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: [email protected]

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.

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: [email protected]

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.

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: [email protected]

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.

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: [email protected]

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. 

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: 

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: [email protected] 
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.
 

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 [email protected] 

Because nothing felt wrong...until it did. 

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 [email protected]

Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.

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?

📧 [email protected]

Follow Nothing Felt Wrong:

Instagram: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong
TikTok: @Nothing_Felt_Wrong

Because nothing felt wrong...until it did.

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.