I want to know so much. Scams. Look, y'all, I might be an expert in scams, but I am not an expert in everything, okay? And that's why I love Acorns, because they will recommend a diversified portfolio that fits you and your money goals. Don't we all have money goals? I know we all Making money moves. You don't need to be Rich Acorns Acorn lets you invest with the spare money you've got right now. You can start with $5 or even just your spare change. You don't need to feel like financial wellness is impossible because it's not. Acorns gives you small, simple steps to get you and your money on track. Basically, Acorns does the hard part so you can give your money a chance to grow. I actually use Acorns and I love it. And sometimes I forget that it's there and I'll go look and I'll be like, ooh, money. But then I'll leave the money alone because that's what investment is about. Head to acorns.com goddess or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today. Paid non client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns Tier 2 compensation provided investing involves risk. Acorn Advisors LLC and SEC registered investment advisor. View important [e-mail] Goddess y'all, we made it. We made it through another holiday season. And personally, I think it's time for us to treat. And y'all know, when I want to treat myself, then I'm going to Quince because I can treat myself without hurting my poor, poor bank account. All Quince Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they partner directly with top factories to cut the cost and the middleman. And we love that. And of course they use premium fabrics and finishes for that luxury feel in every single piece. And right now I am obsessed with the organic heavyweight fleece. I just got it in the Concord and in the tan. Like sometimes I talk about Quinn like a family member. It's wild because it's so cozy on my body. That is why I love quints. Treat yourself this winter without the luxury price tag. Go to Quince.com Goddess for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q-U-I-N C E.com Goddess to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com we're gonna move on to my favorite segment, Historic Hoodwinks. And you know, you may not celebrate Krimas. You know, you may celebrate Hanukkah, you may celebrate Kwanzaa. Or both. Or all three Umocha. No. Oh my God, no. Black people are gonna kill me. You may have a kinara. I know how to say that. Or you may not believe in anything and you're having festivus for the rest of us. Okay. Festivus for the rest of us. And so shout out to everybody during this holiday season. And that's why we want to do a holiday. Historic hoodwinks. Okay. This is our Festivus.

[Scott Sahni]

I love it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I got my Festivus pole at home. I never decorate for her Christmas. Do you?

[Scott Sahni]

I don't. And I'm starting to think, like, maybe this is why I'm depressed constantly. Maybe if there was one bit of decor in my home when I went.

[Bridger Weiniger]

To Amsterdam, I got an Advent calendar from ritual. I just wanted it for the stuff. But then my cousins also got it, and they had built out this little holiday land. And it's like a holiday land that looks like Amsterdam.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, delightful.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And it's got these lights that go underneath that. You put battery power. You can turn them on whenever, turn them off. And these little houses. And so you pick up the house each day and there's like a little gift inside. And you put the house back.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, this is so fun.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That is the only decor I will have.

[Scott Sahni]

Okay. I would love to get into these new, fancy advent calendars. I'm really behind.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm so into them. Y'all, the advent calendars are cute. Get em for your loved ones. And like, fuck a tree. Where am I gonna put a tree? I'm a millennial. Like, where am I gonna put a tree?

[Scott Sahni]

You've got room for a little tree, but then you might end up with the Charlie Brown type tree. And then it's like, oh, now this is making things worse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, no, I got too much stuff as it is.

[Scott Sahni]

It's a tricky. A tricky thing to pull off.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The Advent calendar was right. That consumerism got me. They were like, for Christmas and stuff that you want. Beautiful combination. So holiday historic hoodwinks. We're going to Regale Bridger with a famous con caper group of criminals. In this case, we're going to be going through a few little holiday capers, and we'll get their opinions all throughout. I'm really excited for this. I love a theme.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, a theme. A holiday theme. You've got to have a holiday episode for every holiday.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. So. Oh, God. For everyone. Okay. I am really committed to making a song this year for Arbor Day because no celebrity has Arbor Day. And I really feel like I could really put this down to Arbor Bop.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

About the trees.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, get it on the ground floor. Yeah. People love trees.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. Don't try to steal my stuff, y'all. Okay. I'm gonna patent It. Okay. Mariah Carey has Christmas. I'm gonna have Arbor Day.

[Scott Sahni]

Arbor Day Classic.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. Who has Halloween?

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, that's a great question. I mean, Elvira, does she have a song? Probably. I imagine she's gotta have at least whoever did the Monster Mash probably kind of owns Halloween. But we don't know that person's name.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We don't know that person's name.

[Scott Sahni]

Loser.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Scott Sahni]

So maybe that's kind of open.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Damn. You really assaulted the Monster Mash man like that. So tis the season for some ho ho hoodwinks. Today we'll be finding out how the organizers of SantaCon, an Italian social media influence influencer, and the planners of a kids winter wonderland experience, all ended up on Scam Goddess's Naughty list.

[Scott Sahni]

I can't wait.

[Bridger Weiniger]

On the Naughty list. I don't know if it's naughty yet.

[Scott Sahni]

They might be nice at SantaCon.

[Bridger Weiniger]

SantaCon is wild.

[Scott Sahni]

That is a destructive event.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That was like in New York City. You took shelter during SantaCon?

[Scott Sahni]

Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because everyone. If you don't know what SantaCon is, it was a tradition in New York. I think they've shut it down. I don't know if it happens anymore.

[Scott Sahni]

Well, it's the Purge.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Apparently, it's still going on, Scott says, because obviously we have a story about it that's current. I thought that they. I think they at least contained it.

[Scott Sahni]

They must have done something right, because.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It was the Purge. It was the Purge. And everyone's in a Santa suit and so drunk. I feel bad for the cheering. The children.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

The youth.

[Scott Sahni]

Our future Santa's stumbling around New York messing things up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Can you imagine seeing all these Santas? But then they're peeing on the street, just ruining your whole childhood.

[Scott Sahni]

Just throwing up in bushes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right? You trying to sit on his lap and he's like, get the fuck. He's, like, chunking you across the street. Like, I bet you santacom Santas fight children.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, guaranteed.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I can't imagine the nightmares these children have in New York when they see this. So SantaCon, an event that lives up to its name. Cause it is Santa Con. Yes, Bridget. So SantaCon is an annual worldwide pub crawl where people dress as Santa, drink around their city city, and do this with other participants. Right. While SantaCon might be a silly tradition, it's also a bit of a scam. As of last December, the organizers claim to have raised more than 1 million for charity over the last decade. However, most of that money hasn't actually gone to charity.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, no? Where has it gone?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Now, I didn't even know they were raising money. I know.

[Scott Sahni]

Nobody knew this element of it. No, I've never heard that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You just put on a Santa suit.

[Scott Sahni]

And you just annoy people.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Santa.

[Scott Sahni]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. You go annoy people, you wreak havoc.

[Scott Sahni]

Yes, completely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You know what I mean?

[Scott Sahni]

This is not for any good thing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, these Santas are definitely going down chimneys, but when they get in there, they're unconscious. That's why they're going down the chimneys, because they're wearing.

[Scott Sahni]

It fell down it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They fell down it. They're like, who is this drunk man in our living room? Why is mommy kissing Santa Claus? She's doing cpr.

