True CrimeSociety & CultureDocumentary

Nothing Felt Wrong

Anne Genduso

What makes a lie believable? And why do smart, ordinary people sometimes miss the signs of deception until it’s too late?

Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories of scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the human behavior behind them.

Hosted by Anne Genduso, each episode looks beyond what happened to ask a more interesting question: Why did it work?

Through narrative Deep Dives and conversations with guests and experts, we unpack the psychological tactics, social dynamics, and warning signs that can make even extraordinary situations feel completely believable in the moment.

New episodes include Deep Dives, where Anne investigates fascinating real-life stories of deception, and Side-Eye Sessions, where guests join to share expertise, examine real stories, and explore how deception and manipulation work in the real world.

Because nothing felt wrong…until it did.

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11 episodes
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Avg 36 min
English

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Monday · 53 min
The Mother of All Deceptions: 4 Reddit Stories of Moms Who Lied
What happens when the person you’re supposed to trust most is the one deceiving you? My friend Lyssa is back for another Side-Eye Session, and this time we’re examining four Reddit stories about moms who crossed some pretty unbelievable lines. One mom catfished men using her daughter’s photos, another manipulated her grieving child out of $10,500 and control of a car, another was caught twisting her own words to turn a grandmother against her child, and one kept the truth about her child’s biological father secret for decades. But these stories aren’t just about lying. They’re about what happens when deception and betrayal come from inside your own family. We talk about why manipulation can be so difficult to recognize when it comes from a parent, how years of built-in trust can make warning signs easier to overlook, and what happens when discovering one major lie suddenly makes you question everything you thought you knew. Plus: family secrets, gaslighting, catfishing, financial manipulation, DNA tests, hidden relatives, and the kinds of discoveries that can completely change how you see your childhood — and your parents. IN THIS EPISODE A mom catfishes men using her daughter’s photos A grieving child loses $10,500 — and control of their car — to Mom A child catches their mom lying about them to Grandma A decades-long secret about a biological father Why betrayal by a parent can be so difficult to recognize What happens when one discovered lie makes you question everything that came before it REDDIT STORIES Story #1 — Mom Catfished Men Using Her Daughter’s Photos Original post from r/catfish: https://www.reddit.com/r/catfish/s/NZJsgC882C Story #2 — Mom Conned Her Child Out of $10,500 and a Car Original post from r/narcissisticparents: https://www.reddit.com/r/narcissisticparents/s/chIloxlMQm Story #3 — Mom Manipulated Grandma Original post from r/NarcissisticMothers: https://www.reddit.com/r/NarcissisticMothers/comments/1fiex7h/have_you_ever_seen_the_manipulation_and_lying/ Story #4 — Mom Lied About Her Child’s Biological Father Original post from r/Advice: https://www.reddit.com/r/Advice/comments/1p4al5h/mom_lied_my_whole_adult_life_dad_not_bio_dad/ SIDE-EYE QUESTION Which of these moms gets the biggest side-eye from you? And could you ever fully trust a parent again after discovering a lie like one of these? HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous. FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong Because nothing felt wrong…until it did.
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September 14 · 45 min
Would You Fall for These Marketing Lies? | MLMs, Timeshares & More
She’s in debt. She hasn’t made a cent. And she’s convinced her MLM will make her a multimillionaire. What makes us believe the things we’re sold? Sometimes it’s the promise of financial freedom. Sometimes it’s urgency, aspiration, community, or a brand name we already trust. And sometimes, the sales pitch finds us when our guard is completely down...like while hiking with a dog. In this Side-Eye Session for Nothing Felt Wrong, Anne Genduso is joined by Emily Rask, host of Lies We Bought, to examine three Reddit stories about MLMs, marketing deception, and a $20,800 vacation “investment.” We start with an MLM pitch that turns a casual encounter on a hiking trail into a sales opportunity. Then, a woman already in debt keeps pouring money into her third network-marketing business because she believes she’ll become a multimillionaire within five years. Finally, a couple signs up for a $20,800 Wyndham vacation package before something feels wrong and they start digging deeper into what they were told. Along the way, Anne and Emily get into fear marketing, FOMO, borrowed credibility, MLM psychology, why community itself can become part of the sales pitch, and what happens when the story surrounding a product becomes more powerful than the thing being sold. SIDE-EYE QUESTION Thinking about these stories, which one stuck with you? Have you ever encountered one of these offerings—or known someone who got duped by one? MORE FROM EMILY RASK Lies We Bought Website: https://www.lieswebought.