A confidence trick or confidence game (also known as a bunko, con, flim flam, gaffle, grift, hustle, scam, scheme, swindle or bamboozle) is an attempt to defraud The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation. Defrauding people or entities of money or valuables is a common purpose of fraud, but there have also been fraudulent "discoveries", e.g. in science, to gain prestige rather than immediate monetary gain a person or group by gaining their confidence Confidence is generally described as a state of being certain either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself. Arrogance or hubris in this comparison, is having unmerited confidence—believing something or someone is capable or. The victim is known as the mark, the trickster is called a confidence man, con man, confidence trickster, or con artist, and any accomplices are known as shills A shill is a person who is paid to help another person or organization to sell goods or services. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic customer. The person or group that hires the shill is using crowd psychology, to encourage other onlookers or audience. Confidence men or women exploit human characteristics such as greed The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of the most objectionable vices that has been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. The final version of the list consists of wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony and dishonesty Dishonesty is a word which, in common usage, may be defined as the act or to act without honesty. It is used to describe a lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive or a lack in integrity, knavishness, perfidiosity, corruption or treacherousness. It is used about charlatanism and quacks, and have victimized individuals from all walks of life.
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History
The first known usage of the term "confidence man" in English was in 1849; it was used by American press during the United States trial of William Thompson William Thompson was an American criminal whose deceptions caused the term "confidence man" to be coined. Thompson chatted with strangers until he asked if they had the confidence to lend him their watches, whereupon he would walk off with the watch; he was captured when a victim recognized him on the street.[1]
Vulnerability to confidence tricks
Confidence tricks exploit typical human qualities such as greed The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of the most objectionable vices that has been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. The final version of the list consists of wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony, dishonesty Dishonesty is a word which, in common usage, may be defined as the act or to act without honesty. It is used to describe a lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive or a lack in integrity, knavishness, perfidiosity, corruption or treacherousness. It is used about charlatanism and quacks, vanity In conventional parlance, vanity is the excessive belief in one's own abilities or attractiveness to others. Prior to the 14th century it did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility. The related term vainglory is now often seen as an archaic synonym for vanity, but originally meant boasting in vain, i.e. unjustified, honesty Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft, compassion Compassion is a virtue —one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism —foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood, credulity Credulity in Alternative Medicine manifests itself prinicipally in the form of "X is good for/a cure for Y" where X is an herb, chemical, procedure, etc. and Y is either a malady or some desired state. Usually X is at most a factor with some effect but complete hoaxes are not uncommon and naïveté. The common factor is that the mark relies on the good faith of the con artist.
Just as there is no typical profile for swindlers, neither is there one for their victims. Virtually anyone can fall prey to fraudulent crimes. ... Certainly victims of high-yield investment frauds may possess a level of greed which exceeds their caution as well as a willingness to believe what they want to believe. However, not all fraud victims are greedy, risk-taking, self-deceptive individuals looking to make a quick dollar. Nor are all fraud victims naïve, uneducated, or elderly.[2]
A greedy or dishonest mark may attempt to out-cheat the con artist, only to discover that he or she has been manipulated into losing from the very beginning. This is such a general principle in confidence tricks that there is a saying among con men that "you can't cheat an honest man."[3]
Shills A shill is a person who is paid to help another person or organization to sell goods or services. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic customer. The person or group that hires the shill is using crowd psychology, to encourage other onlookers or audience, also known as accomplices, help manipulate the mark into accepting the con man's plan. In a traditional confidence trick, the mark is led to believe that he will be able to win money or some other prize by doing some task. The accomplices may pretend to be strangers who have benefited from performing the task in the past.
