Small Q’s Escape and the Fight to End Forced Scamming
After six harrowing months in slavery, Small Q finally breaks free. A sweeping international effort helps him return to Uganda—but thousands remain trapped in scammer farms. In this conclusion, we explore what it will take to shut them down. Featuring a rare interview with a UN expert on the front lines of the fight.Please help Judah and his team continue to rescue scammer farm victims by donating at https://www.globaladvanceprojects.org/donateAnd please help Small Q rebuild his life by donating to his GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/26697324This is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian Morgans @julianmorgansFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on YouTube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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28:24
The Man Helping People Escape Scammer Farms
Judah Tana has rescued around 1,000 people from scammer farms. He shares how he got into this work and some of the shocking things he's witnessed. Plus, we hear Cattleya's story of escaping home to her family in the Philippines.Please help Judah and his team continue to rescue victims by donating at https://www.globaladvanceprojects.org/donate.This is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian Morgans @julianmorgansFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on YouTube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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38:54
Enter the 'Dark Room'
Small Q's efforts to escape have landed him in the 'the dark room,' a modern-day torture chamber designed to instill fear in scammers to keep them in line. Q shares how he survived, while some of his friends weren't so lucky.Please help Small Q rebuild his life by donating to his GoFundMe hereThis is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian Morgans @julianmorgansFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on YouTube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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37:57
Escaping Starts With Stealing a Phone
In the first half of this episode, we explore the anatomy of a scam via the story of Troy Gochenour, an American man who lost $25K to Myanmar scammers in 2021. Then we check in on Small Q, who devises a risky plan to get an SOS message to the outside world.Please help Small Q rebuild his life by donating to his GoFundMe hereThis is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian Morgans @julianmorgansFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on YouTube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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30:17
Inside the Gross Business of Scamming
We start this episode with another story of abduction. Cataleya is a Filipino mother who was sold into slavery by a friend. We then compare Cataleya and Small Q's stories of how they ran scams. It's a fascinating look at the way scamming has been scaled for mass production.This is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian Morgans @julianmorgansFind us on TikTok: @whatitwaslikepodcastFind us on YouTube: @whatitwaslikepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Scams are no longer run by individuals. Instead, the bulk of scams now come from a network of high-security compounds in SE Asia, where an estimated 400,000 people live in slavery and are forced to run scams 24/7. In this multi-part video podcast, we'll dive into the terrifying world of 'scammer farms'. We'll meet people who've been trapped and escaped — and others who are desperately trying to rein in this exploding new business model.This is a What It Was Like SpecialProduced by SuperrealHosted by Julian MorgansFind us on TikTok, and YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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