[Scott Sahni]

His neck is broken.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She's trying to bring him back to life. So while anyone can join the bar crawl for free, SantaCon offers participants a $15 ticket that their website says goes directly to a charity drive. Their website says that the $15 ticket offers perks. Like a super duper Santa badge that allows everyone. You're hoeing for the clause. It lets everyone know you're hoeing for the clause. Excuse me. So that says it's like a red nose. It's like, if you buy the red nose, you gave money to the charity. It's like an I voted sticker.

[Scott Sahni]

Right. Completely.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's like I gave.

[Scott Sahni]

Who's on the SantaCon website? Who has ever gone to that website?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Truly? So this is the Santa Cotton website right here.

[Scott Sahni]

Of course. That's a scary.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They have a countdown. It says the sleigh departs on December 14th. Seven days, 16 hours and 56 minutes. Oh, and 25 seconds. As of this recording to the sleigh is gonna go, okay. Till Rudolph is gonna be like, skirt skrt. And so what do I Get for my $15? You receive a super duper Santa bash that we talked about that shows everyone you're hoeing for the claws. It's just hoeing for the claws, not the cause, but you. Hoeing for the claws. What does that mean?

[Scott Sahni]

It doesn't mean anything. You had a better idea?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Are the elves Santa's hoes?

[Scott Sahni]

You should be giving them notes on this stupid website.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, no. I mean, they were drunk when they wrote it. This is receive secret info in all caps about where Santa is headed before anyone else. Get immediate access in all caps to all Santa Con club slash anchor venues and big holiday happenings. Details coming the week before the event. In parentheses, you can brag that you actually gave to charity this year. How do I get my Santa badge? Once you've donated. You will receive a confirmation from our ticket provider and an email explaining where and when you can pick up your badge. Santa will send you special updates about your perks as the event draws near. So let's see some SantaCon people. Oh, they look just like I remembered in my nightmares.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah. Everyone close your eyes and imagine it's exactly what you're imagining.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So I see some women came as reindeer.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, they didn't. They wanted to be different.

[Scott Sahni]

They look.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And then we got. Is that an Elsa over.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, in the corner there?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. What is she?

[Scott Sahni]

Something going on? That's a ghost.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is like, where's Waldo? But for, like, just the most intoxicated people. Like, where's the most drunk person?

[Scott Sahni]

See that guy with, like, the gray beard? What is happening? Oh, he looks like a werewolf.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You know what? He just came out the chest. You know, it's sitting there. So he just came out the chimney. So that's he giving post chimney vibes. I like that. That's very, like, meta. It's very realistic. We got this guy who has the scarf on. It feels like he's definitely doing crime. The one with the polka dot scarface.

[Scott Sahni]

He's robbing bodega.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's robbing the bodega for sure. Hide your cats at the bodega, okay? Cause he's coming and he will be stealing. And then we got one Santa in green. Is he an elf?

[Scott Sahni]

I think that's the Will Ferrell thing, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, that's el. Okay. So he went for a movie vibe. Yeah.

[Scott Sahni]

I bet that guy's the most annoying person at SantaCon.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Truly. Now, is that a statue in the middle over there? Is that a man? Cause if that's a man, I'm terrified.

[Scott Sahni]

It looks like it was photoshopped in. It's very scary.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's very scary.

[Scott Sahni]

Kind of just pops up out of nowhere. It's like a giant.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It has no eyes.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, it's very little midsome eyes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I do appreciate the commitment. I see a black person. Oh, my God.

[Scott Sahni]

A single black person. And then there's a woman. Do you see the woman's face who's just blurred?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Scott Sahni]

This is a frightening photo.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's terrifying. And this is in Times Square. Oh, can you imagine?

[Scott Sahni]

Glorious place.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A place that's already crowded. And now we have these people taking this photo. Oh, I see a black man. Are they together? They got separated.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, terrible.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Who knows? Okay. Who knows? Oh, I see another. Is that Ray J? Is that Ray J for real?

[Scott Sahni]

Is that Ray J?

[Bridger Weiniger]

That looks like Ray J has. Swear to God, when y'all see this photo on the Instagram, you have to go through and look. Cause I swear that looks like Ray J. I'm not kidding. Okay, we'll get to the bottom of this on the Instagram. Y'all look. Okay, so see the black woman now next to her is this man in the crown right now. Go over one more. Yep, there you go. Is that Ray J?

[Scott Sahni]

That could possibly. I mean, I wouldn't. Ray J has definitely been to one Santa.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Ray J is so random that he would be there. Yeah, he would be there. Okay.

[Scott Sahni]

This could be his year.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You know what? We're moving on. So they got this website, and basically I. I am kind of on their side right now because this doesn't feel as scammy. They just said, look, we're gonna give you a sticker so you can brag about giving to charity. They never said what charity.

[Scott Sahni]

Very few details.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Personally, I am a charity case, so if you give it to me, I'm a charity.

[Scott Sahni]

Of course. And I think the.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Define charity.

[Scott Sahni]

The victim in this situation is someone who not only goes to SantaCon, they go to the SantaCon website. So I feel like I am on the side of the scale.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But, you know, some people like to be organized. There's always one person in the group who's like, I have an activity for us. And then they go Google, and it might be tourists, you know, like, Right, Yeah. This is beautiful. This is beautiful.

[Scott Sahni]

But they're still doing it. So, like, have they changed their ways? What happened?

[Bridger Weiniger]

So, however, according to the group's financial records, they blew more than a third of the money they raised for charity on bad investments. And groups that promote hula hooping, dance parades, and free costumes at the annual Burning man festival.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, this makes perfect sense. Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Of course they went to Burning Man.

[Scott Sahni]

It all goes back to Burning Man.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It always does.

[Scott Sahni]

This is the holiday Burning Man.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It is the holiday Burning Man. And what's also interesting to me here is, like, bad investments. That's giving. Crypto. It's giving. Somebody had a meme coin and they haktua. They pulled the rug. They rugged it. Haktua. I hope haktua don't go to jail.

[Scott Sahni]

Is she gonna go to jail?

[Bridger Weiniger]

She might have to go to jail.

[Scott Sahni]

What happened? What did she do?

[Bridger Weiniger]

She might hock to. She might have to talk to a judge, cuz she made a meme coin and was like, this is my hawk to a meme, y'all. And then they rugged it. And if you don't know what rugged it means, it's when you get a bunch of people to invest in something, up the value, and then sell all your shares.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Immediately deflating the value of it. And so the SEC don't like that.

[Scott Sahni]

Wasn't having a podcast enough for her?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Like, you going to jail. Like, they don't like that.

[Scott Sahni]

She's done.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I hope she don't go to jail. She seems so nice.

[Scott Sahni]

Going viral is the new winning the lottery. It just ruins your life.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And everyone keeps trying to do it because they think, like, as soon as I go viral, my life. Like, if. If entertainment was easy, everyone would be doing it the right way.

[Scott Sahni]

Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This shit is hell.

[Scott Sahni]

It's the worst business on earth.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I wake up every day screaming.

[Scott Sahni]

I don't even have the energy. I don't have the life force left to scream.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You want to wake up like that? You don't. Their biggest single investment was for more than $66,000, which went to fund a medical fraud documentary called at your Cervix. Oh, my God, who are these people? Because you could have just stole the money. What are y'all up to?

