The Art of the Con Page 5

  Once Randy and his uncle were gone, I looked to our secret camera position where my producers were watching and said, “We’re in trouble.”

  Reading a mark is an acquired skill. After hundreds of con games I have learned to recognize the hallmarks of a difficult customer. Over breakfast, Barry was calm and friendly but volunteered very little. He rarely leaned forward, which forced me to do too much of the talking.

  The situation we had engineered for Barry was simple. He had come to Charleston to assess a potential business deal for his nephew, Randy. Randy was secretly setting up his uncle but would take no part in convincing him to hand over his cash. During the setup, I would need to switch the deal so that Barry would invest his own money. A great deal of work had gone into not tipping Barry off while making sure he could get the money at a day’s notice. Everything hinged on how I set the bait, and if Barry didn’t bite, we would have come a long way for nothing.

  The trouble was that Barry’s demeanor during our first encounter was friendly but guarded. He didn’t volunteer anything I could use as leverage. He absorbed everything I offered by way of information, giving very little in return other than a few jokes and some charming repartee. The production crew agreed we were in trouble, but for a different reason. When I had left the table for a few moments during the meeting, the producers heard something that made it seem unlikely that our mark was going to bite.

  With Uncle Barry, I had my work cut out for me. From the beginning, our objective had been to find a mark who would give me a real challenge. Easy meat can mean easy money, but in my experience, if it’s all too convenient then the television audience would quickly dismiss it. If they regarded the victim as foolish or gullible, then they might think that’s the reason why the con worked. In order to properly illustrate the power and potential of this scam, I needed a worthy adversary and I knew I had more than I bargained for when Barry sat down to breakfast.

  While I was at the table, Barry chatted about the quality of the orange juice, the weather, and how much he loved living in the South but gave almost nothing away regarding my business proposal. As soon as he was alone with Randy, that changed. Once I was out of earshot, Barry turned to Randy and said, “This has got Mafia written all over it.”

  The production team was convinced that this was the end of the road. They were already considering backup options (other potential marks we could bring in at a day’s notice) but I was not worried by Barry’s words: quite the opposite. My concern had been that Barry was simply not interested and would resist any attempts to pull him deeper into the scam; as soon as I learned what Barry had said to his nephew, I knew that the bait was set and our mark was definitely interested.

  The team must have thought I was insane. Barry was as good as gone in their mind, but I had done this many times before; the fact that Barry sensed something “off” was not important. The crucial point was that despite suspecting something fishy, possibly illegal, he still agreed to meet later to find out more. This told me everything I needed to know about our mark: He was willing to roll the dice.

  Despite his facade of indifference, I knew Barry was interested. This wasn’t a sure thing but our mark was definitely nibbling the bait. We needed to play him carefully, build his confidence, quash his concerns, and satisfy his curiosity. Then we would reel him in.

  The hook is the most important element of any con game. Without it, the con artist would have nobody to con because the hook is the means by which the victim becomes involved and starts down a road that will eventually take him over a cliff. The ability to rope someone into a scam is prized above all else. Being able to think and act under pressure, to talk your way out of any challenge, or look a pigeon in the eye as you calmly take his money are useful skills—but they’re all ultimately worthless unless a mark is in play.

  Professional con artists, from online bottom feeders to high-end fraudsters, are all looking for the perfect way to attract more victims. In some cases, the hook is the main problem to be overcome. In other scams, the hook is just the beginning, the first step on a winding path to an unsuspected destination, and once someone becomes involved it can already be too late.

  The Bait

  The most important element of the hook is the bait. For years, I’ve told my audiences that there’s one all-encompassing truth that lies at the heart of all con games: If I know what you want, I can take everything you have.

  What people want can be broken down into desires, aspirations, and essentials. These could be specific to one person or common to everyone, but once a mark’s needs have been identified, the con artist has a reason to approach and leverage to use. The bait is often the most important distraction in a con game. Even the most suspicious potential victim must listen to the voices in his head that want, hope, and need an opportunity to be real. No matter how many questions need to be answered, the con artist knows that somewhere inside the mind of his target, there’s an unwitting accomplice to the scam, nudging the mark ever closer to the prize.

  A powerful element of the hook is the suggestion that there might be something illegal or illicit. This can be rendered down to an honest opportunity as the result of an unfortunate, unexpected, or unknown situation, but the very fact that this doesn’t immediately scare off the mark can be powerful leverage later on. For many, the merest notion that something might be illegal is enough to make them walk away, but if the mark is still listening, then the hook is probably working.

  There’s no use offering the latest and greatest laptop technology to someone who doesn’t own a cell phone or trying to sell land to someone who can’t afford a mortgage. The bait must be a juicy carrot, big enough to distract from the harsh reality of the stick. That carrot can be something of value to the general public or tailored specifically to one unlucky victim. Advertising cheap electronics will attract suitable victims, as will a fake casting call or a bogus modeling agency. The scammer introduces the bait knowing that the victim is already interested or can guess what the target wants or needs.

