The Dating Detectives

On this week’s episode of the podcast, our guest Erica shares the shocking unraveling of a five-year relationship that seemed picture-perfect from the outside. What began as a Tinder romance filled with business success, engagement plans, and dreams of a future together slowly spiraled into jealousy, manipulation, and mounting red flags she tried desperately to explain away. But when an unexpected knock at the door exposes a devastating secret, she’s forced to confront the reality of the man she thought she knew.
You can follow Erica and get rat man merch at @__ericamerica
Are you in the Chicago, Tampa, or Orlando area and want to come see us live?! Get your tickets at the links below:
7/16 in Chicago: https://tickets.thedentheatre.com/event/dating-detectives-llpj8q?utm_source=performer&utm_medium=performerlink&utm_campaign=datingdetectives
8/5 in Orlando: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/48863575/the-dating-detectives-live-orlando-funny-bone-comedy-club-orlando
8/6 in Tampa: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/35010834/the-dating-detectives-live-tampa-funny-bone-comedy-club-tampa
Click here to join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you will get 2 extra episodes a month, monthly virtual live events, and access to our community page. And now for $9 a month you can get all of that, plus ad free episodes!
If you've been dogfished and want to share your story on the show, email [email protected] or contact us through our website using this link
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by TheRealReal.  Get $25 off your first purchase when you go to therealreal.com/datingdetectives.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by OSEA. Get 10% off your first order site-wide with code DATINGDETECTIVES at oseamalibu.com.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/TDD.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Green Chef. Get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/50datingdetectives with code 50datingdetectives.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by DeleteMe. Get 20% off your plan at joindeleteme.com/datingdetectives with code TDD.
***The following Program contains names, places and events that have been anonymized or fictionalized for the purposes of protection and safety. The following Program is provided for entertainment purposes only and any commentary from the hosts are strictly conjecture and should not be held as making any definitive statements about the truth or identity of any particular individuals or circumstances.
If you or a loved one are involved in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for support.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this Mackenzie Undercover, a concerned mother hires Mackenzie after her daughter’s fiancé refuses to sign a prenup, and something about his over-the-top charm just doesn’t sit right. What starts as a quiet weekend surveillance job quickly turns into a tense, twisty investigation involving a mysterious woman, a gated condo, suspicious social media activity, and a discovery that could change the bride-to-be’s future. This episode digs into betrayal, intuition, and the painful truth that sometimes the people closest to us can see the red flags we’re not ready to face.
Are you in the Chicago, Tampa, or Orlando area and want to come see us live?! Get your tickets at the links below:
7/16 in Chicago: https://tickets.thedentheatre.com/event/dating-detectives-llpj8q?utm_source=performer&utm_medium=performerlink&utm_campaign=datingdetectives
8/5 in Orlando: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/48863575/the-dating-detectives-live-orlando-funny-bone-comedy-club-orlando
8/6 in Tampa: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/35010834/the-dating-detectives-live-tampa-funny-bone-comedy-club-tampa
Click here to join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you will get 2 extra episodes a month, monthly virtual live events, and access to our community page. And now for $9 a month you can get all of that, plus ad free episodes!
If you've been dogfished and want to share your story on the show, email [email protected] or contact us through our website using this link
Get control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code DATING at MonarchMoney.com in your browser (not app) for half off your first year!
***The following Program contains names, places and events that have been anonymized or fictionalized for the purposes of protection and safety. The following Program is provided for entertainment purposes only and any commentary from the hosts are strictly conjecture and should not be held as making any definitive statements about the truth or identity of any particular individuals or circumstances.
If you or a loved one are involved in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for support.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy Dating Detectives Monday! This week’s story follows Daniel, who thought he had built a life rooted in love, family, and hard-earned stability—until things slowly start to stop adding up. What begins as a fast-moving romance turns into decades of marriage, children, and financial ups and downs… but beneath it all, there are cracks forming that he can’t quite explain. Missing money, shifting stories, and a growing sense that something isn’t right lead Daniel down a path to discovering the shocking truth.
