Blessed Up by Crab Legs & Free Bus Fare w Joel Kim Booster (Fraud Friday)
Hosted by Laci Mosley
- 1h 3m
- Transcript
Summary
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In this episode of Scam Goddess, host Laci Mosley is joined by comedian and writer Joel Kim Booster to discuss various personal scams, hustle culture, and listener-submitted fraud confessions. The discussion covers the millennial hustle, unique grocery store schemes involving training modes and hot bars, and an elaborate romance scam involving a fake American cop, a Turkish cave, a five-million-dollar treasure, and an unfaithful church pillar who embezzled church funds. The guest and host explain how economic pressure and desperation drive people into clever hustles while reacting to listener letters with humor and specific anecdotes.
- Using an Android-shaped phone case can deter phone snatchers in crowded nightlife areas. 8:29
- A grocery store employee avoided charges by putting the register into training mode for family groceries. 25:27
- Public transit bus riders can sometimes reuse digital tickets via screenshots if scanners are absent. 36:05
- When pressured into unwanted tasks, frame decisions around whether the responsibility would matter if you were dead. 35:05
Chapters
- 0:00
- 4:22Podcast Intro and Host Welcome
Laci Mosley introduces the episode, sets the tone, and briefly mentions the guest Joel Kim Booster.
- 5:01Joel Kim Booster’s Background and Career
Joel shares his experience as a comedian, actor, producer, and host of Love Hotel and Bad Dates.
- 5:36Scams and Personal Stories
The hosts discuss Joel’s past scams, how he monetizes trauma, and the concept of turning personal hardship into content.
- 6:57Phone Theft and Scamming Tactics
Joel explains the phone‑theft scam pipeline, how stolen iPhones are processed, and the challenges of modern phone security.
- 9:28Grocery Store Scams and Ethics
Joel recounts his grocery‑store heists, the moral debate over victimless crimes, and the broader issue of corporate shrinkage.
- 11:55Public Transit Scams and Racial Dynamics
The conversation shifts to LA bus fare scams, racial microaggressions on public transport, and the frustration with inadequate transit infrastructure.
- 22:22Closing Reflections and Call to Action
The hosts wrap up with final thoughts on scams, encourage listeners to report scams, and tease future episodes.
- 24:00Tech Startup Hustles and Lifestyle
Joel talks about side hustles in Silicon Valley, luxury consumer culture, and the blurred line between hustle and scheme.
- 45:14Massages, Money, and Misunderstood Motives
The hosts discuss a former masseuse’s earnings and the ethics of monetizing personal services, setting the tone for the episode’s exploration of unconventional income streams.
- 46:11The CEO Turned Client: A Tale of Power and Persuasion
A story unfolds about a tech CEO who becomes a massage client, highlighting the blurred lines between professional relationships and personal exploitation.
- 48:08Jezebel’s Confession: Snitching and Scams Revealed
Jezebel, a community member, confesses to exposing a scam involving her father’s friend, exposing layers of deception and betrayal.
Highlights
- 8:28
Phone Theft Pipeline Curiosityinsight
The guest expresses fascination with the black-market pipeline of stolen iPhones ending up in Beijing.
- 14:00
Millennial Hustle and Scam Generationinsight
The host and guest discuss how millennials have had to hustle and scam their way through adulthood due to economic hardship.
- 25:27
Grocery Register Training Mode Schemestory
A listener shares how they used the register training mode to scan free groceries, including crab legs, for their family.
- 32:25
Los Angeles Public Transit Historydata
The guest explains how a corporate conglomerate bought and shut down Los Angeles's state-of-the-art public transit in the mid-20th century.
- 35:05
The Dead Person Framework for Boundariesstrategy
The host shares a personal philosophy of asking what people would do if one were dead to avoid guilt and pressure.
- 36:05
Bus Pass Screenshot Hackstrategy
A listener explains saving money on bus fares by reusing a screenshot of a mobile bus pass on a system without scanners.
- 53:35
Turkish Cave Drug Spelunking Scamstory
A listener confesses about a married community pillar conned by a fake American cop claiming to find treasure while spelunking for drugs in Turkey.
- 1:06:33
Embezzling from the Church to Cover Scamsstory
A conned church leader attempts to cover up money lost to a romance scam by embezzling funds from his own church.
Quotes
“I scammed my way through adulthood. Because there is just no other way to do it.”
Unnamed speaker · 11:55 “I did something wrong, but it's an indictment on this country, you know?”
Unnamed speaker · 13:05 “We are the scam generation. Because we've had to. Like, nothing has come super easy for us, other than if you have rich parents, whatever, and whatnot, you know?”
Unnamed speaker · 11:44
Sponsored segments
- KISSIMTA 0:52–0:54
- Zillow 1:01–1:22
- OnDeck 1:26–1:45
- Clinique 1:59–2:25
- Regeneron 2:42–2:46
- Coca-Cola 3:33–3:59
- OnDeck 17:26–17:45
- Zillow 18:20–18:43
- Rexulti 19:35–20:03
- Dr. Teal 20:15–20:48
About this episode
Joel Kim Booster (Wondery’s Bad Dates and Bravo’s Love Hotel) joins Laci to dive into all of your scams and stories, CON-gregation! First, Joel shares his own heartbreaking story of being caught shoplifting. Then, they dive into letters revealing an Ocean’s Eleven-level grocery store checkout scam (also… stop locking everything up, grocery stores!!!), how to dupe the public transit system with a screenshot, a boss becoming someone's “John,” and a text-ual relationship that was sketchy as hell. Stay schemin’! Keep the scams coming and snitch on your shady friends by emailing us at [email protected] mailto:[email protected]. Follow on Instagram: Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspod https://www.instagram.com/scamgoddesspod?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Laci Mosley: @divalaci https://www.instagram.com/divalaci/ Joel Kim Booster: @ihatejoelkim https://www.instagram.com/ihatejoelkim?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Confession Stories by the CONgregation Curated By Jessica Cisneros See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
15,944 words · 7 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
Topics
- Nashville
- Apple
- Cupertino
- United Healthcare
- Celtic Bank
- Love Hotel
- Bad Dates
- Los Angeles
- WeHo
- Fire Island
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