Notable con artists
Born in the 18th century
- Gregor MacGregor Gregor MacGregor was a Scottish soldier, adventurer and colonizer who fought in the South American struggle for independence. Upon his return to England in 1820, he claimed to be cacique of Poyais (also known as Principality of Poyais, Territory of Poyais, Republic of Poyais). Poyais was a fictional Central American country that MacGregor had (1786–1845) – Scottish con man who tried to attract investment and settlers for a non-existent country of Poyais[4]
- Jean Henri Latude (1725–1805) - French confidence man and possible lunatic who, famously, extorted money from the Madame de Pompadour Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, also known as Madame de Pompadour was a member of the French court, and was the official maîtresse-en-titre of Louis XV from 1745 to her death and endured thirty-five years of confinement, in the Bastille The Bastille was a fortress-prison in Paris, known formally as Bastille Saint-Antoine—Number 232, Rue Saint-Antoine—best known today because of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, which along with the Tennis Court Oath is considered the beginning of the French Revolution. The event was commemorated one year later by the Fête de la F and at Vincennes, for his efforts
Born or active in the 19th century
- Lou Blonger Lou Blonger , born Louis Herbert Belonger, was a Wild West saloonkeeper, gambling-house owner, and mine speculator, but is best known as the kingpin of an extensive ring of confidence tricksters that operated for more than 25 years in Denver, Colorado. His "Million-Dollar Bunco Ring" was brought to justice in a famous trial in 1923 (1849–1924) – organized massive ring of con men in Denver The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains, just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver downtown district is located immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek in early 1900s[5]
- Helga de la Brache Helga de la Brache, née Aurora Florentina Magnusson, , was a Swedish con artist. She attained a royal pension by convincing the authorities that she was the secret daughter of King Gustav IV of Sweden and Queen Frederica of Baden (1817-1885)
- Horace de Vere Cole William Horace de Vere Cole was a British eccentric prankster. His most famous trick was the Dreadnought hoax in 1910 when he fooled the captain of the famous Royal Navy warship HMS Dreadnought (1906) into taking Cole and a group of his friends for an Abyssinian delegation (1881–1936)
- Canada Bill Jones – riverboat gambler and card sharp A card sharp is a person who uses skill and deception to win at poker or other card games
- Victor Lustig Victor Lustig [citation needed] was a con artist who undertook scams in various countries and became best known as "the man who sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice." (1890–1947) – born in Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: Čechy; German: Böhmen ; Polish: Czechy; French: Bohême; Latin: Bohemia) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague. In a broader meaning, it often refers to the entire Czech territory, (today's Czech Republic The Czech Republic (pronounced /ˈtʃɛk/ chek; Czech: Česká republika, pronounced [ˈtʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka] ( listen), short form Česko [ˈtʃɛskɔ]) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The Czech Republic) and known as "the man who sold the Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower is an 1889 iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tallest building in Paris, it is the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named for its designer, engineer"[6]
- George C. Parker George Parker was one of the most audacious con men in American history. He made his living selling New York's public landmarks to unwary tourists. His favorite object for sale was the Brooklyn Bridge, which he sold twice a week for years. He convinced his marks that they could make a fortune by controlling access to the roadway. More than once (1870–1936) — U.S. con man who sold New York monuments to tourists[7]
- Charles Ponzi Charles Ponzi was an Italian swindler, who is considered one of the greatest swindlers in American history. His aliases include Charles Ponei, Charles P. Bianchi, Carl and Carlo. The term "Ponzi scheme" is a widely known description of any scam that pays early investors returns from the investments of later investors. He promised clients (1882–1949) – "Ponzi scheme A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned. The Ponzi scheme usually entices new investors by offering returns other investments cannot guarantee, in the form of short-term returns that are either" is a "get rich fast" fraud named after him[8]
- Death Valley Scotty Walter Edward Scott , also known as Death Valley Scotty, was a prospector, performer, and con man, who was made famous by his many scams involving gold mining and the iconic mansion in Death Valley, popularly known as Scotty's Castle (1872–1954) prospector, performer, and con man, famous for gold mining scams and the mansion in Death Valley Death Valley is a desert located in the southwestern United States of America. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located within Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet (86.0 m) below sea level. This point known as Scotty's Castle Scotty's Castle is a two-story Spanish Villa located in northern Death Valley National Park, California, USA. It is also known as Death Valley Ranch. Scotty's Castle is not a real castle, and it did not belong to the "Scotty" from whom it got its name.