Click here to join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you will get 2 extra episodes a month, monthly virtual live events, and access to our community page. And now for $9 a month you can get all of that, plus ad free episodes!
If you've been dogfished and want to share your story on the show, email [email protected] or contact us through our website using this link
Check out our new sister podcast The Dating Debrief on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts!
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by DeleteMe. Get 20% off your plan at joindeleteme.com/datingdetectives with code TDD.
Get control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code DATING at MonarchMoney.com in your browser (not app) for half off your first year!
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Shopify. Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/datingdetectives
This episode is sponsored by Wayfair. Shop Way Day from April 25–27 for up to 80% off with free shipping at wayfair.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this gripping continuation of Abby’s story, what begins as a fresh start quickly unravels into something far more complicated and unsettling. As her new marriage takes shape, subtle shifts in behavior raise questions about trust, control, and the reality behind closed doors. With her past still casting a long shadow, Abby finds herself navigating a relationship that feels increasingly unfamiliar, forcing her to confront difficult truths about love, independence, and the patterns we don’t always realize we’re repeating.
Click here to join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you will get 2 extra episodes a month, monthly virtual live events, and access to our community page. And now for $9 a month you can get all of that, plus ad free episodes!
If you've been dogfished and want to share your story on the show, email [email protected] or contact us through our website using this link
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Jones Road Beauty. For a limited time our listeners are getting a free Cool Gloss on their first purchase when they use code DATINGDETECTIVES at checkout. Head to jonesroadbeauty.com to get yours today!
This episode is sponsored by SKIMS. Shop the SKIMS Everyday Cotton collection at SKIMS.com. After you place your order be sure to let them know we sent you by filling out the survey!
This episode is sponsored by Miracle Made. Get silver-infused, bacteria-fighting, temperature-regulating sheets and towels at TryMiracle.com/TDD and use code TDD to save over 40% and claim a FREE 3-piece towel set.
***The following Program contains names, places and events that have been anonymized or fictionalized for the purposes of protection and safety. The following Program is provided for entertainment purposes only and any commentary from the hosts are strictly conjecture and should not be held as making any definitive statements about the truth or identity of any particular individuals or circumstances.
If you or a loved one are involved in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for support.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this deeply unsettling two-part story, Abby shares how growing up in the rigid, high-control world of IBLP shaped her understanding of love, obedience, and self-worth, and ultimately set the stage for a relationship she didn’t have the tools to question. From a childhood defined by isolation, fear, and forced compliance, to a young adulthood marked by loneliness, manipulation, and a desperate search for safety, Abby’s story reveals how early indoctrination can blur the line between devotion and control. As she begins to break free from her upbringing she meets a man who seems to offer everything she’s been missing. But as their whirlwind relationship accelerates into engagement and marriage, subtle red flags begin to surface, leaving listeners to wonder: is this finally love, or just another version of the control she’s always known? This is Part 1 of Abby’s story—and trust us, it only gets more complicated from here.
Click here to join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you will get 2 extra episodes a month, monthly virtual live events, and access to our community page. And now for $9 a month you can get all of that, plus ad free episodes!
If you've been dogfished and want to share your story on the show, email [email protected] or contact us through our website using this link
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by OSEA. Get 10% off your first order site-wide with code DATINGDETECTIVES at oseamalibu.com.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/TDD.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Green Chef. Get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months at greenchef.com/50datingdetectives with code 50datingdetectives.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by DeleteMe. Get 20% off your plan at joindeleteme.com/datingdetectives with code TDD.
This episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Coyuchi. Get 15% off your first order at coyuchi.com/datingdetectives.
***The following Program contains names, places and events that have been anonymized or fictionalized for the purposes of protection and safety. The following Program is provided for entertainment purposes only and any commentary from the hosts are strictly conjecture and should not be held as making any definitive statements about the truth or identity of any particular individuals or circumstances.
If you or a loved one are involved in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for support.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.