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@liesweboughtpodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/33lHL2ndIReoPpZnBuyhfM Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LiesWeBought/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lieswebought/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lieswebought LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lieswebought Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lieswebought/ REDDIT STORIES FEATURED Targeted on the Trail: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiMLM/s/iaMYcjxt6f Impact Global MLM: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiMLM/s/IGtRcEK8vK Wyndham Vacation Club: https://www.reddit.com/r/Wyndham/s/GzDAWF4N83 ABOUT NOTHING FELT WRONG Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories about scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the psychology behind how people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don’t. Hosted by Anne Genduso. HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous. FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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September 7 · 25 min
She Was 37. Her Family Thought She Was 12.
How does a 37-year-old woman convince a family she’s 12 years old—and live with them as their daughter for more than a year? Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira told people she was a vulnerable child who had survived abuse, abandonment, forced hormone treatments, and serious health problems. The family who took her in gave her a bedroom filled with toys, celebrated her 12th birthday, paid for medical care, and treated her like their own daughter. But “Gabriele” wasn’t really Gabriele. She was Amanda, an adult woman with a long history of allegedly assuming false identities across Brazil. In this episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we trace Amanda’s extraordinary history of deception: an online prayer group convinced she was a child dying of leukemia, repeated claims of abuse and exploitation, mysterious needles found inside her body, and the tactics that helped her gain the trust of people who wanted to protect her. We’ll also examine the competing explanations for why Amanda repeatedly presented herself as a child. And we explore the question at the center of her criminal case: If she wasn’t directly stealing cash, did the housing, food, clothing, medication, and other support she received through deception still amount to fraud? A Brazilian court ultimately ruled that it did. THE SIDE-EYE QUESTION What would you do if you were in the family’s situation? Would you have questioned her story—or believed you were helping a vulnerable child? CONTENT NOTE This episode includes discussion of alleged sexual abuse, child abuse, exploitation, and other disturbing subjects. HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong SOURCES & FURTHER READING Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/08/19/37-she-pretended-be-child-now-shes-trial/ Court of Justice of Santa Catarina: https://www.tjsc.jus.br/web/imprensa/-/mulher-que-se-passou-por-adolescente-para-ser-acolhida-por-familia-e-condenada-em-sc?redirect=%2F Folha de S.Paulo: https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2026/08/justica-de-sc-condena-por-estelionato-mulher-que-se-passou-por-adolescente-e-enganou-familia.shtml Jovem Pan News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSZ4e4akikg&t=1s Jornal Razão: https://jornalrazao.com/justica/laudo-pequena-amanda-fingiu-12-anos-sabia-o-que-fazia Metrópoles: https://www.metropoles.com/colunas/manoela-alcantara/mulher-presa-por-fingir-ter-12-anos-repetiu-golpe-contra-ex-vereadora Diário de Pernambuco: https://www.diariodepernambuco.com.br/vida-urbana/2026/06/11716338-andava-com-ursinho-diz-psicologa-que-atendeu-no-recife-mulher-que-fingiu-ter-12-anos.html OCP News: https://ocp.news/seguranca/falsa-adolescente-procurou-hospital-infantil-de-sc-com-agulhas-espalhadas-pelo-corpo Diário do Nordeste: https://diariodonordeste.verdesmares.com.br/ultima-hora/pais/mulher-que-fingiu-ter-12-anos-tem-transtorno-mental-e-e-agressiva-diz-ex-delegada-1.3769136 Estado de Minas: https://www.em.com.br/gerais/2026/06/amp/7435842-mulher-que-fingia-ser-crianca-foi-acolhida-com-marcas-de-200-agulhas.html Diário de Goiás: https://diariodegoias.com.br/mulher-presa-em-sc-por-se-passar-por-adolescente-ja-havia-sido-detida-em-goiania-em-2024/535766/ NOTE: Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was convicted in Santa Catarina of fraud and false identity. Her attorneys have indicated they intend to appeal. References to incidents and investigations in other jurisdictions are described as allegations unless otherwise noted. Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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August 31 · 33 min
