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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AtulaSiriwardane" data-source="post: 4069526" data-attributes="member: 120286">Other confidence tricks and techniques<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Undercover Cop Scam is a scam where a conman masquerades as an undercover <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_officer" target="_blank">police officer</a>, usually by stopping the mark's vehicle and showing a fake badge, and tells the mark about a case they are investigating, and that the mark is a suspect. The conman asks for money to be checked, and when the mark is out of the vehicle, the conman gets into the mark's car and drives away, having made sure there was more time to escape than it would take for the mark to get back to his vehicle. This scam is usually done to tourists, variations include their whole luggage being transferred to the conman's trunk "to be checked at a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_station" target="_blank">police station</a>", or a fake immigration agent, asking for papers and then for money to clear up the problem.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Gas Can Scam happens on the street or in a parking lot, usually near a big-box store or mall. The con artist is well-dressed, and carrying a gas can. You'll hear a story, usually involving a wife or teenage offspring waiting in the car (or occasionally, teenage offspring home alone) and then a request for ten to twenty bucks for gas. Often, the con artist will ask for your address to "return" your money.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Real Estate Scam may vary according to the type of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_estate" target="_blank">real estate</a>, but the common goal is that the con artist tricks the seller into thinking that they are going to buy or rent the property and make monthly payments. In reality, the con artist has no intention of paying anything. This will usually continue until they are caught or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evicted" target="_blank">evicted</a>, but the catch here is this is legal; the only <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_recourse" target="_blank">legal recourse</a> the seller has is to file a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsuit" target="_blank">lawsuit</a> against the person responsible. However, the con artist will usually scam the seller for an amount below the cost of its recovery through litigation.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Landlord Scam advertises an apartment for rent at an attractive price. The con artist, usually someone who has short-term sublet/housesat the unit, takes a deposit and first/last month's rent from every person who views the suite. When move-in day arrives, the con artist is of course gone, and the apartment belongs to none of the angry people carrying boxes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Big Store is a technique involving a large team of con artists and elaborate sets. Often a building is rented and furnished as a legitimate and substantial business.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_confidence_tricks#cite_note-The_Big_Con-2" target="_blank">[3]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Paranoia Scam is a scam involving the conman telling the mark various lies about different scams and instigating false attempts so that the mark, by now feeling worried and with no place to hide their money from fraud, turns to the conman (of all people) for help.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Change raising is a common short con and involves an offer to change an amount of money with someone, while at the same time taking change or bills back and forth to confuse the person as to how much money is actually being changed. The most common form, "the Short Count", has been featured prominently in several movies about grifting, notably <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nueve_Reinas" target="_blank">Nueve Reinas</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grifters_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Grifters</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_Moon_%28film%29" target="_blank">Paper Moon</a>. A con artist shopping at, say a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filling_station" target="_blank">gas station</a>, is given 80 cents in change because he lacks two dimes to complete the sale (say the sale cost is $19.20 and the con man has a 20 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_bill" target="_blank">dollar bill</a>). He goes out to his car and returns a short time later, with 20 cents. He returns them, saying that he found the rest of the change to make a dollar, and asking for a bill so he will not have to carry coins. The confused store clerk agrees, exchanging a dollar for the 20 cents the conman returned. In essence, the mark makes change twice. Another variation is to flash a $20 bill to the clerk, then ask for something behind the counter. When the clerk turns away, the con artist can swap the bill he is holding to a lesser bill. The clerk might then make change for the larger bill, without noticing it has been swapped. This was shown in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grifters_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Grifters</a>. The technique works better when bills are the same colour and shape at a glance.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_drop" target="_blank">pigeon drop</a>, also featured early in the film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sting" target="_blank">The Sting</a>, involves the mark or pigeon assisting an elderly, weak or infirm stranger to keep their money safe for them. In the process, the stranger (actually a confidence trickster) puts his money with the mark's money (in an envelope, briefcase or sack) which the mark is then entrusted with. The money is actually not put into the sack or envelope, but is switched for a bag full of newspaper (etc). The mark is enticed to make off with the conman's money through the greed element and various theatrics, but in actuality, the mark is fleeing from his own money, which the conman still has (or has handed off to an accomplice).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudoscience" target="_blank">pseudoscience</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_oil" target="_blank">snake oil</a> scams, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_psychology" target="_blank">popular psychology</a> confidence tricksters make money by falsely claiming to improve <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_speed" target="_blank">reading speed</a> and comprehension using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_reading" target="_blank">speed reading</a> courses by fooling the consumer with inappropriate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skimming_%28reading%29" target="_blank">skimming</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivia" target="_blank">general knowledge</a> tests. These popular psychology tricksters often employ popular assumptions about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain" target="_blank">brain</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_hemispheres" target="_blank">cerebral hemispheres</a> which are scientifically wrong, but attractive and plausible. A common myth is that we use only 10% of our brain.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_confidence_tricks#cite_note-3" target="_blank">[4]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_confidence_tricks#cite_note-4" target="_blank">[5]</a> Similar scams involve the use of brain machines to alter <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_waves" target="_blank">brain waves</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_amplification" target="_blank">intelligence amplification</a> through balancing the mind and body. See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurofeedback" target="_blank">neurofeedback</a>.