Interludes - Fraud in the Middle Ages

Fraud is as old as time - as this interesting article points out.

We will get back to the law school thread in the next post.

http://www.medievalists.net/2014/02/26/defraud-lord-medieval-manor/

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Some of the biggest scams of all time

Courtesy of Cracked magazine - some of the biggest frauds of all time:

http://www.trutv.com/conspiracy/photos/biggest-scams-history-ponzi-schemes-madoff-419-nigeria/photos.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

 

Good Fraud Overview

Good overview of fraud from the FBI

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud

We will discuss this in more detail in upcoming posts.

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

A bit of history

OK - we WILL get to a new topic and thread tommorrow.  Sorry, just been very busy lately.

In the meantime, here is a bit of interesting history regarding fraud techniques in America.

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/09/history-of-fraud.asp#axzz23T42KKQe

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Psychopaths and sociopaths 1

One of the big advantages of having your own blog is the ability to write pretty much what you want without having to worry about an "editor" hanging over your shoulder.  I started this blog, and continue to update it, to provide a service to interested readers about the dangers of fraud and how it affects our lives. 

     Most of my articles link to other articles or they are taken directly from sources.  But, today, I am going to take a hiatus from this approach and spend the next couple of weeks just writing some random thoughts about the kind of people that perpetuate fraud.

     I have enough experience in this field now to recognize some of the behavior of fraudsters.  It has almost gotten to the point that I can identify a fraudster from not only the way he acts, but his disposition and treatment of other people.  This does not mean, of course, that I can "spot" a fraudster.  However, once I have identified who is a fraudster from other sources, his behavior patterns become apparent.

    In no great leap of logic or analysis, I concluded, along with others, that many fraudsters exhibit psychopathic and sociopathic behavior tendencies.  I find this kind of thing fascinating.  So, for the next two weeks or so, please join me as we talk about the psychopathic and sociopathic tendencies of fraudsters.

     Keep in mind that I am neither a psychiatrist nor a psychologist.  But, just as one does not have to be a meteorologist to have an opinion on "climate change," one does not have to be a mental health professional to be able to comment on the behavior of people.

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

More psychic fraud....

Since we are on the subject, here is some more fun...

http://guyism.com/celebrities/the-5-most-fraudulent-psychics-of-all-time.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Interludes - Insurance Scam in the Southern District of Texas

Busy day today, so I will just treat my readers to a news story on insurance fraud shenanigans here in the Southern District of Texas.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2012%20April/120417%20Alcala.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute XV

Piltdown Man set back the science of anthropology for decades.  Perhaps this is the biggest legacy of the fraud - the damage done to a science by those who set out to intentionally deceive others.

     We can always look back and argue that anthropology was still in its infancy and therefore anthropologists were easily fooled by this deception.  But, as we will see in future blogs, junk science and fraudulent science is still a risk in the scientific world.  It has been said by many fraudsters that scientists are usually the easiest people to fool because scientists often live in a world where the idea that someone would intentionally falsify data is hard to accept.

     As I stated at the very beginning of this thread, however, economic fraud is not the only fraud which can be found.  Fraud in the scientific community can occur, as well as fraud in other fields.  The effects of such fraud can affect a community for decades.

     We will move onto another thread tomorrow.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

--------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Again

Try this post again: we know that Charles Dawson was the "discoverer" of Piltdown Man.  Dawson was a reseller and seller and fake antiquities.  He did not profit directly from the notoriety of Piltdown Man, but it is arguably clear that his notoriety was enhanced as the discoverer of the "artifact" and, with this enhanced reputation, was able to sell other fake antiquities with this enhanced reputation.

   Therefore, it is worth considering that although some fraudsters may not profit directly from a fraud, they may profit indirectly.

   We will wrap this up tommorrow.

Have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute XIV

We know that Charles Dawson was the person who "found" Piltdown Man.  As a recap: Charles Dawson was a solicitor who lived in southern England, near Sussex. He was also an enthusiastic amateur paleontologist. In 1908 some workmen, knowing his interest in fossils, presented him with curious bone fragments that they had found while working in a gravel pit near the town of Piltdown. Dawson's interest was piqued and he soon began conducting his own excavation in the pit. Eventually he enlisted the aid of Arthur Smith Woodward, keeper of the Department of Geology at the British Museum.


    After the fraud was completely exposed, Dawson was found to be a trader in fake antiquities.  Although it is not proven that Dawson profited directly from Piltdown Man, it is also clear that Dawson's reputation was enhanced by the "discovery" of Piltdown Man.  It is likely, therefore, that Piltdown Man assisted Dawson in the sale of other fake antiquities.


    It is worth considering, therefore, that fraudsters may profit indirectly from a fraud as well as directly.