AI Job Scams Can Fake the Interview. Here’s How to Know What’s Real
What if you got a job interview, saw the recruiter’s face, heard their voice—and none of it was real? AI is changing what job scams look like. Scammers can clone voices, create deepfake video, impersonate real recruiters and companies, and build fake job interviews convincing enough to fool even savvy job seekers. In this Side-Eye Session, Nothing Felt Wrong host Anne Genduso is joined by job scam expert Mark Anthony Dyson, founder and writer of The Job Scam Report, to explore how AI is making employment scams harder to spot—and what job seekers can do to protect themselves. Mark shares his “zero trust” mindset: clarify, verify, don’t just apply, along with practical ways to independently verify recruiters, companies, websites, and job opportunities when seeing or hearing someone is no longer enough to prove they’re real. They also discuss recruiter impersonation, deepfake interviews, fake company websites, hijacked profiles, the value of the personal data job seekers share—and how to stay vigilant without becoming paranoid. WATCH ON YOUTUBE Watch the full video conversation on YouTube. SIDE-EYE QUESTION: What would convince you that a job opportunity was real? MORE FROM MARK ANTHONY DYSON: The Job Scam Report on Substack Listen to The Job Scam Report Podcast on Apple Podcasts The Voice of Job Seekers Listen to The Voice of Job Seekers on Apple Podcasts ABOUT NOTHING FELT WRONG Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories about scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the psychology behind how people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Subscribe to Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception, manipulation, and human behavior. HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous. FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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August 24 · 28 min
She Was the Queen of True Crime. Now She’s Wanted by the FBI.
IN THIS EPISODE • How Mary Carole McDonnell built a true crime television empire • The first signs that something inside Bellum Entertainment was wrong • The employees and contractors caught in the fallout • How an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud began to unravel • The psychology that made McDonnell’s story seem believable • How a true crime producer became an FBI fugitive SIDE-EYE QUESTION What part of Mary Carole McDonnell’s story seemed the most believable to you? What would have made you buy into one of her investment schemes? And bonus question: Do you think she’ll eventually be captured and brought to justice—or will she be able to keep up her con while on the run? HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong SOURCES & FURTHER READING Business Insider — Mary Carole McDonnell, Bellum Entertainment & the FBI manhunt https://www.businessinsider.com/mary-carole-mcdonnell-fbi-most-wanted-bellum-entertainment-2026-7 FBI — Mary Carole McDonnell Wanted Notice https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wcc/mary-carole-mcdonnell/download.pdf CBS Los Angeles — Bellum Entertainment & unpaid employees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyy1Llkearw NBC News — Former employees detail McDonnell’s alleged long con https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fake-heiress-fugitive-former-employees-detail-alleged-long-con-blamed-rcna248863 NewsNation — Mary Carole McDonnell & Bellum Entertainment https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/mary-carole-mcdonell-bellum-entertainment-ponzi-scheme/ NewsNation — Interview with former Bellum crew member https://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/videos/mary-carole-mcdonell-was-worried-about-reputation-ex-crew-member-banfield/853504584229125/ Next TV — McDonnell leaves Raycom to focus on Bellum https://www.nexttv.com/news/exclusive-mcdonnell-departing-raycom-focus-bellum-133160 Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092 Deadline — Bellum Entertainment unpaid wage claims & Labor Commissioner investigation https://deadline.com/2017/09/bellum-entertainment-unpaid-wage-claims-labor-commission-investigation-1202178336/ Banc of California lawsuit / court records https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/us-dis-crt-cd-cal/115207308.html Rolling Stone — The true crime producer, fake heiress & FBI fugitive https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/true-crime-fake-heiress-fbi-most-wanted-1235589737/ Additional source: Archived MaryCaroleMcDonnell.com webpage created by Aaron Cadieux and provided to Business Insider. NOTE: Mary Carole McDonnell has been charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Allegations related to the criminal charges remain allegations unless and until proven in court. Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don’t. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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August 17 · 44 min