[Scott Sahni]

I have some scripts I could have them produce.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What are they doing at your cervix? Great pun is. We're looking at the website right now. 90% of medical students are performing pelvic exams on patients under anesthesia without their consent. 90%, they say. That's a big number to say.

[Scott Sahni]

Huge. 9 out of 10, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

9 out of 10.

[Scott Sahni]

That's everybody.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's everybody. You told me I got rhinoplasty, and they was in my coochie. Oh, my goodness. That can't be right. So at yout Cervix breaks the silence about how medical and nursing students learn to perform pelvic exams in the US the film exposes how students are often taught on unconscious patients without their knowledge or consent. At the same time, it offers an empowering solution that will revolutionize how pelvic exams are performed in schools and clinics across the country. So last time I checked, there were things called cadavers.

[Scott Sahni]

Yes. And willing participants.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. And willing participants.

[Scott Sahni]

You know, people will do anything for a hundred dollars.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah.

[Scott Sahni]

Some people want you at their service. Yeah. It used to be 20.

[Bridger Weiniger]

There was a great joke on the show you wrote on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt that I love, where Titus goes to do a medical.

[Scott Sahni]

That's how he makes us living.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He goes to do medical. Test. Test. And he was like. He said something happened to him that was like, very drastic. And they were like, do you want this $20 or not? He was like, I'm bleeding. They were like, do you want this $20 or not? And then at the end of the medical research thing, I remember I cackled so hard. They had thrown. They had them in medical gowns. They had thrown all of their clothes in a pile. Told them to, like, sip through to find what was there. He ended up with some. So funny. I don't know why y'all invested $66,000 in this, because this seems very weird.

[Scott Sahni]

That's somebody's cousin's documentary or something. How else would they have found that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They just had a good pun at your cervix, Like. And then we were like, money. Here's money. Great pun. According to the group's founder, $832,000 of the money they raised goes to maintenance cost for the event. Things like a temporary staff, street permits, and DJs. So they said, we raised a million dollars for charity, but costs are essentially a million dollars. 80% of that.

[Scott Sahni]

Almost as much as the cervix number.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We gave one toy to the Todd. Don't you worry.

[Scott Sahni]

Just steal the money.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right? And what are y'all trying to do?

[Scott Sahni]

Treat yourself to something nice.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right? Y'all could have got so much nice stuff.

[Scott Sahni]

Right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

So SantaCon is really by a tax exempt nonprofit organization, even though less than a fifth of the money they raised actually goes to charity.

[Scott Sahni]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They also used to run a food drive as a part of the event, but according to their website, they stopped because it was a pain for Santa to coordinate. And.

[Scott Sahni]

And you can't invest cans of food into documentaries.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They say, y'all know how heavy cans of food are. We giving this a no.

[Scott Sahni]

That was a big mistake on their part. If this was gonna be a scam, it's like, you don't wanna do a can drive.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, that's heavy.

[Scott Sahni]

And you have to deal with the cans.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, I don't wanna deal with the cans.

[Scott Sahni]

No way.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So on a part of their website, they highlight the food drive scandal. It says on their website, they're saying, did you also have a food drive at some point? It's like they're trying to beat people to the punch. Like, yeah, it was a pain for Santa to coordinate and also for our wonderful volunteers who had to pick. Pick up 5 tons of food from 20 different locations each year.

[Scott Sahni]

Of course they did a can drive. That's the work you do for a can drive. What did they expect to happen?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Santa now helps new Yorkers in need by donating cold hard cash to various charities.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, various charities. You don't want to hear various charities.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They're like, we spread it around. Nobody will know. No one can trace what charity that way. You can't ask St. Jude. You can't ask anybody if they got the money because they were, like we said, various. We didn't donate to that one. Also, like, I'm not giving my money to anybody who refers to it as cold hard cash.

[Scott Sahni]

No, no, no, no, no. Because that's not part of this equation.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We're giving our skrilla to charity. What?

[Scott Sahni]

Who's converting it into cash?

[Bridger Weiniger]

We throwing bands at the babies? What? No, you're not giving that money to nobody. So other than, I guess, the cervix doc. So they said, like, they couldn't do this, right? So we had to quit. This gives me, like, Sean King or Caroline Calloway vibes of like. They were like, we tried to do this good thing, but it was really hard. So we stop. Oops. Like, and it's hard to put that person in prison. Cause the thing, the crimes they're committing are so nebulous. So it's just like. It's like a oopsie.

[Scott Sahni]

I just wanted to help, right? Don't blame me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Don't blame me.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, now I'm the bad guy. That is a good defense, actually. I'm gonna use that someday in court, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm like, I didn't know.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah. And they all seem to be coming out of the East Coast. It's like all these people in New York are just.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You gotta hustle in New York.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, that's true.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Gotta hustle. That's where I got my scam. Hustle robbery.

[Scott Sahni]

My uncontrollable movements called TD tardive dyskinesia felt embarrassing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I felt like disconnecting. I asked my doctor about treating my.

[Scott Sahni]

TD and learned about in a prescription.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Medicine clinically proven for reducing TD in adults.

[Scott Sahni]

That's always one capsule once daily and number one prescribed.

[Bridger Weiniger]

People taking Ingrezza can stay on most.

[Lacey Mosley]

Mental health meds in can cause depression, suicidal thoughts or actions in patients with Huntington's disease.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Disease.

[Lacey Mosley]

Call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden behavior or mood changes, or suicidal thoughts. Don't take in serious side effects. May include allergic reactions like sudden, potentially fatal swelling in hives, sleepiness, the most common side effect, and heart rhythm problems. Know how in greza affects you? Before operating a car or dangerous machinery, report fever, stiff muscles or problems thinking as these might be life threatening shaking, stiffness, drooling, and trouble with moving or balance may occur.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Take control by asking your doctor about Ingrezza.

[Lacey Mosley]

Learn [e-mail] that's I n g r e z z a.com in prepare for the crime and investigation event of the new year with the premiere of two groundbreaking new series on A and E. Each week hit the streets of the big Easy with a dedicated team of detectives as they search for answers and justice in the gripping new series Homicide squad New Orleans Orleans. Then join an elite Mexican task force in their pursuit of American fugitives hiding south of the border in fugitive hunters Mexico Homicide squad New Orleans. New episode Thursdays at 9, followed by a new Fugitive Hunters Mexico at 10. Part of a crime and investigation event only on a D. Watch now on the A D app and fraud.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Let's move on to our next grift here. Okay, so we're gonna go into a winter village experience. Okay. We're keeping it Santa for a second. So Santa's winter village. In December 2020, an event called Santa's winter village in a South Australian shopping center promised attendees a magical winter wonderland, but was instead dubbed the fyre festival of Kids. I know Billy McFarlane is, like, now everything. Fyre fest. Like, anytime somebody do something wrong. No, I think he loves it. He's like, keep my name up the brand.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, that's true. That's very true. Is he out of jail?

[Bridger Weiniger]

He is.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And he's already planning another fyre fest. And he sold a lot of tickets, of course. And me personally, I'm trying to go.

