Alexi does a lovely job writing & reporting. His voice is so pleasant to listen to!

I enjoyed this podcast. I think the host did a great job spending the time needed to help us understand how someone could fall under the spell of this scam. Some of these comments are so heartless and insensitive I can’t. The victim blaming is astounding! I feel for Kirat, Simran is clearly a psychopath and these commenters lack empathy and it makes my blood boil and sad for humanity.

The narrator stated multiple times there were many characters reaffirming Bobby’s existence and actions but could have used actual transcripts to prove the sophistication of the deception.

This woman needs help. It was difficult to hear and to believe someone was ignorant enough to believe this silly scenario. I hope I don’t know a woman who’d act so irresponsibly self delusional and so completely full of herself.

Felt like it only needed two episodes to tell what the narrator did then kept going over everything again. Didn’t do well to get in the point of view of the victim so I ended up more confused about how she got sucked in to the scam. I think there’s a lot more to it than what the podcast goes through. Seemed like the same things were repeated again and again. Was a pretty shallow true crime podcast.

Both women are messed up. Simran is cruel and the other one … well I just don’t know. Both need professional help. The idea that someone will spend years loving text messages and a faceless voice …. And that Simran is enjoying this… Simran is a deeply troubled person … akin to someone who enjoys torturing animals…

I don’t understand the lack of empathy in some of these comments. Kerat was a victim of serious abuse and manipulation, she didn’t do anything wrong and she’ll be dealing with the trauma from this for the rest of her life.

Way to many ads

Spent an inordinate amount of time playing up the “sophistication” of the scam to detract attention from the colossal lack of accountability displayed by the victim. Well and sane people do not spend the better part of a decade in an abusive relationship with a faceless, never-met human. Period. This podcast wasn’t good.

Seems like this girl was just plain stupid. Also, audio includes very gross mouth sounds.

These reviews are are just as good as the show and the show was so intriguing.

I really liked this show. But the whole time I was yelling at the main character at how can anyone not suspect something after so much. I wanted so bad to Understand. Perhaps if one super lonely and desperately seeking love then maybe. As for punishment for the Catfish…I have no idea what I feel is justice. I’m sure she will do it again cause that person is sick.

Some of these bad reviews must be Simran? This show is amazing, unbelievably insane story!

Nothing ruins a podcasts faster than slimy mouth-smacking/swallowing noises. Ugh! It instantly takes the listener out of the story and grosses them out. Figure. Out. Your. Audio. I listen to various podcasts daily and this is rarely an issue if you know what you’re doing. People cry and are nervous all the time on podcasts- doesn’t mean you have to listen to their spit. Blech! Besides that ruining it- great story telling.

Not well narrated, poorly written drags on

I don’t understand how this generation can “fall in love” with someone they’ve never met! Am I to understand the entire relationship was virtual??!! I’m sorry, I don’t get it….

It’s ridiculous to pretend Kirat is not delusional and gullible … you did waste 10 years of your life on a ridiculous wild goose chase. I too didn’t exactly see a crime and wasn’t surprised the police didn’t do anything.

How can someone be that stupid. She needs to take responsibility!

I feel victimized by this podcast. I’m fairly certain I was coercively-controlled into thinking this was a legit story about catfishing, … and made it through ALL the episodes … only to find out it was all an elaborate, “sophisticated” lie. Which police department do I call?

I am getting commercials even though I’m a subscriber. Frustrating!

Simran’s motive is obvious and it’s disappointing that the host/producers don’t give this sufficient airtime. Simran wanted love and affection, and she got it in the many many phone calls throughout the years. You say Kirat and Simran are in a socially conservative and patriarchal community. Of course anything that whiffs of same-sex romance is taboo, and this was just Simran’s warped way of having a romantic “relationship” with her. I can’t help but wonder if this whole story would’ve been treated differently if Simran was a man. Are we so blinded by heteronormativity to not even consider the possibility that this was done out of a toxic desire for intimacy and love gone terribly wrong?

I’m not so sure the story/content itself is podcast-worthy. Kind of reminds me of just another episode of the Catfish series. What kept me listening to each episode was that it was told well and left you expecting some huge reveal at the end, then the end was like like meh 😐

I truly appreciated the vulnerability and honesty shown by Kirat. Very interesting and easy to listen to.

Really enjoyed how this show was written and delivered. I was sucked in during each episode and enjoyed how it was presented. I felt for Kirat as well as everyone involved and felt close to the story. Really wanted to reach out and hug Kirat.

The production and narrator are great, but the story itself is ridiculous. I could understand a few months or a year of this - but over 10 years of your life not meeting your boyfriend? The ridiculous stories and emergencies? You didn’t recognize that the voices didn’t add up? Come on. It is very sick and sad that it was her cousin but I’m with her dad… let’s move on.

If you tell a story as though you were in love with a fictitious character for a decade but never had a video call or sexual photo then you are delusional. lol to ‘who have I been sleeping on the phone with for the past 3 years’ girl grow up

i kept expecting some crazy revelation but it was meh to me. how did a huge red flag not come up for the victim when her boyfriend never showed himself or met in person and said he was in “witness protection”? This wasn’t weird for her?

This was a slightly disappointing listen. While the host did great with what he had, i think the story just didn’t need to be drawn out for 6 episodes. The story, yes, is crazy. But more so crazy on a personal level for the victim rather than for the public to listen or relate to. But the dad, wow. I’d be enraged for my child, he sounds almost embarrassed. I do hope she got satisfaction or some closure getting to have this story told though. I would find it freeing getting my voice out there. It was an absolutely cruel thing to do to someone.