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery" target="_blank">Psychic surgery</a> is a con game in which the trickster uses <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleight_of_hand" target="_blank">sleight of hand</a> to apparently remove malignant growths from the mark's body. A common form of medical fraud in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developing_country" target="_blank">underdeveloped countries</a>, it imperils victims who may fail to seek competent medical attention. The movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_on_the_Moon" target="_blank">Man on the Moon</a> depicts comedian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kaufman" target="_blank">Andy Kaufman</a> undergoing psychic surgery, and it can also be seen in an episode of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Creek" target="_blank">Jonathan Creek</a>.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing" target="_blank">Phishing</a> is a modern scam in which the artist communicates with the mark, masquerading as a representative of an official organization which the mark is doing business with, in order to extract personal information which can then be used, for example, to steal money. In a typical instance of phishing, the artist sends the mark an email pretending to be from a company (such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBay" target="_blank">eBay</a>). This email is formatted exactly like email from that business, and will ask the mark to "verify" some personal information at their website, to which a link is provided. The website itself is also fake but designed to look exactly like the business' website. The site will contain an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML" target="_blank">HTML</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_%28web%29" target="_blank">form</a> asking for personal information such as credit card numbers. The mark will feel compelled to give this information because of words in the email or the site stating that they require the information again, for example to "reactivate your account". When the mark submits the form (not checking the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Locator" target="_blank">URL</a>), the information is sent to the swindler.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Beijing tea scam is a famous scam in and around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing" target="_blank">Beijing</a>. The artists (usually female and working in pairs) will approach tourists and try to make friends. After chatting, they will suggest a trip to see a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_tea_ceremony" target="_blank">tea ceremony</a>, claiming that they have never been to one before. The tourist is never shown a menu, but assumes that this is how things are done in China. After the ceremony, the bill is presented to the tourist, charging upwards of $100 per head. The artists will then hand over their bills, and the tourists are obliged to follow suit.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_deal" target="_blank">Rip deal</a> is a common swindle in Europe in which con artists present themselves as potential investors, then attract victims with under-the-counter payments.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Street Mechanic: The con artist approaches the mark's car and says something is wrong with it - usually something the mark cannot immediately see - the bumper is turning into the wheel, for example. He tells the mark that it is a very expensive fix, but that he is a mechanic and will fix it. Really, the con artist is creating an illusion, perhaps by sitting on the bumper. He "fixes" the problem in minutes. He may ask for only a ride at first, but then pretends to call his boss and pretends that he is late for work and his boss is angry, and he tells the mark he has lost a customer. The mark is made to feel guilty and grateful, and believes that he or she has been helped by a kind mechanic who has charged less than his normal hourly rate (albeit plus a hefty tip) to replace the customer he lost. This scam has been found in the streets of downtown Baltimore.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rainmaker scam: The con artist (a "rainmaker") convinces the mark to pay him to make something happen. If it happens, then the mark is convinced it is because he paid the rainmaker; if not, the rainmaker can say he needs more money to do it. A major story arc in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire_%28season_3%29" target="_blank">third season of The Wire</a> is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Davis" target="_blank">Senator Clay Davis'</a> shakedown of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barksdale_Organization" target="_blank">Barksdale Organization</a>.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">False Charity: A con artist will go door-to-door saying that the mark's donation will help build better playgrounds, help starving children etc; thus the mark will pay the conman. Sometimes the conman will even print out fake papers explaining the good that they will be doing.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The European Tourist Train Scam: Usually takes place on overnight train journeys in southern and eastern Europe. Scammers enter train cars and sleeping compartments, pretending to look for a seat. They then take the bags and purses of sleeping passengers. By the time the passengers awake and realize they've been robbed, the thieves have left the train or disposed of any traceable evidence out of the train window.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Internet Virus Scam: Computer users unwittingly download a "virus" or "infection", (usually through an Active-X program) according to the messages which appear on their screen. They are then linked to con artists' websites, designed to look like Microsoft sites, where they must pay a fee to download the appropriate "antivirus".</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Diet and Exercise scams: These claim that you can take pills and use weird gadgets to quickly lose weight and/or build muscle. The only thing which loses weight here, of course, is the mark's wallet and bank account as he/she is milked for money for gimmicky exercise equipment or other weight-loss products.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">False Good Samaritan Scam: In this scam, two con-artists work in tandem. One poses as a criminal or mugger, stealing a mark's wallet and taking off down the street, for example. The second con-artist then poses as a Good Samaritan, chasing after the mugger and getting him to drop the wallet (though the mugger always escapes). The Samaritan then returns the wallet to the mark, in hopes of being rewarded with money. The mugger and Good Samaritan then meet up later and share the reward money. A variation of this scam can be seen in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_and_True" target="_blank">Straight and True</a> season 3 episode of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HBO" target="_blank">HBO</a> police drama <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire" target="_blank">The Wire</a>.</li> </ul> Avoiding prosecution<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pitiful fraud. The con artist may tell his or her mark pitiful lies about his or her family, children etc; hence the mark feels sorry for him or her, and does not alert the police.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Family member. Some con artists target their own families, who feel obligated not to contact authorities, due to family ties.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Embarrassing enterprise. If the mark loses a small sum only, he or she may be unwilling to contact the authorities if the circumstances are embarrassing, e.g. if the mark wishes to avoid revealing his or her pornography stash to his or her spouse, notwithstanding its uselessness or worthlessness.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Greasy crimes. Petty crimes and scams that will in the worst cases only be punished by a fine, no jail time. Often the subject of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_Park_Boys" target="_blank">Trailer Park Boys</a> episodes.</li> </ul>The above list is only a sample. Confidence games are continually evolving and subject to many variations and refinements.</blockquote>

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