Shell games

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The shell game (Thimblerig, Three Shell and a Pea, or Old Army Game) is considered a gambling game, but is purely a swindle game used to perpetrate fraud. It is played on a flat surface, and requires three shells (or … Read More

Famous convicted and alleged con artists

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Frank Abagnale, masqueraded as a pilot, doctor and professor Howard Berg, with the same con as Kevin Trudeau (see below) Lou Blonger, organized massive bunco ring in Denver in early 1900’s Tony & Sharon Bonicci, a.k.a. Christie & McLean, Australian … Read More

Extra finesse in confidence trick

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Many con men employ extra tricks to keep the victim from going to the police: Illegal money. A common ploy of investment scammers is to encourage the victim to use money that has been concealed from the tax authorities. The … Read More

Most known confidence tricks

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Three Card Monte, The Three-Card Trick, Follow The Lady or Find the Lady, which is (except for the props) essentially the same as the probably centuries-older shell game or thimblerig. The trickster shows three playing cards to the audience, one … Read More

Origin of the term “confidence trick”

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Though dishonesty for financial gain had existed long before, the specific term “confidence man” was first coined in 1849 by the New York Herald to describe the deceptions of William Thompson. Thompson, dressed in genteel fashion, would approach wealthy New … Read More

Confidence trick

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A confidence trick, confidence game, also known as a con, scam, grift or flim flam, is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the “mark”) usually with the goal of financial or other gain.The confidence trickster, … Read More