[Scott Sahni]

I think the scam now is people are going to expect it to be bad. They want that. And then it's going to be amazing, and they're going to feel scammed.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's not going to be amazing. That man does too much Molly. For a million dollars, you can be on a boat with Billy. I don't want to be on a boat with Bill. You know that's gonna sink. You know it's gonna sink. And he got a dinghy, and he's not gonna let you on. It's gonna be like the Titanic. He gonna jump on there like that bad man who. Who was trying to break up Jack and Rob.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Completely the hater. He gonna jump on the boat like.

[Scott Sahni]

The hater Billy Zane.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Billy Zane. Yeah. He gonna jump on that boat. You gonna be stranded, going down. Mm. Mm. I'm not getting on no boat with Billy.

[Scott Sahni]

Go to SantaCon and you can meet Billy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

He's gonna be there he's gonna be coordinating a Vinnie. So the event was advertised as a truly unique white Christmas to remember, with tickets priced at $35 a person or $120 for a family of four. Okay, so it's kind of a good deal, right? I think I'm into it.

[Scott Sahni]

You're saving a few bucks.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You save $5 if you have two children.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah. Worth it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is a reason to procreate.

[Scott Sahni]

Okay, so I'm gonna go home and start today.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Start today, Start today. Start making babies today. Because you'll get $5 off. Okay. So the photo on the flyer showed a mother and a daughter hugging as they ice skated through the snow covered Christmas trees, all while Santa reclines by a warm fire in a leather chair.

[Scott Sahni]

Reading a book inside a mall.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. That don't make sense to you? It's an ice rink and also a fire next to each other, of course.

[Scott Sahni]

Perfect.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So let's watch a promotional video for the event to see how it was advertised to attendees, please.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, I'm enchanted.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm enchanted. Look at those babies in the wooden sleigh.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, the Santa's already looking pretty homeless.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Santa looks like he's on parole and this is a part of his community service.

[Scott Sahni]

He looks like he's chasing the children.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. I don't want him around them. Okay. The kids are like, she didn't look impressed. She was like, how much money we getting for this commercial that Santa looks too old to sit on? He was. I don't. You gonna break his hip.

[Scott Sahni]

And these are some very close shots.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Y'all gotta stand next to him. Yeah, the shots are very close.

[Scott Sahni]

If you zoom out, I feel like there's something bad is happening. Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Also, like, one of the cutaways looked like. You know how you can do, like, perspective with a camera? It looked like they had, like, little baby trees and they were shooting the trees and, like, zooming out. It didn't look like those were full form trees.

[Scott Sahni]

It was like a train set.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. I'm also noticing the trees look a little skinty. The trees are giving Ozempic.

[Scott Sahni]

When you can see the plastic thing at the bottom of the tree, throw.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A tree skirt around there. Yeah. Where's the skirt? Why you got my tree out here? With they booty out, she looks dead terrible.

[Scott Sahni]

That was the first red flag, I think.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it was that you got our trees out here looking like Winnie the Pooh. Like, put pants on them. I feel like we're coming from the perspective of. We already know that this is a scam Right. If I were to look at this without knowing it's a shopping center, it looks cute enough. You know, kids are very small. They don't need a lot of ice skating. It's not like the Olympic rink is necessary. And they got enough trees. It's a little sparse, but I don't know if I would pay $35 for what?

[Scott Sahni]

About 125 for a family of four.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Let me go have two kids.

[Scott Sahni]

Get back to me.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Get back to me. You know, it's offering these amazing activities, such as an amazing maze.

[Scott Sahni]

That's not even in the video.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A Polar Express train ride, which is in the video. That was the Polar Express. It was wooden.

[Scott Sahni]

It is a golf cart.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, it was wooden and it wasn't moving expeditiously. But you know what? Cute. And they had an enchanted forest where the kids got to meet Santa. If you tell me them 10 trees are the forest, that must be what.

[Scott Sahni]

They'Re referring to, right? Oh, to go to the mall expecting an enchanted forest. And it's barely like, that's how you see those trees at Target.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right? Target got a bigger forest than that. Just on the sales. So once the event actually launched, angry customers were greeted by an under decorated warehouse, cardboard attractions, and several cheap DIY pieces scattered throughout. I can't believe this. Well, I can, of course. So let's look at some of the photos taken by parents to compare the promotional video. Like, which we were already skeptical of, but that is us having foresight, right? Oh. Oh, my God. This is the amazing maze.

[Scott Sahni]

It's an Amazon warehouse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my God.

[Scott Sahni]

What is happening?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, my God. No, no, this is.

[Scott Sahni]

No, it all looks like it was just left there by mistake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

What is the maze? Where is the maze? Okay, so, y'all, we're looking at an empty warehouse with some kind of, like, fake, like, shiny linoleum floor. And. And then there's, like, planks of wood. And then there's these tiny Christmas trees. But not a lot of them, y'all. Like, I'm talking about five. And they're very tiny. Think tinier than tiny. You're thinking. Okay. And then there's one Christmas tree in the corner. It's. It's also quite small.

[Scott Sahni]

It's got a little frost on it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They hung up seven stars.

[Scott Sahni]

And those are high. Those are. I mean, that's a high ceiling.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They got a ladder. At least they had a ladder. We got a table that. Look, they got two tables that look like they put some tablecloth on them. And when I tell you this is gonna be worse than what you imagine. You're not gonna imagine it worse than what it is. Like, I cannot believe this. Why would you bring. If I brought my kid in here, like, I'm calling the F, the B and D, I immediately like whatever that version is in Australia. I'm calling them because y'all trying to. Y'all trying to traffic us. Like. No.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah. I feel like if you picture a maze in your mind and then. Stop picturing a maze. That's what this looks like. It's simply. There's not one there.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is the maze, like, getting out of it. Like, maybe they locked the warehouse. Yeah. Can we zoom in? What the. What the hell?

[Scott Sahni]

How does that count as amazing, anyway?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, y'all gotta fist fight all the staff. This is.

[Scott Sahni]

What do you think those red things are?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't know. I don't know. This is beyond how bad I thought it was gonna be. This is beyond Wonka. They don't even got one sad Oompa Loompa in here. Where is that. Where's that crotchety Santa Claus that's on parole? Where is he?

[Scott Sahni]

I don't wanna know.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't wanna know. Okay, are there any other photos? Because this is nightmare fuel. I can't believe they did this to them babies. Okay, okay, okay, look. We. It's a forest. You could call. How many trees have to be. You know how when one tree falls in the forest, if nobody hears it, did it fall? How many trees have to be in the forest? I sound like George Bush when he was talking about, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me two, can't fool me again. I okay the trees again. Naked as hell.

[Scott Sahni]

It's a little.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Put some pants on them trees.

[Scott Sahni]

Plastic Christmas tree showroom.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's not even a showroom.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, that's an insult to showrooms. No. Oh, this is something children. Absolutely put together.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I'm leaving. Everybody has to have a fisticuffs. I would be, like, so polite and be like, hey. Oh, my gosh. Loving the experience. Where's the owner?

[Scott Sahni]

Where is he?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, great.

[Scott Sahni]

Did you see the front of the school?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because we're gonna fight. Okay.

[Scott Sahni]

It's a jazzy.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We have to talk about this first. What the hell? This is a box with balloons and some fake candy tied to it. Now, now, in your mind, picture a box. I promise you, when you see this on Instagram, it's gonna be worse than you thought. What the hell is this?

[Scott Sahni]

It still has the packing tape on it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And who made it and was like, I'm done, right?

