The Hollywood Hoodwinker w/ Lauren Lapkus (Fraud Friday)

Fri Mar 06 2026

This week, Laci is joined by actress, director, & podcaster Lauren Lapkus (Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Threedom) to cover the Hollywood scam artist and master impressionist who lured unsuspecting professionals halfway around the world before leaving them high and dry. Stay Schemin’! (Originally released 10/14/2019) CON-gregation, keep the scams coming and snitch on your friends by emailing us at ScamGoddessPod@gmail.com. Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod Laci Mosley: @divalaci Lauren Lapkus: @laurenlapkus Research Assistant: Sharilyn Vera Sources: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/hunting-con-queen-hollywood-1125932 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fbi-seeks-more-victims-hollywood-con-artist-marvel-executive-targeted-1137712 https://www.npr.org/2019/07/17/742818984/the-story-of-a-scam-that-lured-hollywood-professionals-to-indonesia?t=1564239220681 https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49001504 https://caymannewsservi...

Transcript

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Podcast Host (Lacey Mosley) (1:30)

What's poppin Congregation?

Podcast Host (Lacey Mosley) (1:32)

It's ya girl.

Podcast Host (Lacey Mosley) (1:33)

Lacey Mosley AKA Scam Goddess. Welcome to an episode of Fraud Fridays where we release older episodes from the Scam Goddess Balt. That's right. Fraud Fridays is where we bring back your favorite episodes from behind the Paywall. Enjoy this episode from behind the Paywall and as always, stay scheming.

Podcast Host (Lacey Mosley) (1:52)

Scams cos Robbery and frauds Scams ca Robbery and fraud. Scam Goddess. That's the thing about scams. Sometimes they work.

Summary

Scam Goddess: "The Hollywood Hoodwinker" w/ Lauren Lapkus (Fraud Friday)

Air Date: March 6, 2026
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Lauren Lapkus

Episode Overview

This uproarious episode of "Scam Goddess" (Fraud Friday edition) sees host Laci Mosley joined by actor/comedian Lauren Lapkus. Together, they dig into the world of entertainment industry scams—sharing personal scam stories, exploring the anatomy of a Hollywood con, bracing their listeners against current scam threats, and crowning the “Scammer of the Week.” The central story: a mysterious woman dubbed the “Hollywood Hoodwinker” who impersonates industry power-players to trick hundreds of aspiring creatives into flying to Indonesia and handing over thousands of dollars.

Key Sections and Highlights

1. Personal Scam Stories & Relationship to Fraud

[02:14 – 08:23]

Lauren Lapkus recalls falling for a tourist street scam in Italy as a teenager:
"We fully fell for one... This man had a boombox... little paper Mickey and Minnie characters... dancing to the music... we bought them... got home and realized it was just yarn and paper. He had a string he was pulling."
— Lauren Lapkus, [03:25]
Origin friendship story: Laci and Lauren bonded while both got swept into an indie film project that unraveled as a scam:
- The film was pitched as a legit, creative endeavor, but involved script theft, faked production credentials, and a ‘luxury’ island shoot that quickly became suspicious.
- “Be wary of islands. This was after Fyre Fest. We really should have questioned going to an island at all.” — Laci Mosley, [06:39]
Key insight: Even smart, experienced people—especially when work is slow or a deal feels serendipitous—can fall prey to scams. Timing and the “despo meter” (level of desperation) matter.

2. Scams in the Everyday: Unlicensed Taxis, Survival Tactics

[09:05 – 12:32]

Lauren’s story about accidentally taking a sketchy, illegal cab in NYC, being terrified throughout the ride, overcharged for her own survival, and arriving home in tears.
Laci shares safety tips for women in transit and reflects on real-life threat management.
- “That’s sad that that’s a requirement... what do I have in my bag of ‘please don’t murder me today’?” — Laci Mosley, [11:44]
Both lament how common and normalized these “micro-scams” and dangers are.

3. What's Hot in Fraud: Student Loan Relief Scams

[17:16 – 22:13]

Laci warns listeners about companies promising quick fixes for student debt, but instead scamming desperate borrowers (sometimes for tens of thousands).
- “Millennials are already in so much debt. You’re just gonna...” — Laci Mosley, [19:00]
Lauren and Laci reflect on their own loan/debt avoidance strategies, and the prevalence of mailers and phone calls preying on the hopeful and anxious.