Have a great and fraud free day.


http://www.tauskvega.com


------------>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk  

There's a sucker born every minute XIII

So - Piltdown Man and fraud.  What does one have to do with the other?

     When something comes along that seems to provide an answer, sometimes we overlook the obvious.

     Piltdown Man can be forgiven for being a fraud.  It can also be forgiven for deceiving many people, including anthropologists.  Science is in a constant process of development, all science, and it is not uncommon for one theory to be overthrown upon the discovery of new evidence.  In this respect, Piltdown Man is just another chapter in scientific history.

    What signals it as fraud, however, is that it was planted by a person who obviously was intent on deceiving people and that so many people were willing to look past the obvious problems with this "find" because it answered so many issues, including issues that had nothing to do with anthropology.

   Tommorrow, we will discovery how certain people gained financially from Piltdown Man and then wrap it up.

http://www.tauskvega.com

-------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute XII

So - the ultimate demise of Piltdown Man was two factors:

1.   The advancement of the science of anthropology which was able to prove conclusively that it was a fraud, and
2.   The changing social attitudes which discarded the idea that evolution had some "races" that were more advanced than other "races."

     Both of these factors are important when discussing fraud.

    First, the type of fraud schemes that would have been possible 30 years ago are not possible now, and vice versa.

    For example, the original "Ponzi" scheme depended on the idea that there was an exchange rate that was different in different countries AND it would take time (namely a trip across the ocean) to take advantage of these rates.  This is not possible today with instantaneous communications.  In reverse, the "419" scams of Nigera (and other countries) which happen through email could not have occurred before the advent of email.

More on this later.

Have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

---------->>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute XI

We discussed why it took until the 1950's for Piltdown Man to be declared a complete fake.  As stated, there were several anthropologists who from the very beginning who stated as such, but they were swept aside.  It was not until the 1950's that the final verdict was in and Piltdown Man was declared a fake.

     Remember, one of the reasons that Piltdown Man was viewed as "real" from the beginning was because many Europeans were willing to accept the idea that certain races (i.e. Europeans) were more advanced from an evolutionary perspective than other races (i.e. colonized peoples).  Piltdown Man allowed this type of interpretation because it showed that human beings had a "missing link" between apes and humans (a false interpretation of evolution as described today).  If there was a "missing link" then this was proof that certain species were more advanced than others.

     By the 1950's, this view had been discarded.  Combined with the idea that colonialism was on its way out,, this helped to discredit the very idea of Piltdown Man.  If there was no more need for a "missing link" and there was no need to justify colonialization, then perhaps the whole idea of "Piltdown Man" should be reevaluated.

    We will wrap this up tommorrow.

Have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute X

Let's continue this conversation talking about the European version of early 20th century Darwinism.  Or, to be more precise, how many Europeans interpreted Darwin's ideas along with their own prejudices.

      As we discussed all along, Piltdown Man was a fraud from the very beginning.  An unknown fraudster glued together the skull fragments of various species (including humans) and buried his creation.  It was found and interpreted to be the "missing link" between apes and humans.

     Many times, fraudsters take advantage of not only what we believe, but what we want to believe.  Many Europeans wanted to believe that they were more highly "evolved" than other humans and had not only the duty, but the right to colonize much of the planet.  If Piltdown Man were to be believed, then this was proof that humans evolved from lesser animals and, also, were in the process of continuous evolution.  Might it not be true, then that certain humans were more evolved than others.

     This kind of idea helped to keep alive the idea that Piltdown Man was a real find, even though many anthropologists disputed it from the very beginning.  The notion, however, that certain races were more advanced not only culturally, but physically as well, was too enticing of an idea for some.

    By the 1950's, when Piltdown Man was decisively declared to be a fraud, these ideas of evolution had also passed.

More on this later.

http://www.tauskvega.com

---------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute IX

Let's talk about the second element of the Piltdown Man fraud which kept it alive for so long - the old (discarded) idea that evolution is a progression from "worse" to "better."

     During the time when Piltdown Man was found, as stated in an earlier post, European colonial expansion was at its height.  Many people in these colonial countries (but not all) found excuses in its empire building by using ideas that advanced European nations were "civilizing" these colonies.  Please note that Europeans were not the only countries in history to build empires at the expense of other people - this has been going on since the dawn of time.  But, European empire building occurred during a time when our understanding of nature (through the scientific method) was expanding exponentially.

     A misinterpreted idea of evolution, therefore, also made the idea of "Piltdown Man" acceptable.  If "higher" European civilizations were more "advanced" than other cultures, then it might make sense that "Europeans" were also more advanced in a biological sense as well.  Piltdown Man demonstrated that there as a missing link between "higher" and "lower" races and this fit into the worldview of this interpretation.