[Scott Sahni]

What adult? What adult thought this was.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Tell me this is child labor.

[Scott Sahni]

It has to be. Tell me this is the one time I would support child labor.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, I don't believe that. Cause the children be making the iPhones and they making the better than that. No, no, no, no. This is worse. Okay, what are the kids supposed to do with. Are they climbing through it?

[Scott Sahni]

Walking and out.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Are they sitting in it? Is it a photo op? I don't know. Go back to the train because we need to look at the. Okay, so that's a scooter for disabled people.

[Scott Sahni]

That's from a retirement home. That's from a senior center.

[Bridger Weiniger]

That's a senior center scooter. That's a life alert scooter. I know life alert when I see it. That's a scooter you get at the grocery store and it's got a cart in front of it. And that's supposed to drag the kids around. That's supposed to be the train. That's the train.

[Scott Sahni]

They had one in the video. They just keep the one from the video.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Now we saw that other elderly Santa, and now I'm starting to think they stole his chair. They stole that man's chair.

[Scott Sahni]

He is dead.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They say you sitting on the Santa throne, so you don't need this. And then they took it.

[Scott Sahni]

He's still there.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, this ain't right. And they blurred out that one guy's face. I wanna see him. Okay, so now we got lollipops. I don't know how this is Christmas themed, but we got lollipops on a stick. And then somebody made some kind of wooden contraption. Somebody took wood chop.

[Scott Sahni]

Is this another maze?

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't know.

[Scott Sahni]

This may be another.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I think y'all are underestimating the children. They have iPads. This is not going to do anything for them.

[Scott Sahni]

They do have the prize wheel at the end. I wonder what you get from that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, what do you get from the prize wheel? Can we zoom in? Maybe we can see. I don't know if we can, y'all. Also, they went to the. The decoration store and they got those streamers and they didn't get enough of them. I once had to decorate a live show, and I knew that I needed to buy like, hella packs of these.

[Scott Sahni]

Streamers because you never buy enough.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Cause you want to have more than enough. And they're cheap. Get them on Amazon. These people. And I know these streamers on Amazon are like 35 cents a pack. You need to be serious with Me. It's like two panels of the wall. And then they were like, that's enough.

[Scott Sahni]

Just don't put them up.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Don't put them up.

[Scott Sahni]

People won't notice.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is insulting. Okay, do we have any other photos? This is so disrespectful. Oh, they had those little mats from school. You remember when you were in kindergarten and you would play on those foam mats?

[Scott Sahni]

Colorful.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. And all the kids would pee on them and stuff. Yes. That's bringing me back. Nostalgia. So that's the last photo. And when I show y'all these photos, I tell you, you're gonna be, like, flabbergasted. You're gonna be flummoxed. You're gonna be angry. Just as angry as we are, because this is hilarious.

[Scott Sahni]

Was this the same year as that Wonka's factory?

[Bridger Weiniger]

This was 2020.

[Scott Sahni]

This may predate that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is December 2020, though. So it wasn't. It hadn't gone down yet. So the organizer, Lorraine Malone. Lorraine. And with a name like Lorraine, you ought to be able to get shit done.

[Scott Sahni]

Lorraine is a powerful name.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I've never met a Lorraine who wasn. And running it like the Navy. What is this? You're a disgrace to the name Lorraine. So she told news outlets that the event cost upwards of $100,000.

[Scott Sahni]

Did you buy the warehouse? There's what I mean. Unless she got scammed. And in that case, my heart goes out to Lorraine. Someone sold her those, like, plywood. And the lollipops are 100 grand.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Maybe she hired a party planner. And they were like, I need 95,000 dol. I hope something like that happened. $100,000 is crazy. Lorraine. Stop lying to us. You lying in our faces. So she said, the photos are a misrepresentation. I don't know, girl. You got caught in 4K. And it looks. It looks like it was represented. The event was closed early, and refunds were given to those who were upset. That says those who were upset. So anybody who was like, well, what a bummer, you know, they were like, oh, you're not gonna get your money back. But if you got your bat in your trunk and you come up to us and you're like, give us your money back.

[Scott Sahni]

Lorraine. Lorraine.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Lorraine. It's the bat.

[Scott Sahni]

Get off the jazzy, Lorraine. It's the bat of the bucks.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's the bat or the bucks, Lorraine. And she's like, okay, okay. I feel like any stepdad who took their kid here, they didn't ask for a refund.

[Scott Sahni]

No way.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Cause they gotta. When you got your stepchildren for one week a month or one weekend a month. You get every other Christmas. You gotta make it sound like it was good.

[Scott Sahni]

I tried.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. You gotta be like, oh, Johnnie, didn't you love that? Didn't you love those foam mats? So soft.

[Scott Sahni]

They've definitely made a memory, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Didn't you love the life alert Scoot? So fun. You were the last person to sit on Santa's lap before his hip broke. That was lucky. Like, he's gotta. They gotta make the best of it. The actual divorced dads. Yeah, that's what I meant, the divorced dads. So the event was closed, right? They refunded some people. However, Tom Tanuki, whose tweet comparing the event to Fyre Festival went viral. He told BuzzFeed News that he was actually a fan and hailed it as an embodiment of the true spirit of Christmas. This is what Tanuki said after his tweet went viral and he bashed Lorraine and said this was Fyre Fest. He's like, I actually thought it was the true spirit of Christmas. Tanuki said, I know I said it was like a kid's Santa fyre Fest, but I thought that was good. I want that. Kids are fine with shit stuff.

[Scott Sahni]

Tom Tanuki is the screen name of Lorraine Malone.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They make their own fun. What?

[Scott Sahni]

Why is he trying to defend it now?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Kids like shit stuff. It's my favorite phrase ever. Kids like shit.

[Scott Sahni]

Don't put up with anything.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I think he felt bad because of the backlash. Lorraine probably sent him a DM and was like, I'm on the edge.

[Scott Sahni]

My life is over.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You ruined me and all the Lorraine name. Like, I feel like he was like, no, no. It was actually a good thing that it was terrible, because kids love terribleness, you know? Anyways, like, he's trying to clean it up, which I kind of love. So the guy Tanuki, he even started a change.org petition. So he already said, kids like shit stuff. I meant this to be a good thing. He started a Change.org petition calling for Santa's Winter Village to resume business. So he was like, open the doors back up. Because he shut them down. And I think he felt bad. He's like, no, Kids love shit stuff. Bring it back. Everybody loves it. So this is the reopen Santa's winter village.

[Scott Sahni]

Now change.org 274 signatures.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, that's not a lot. Taniki says. The thing is, while Santa's Winter Village looked awful and cost far too much, it should not have been canceled by an army of Howling Wingers. Do I need to do an Australian accent? I don't do. I don't have a stroller. Like, the thing is, the Santa's Winter Village. I don't. I can't do it. How. And Wingas. I can't do it. Australian producer Amelia says it's Winjes wines. That's why we got producers, baby. So Amelia said it's wines. Shout out to our Aussie in the house. Amelia. Okay, so it should not have been canceled by a howling army of witches.

[Scott Sahni]

What is a whinger?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Whinges. What are whinges? What are they? Emilia, what are whinges? What are those?