4. Historic Hoodwinks: The Hollywood Hoodwinker Con

[23:10 – 39:00]

The Scam’s Anatomy:

For more than two years, an unknown woman has been impersonating Hollywood execs, offering crew, artists, and freelancers “dream jobs” on films supposedly shooting in Indonesia.
Once marks arrive, they’re pressed to advance cash for travel, accommodations, or fees—collected in small, psychologically manageable increments—never to see them or the job again.
Key players impersonated include Amy Pascal, Kathleen Kennedy, and others; voice mimicry is so skilled that some victims express admiration.

Techniques Used:

Voice impersonation (often with subtle regional detail, e.g. “a mix of New York and Midwestern, with a slight lisp” — [48:46])
Fake websites and GoDaddy domains add to legitimacy
Email communications reference real industry figures, inside details, and knowledge to build trust
“Reimbursement” always promised, never delivered

Notable Quotes:

“I feel like that's a talented scammer...” — Lauren Lapkus, [24:15]
“She has this way about her convincing people... I could see that.” — Laci Mosley, [36:30]
“If anybody tells me they’re gonna reimburse me for my travel, I'm like, 'I'm not going. Y’all better preimburse me.'" — Laci Mosley, [25:20]
"I feel like you are a scammer." — Lauren Lapkus, [26:35]

Comic Paranoia:

Lauren and Laci speculate (jokingly) that YouTube accent star Amy Walker might secretly be the con artist. “If you have incredible skills like that, we can’t not admire...” — Laci Mosley, [50:22]

5. Scams’ Psychology: Why They Work & How to Stay Safe

[41:43 – 47:01, also throughout]

The scammers’ inside knowledge and routine industry chaos make fact-checking tricky.
Victims are often isolated or less-connected crew (stylists, photographers) rather than stars, increasing their vulnerability and making spread of warnings difficult.
Laci points out the importance of cross-checking jobs, involving agents, and trusting your gut—though both relate that agents and lawyers sometimes also get conned.

6. Scammer of the Week: $2 Million Cayman Dive Instructor Sting

[50:23 – 59:20]

A Georgetown woman conned a dive instructor out of $2 million by promising to secure his Cayman Islands work status and never delivered—eventually leading him to financial ruin.
The host and guest express both bemusement and pity:
"At what point do you go, I don't need to be a scuba instructor THAT bad?" — Lauren Lapkus, [56:42]
Laci’s mom’s wisdom: “Never lend out more money than you’re willing to never see again.” — Laci Mosley, [52:15]
Discussion on sociopathy:
“You have to not give a shit... their lives are really carefree because they don't care.” — Lauren Lapkus, [58:16]

7. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“Caring is the cause of strokes. You heard it here first—scammers live a long time.” — Laci Mosley, [14:30]
“If you’re just one hairstylist, who are you gonna tell?” — Laci Mosley, [31:03]
“We just want to know... how it’s going, what your next plans are... we won’t try to track you.” — Lauren Lapkus, about the scammer, [46:34]

8. Practical Takeaways & Warnings

Scam Checks:

For industry work: Check web domains, insist on prepaid travel (“preimbursing”), make sure agents/vetted contacts are involved.
For debt consolidation or opportunity pitches: Verify through existing loan agents, don’t accept “reimbursement” promises from unknown contacts.

General Scam Psychology:

Anyone is susceptible, especially when tired, hopeful, or desperate.
Scammers thrive on exploiting urgency, insider lingo, and a veneer of legitimacy.

9. Timestamps for Important Segments

[02:14] – Lauren’s Italy street scam story
[04:50] – [08:23] – Indie film scam that brought Laci & Lauren together
[09:05] – [12:32] – Taxi scam & women’s survival tactics
[17:16] – “What’s Hot in Fraud” – Student loan scams rundown
[23:10] – [39:00] – “Historic Hoodwinks:” The Hollywood Hoodwinker con breakdown
[46:21] – [47:25] – On the scammer’s impressive voice skills and industry knowledge
[50:23] – [59:20] – “Scammer of the Week:” $2M dive instructor victim

10. Final Notes & Plugs

Lauren plugs her podcasts: Raised by TV, Wild Horses, With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus
Laci encourages listeners to send in their scam stories, find her on Instagram (@divalacy), and even on Venmo.

The Scam Goddess Mantra

“Stay scheming!” — Laci Mosley

This recap covers the main content; advertisements, brief plugs, and outros were omitted for clarity.