  The nature of the con dictates how best to rope a mark. Some people need to be encouraged at the beginning but become motivated as soon as they are introduced to the bait; others need to be almost forced into the game. Many scams simply depend on the bait to attract suitable victims, but in many cases, the way that the mark is introduced to an idea dictates their perception for the rest of the con. Therefore, the approach is crucial to a successful swindle. There are three types of hooks used in most con games: the Big Hook, the Soft Hook, and the Straight Hook.

  The Big Hook

  By far the easiest way to identify a mark is to set up a trap and see who falls in. Simply making something available and spreading the word is enough to attract anyone who’s interested. Marrying the bait to the perfect mark becomes a numbers game that depends entirely on what the con artist is pretending to offer, sometimes attracting people without ever having to engage them directly. The success of this kind of hook is often determined by location and timing.

  The jam auction, for example, succeeds because it offers well-known items that are already desired by a large number of people. A list of items distributed in a good location with lots of passing traffic is enough to get the unwary into the room. Once the doors are closed and the pitch has begun, most people succumb to well-proven techniques, but the actual hook requires nothing more than a few hired hands, a handful of leaflets, and the promise of cheap PlayStations. A big hook is set for anyone to bite. You throw it into the biggest crowd available and someone will take the bait. Most Internet scams qualify as big hooks because it’s all about the percentage of potential marks who respond. Ninety-nine percent of people might not be taken in by an e-mail promising riches, but if the scammer sends a million e-mails, the remaining 1 percent can prove to be incredibly profitable.

  The Soft Hook

  There are many ways to present someone with an opportunity, and the soft hook attempts to use subtlety to get the mark into the game. Depending on th
eir desire for the bait, this can be anything from an overheard phone call or a passing remark to a cleverly constructed scenario where information is fed to the mark or left where they are sure to find it.

  We once targeted people in a cafe near a well-known London antiques market. While waiting to be served at the counter, I spoke on the phone to someone, telling them that I had spotted a piece of “Hollingworth Blueware,” worth thousands of pounds, but I didn’t have enough cash for it. I gave my imaginary friend directions and ordered a cup of tea. People within earshot soon began to wander out of the cafe and walk toward the market.

  Within minutes they were at our stall and looking at a blue plate that had cost us pennies. The phone call got people interested enough to go to the stall, but they were still naturally cautious. Jess played the part of the stall owner, and rather than give them a long story about the plate, we decided to keep it simple and let the marks convince themselves. It worked every time. After each victim bought his plate, we simply replaced it with a duplicate and waited for the next eavesdropper to arrive.

  The objective of a soft hook is to have the marks chase the bait, and many of the most effective scams convince the victims that they are in the driver’s seat. Once the marks show an interest and start following the prize, they are hooked. But an experienced hustler knows that they are not yet committed to anything; come on too strong and they might easily break away.

  The Straight Hook

  When time is short or subtlety has failed, the direct approach works best. Whether offering something for sale or giving the mark a choice, the straight hook quickly comes down to a “yes or no” proposition. That’s not to say that a refusal is the end of the story; often it’s just the beginning if the hustler has a particular angle or some useful leverage. Walk-up scammers approach people on the street to ask for money under some pretext and come right out with their bullshit story about a kid in the hospital or being stranded without gas. They find out in seconds what kind of mark they’re dealing with, but in the face of a refusal, they don’t always give up, instead trying a new direction. Often a softer approach is most effective after the mark has said no.

  A well-structured walk-up scam introduces the scenario up-front and quickly filters out those who refuse to stop or get involved. Once someone stops to listen, the hustler adds more detail before asking for money for a taxi or a train, to pay a restaurant bill, or even a gambling debt. Many people quickly refuse, often lying to say they have no money. This is a natural defense mechanism; in fact, the scammer expects it and is prepared to redirect.

  In the UK, I’ve encountered many walk-up hustlers with all sorts of stories. Late at night, in the heart of London, a guy dressed in cyclist’s Lycra carrying a helmet and a messenger bag asked me for help because his bike had been stolen. He even had the broken bicycle lock as evidence of the crime. All he needed was money to get home. I gave him all the change I had and watched him approach another group. I wasn’t fooled; to the contrary, despite being certain that he was lying, I genuinely appreciated the trouble he’d gone to for a handful of coins. I found out for sure that he was a scammer when two nights later he approached me in a different part of town with the same story. I advised him to find a different brand of lock as he wasn’t having much luck with the one he showed me. He didn’t miss a beat, shifting from his stolen bike story to another one about trying to raise money to visit his mother. I could have been there all night as he tried one angle after another, so in the end, I walked away.

  Thanks to the success of The Real Hustle and becoming recognizable on television, I’ve developed a temporary defense against walk-ups like this one. One evening, on Shaftsbury Avenue, a guy hits me with a story about his son being in the hospital. As is typical, his objective was to get the story out before I could walk away, but halfway into the details he stopped and tilted his head to look at me properly. Recognizing who I was, he said “never mind” and walked quickly away.