[Scott Sahni]

They're just people who bloody complain.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Oh, they're just people who bloody complain. Leave that in. Thank you, Amelia. Hell, yeah. So we know where the whinges are. They just bloody complain. I love that. And it says never. Like, it should have never been canceled by them. Right. Because though they may not know know it, Santa's Winter Village represents the true spirit of Christmas. Nothing is ever quite as special as we remember it as children, as I'm sure every adult will agree. But it is that bittersweet spirit of remembrance that many of us find a true sense of Christmas joy. We wistfully remember our own childhood joy whilst recognizing that nothing is ever quite the same. We work hard to recreate that joy for the children in our lives. So we work hard then to recreate the joy for the children in our. What the hell are you saying?

[Scott Sahni]

Leave it alone.

[Bridger Weiniger]

This is written by AI. I know, but that's what's truly special about Santa's Winter Village is that it teaches children the same bittersweet joy usually reserved for adulthood. Right away, he said, kids need a bad memory because then when they grow up, they're gonna be like, remember that shitty ass Winter Village we went to? Memories. Memories.

[Scott Sahni]

You can get the same result by sending them to bed without dinner.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, but then that's, like, kind of abusive.

[Scott Sahni]

This is beyond abusive.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, this is like you went to a bad event. It's not like Santa beat on you, I hope.

[Scott Sahni]

I don't know. I wouldn't put it past this place.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Because even as kids, they already get to see why it's a bit of rubbish. So he's like, children shouldn't have wonderment, because they need to understand that in life, Christmas time is actually where the highest rate of suicides is. And they need to know that. No, they don't need to know that. They said that's the truest joy of Christmas. You know, What? Taniki, you just feel bad because you ruined Lorraine's life. She probably sent you a very sad message and you were like, damn, let me fix this. All right, so to our last holiday scam. Our last scam here is Stay away. Ita me. It's a Mario.

[Scott Sahni]

You just have to go back to. It's a meme that'll reset the.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I make up the pizza.

[Scott Sahni]

There you go.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It does. It does reset. I make up the pizza.

[Scott Sahni]

It's like a little key to the accent.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I make up the pizza and I'm back in. The accent is an Italian influencer, Chiara Ferrani. Yes.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, okay.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Chiara Ferrani was making Christmas cakes. Now, Chiara Fearani is fine. Like, this is a beautiful woman. She is gorgeous.

[Scott Sahni]

This is someone right out of Milan, right?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Get on the Runway, girl. Kiara. So Kiara Ferrani is one of the most famous influencers in Italy, gaining notoriety by marketing that she could teach others of her followers to be effortlessly cool like her. Of course y'all understand that. Do you want it? Am I annoying y'all? I'll say it one time regular. So Chiara Frianni is one of the most famous influencers in Italy, gaining notoriety by marketing that she could teach her followers to be effortlessly cool like her. I want to leave both versions and you will suffer. So in 2022, Chiara teamed up with the company to endorse its Pandora pink Christmas cake. Mm. That's the cake for the Christmas. I make it a cake for the Christmas. So she was advertising this to her almost 30 million followers.

[Scott Sahni]

And this is the cake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So photo one and photo two, I have. I don't do a lot of brand dealing on my account just because it's kind of cringe to me unless I really like the brand. But I will tell y'all, like, if you have 30 million followers for two posts on the grid, we're talking upwards of a hundred K. Oh, my God, Easy.

[Scott Sahni]

I'm gonna go home and buy 30 million followers.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay, listen, they check the metrics, but it's easy because I know what I got paid for my little, little thing.

[Scott Sahni]

Right? Of course.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She up there. So the Kiara branded cake was priced at €9, which is almost triple what the standard pandora cake cost. So nine euro for us, us Brokies. So the euro right now is a dollar 21 to the dollar. So if you have five euro, that means you're paying six dollars. Okay? Because we're broke over here. Don't let them fool you. Different. Okay, so right now it's $9 and 50 cents, which I love. I'm getting on the Internet right after this is recorded because I swear to you it was a dollar 21 when I was there. It fluctuates.

[Scott Sahni]

It fluctuates.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But now I'm like, damn, I gotta go back to the euro.

[Scott Sahni]

I know.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Run it up.

[Scott Sahni]

Real deal.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So nine Euro is a lot for this Pandora cake. Right. It's like almost triple the cost. So it's probably around €3 standard. In her post, Kiara claimed the proceeds raised from the cake would be donated to an Italian children's hospital.

[Scott Sahni]

Here we go.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So Kiara ended up earning. I shouldn't say children's hospital like that. That's not the joke.

[Scott Sahni]

It's a me, A children's hospital.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No, leave it in. It's my shame now. It's my sh. Shame. So Kiara ended up earning more than a million euro during the campaign. However. See, I told y'all. Upwards of 100,000. She made a million. Okay. I knew it was up there. Okay. So she ended up earning this money. Right. However, none of the money went to the children's hospital.

[Scott Sahni]

Least throw them 50 bucks or something.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You could throw them like a hundred euro, like something.

[Scott Sahni]

Send them a box of sandwiches.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Send them the cake at least.

[Scott Sahni]

Yes.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So instead the cake company Baloco gave a one time payment of 50,000 Euro to the hospital before the campaign started. And neither Beloco nor Kiara ever donated any proceeds from the cakes.

[Scott Sahni]

Wow.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So they said the proceeds were going there, but they really just like gave some money just in case somebody was like, right.

[Scott Sahni]

Looking into it. So they both knew going in, this is we're scamming and this is kind.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Of a dope scam because. Because technically, unless she had a promo code that could be traced back by the Italian government, there's really no way to know.

[Scott Sahni]

Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If this cake was just super popular or if this lady with 30 million followers, which is like more than the average television show viewers, way more. Advertised it and they bought it. Who's to say?

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, it could have just been more one cake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Issami? Afraid so. Once discovered, Italian government regulators fined Baloco 420,000 Euro while Kiara was fined 1 million Euro. Now, interesting. Wait a minute. Hold on. Pause. I support women's rights. I support women's wrongs. No. Why? Just because Kiara was the beautiful face of this. Is she being charged? She. She isn't selling the cakes. She's not boxing them up and getting the. And the money directly. The money is going to Baloco.

[Scott Sahni]

Right? Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Those fines should be reversed. She should be fined because she was engaging in false business practices. And we all know Instagram is no longer just a medium where we show pictures of our dogs and our happiness. Instagram is a monetary platform.

[Scott Sahni]

Yeah, it's a nonstop advertisement.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's nonstop advertisement. Even when you see a cute picture and it's like a girl and it's like you'll see like her on the sand and her booty cheeks and then right next to her will be like some bead of cocoa that beat a cocoa is paying for them cheeks. Okay, you are always being sold things whether you know it or not. But she did violate. But I don't think it's fair for them to pay less than her when they're the company.