3 Reddit Stories That’ll Make You Trust No One
Your bank calls to stop a $2,000 scam. The problem? The person on the phone is the scammer. What makes us trust the wrong person—and why can the very things that make someone seem safe make deception even harder to spot? In this Side-Eye Session, I'm joined by life and mindset coach Tina Unrue to unpack three true Reddit stories involving a sophisticated bank impersonation scam, a work-from-home opportunity that escalates into thousands of dollars in losses, and a family business allegedly used by a father to commit fraud. Together, we look at the psychology that makes these situations feel believable—including authority bias, urgency, sunk costs, opportunity, family dynamics, and our natural instinct to give people the benefit of the doubt. And we tackle a harder question: After someone betrays your trust, how do you protect yourself without becoming afraid to trust anyone again? Side-Eye Question: Which would you have trusted: the bank, the boss, or the dad? In this episode: The bank impersonation scam that looked completely legitimate How fake work-from-home jobs use escalation to keep victims paying Why a “mentor” or authority figure can make a scam more convincing The psychology of sunk costs and misplaced trust What changes when the person deceiving you is family How to learn from betrayal without carrying distrust into every future relationship ABOUT NOTHING FELT WRONG Nothing Felt Wrong explores true stories about scams, fraud, deception, manipulation, social engineering, catfishing, betrayal, and the psychology behind how people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception, manipulation, and human behavior. HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Your story may be featured in a future episode, and identifying details can be kept anonymous. FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong SOURCES & EDITORIAL NOTE Reddit stories featured in this episode: • Story 1 – Bank impersonation scam • Story 2 – Work-from-home/crypto scam • Story 3 – Family business fraud Stories have been edited and condensed for clarity. Commentary and analysis are our own. Statistic: According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2025, Americans lost $1 billion to business impersonators, predominantly bank impersonation schemes. Because nothing felt wrong…until it did.
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August 10 · 48 min
How Job Scams Fool Smart People | Hiring Expert Katrina Collier
What if your next job offer cost you more than it paid—because it was never real? Job scams have become increasingly sophisticated, fooling intelligent, experienced professionals every day. In this episode, hiring expert and author Katrina Collier joins me to explain how scammers impersonate recruiters, exploit today's difficult job market, and use AI-generated emails, fake interviews, and convincing websites to steal money and personal information. Together, we discuss three real stories involving employment scams, identity theft, and fake recruiters while breaking down the psychological tactics that make these scams so believable. We also share practical red flags to help you recognize and avoid modern job scams. Whether you're searching for a job or simply want to protect yourself from increasingly sophisticated scams, this episode will change the way you evaluate unexpected job opportunities. Sources & Further Reading Reddit Stories Featured Story #1 – I Think I Was Job Scammed https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/1tciz6z/i_think_i_was_job_scammed/ Story #2 – Fake Job Scam on LinkedIn (Hacked Recruiter) https://www.reddit.com/r/Scams/comments/1t6ai29/fake_job_scam_on_linkedin_hacked_recruiter/ Story #3 – Finance Job Scam https://www.reddit.com/r/UKJobs/comments/1ugnjei/finance_job_scam/ Additional Sources Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Job Scams Katrina Collier's website: https://katrinacollier.com/ Katrina Collier's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Katrina-Collier/author/B07Z8356ZX Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Have a story to share? Email stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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August 3 · 35 min
The Man America Adopted… But Was It All a Lie? | The Benjaman Kyle Mystery
For more than a decade, America rallied behind Benjaman Kyle—the mysterious man found naked behind a Burger King with no memory of his identity. After years of searching, DNA finally revealed who he really was. But instead of ending the mystery, the discovery raised an even bigger question. Did Benjaman Kyle genuinely suffer from amnesia...or did he know his identity all along? In this episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we explore one of America's most fascinating identity mysteries, examine the evidence on both sides, and uncover the manipulation tactics and psychological biases that may explain why so many people believed his story. Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Have a story to share? Email stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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July 27 · 28 min
