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.