[Scott Sahni]

50. Just do a 50. 50.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I don't even know 50. 50 is like.

[Scott Sahni]

Okay, 75. 25.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I was approached. I am a victim. I am a victim. I'm a sexy Italian victim. No, they did my girl dirty. I don't like that they was hating on her. So Italian prime minister Giorgia Maloney even criticized Feriani, saying the real models to follow are not influencers who make a lot of money by wearing clothes and showing bags or even promote. No, you know what? I'm doing my Italian accent because I'm. You're a hater. You're a hater, Georgia. And I know that you not cute because you're hating on her. Cuz why is she getting a higher fine? And why are you talking about influencers when you're finding her? This should have been about consumer protections and about not lying about charitable donations. Look at her. Bummy. And she's also a blonde. She's trying to look like her. You. You just want to look like Kiara and you're mad that the genetics are not going to genetic that way. And sweetheart, that's just how the dice roll sometimes. I don't look like Kiara either.

[Scott Sahni]

But it sounds to me like she's trying to defend the true spirit of modeling.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Nah, the true spir of modeling.

[Scott Sahni]

Yes, that true spirit of modeling.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She's trying to be in the true spirit of hating.

[Scott Sahni]

I'm on Georgia's side.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I've ever seen one. Georgia said the real models to follow are not the influencers who make the money by wearing the clothes and showing the bag or even promoting expensive cakes. They make people believe they are charitable. No, sis, I'mma stop you right there, Georgia. And I hope that Kiara takes her sexy ass over there and disputes this fine because this is a hater fine. Why am I getting charged more than the company that reached out to me to promote it?

[Scott Sahni]

It does seem a little tough, I will say that.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And also I'm gonna say this again, cuz I will defend influencers till the day I die. And here's why. Not all of them. Not all of them. Some of them. I know I have a lot of influencer friends. I have to do influencer shit myself. And let me tell you, when I do that stuff, how Scott will tell you, he had to hunt me down like Liam Neeson from Taken when I was in Paris to. To do videos and stuff that were necessary. And it's because I have to get my camera out. I have to put my setup up. Sometimes I don't got a tripod, so I gotta set it up on some books. I gotta find a white wall and you gotta make sure that the electrical plug is not visible in the shot. So you gotta be a cinematographer. And I'm not even talking about wardrobe. You gotta look nice. Cause people be like, I'm not gonna listen to you, D. So you gotta have them things, them clothes on. Then I'm a CIS woman, so I gotta get in full drag, lashes, makeup, hair. I gotta do all of that. And I'm a black girl, so the hair take even longer.

[Scott Sahni]

It's a lot of work.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And then you gotta get on camera and then you gotta say words and then you gotta edit it and then you gotta upload it and you gotta promote it. What's the hashtag for today? What challenge are we doing? We doing broky? Let me dance. I gotta dance for my dinner. It's not. It's hard. And then these people are doing this and putting out content several times a day. This lady, like, you're putting out six posts a day, ten posts a day. You gotta come up with new stuff. You gotta go on vacation, you gotta shop. You gotta constantly be filming. It's not easy to do it. They just make it look easy. Because if they made it look hard, you wouldn't enjoy it.

[Scott Sahni]

It's part of the deal.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Of course, I might come out and be like, have a page that's like Bad influencer. Where it's just like everything is me struggling.

[Scott Sahni]

See, that's where you just have to get it in as a slob. And then people expect a slob. It's so much easier.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It gets me struggling.

[Scott Sahni]

Right, Right.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But I have already established a brand of baddie. I can't. If I were to show up looking crazy, with my hair crazy and my makeup looking crazy, People would call and get me committed. I'd be on a 5150. Like, I'm not even joking.

[Scott Sahni]

They would be like, just tell them it's a reinvention.

[Bridger Weiniger]

We're here to take you away.

[Scott Sahni]

Say it's a Madonna style reinvention. Now I'm a slob.

[Bridger Weiniger]

No.

[Scott Sahni]

Embrace my new.

[Bridger Weiniger]

If my audience, I would have to rebuild. They'd be like, we don't want to look at you. And I gotta find the people who are like, positivity. I'm not trying to look for them. I don't got time to read all them quotes. But I'm just gonna say, Georgia Milani, Georgia Milani, you are a hater. You do the hater. You make up the hate. You make the hate for the beautiful women. That's what I'm leaving that with. So we did get an apology.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, great.

[Bridger Weiniger]

But the video isn't a. So Bridger, if you're game, of course, I'd love for you to perform a Google translated version of her apology for our listeners.

[Scott Sahni]

Okay, great.

[Bridger Weiniger]

First, I want to say that she don't look like the blondie baddie right now. Like, she's pulled back her hair so you can't see her highlights. She's wearing, like, some oversized gray coat. She's smart. She gave us a sterile background. She's not apologizing from a palatial mansion. Like, all the girlies were in 20. So she's wearing makeup, but it's minimal. So you know, she's sad and she.

[Scott Sahni]

Could possibly be in a bathrobe.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, she's down bad. She's not even got her hair flowing like it normally does. Is she holding back tears? I don't know. Okay, so let's start from the beginning.

[Scott Sahni]

I have always been convinced that those who are more fortunate have the moral responsibility to do good. These are the values that have always driven me and my family. This is what we teach our children. We also teach him. Teach him. Interesting. We love a Google Translate. We also teach him that mistakes can be made and that when it happens, we must admit and if possible, remedy the mistake made and treasure it. Wow, she's really just. This is a lot of bullshit. And that's what I want to do now. Apologize and give substance to the gesture of mine. I. Oh. I will donate 1 million euros to Regina Margarita. Who's Regina Margarita?

[Bridger Weiniger]

Who is Regina Margarita? I believe that is the name of the children's hospital.

[Scott Sahni]

That's a great name for a hospital. It sounds very fun.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You know my name Is actually Regina Margarita. Y'all thought it was a good time.

[Scott Sahni]

To Regina Margarita to support the care of children. But that's not all. I'm doing it publicly because I realized. I have realized I had made a communication error. Communication error.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Listen, that's what I'm about to start calling lying. Like, no, why did lie? I made a communication error when I was communicating. It was an error in the truth.

[Scott Sahni]

My hands are clean.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes.

[Scott Sahni]

A mistake that I will treasure in the future. Completely separating any charitable activity, which I have always done and will continue to do from commercial activities. Okay, well, I feel like she is not taking any responsibility here.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Okay. She took responsibility by having to pay a million dollars to a ugly hater. So I think she has shown contrition. And I love that in the top of her apology, she done roped her whole family into this. Why is the family in it? She was like me and my family, which I do have a family. Think about the children that I have, not the ones in the hospital. I did not donate to. Think about my children and how I teach them. And I love that. She says she's going to treasure.

[Scott Sahni]

Treasure them. A mistake.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And that's probably a Google Translate thing. Maybe it means, like, she's going to, like, remember it and hold it. She'll never do it again.

[Scott Sahni]

I. I want to think that she's going to remember it fondly.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She's going to love this. Now, if she was a real bad bitch, she would have put in there. When I sold these cakes, it was because I really loved them. And the communication error of the money and where it went to my bank account, I truly apologize for. Cause, like, keep the brand up. You still going to endorse stuff. So if you don't want your audience to not have, you know, efficacy, like, you know, you know, then you want to ensure them that, like, the product was busting. Okay. I just didn't give any money to the rugrats.

[Scott Sahni]

She could have been making money off this post if she had just been holding a plate of cake while apologizing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Who knows? That jacket she had on was fire.

[Scott Sahni]

That could be something interesting. Great. Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah. That gray jacket jacket, it's like cozy, cute, quiet luxury. I know. It's at least €300. Yeah, that's the earring she has on. Who knows? She might tag the. The.