I would be in prison rn. Poor woman- what a sick, disgusting psychopath.

While, frustrated with the actual chain of events. It was an extremely well done series. Super interesting listen for a long car ride!

The absolutely disgusting mouth sounds are making it impossible to finish. DO NOT listen through headphones. You’ve been warned. Give your main subject a glass of water or learn how to suppress those noises during the editing.

The first episode had me intrigued with mentions of “the catfish ruined Kirat’s life, career, friendships…” But the catfish didn’t directly ruin any of these things, at least from what the podcast shares. Rather, Kirat was deluded and became stressed out by this online catfish relationship that drained her energy. I agree with others that Kirat was insanely gullible. I feel bad for her that she didn’t have more people in her life who actively tried to shut down this nonsense, but I don’t think Kirat is as much of a victim as the first episode portrays.

I was on the main character’s (and narrator’s) side, until the final episode. The girl gave a motive, she apologized. I agree with the father, I feel sorry for the perpetrator. She messed up, now leave her alone!

I was unable to finish this podcast. I kept thinking, well how much money did this person pay the catfish or did they physically harm her? All they did was provide a lonely woman with comfort and hope for several years and that’s basically it.

I enjoyed the story, the narrator, and the general layout. But during the 3rd and 4th episodes, Kirat’s swallowing and the way it sounded like the mic was inside her mouth, really was difficult to listen to. I almost had to turn it off. Fortunately it cleared up because the last two episodes are informative and tie things together.

I’m not sure why, but I expected more. The intro makes it seem like it’s a “mind blowing” catfish story. Was expecting this person to be Catfishing multiple people, lots of money and extortion involved, etc. Nope. The only weird thing is the person who ended up being the catfish, but even that was a bit of a snooze because there really was no reason for it. I guess I wanted something juicier. Actually, the more interesting part to me was the somewhat emotional immaturity of main character who got catfished. She is the same age as me. If she had even watched one or two episodes of the MTV Catfish she wouldn’t have let this go on for 10 years!! Red flags up the ying-yang here folks. You are in a serious “relationship” with someone who won’t turn on their WebCam, even one time? Come on. And they experience catastrophe after catastrophe so they can never meet? Good grief. This is like kindergarten level stuff.

I just couldn’t finish the podcast. My aggravation level couldn’t handle it. I’m one of those people that can’t fathom how someone could fall for this.

I never do this but I had to listen at 2x speed bc this podcast was sooooo slow! I’m guessing this was done for dramatic effect but I just wanted the podcast to get on with it already! I thought this might be a juicy podcast for my husband and I to listen to together, but I’m glad I didn’t suggest this bc he would’ve thought the plot was entirely mid and ridiculous, and not in a gripping way! The entire podcast could’ve been summarized in a buzzfeed listicle.

Between the weird intro where there’s 5 people talking over each other, the added noises like phone chimes, and how slow the narrator talks so I have to speed it up to the point where the noises are much more annoying, I couldn’t do this. I’m sorry. -an autistic woman who had to be in silence after 10 minutes of listening to this podcast

It’s definitely a good and interesting podcast, but not a jaw dropper as I’ve heard from others. I knew who it was by the beginning of episode 2.

Thai podcast is fascinating on so many levels. It’s interesting to hear Kirat’s perspective, and her family’s perspective/how they reacted. Simran is fascinating and demented. Overall a really entertaining, well-done podcast!

I understand that catfishing is wrong, but I can’t listen to Kimran blaming EVERYTHING on her cousin. Not having children, not taking job opportunities, not having friends, etc., etc., You were in your 30’s and believed you were in a relationship for 8 years without having ever met the person. Take some responsibility for your own life.

It was a good podcast, and gripping. Although I could not stand hearing the swallowing on the recordings.

GRIPPING 💀

I think the most painful part of this story is Kirat's own role in allowing this ordeal to continue to torment her long after it was done and stifle her ability to heal. I really hope she's been able to move on and put this behind her for her own sake. Stop focusing on what you need from Simran (you won't EVER be satisfied with the actions of a sociopathic narcissist like that) and focus on what you need to do for yourself to heal.

Interesting podcast but really made me question the main character’s story completely when I heard the last episode. Excuses, excuses.

It’s a compelling story, BUT … In the beginning they talk about what a tight knit community the Sikh population is and how everyone knows one another. So how did this woman manage to have a relationship for 10 years with a person pretending to be a man who, in reality, lived only about 100 kilometers away??? She must have been keeping the “relationship” very secretive. That’s a huge red flag. And why in the world did she think it was okay to become a friend and confidant to a married man in the first place? She asks at the end of any one of the listeners would do things differently and my answer is a resounding “YES”! I don’t care what generation you’re from, if you’ve been communicating for a couple months and still haven’t met the person you’re not in a real relationship.

Such a well done story. But I always find it extremely hard to have empathy for victims that decided to pursue a relationship without ever meeting in person or visually seeing them online. Unfortunately, the only crime that seemed to be made was stealing of an identity. I hope her story helps others to be more proactive and smart about online relationships.

Great reporting. Saw the ending coming a few episodes in so it’s hard to sympathize with such a pathetic main character who ignored signs at every turn

I’m glad Kirat got her story out but I’m not really sure this needed to be a whole podcast? I feel for her and clearly Simran is a sicko but the catfishing itself didn’t seem particularly sophisticated. Idk maybe it’s because I’m part of the MTV Catfish generation but I wasn’t particularly shocked by the story.