Episode
The secret lives of romance scammers
- Podcast
- Marketplace All-in-One
- Published
- Jun 11, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2112
- Processing state
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Summary
Unfortunately, a lot of us know someone who has been scammed… but how many scammers do you know? After reporter Carlos Barragán ’s mother fell victim to an online romance scam, he traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, to investigate the world of “Yahoo Boys,” as Nigerian scammers call themselves. He spent years getting to know these young men, earning their trust and reporting the most intimate details of their lives. This week, Carlos joins Reema to talk about his new book, “ Yahoo Boys: Love, Deception, and the Real Lives of Nigeria's Romance Scammers ,” and the complicated story he discovered about the social and economic forces that push people into these crimes. Plus, how loneliness is key to the scam… on both sides! Here is our Spotify playlist of all the stories about scams and scammers that we’ve had on the show. If you like this episode, share it with a friend! And let us know what you think by calling 347-RING-TIU or emailing [email protected] If you want to answer our “Uncomfortable Questions” see more info here . Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok ! Support “This Is Uncomfortable” with your donation today: https://bit.ly/mkp_tiu_pod