A milestone birthday trip to Turkey is supposed to be Lena’s main-character moment: sunrise photos at a historic mosque, solo-traveler bliss, and a little flirtation that feels harmless—until it turns into a full-blown romance-and-tariff scam run by a charming “uncle,” a too-good-to-be-true heartthrob, and a pressure-cooker handoff that leaves Lena scrambling for a flight… and suddenly out tens of thousands of dollars. But just when the story seems destined for the familiar ending, Lena snaps out of the shame spiral, flips the power dynamic, and goes on a creative, scorched-earth mission to get her money back—leading to one of the most unexpected outcomes we’ve ever had on the show. This one is wild, infuriating, darkly funny, and ultimately empowering.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 linkThis episode of The Dating Detectives is sponsored by Ava. Rebuild your credit fast with no interest, no credit check, with AVA. Download the AVA app and use promo code DATING. Rebuild your credit fast with no interest, no credit check, with AVA. Download the AVA app and use promo code DATING.Take control of your data today. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan by visiting joindeleteme.com/datingdetectives and using the promo code TDD at checkout. 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 is sponsored by Baked By Melissa. Get 20% off your order by going to bakedbymelissa.com/datingdetectives.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.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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