Scam Goddess – "The Inventing Heiress" w/ Nicole Byer (Fraud Friday)
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Host: Laci Mosley
Guest: Nicole Byer
Episode Overview
This jubilant, laugh-filled Fraud Friday classic brings together Laci Mosley (the "Scam Goddess") and Emmy-nominated comedian Nicole Byer (of "Nailed It!" and "Why Won’t You Date Me?") to revel in tales of scams—both petty and grandiose. The episode features Nicole’s personal scam-adjacent stories, a listener letter about quitting aids-turned-side hustle, a deep dive into the infamous “Inventing Heiress” con (the $90,000 “Irish royalty” grift that hit Los Angeles’ TV-production scene), and rapid-fire takes on a Florida man who bought a Porsche with a homemade check.
With Mosley’s signature warmth and wit and Byer’s rollicking humor, this episode is both a cautionary tale and a celebration of creative hustling—“True Con” in action.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Nicole’s Bikeberry.com Bike Saga (03:09–06:02)
- Nicole describes buying a bike online while drunk: “You get what you pay for. […] This thing is so fucking janky. Like, the gears just twist around.” (04:16, Nicole)
- She details customer service runaround, steep return fees, and ultimately donating the unrideable bike: “So now you want me to disassemble it, put this shitty ass bike back in the box? No, I’m just gonna donate it.” (04:40, Nicole)
2. “What's Hot in Fraud”: Smoking Cessation Patch Resale Scam (06:21–14:14)
- Listener “white Shamika” from Montana profited by ordering free anti-smoking patches (intended to help smokers quit) and reselling them online for $30–$40 per box.
- Laci and Nicole riff on smoking habits, unsuccessful attempts to quit, Juul addiction, and the surprising costs:
- “I was sucking d*ck for Juul.” (13:28, Laci, tongue-in-cheek)
- “Don’t Juul. Don’t start. No for real, don’t start.” (17:49, Nicole)
- Insights into Big Tobacco’s control of anti-smoking ads, with jokes about moral hypocrisy.
3. Representation and Racial Quirks in Midwestern America (07:41–11:20)
- Nicole recounts doing comedy shows at overwhelmingly white colleges in Montana and Arizona and feeling like their token Black visitor.
- “A black flight attendant looked at me... and said, ‘Honey, you going to the right place?’” (07:41, Nicole)
- Deep dive into “ashy” jokes, the cultural importance of lotion, and racially coded advertising/performances.
4. Historic Hoodwinks: The Inventing Heiress—“Mayor Smith”/“Smythe” (23:28–46:01)
Summary of the Scam:
- Jonathan Walton, producer on “American Ninja Warrior,” befriends a neighbor, “Mayor Smith,” who’s claimed to be an Irish heiress.
- Over four years, “Mayor” gradually unspools a tale of royal inheritance, troublesome cousins, legal woes, and frozen bank accounts.
- She borrows over $90,000 from Walton under the guise of needing money to secure her inheritance, avoid legal trouble, and cover living expenses.
- Ultimately, Walton discovers via jail records that everything was fabricated.
Notable Quotes & Reactions:
- “If I ever met somebody who said, ‘I’m an heiress,’ […] I’d be like, ‘So you good with money? I don’t have to give you shit.’” (24:31, Nicole)
- Laci: “That’s the thing about scamming. People think scamming is not work. Scamming is employment, it’s a profession.” (38:44)
- Nicole: “This is work.” (38:42)
- Nicole, on the emotional manipulation: “He opens up to her...she accepted him. So they had an emotional relationship.” (40:05)
- Laci: “Her bank accounts weren’t frozen. They just were empty.” (42:39)
- Nicole, on the scammer’s audacity: “She was running off. My God, where was the money for rent going? Because, remember, he helped her with an eviction lawyer!” (44:25)
Comic Interjections:
- Laughter about “pastel” fashion as a sign of wealth.
- The group jokes about con artists structuring elaborate email drama—“she just put some Irish...I’m gonna do my own Tyler Perry movie.” (34:14, Nicole)
- Musings on how being scammed feels: “You know what? Now is your chance, y’all. Lotion. Everybody needs it.” (10:37, Laci)
5. Modern Day Scammer: The Florida Man with a Homemade Cashier’s Check (46:01–49:37)
- Florida man “Casey William Kelly” buys a $140,000 Porsche with a check printed at home, then attempts to buy $61,000 of Rolexes with another fraudulent check:
- “Also the dealership was like, ah, looks right?” (46:23, Nicole)
- Laughter over how the scammer gets tips from “Catch Me If You Can” and the ease of perpetrating such schemes in pandemic times.
- Nicole outlines how she'd make the scam "better"—layering fake identity and lease to finesse the system: “Now I have the perfect plan…” (48:12, Nicole, in full tongue-in-cheek mode)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Time | Speaker & Quote | |----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:09 | Nicole: “I bought a shitty bike from a shitty company...Very ambitious of you to buy a whole bike in a box.” | | 13:28 | Laci: “I was sucking d*ck for Juul.” | | 14:14 | Nicole (on new mask culture): “Now that I think about it, I kinda like wearing a mask...” | | 23:07 | Nicole: “I think Shamika’s an entrepreneur.” (Re: listener scam letter) | | 24:31 | Nicole: “If I ever met somebody...‘I’m an heiress’…I’d be like, ‘So you good with money?’” | | 38:44 | Laci: “That’s the thing about scamming. People think scamming is not work. Scamming isn’t employment, it’s a profession.” | | 42:39 | Laci: “Her bank accounts weren't frozen. They just were empty.” | | 45:33 | Nicole: “That’s pretty good...you stole $80,000 over four years? That’s 20 a year. That's nice. Tax free.” | | 46:23 | Nicole (re: homemade Porsche check): “Also the dealership was like, ah, looks right?” | | 48:12 | Nicole (joking): “Now I have the perfect plan...get a fake driver’s license, write that check for down payment, how will they get to you?” |
Important Segments with Timestamps
- Nicole’s Bikeberry.com Scam Story – 03:09–06:02
- Listener Letter: Smoking Patch Resale – 06:21–14:14
- Reflections on Race, Representation, and Lotion – 07:41–11:20
- Historic Hoodwinks: The Inventing Heiress Deep Dive – 23:28–46:01
- Modern Day Scammer: Porsche & Fake Check – 46:01–49:37
Tone & Flow
This episode is playful, irreverent, and warm—just like a conversation between old friends. Laci and Nicole jump between crackling comedic bits, candid admissions, and sharp cultural observations. Listeners are just as likely to laugh out loud as they are to ponder the blurred lines between hustling and fraud.
For Newcomers
- This episode stands out as both a recap of wilder scams (both personal and historical) and a primer in “thinking like a scammer”—with a wink and nod, not actual encouragement.
- If you’ve ever wanted a mix of hilarious, rolling storytelling and scam breakdowns with real empathy for the conned (and grudging respect for the con artist), this is for you.
Quick Takeaway
As Laci signs off:
“Stay scheming, congregation! … If you want to support a Black queen out there—do your activism for today—like and subscribe to our show, give me 5-star reviews and talk about how lovely of a human being I am.” (51:09, Laci)