Scams That Echo Through the Ages

[beef_cake]

After finding out that my own parents got conned out of a lot of money, I went looking for a way I could possibly explain to them that they were involved with a scam.

I picked up a book called Hustlers & Con Men, by Jay Robert Nash. It is, as the subtitle says, an anecdotal history, focusing mainly on the heyday of the American confidence man.

Comments

[beef_cake]

My parents were taken by scammers about 14 years ago, and again about 5 years ago. But since they won't talk to their kids about money, it has taken me a long time to piece it all together. The scammers use some of the tactics used in the Drake Inheritance scam.

Here's my last post on the subject.

[thumbie]

Oi. I still feel so bad that they got in this situation. It's gotta be like talking to cult members because the foundation of their logic is so flawed that it's hard to get anywhere else with them by reasoning. There needs to be an advertisement, whether for a workshop or just a PSA, somewhere that lots of retirement-age people or just people would see it, like in newspapers or in with tax returns or something.

You know? It would be a really interesting way to get people's attention, to actually pretend you were doing a scam (it would require the government's approval so maybe it could be a new function of the govt whenever there is money again) and then as soon as the people send a check/show up at a conference/whatever, you return the cash and then explain to them that they just got punk'd this could have easily been the beginning of the loss of their life savings and then proceed to show an instructional presentation about what the dangers are out there and who they can report such advances to.

[beef_cake]

I rather like the idea of a "you've been punked" letter.

How about a reality TV show? There'd be lots of interviews with senior citizens through the whole process.

[thumbie]

No second thoughts, let's go go go!

Since that appears to be how many of these reality show ideas actually get off the ground.