- Soapy Smith Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf. He is perhaps the most famous confidence man of the old west (1860–1898) — confidence gang boss, who operated in Denver The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains, just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver downtown district is located immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek, Colorado Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it was admitted to the Union as the 38th state in 1876, the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence. Colorado is bordered on the north by Wyoming and Nebraska, on the east by Nebraska and Kansas, on the south by Oklahoma and New Mexico, and on the west by Utah; Creede The historic Town of Creede is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, Mineral County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 377 at the U.S. Census 2000, Colorado Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it was admitted to the Union as the 38th state in 1876, the centennial year of the United States Declaration of Independence. Colorado is bordered on the north by Wyoming and Nebraska, on the east by Nebraska and Kansas, on the south by Oklahoma and New Mexico, and on the west by Utah; and Skagway Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862. However, the population doubles in the summer tourist season in order to deal with more than 900,000 visitors, Alaska Alaska was purchased from the Russian Empire on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million at about two cents per acre . The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959
- William Thompson William Thompson was an American criminal whose deceptions caused the term "confidence man" to be coined (active in 1840–1849) – U.S. criminal whose deceptions caused the term confidence man to be coined[9]
- Joseph Weil Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil was one of the most famous American confidence men of his era. Weil's biographer, W. T. Brannon, believed Weil had an "uncanny knowledge of human nature." Over the course of his career, Weil is said to have stolen over eight million dollars (1875–1976) – one of the most famous American con men of his era[10]
- Cassie Chadwick Cassie L. Chadwick is the infamous name used by a Canadian woman who defrauded several U.S. banks out of millions of dollars by claiming to be an illegitimate daughter and heiress of Andrew Carnegie (1857–1907) — defrauded several U.S. banks out of millions of dollars by claiming to be an illegitimate daughter and heiress of Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (25 November 1835 – 11 August 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, entrepreneur and a major philanthropist.
Born or active in the 20th century
- Bernie Cornfeld Bernard "Bernie" Cornfeld was a prominent businessman and international financier who sold investments in US mutual funds, and was tried and acquitted for orchestrating one of the most lucrative confidence games of his era (1927–1995) – ran the Investors Overseas Service Investors Overseas Services, Ltd. was founded in 1955 by financier Bernard Cornfeld. The company was incorporated outside the United States with funds in Canada and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. In the 1960s, the company employed 25,000 people who sold 18 different mutual funds door-to-door all over Europe, operating mostly in Germany with, alleged to be a Ponzi scheme[11]
- Richard Eaton Richard "Dick" Eaton was a New York criminal, a South Ozone Park, Queens saloon owner and general manager of Moo Moo Vedda's dress factory and an associate of the Lucchese crime family. He was involved in labor racketeering, accessory-to-murder after the fact, extortion, loan sharking, racketeering, credit card fraud, counterfeiting, (1937–1979) - con artist, saloon owner, and general manager of Moo Moo Vedda's dress factory and an associate of the Lucchese crime family.
- David Hampton David Hampton was an American con artist who gained infamy in the 1980s after milking a group of wealthy Manhattanites out of thousands of dollars by convincing them he was Sidney Poitier's son. His story became the inspiration for a play and later a movie, titled Six Degrees of Separation (1964–2003) - Inspiration for the play and film Six Degrees of Separation Six Degrees of Separation is a 1993 film adaptation of the John Guare play of the same title, which was inspired by the real-life con artist David Hampton. The film makes reference to two Kandinsky artworks, "Black Lines" and "Several Circles", referred to as chaos and control in the film respectively
- Konrad Kujau Konrad Paul Kujau was an illustrator and forger who became famous in 1983 as the creator of the so-called Hitler Diaries, for which he received 2.5 million DM from a person who in turn sold it for 9.3 million DM to the magazine Stern (1938–2000) - German forger of the supposed Hitler Diaries In April 1983, the West German news magazine Stern published extracts from what purported to be the diaries of Adolf Hitler, known as the Hitler Diaries , which were subsequently revealed to be forgeries. The magazine had paid 10 million German marks for the sixty small books, plus a "special volume" about Rudolf Hess's flight to the
- Eduardo de Valfierno Eduardo de Valfierno, who referred to himself as Marqués , was an Argentine con man who allegedly masterminded the theft of the Mona Lisa. Valfierno paid several men to steal the work of art from the Louvre, including museum employee Vincenzo Peruggia. On August 21, 1911 Peruggia hid the Mona Lisa under his coat and simply walked out the door – Argentine con man who allegedly masterminded the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911
Living people
- Frank Abagnale (1948) — U.S. cheque forger and impostor; his autobiography, Catch Me If You Can, was made into a movie[12]
- Peter Foster (1962) — Australian conman with convictions and imprisonment on three continents for fraud and money laundering, known for the Bai Lin slimming tea scam and involvement in property transactions with Cherie Blair.
- Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter (1961) — Bavarian-born con artist who, for nearly two decades, claimed to be a member of the wealthy Rockefeller family.
- Robert Hendy-Freegard (1971) — Briton who kidnapped people by impersonating an MI5 agent and conned them out of money.[13]
- James Arthur Hogue (1959) — U.S. impostor who most famously entered Princeton University by posing as a self-taught orphan[14]
- Clifford Irving (1930) — U.S. writer, best known for a false "authorized autobiography" of Howard Hughes.
- Samuel Israel III (1959) — Ran the former fraudulent Bayou Hedge Fund Group; faked suicide.
- Bon Levi (1943) — Aka Ron the Con and Ronald Frederick. Arguably Australia's most notorious conman who tricked Australian and U.S. citizens into investing in scam franchise businesses. He has been jailed both in Australia and the United States.
- Bernard Lawrence Madoff (1938) — American former chairman of the NASDAQ stock market who admitted running a world-record $65 billion Ponzi scheme. Headed the hedge fund Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC until his arrest in 2008. In March 2009 he pled guilty to 11 federal crimes.
- Matt the Knife (1981) — American-born card cheat and pickpocket who bilked corporations, casinos, and at least one Mafia crime family.
- Barry Minkow (1967) — American entrepreneur. His company, ZZZZ Best, cost investors an estimated $100 million before he served seven years in prison for fraud and other offenses.
- Semion Mogilevich (1946) — is a billionaire organized crime boss and a global con artist believed by European and United States federal law enforcement agencies to be the "boss of bosses" of most Russian Mafia syndicates in the world.[15]
- Lou Pearlman (1954) — U.S. businessman and manager of boy bands, sentenced to 25 years for operating a Ponzi investment scheme
- Casey Serin (1982) — Self-confessed mortgage fraudster who became the "poster child" of the housing bubble.
- Solomon Dwek (c.1973) Syrian-Jewish Orthodox rabbi and real estate investor from Deal, New Jersey who pleaded guilty to a $50,000,000 bank fraud involving PNC Bank.
- Michael Sabo (1945) Best known for his history as a check, stocks and bonds forger. He became notorious in the 1960s and throughout the 1990s as a "Great Impostor", and was featured on national TV, had over 100 aliases, and earned millions.
- Peter Popoff - German-born American con man who takes in money by promising wealth and other benefits to be sent by God.
Popular culture
Main article: Confidence trick (books and literature) Main article: Confidence trick (television and movies)See also
- Counterfeit
- List of confidence tricks
- Moving scam
- Ponzi scheme
- Pyramid scheme
- Quackery - questionable medical practices
- Scam baiting - deliberately seeking out scammers to expose them or waste their time
- Scams in intellectual property
- Social engineering - Techniques used to manipulate people into performing actions or divulging confidential information.
- Spanish Prisoner - confidence scheme
- Sting operation - confidence tricks used for the purpose of law enforcement
- Swampland in Florida - real estate scams
- UK Plot Based Land Banking - sale of protected land in small plots with claimed building potential[16]
- White-collar crime - crime committed by a professional person in the course of his occupation
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