[Scott Sahni]

That wallpaper in the background or the. The paint. That could be. What is it Williams? No, Sherwin Williams.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And. And you know, if you have 30 million followers, people are sourcing your wardrobe. People do that. To me on television shows all the time, they see what I'm wearing and they go find out where it's sold. So we, you know, for all we know, she was doing a brand right here. She was doing an endorsement, right?

[Scott Sahni]

She's making 5 million in Europe, literally.

[Bridger Weiniger]

She's like, I made more off this post than I spent paying back my restitution. And I love that for her. So she does her apology, right? And that was a great translation, Bridger.

[Scott Sahni]

Thank you. Thank you. I'm a native Italian.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I will treasure it. I will treasure it.

[Scott Sahni]

Treasure it.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So we see that Kiara apologized to her followers. Looking fabulous. I love her. I'm going to follow her, buy all the cakes that she's helped me to do.

[Scott Sahni]

This mistake is paying off.

[Bridger Weiniger]

So since the video isn't Italian, like, we had to translate it, so we're giving you a rough translation. But I think Bridger did amazing. Yes.

[Scott Sahni]

A.

[Bridger Weiniger]

And at the end of her apology, she does go on to say she believes the fine was unjust and she will appeal it. But as of this July, she's officially dropped her legal appeal and has accepted the fine. I don't like that she dropped her appeal. It was too, too much. If you're gonna find the company $420,000, you better fucking find me less or the same amount.

[Scott Sahni]

Right. But keep it to yourself. Don't, like, do the apology.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Then start explaining on Instagram. Like, let's all be serious now. We know that there's a lot of money being made on the platform. So I understand, like, Kim Kardashian stories get more views than the Super Bowl. So there is a lot of money to be made. And I understand that there are advertising standards and practices, and as we move into a society that continues to grow, like, that elasticity clause, that's what people jerk it to in the Constitution is the elasticity clause. Because they're like, oh, they made room. Thomas Jefferson. They made room for planes and stuff that they didn't even know was gonna exist. Ooh, jerkin. We need to listen to these dead white dudes about everything. No, but that one thing. They ate that one little thing. And we do now have regulation on Instagram. Like, I can't post anything that doesn't have ad or sponsored by.

[Scott Sahni]

You have to let people know that it's not.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yeah, but if you're gonna give to charity, you gotta give to charity. And you could have been like, some of the proceeds go to charity. And if you said some, you probably would have been in the clear.

[Scott Sahni]

Some is A beautiful word in the scam world.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Some beautiful word. Some.

[Scott Sahni]

Some could mean anything to anyone.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes, a bit. A bit. Sounds shady.

[Scott Sahni]

A bit of the money. I'll go to charity.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Is there a more beautiful word than some?

[Scott Sahni]

It really is so nebulous.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A portion.

[Scott Sahni]

A portion is class. It's real clean.

[Bridger Weiniger]

A portion of the proceeds. A portion. We don't know how much of a.

[Scott Sahni]

Portion again, means nothing.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Means nothing. Sounds like everything. Wrapping this up at the end of her apology, you know, she says the fine was unjust. I don't believe that. She should have dropped that shoot fight Georgiana till you die, because I hate her. Kiara lost 200,000 followers in the week weeks following the scandal and was dropped by several brands, including Coca Cola.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, Coke dropped her. Wow. She really didn't. She has paid her dues.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Coca Cola dropped.

[Scott Sahni]

This person was being dragged through the mud.

[Bridger Weiniger]

They got long money, girl. If you don't go back to court and appeal this because you've already paid for it, Coca Cola dropping you is crazy. Coca Cola sponsored the show. Okay. If I say I'm running a scam drive, the scam is that the kids are going to get everything they need. All right, well, we've reached the end of the show and we always ask here, Bridger, where would you like to be found?

[Scott Sahni]

I have a podcast called I said no Gifts.

[Bridger Weiniger]

It's amazing.

[Scott Sahni]

I've been on and you can find that wherever people find podcasts. And then I'm on Instagram.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. And you should be listening to I said no Gifts. Okay. Obviously, this is Scam Goddess. Bridger might be Scam God cuz his show, every time a guest comes, like I told you at the top of the episode, they had to bring him again.

[Scott Sahni]

I have gotten hundreds of gifts. About four of them are useful.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Do you feel bad throwing them away?

[Scott Sahni]

I've thrown away only one of them.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Wow.

[Scott Sahni]

And it was because it was literally a piece of garbage.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You got to get a storage unit. They're not just.

[Scott Sahni]

Garage is full of. They're not just for criminals.

[Bridger Weiniger]

You can do more than crime in a storage unit. Okay. You can.

[Scott Sahni]

You can move into one.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Right? All right, where to?

[Scott Sahni]

Follow you at bridgerweiniger or at I said no gifts on Instagram.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Yes. As always, y'all can follow me and my shenanigans at D I V A L A C I D Valacy on all platforms if you want to see these photos. And you need to see these photos. Just the Christmas ones.

[Scott Sahni]

Christmas warehouse.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I can't believe that the Audacity. I wouldn't even go that far. It's scamp to really scammed. He scumped. Is that the past tense of scam? Skumped. He really skumped them. Okay. Also signed books are on sale [e-mail] if they're not already sold out. And I have made them even more unhinged somehow. I don't know how I did it, but thank you to the Earwolf intern, Jack Pineda for finding these holiday hoodwinks and helping with today's research. I really appreciate all of you, my entire team, and we're wishing you a happy holidays to you and yours and Festivus to the rest of us.

[Scott Sahni]

Oh, Happy holidays.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Happy. Yes. Scampa, come visit me. Scampta baby, save a ski mask under the tree for me. I've been an alpha.

[Scott Sahni]

You've got to be focusing on an arbor tree song.

[Bridger Weiniger]

I know. That's already a.

[Scott Sahni]

You're wasting time here. Yeah.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Scam got it. This has been an Earwolf production in association with Team Coco. Scam got his stars and is hosted by me, Lacy Mosley, AKA Scott Scam Goddess. Our producer is Scott Sahni and our audio engineer is Rich Garcia. Research for the show is done by Kate Doyle. Stay scheming.

[Lacey Mosley]

Prepare for the crime and investigation event of the new year with the premiere of two groundbreaking new series on A and E. Each week, hit the streets of the Big Easy with a dedicated team of detectives as they search for answers and justice in the gripping new series Ham Homicide Squad New Orleans. Then join an elite Mexican task force in their pursuit of American fugitives hiding south of the border in Fugitive Hunters Mexico Homicide Squad New Orleans. New episode Thursdays at 9, followed by a new Fugitive Hunters Mexico at 10. Part of a crime and investigation event only on A D. Watch now on the A and E app.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Make your winter even sweeter with the joyfully chill sensation of My Mochi ice cream. My Mochi is delicious, deliciously creamy premium ice cream wrapped in sweet, soft dough. It comes in fabulous flavors like strawberry, mango, double chocolate and cookies and cream.

[Scott Sahni]

My Mochi ice cream tastes like an.

[Bridger Weiniger]

Indulgent treat, but it's only around 70 calories per piece and it's gluten free. Look for the purple box of Mymochi at Target or visit mymochi.com to find a store near.