More on this later.

Have a great and fraud free day

http://www.tauskvega.com

-------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute VIII

Let's keep on with our discussion regarding the long hoax of Piltdown Man.

     Why did it take so long for anthropologists to discovery that Piltdown Man was basically some jerk who fused together the jaw of an orangutan and the skull of a modern human?  I know it's easy to look at this with hindsight and say "how could people be so foolish?" but there is another factor to consider here which plays into the hands of fraudsters.

     Everyone is familiar with the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes" (a story we will revisit in the future).   I will not go into it on this post.  But, we know that everyone could see that the Emperor was naked and only the revelation from a small boy who, unburdened by social pressures, was able to blurt out that the Emperor had on no clothes.  Once he did this, of course, everyone else felt fine to make the same proclamation.

     Science sometimes works the same way.  Entire careers have been built on mistaken assumptions and, although science is supposed to be self-correcting, sometimes even scientists are reluctant to admit that their professional careers are sometimes built on false foundations (forgetting, of course, that science often advances as much by learning what is not is true by learning what is true).

     Fraudsters often rely on the well known psychological base that people will sometimes do everything to avoid looking foolish, even innocently continuing a fraud.

   So - back to Piltdown Man - the answer is that some people did indeed build their careers on Piltdown Man and were reluctant to admit that it was a fraud, even when it became obvious.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute VII

OK - let's look at one of the two main reasons that the Piltdown Man hoax lasted as long as it did.

    First, as discussed, anthropology was still in its infancy.  One of the basic and accepted ideas of anthropology was that although evolution was accepted (more or less) as the preferred method to explain how humans (and other living creatures) arrived on this planet, there were large gaps in the fossil record.  So, any new discovery was viewed as a potential way to close this gap.  Further, although it was discussed, there was still no acceptable way to explain the differences between apes, monkeys and other primates with humans.  So - the idea of a "missing link" was viewed as a necessary way to explain this discrepancy.

     With Piltdown Man, this missing link was apparently found.  The Man had the jaw structure of an ape, but the brain structure of a man.  This could be the way to explain how one pattern (ape) shifted to another (man) in one fell swoop.

    Keep in mind, one of the hallmarks of any acceptance of fraud is the willingness to believe and the voluntary suspension of disbelief.  If we are willing to believe something, then our critical faculties sometimes take a back seat.  Many people have a built in "skeptical" radar and for something to get past that radar, our notions of disbelief have to be suspended.  Anthropologists and other scientists that were looking for some way to verify their theories on a missing link found what they were looking for in Piltdown Man.

     We will continue this tomorrow.

Have a great and fraud free day

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

There's a sucker born every minute VI

OK - as promised - here is the evidence that spelled the end of the hoax of Piltdown Man:

In November 1953, Time magazine published evidence gathered variously by Kenneth Page Oakley, Sir Wilfred Edward Le Gros Clark and Joseph Weiner proving that the Piltdown Man was a forgery and demonstrating that the fossil was a composite of three distinct species.  It consisted of a human skull of medieval age, the 500 year old lower jaw of a Sarawak orangutan and chimpanzee fossil teeth.  The appearance of age had been created by staining the bones with an iron solution and chromic acid.  Microscopic examination revealed file marks on the teeth and it was deduced from this that someone had modified the teeth to give them a shape more suitable to a human diet.

   So, by 1953, the game was up.

Have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

One more time

In November 1953, Time Magazine published evidence gathered variously by Kenneth Page Oakley, Sir Wilfred DeGras Oakley and Joseph Weiner proving that the Piltdown Man was a forgery ^[7] and demonstrating that the fossil was a composite of three distinct species. It consisted of a human skull of medieval age, the 500-year-old lower jaw of a Sarawak Oragutan and chimpanzee fossil teeth. The appearance of age had been created by staining the bones with an iron solution and chromic acid Microscopic examination revealed file-marks on the teeth, and it was deduced from this that someone had modified the teeth to give them a shape more suited to a human diet.

Sorry

This happens from time to time:

Here is the Wikipedia post:

In November 1953, Time published evidence gathered variously by Kenneth Page Oakley, Sir Wilfrid Edward Le Gros Clark and Joseph Weiner proving that the Piltdown Man was a forgery ^[7] and demonstrating that the fossil was a composite of three distinct species. It consisted of a human skull of medieval age, the 500-year-old lower jaw of a Sarawak orangutan and chimpanzee fossil teeth. The appearance of age had been created by staining the bones with an iron solution and chromic acid. Microscopic examination revealed file-marks on the teeth, and it was deduced from this that someone had modified the teeth to give them a shape more suited to a human diet.

And, tommorrow we will investigate why issues of nationalism kept the Piltdown Man hoax alive.