  The Pigeon Drop

  Sometimes a scam begins with a softer approach but builds to a straight choice for the mark. This becomes a hit-and-run scam once the mark gets wrapped up by the situation. An excellent example of this is the classic Pigeon Drop scam, which gives the victim a “take it or leave it” decision that’s hard to walk away from.

  Our setup was in a pub near London’s South Bank area. Due to the pressures of filming a hidden camera show and the limited time we had to control our mark, the scam needed to be squeezed into a much shorter time frame than was normal, and in order to capture every detail, the entire affair would take place in one location. Nevertheless, the elements of the scam remained true to the classic “drop.”

  Jess sat alone in the bar, waiting for my signal, while Alex took up a large booth near the corner. He was well dressed with a briefcase and a handful of bogus business cards. I stood near the bar and waited for our mark to settle down and get comfortable. When the time was right, I gave Jess the signal and our little drama began.

  Within minutes, Jess was yelling at someone on her phone, something about an airport and it not being worth the risk. Finally she stormed off, shouting that she was “leaving it” as she exited the pub. I waited for a while to let the dust settle before I went to the restroom. On the way back I noticed a bag near where Jess was sitting and very close to where our mark was talking to his friend. I picked up the bag and asked the mark if it belonged to him. It didn’t but it gave me the chance to converse for a while before I suggested the mark look inside for some sort of name or address. The bag was full of money. Thousands of pounds stared back at the mark as I reacted but observed his response carefully. Looking around I said, “you know we could hand this into the bar or the local police station but I’ll bet all that money that we’ll never get a penny if the bag isn’t claimed.” This prepared the mark for what was to follow, but more important, it tested him to see if he was interested in the money and willing to take action to secure it. He immediately agreed that handing it in was a bad idea. That was not common sense talking—it was greed.

  The mark was now following the hook and all I needed to do was convince him to bite. I began to explain that we could take it to the local police station and share any reward or split the money if it was never claimed, but that I was uncertain of exactly what to do. Luckily, my friend “the lawyer” was sitting in a booth nearby. We all approached Alex and I introduced the mark. As we explained our situation, Alex took a moment to pass out his phony business card and flash his lawyer’s wig (what lawyers wear in UK courts), which “just happened” to be in his briefcase.

  The Pigeon Drop depends on encouraging the sucker to hold onto the cash in return for a good faith deposit that proves he will split the big bag of money when the time comes. Variations use a diamond ring or even a gold brick, but the key is to create a reason not to divide the prize then and there. As per my crooked predecessors, the reason I had concocted was loaded with legal mumbo-jumbo. Alex explained that we were within our rights to keep the money if no claim had been made to either the bar or the local police within two weeks. He went on to say that we could keep the money but that it must not be split up or divided in any way. It was vital that the money be kept together so it could all be returned if claimed. Under these circumstances, we could either keep all of the money or demand a 40 percent reward if the owner came forward.

  After we explained what we’d heard Jess say on the phone, Alex nodded knowingly and informed us that the money was going to be taken out of the country and she obviously chickened out. Nobody would come to claim it, Alex told us, but it was essential to keep the cash together as described so the money could legally be ours.

  Now the mark could smell the score and was genuinely excited, but who was going to keep the money? Alex suggested that I hold the money, but since we both had a claim, I would need to give the mark a large sum as security, say five hundred pounds. I replied that I didn’t have access to that kind of cash, and we all thought about it for a moment. The hook
was right there, waiting for the mark to go for it. So far, we’d merely been building up the story until he was utterly convinced; now the trap door was waiting for him to take one more step. The opportunity was there if he wanted to grab it. This approach is an open hook, and when devising these scams I always prefer to allow the mark to come after the deal on his own. If that fails, then the straight hook is offered.

  “Then how about you?” Alex asked. “Can you get access to five hundred pounds?”

  The mark nodded.

  “Then why don’t you keep the money? I’m happy to act as a witness. If you exchange your details and meet at my office in two weeks, I’ll happily oversee the transaction. Does that sound fair?” The mark agreed. He was excited, looking like he couldn’t wait to get away with the cash. In his mind, he was probably already spending his share. He might have even been considering ways to keep it all for himself.

  As I walked him to the ATM, Alex switched the bag for a duplicate full of newspaper. When the mark left, he could barely believe his luck until a television crew stopped him around the corner and asked the bewildered victim to look in the bag. His elation was short lived.

  This scam has worked for decades and depends entirely on keeping the victim focused on the prize. Many who have fallen for this probably never intended to return to divide the cash. Temptation is a powerful force that few of us can resist in the heat of the moment. If you offer steak to a hungry man, there’s a good chance he’s going to eat.

  The closed hook is best employed once a mark is convinced that the opportunity is genuine, but while a quick “yes” is preferred, the experienced con artist knows how to redirect a refusal. Had this mark turned down Alex’s suggestion, then we might have reasoned with him for a while or pulled the money away, toying with him until he took action to secure it. It’s a lot like dangling a piece of string in front of a cat. She might appear disinterested, but if you persevere and play the game just right, eventually she’ll pounce.