How Do You Steal $30,000 Without Breaking In? | The Virginia Wine Heist
Two bottles of rare wine worth more than $30,000. A toupee. A trench coat. And a suspected thief who fled the country. When two seemingly respectable prospective clients arrived at L'Auberge Provençale in Virginia wine country, nothing about their request for a tour seemed particularly alarming. But while one kept the sommelier distracted, the other allegedly walked away with some of the rarest and most coveted wine in the world. In the first episode of Nothing Felt Wrong, we break down the extraordinary Virginia wine heist—and the social engineering tactics that may have helped the thieves gain access without ever having to break in. We'll look at three psychological patterns that can make deception feel completely believable in the moment: • Normalization • Social context • Values exploitation THE SIDE EYE QUESTION: Which tactic do you think would have been most effective on you: normalization, social context, or values exploitation? Share your answer with us on Instagram or TikTok. SOURCES & FURTHER READING • L'Auberge Provençale – Wine Heist Press Release: https://www.pr.com/press-release/954421 • The Washington Post – A $24,000 Bottle of Wine Was Stolen, Then Returned: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2026/05/18/prized-pinot-noir-stolen-daring-virginia-wine-heist-is-returned/ • FOX 5 DC – Thieves Posing as Event Planners Steal Rare Wine from Virginia Restaurant: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/thieves-posing-event-planners-steal-rare-wine-from-virginia-restaurant-business-says.amp • L'Auberge Provençale – YouTube Video: • Domaine de la Romanee Conti Heist, Wednesd... • The Northern Virginia Daily – Wine Heist Suspect Pleads Guilty, Will Serve One-Year Sentence: https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/wine-heist-suspect-pleads-guilty-will-serve-one-year-sentence/article_bac1f720-bc35-5ab0-8a82-ac131a8689f7.html. • Additional reporting and materials: L'Auberge Provençale website and press kit; Clarke County Sheriff's Office public communications. ABOUT THE SHOW Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception and human behavior. HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? Email: stories@nothingfeltwrong.com FOLLOW NOTHING FELT WRONG Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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July 27 · 56 min
Would You Have Fallen for These? | 3 True Stories of Scams & Manipulation
How does someone end up in a situation that seems so obvious in hindsight, when, at the time, nothing felt wrong? In this Side-Eye Session, I'm joined by Lyssa to unpack three true stories involving a jury duty scam, a revenge story involving a conning ex, and a devastating romance scam. Together, we examine the manipulation tactics behind each story, the red flags that are much easier to spot in hindsight, and why these situations can feel completely believable while they're happening. Would you have fallen for any of these? Share your thoughts on Instagram or TikTok, and take a seat next to us at the Side Eye Society. Stories Discussed • Jury Duty Scam – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ScamSupport/comments/1t1fjlz/i_just_got_scammed_and_i_feel_a_deep_shame_that/ • Conning Ex / Revenge Story – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/traumatizeThemBack/s/tRsteEBxVw • Romance Scam – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1gg1jn7/i_dated_a_real_life_con_artist_who_scammed_me_and/ Stories have been edited and condensed for clarity. Commentary and analysis are our own. About the Show Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Follow Nothing Felt Wrong for more stories about deception and human behavior. Have a Story to Share? 📧 stories@nothingfeltwrong.com Follow Nothing Felt Wrong: Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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July 19 · 1 min
Nothing Felt Wrong — Official Trailer
Nothing Felt Wrong explores stories about scams, deception, and manipulation—and how ordinary people get pulled into situations that feel completely believable. Until suddenly, they don't. From scams and financial fraud to identity deception, social engineering, cults, catfishing, and betrayal, we'll look closer at the manipulation tactics and psychological patterns hidden in plain sight. Hosted by Anne Genduso. Follow Nothing Felt Wrong now. The first episode premieres July 27. Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.
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