Steps in a Con Game 24

At this point in the con, the mark realizes that he has been duped.  The con artist(s) are either ignoring the mark, have disappeared or are threatening violence should the mark do anything about the loss of funds.  It is up to the mark to decide what to do next.

     The con artists are betting that the mark will remain quiet, if not for reasons of personal safety, then because the mark is embarrassed at the scam and may be liable for other people's money that were lost in the scam.

     In a sense, therefore, the scam has come full circle.  The scam, which started out as a way for the mark to get involved in a scheme that promised riches but only for "chosen" people has now become a victim of his own success.

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

Steps in a con game 23

Well, there is one method left to ensure cooperation with a scam - the old fashioned threats.  It is not uncommon for victims of con games to find themselves the victims of threats if they do not "shut up."  This should not be a surprise - although the very definition of a con game is to use deception rather than violence, once the fraud is exposed, the victims of the fraud may find that the people who ran the fraud do not want it exposed.

     This does not happen all the time of course.  Once violence is threatened, then it is clear to even the most casual observer that a crime is being committed.  This kind of ending for a con game (the use of threats) is typically done when a mafia or criminal group is involved or the risk of exposure is too great.

     It is a sobering reminder that con games, in the end, are criminal enterprises.

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

Steps in a con game 22

Well, Roman numerals or not, it looks like I forgot how to count.  I put step 21 in twice, so although this should be step 23, to avoid confusing things even further, we'll just leave it at 22.  

     There are three basic ways at this stage of the game how the con artist handles the calls coming in from the mark, complaining that he is not getting any response to questions about his money.

    The easiest way for the con artist to deal with this is simply to ignore the situation.  Refuse to return phone calls, or simply pretend they don't exist.  This only works for some time, however.

     The second method is to lie about everything.  Yes, your money is fine.  Ignore the reports from the SEC or other government agencies.  Ignore the reports from ratings agencies about your investments.  Ignore the fact that you cannot find any hard data concerning the investments.  Ignore the advice from other financial investment professionals advising you to get out.

   When these do not work, the third option is always available.

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

Steps in a con game 21

OK - we are moving to the end of our discussion regarding steps in a con game.

    Now -the mark has parted with his money and is awaiting his return on his "investment."

    I am probably showing my age here a little bit, but I remember vividly the song by Fleetwood Mac which has the lyrics: "tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies....tell me lies."  Now is the time when the mark gets to hear the lies from the inside man and all of the people that introduced him to the con and now have no explanation for him as to why he is not getting his financial return.

     For the first time, phone calls are not being returned.  Excuses are being made, including the ever-famous excuse "the check is in the mail."  No reasonable explanation is given as to why no information is sent out.  And, most importantly, the mark is beginning to feel that chill up the spine which suggests that....all is not as it seems.

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

Steps in a con game 21

We are approaching the end of this thread, but there is one more comment to briefly make about the ability of the inside man to get the mark interested.  The easiest method sometimes is - bullying.

     After the inside man makes his sales pitch again and again to the mark who is just not interested, a tactic used by the inside man is to get upset and yell and scream a the mark for wasting his time.  This is also sometimes accompanied by the inside man yelling and screaming at his associate for allowing the mark to waste his time.  Then, when the inside man leaves the room, apparently upset, the "associate" takes his time to yell at the mark, accusing him of making him look bad in front of the inside man.

     It's obvious that, as I am writing this, people can be amazed that this is a scheme for which marks will fall and end up investing into the con.  Yet, once again, this was a tactic used by Madoff again and again (yes, it's easy to continue using him since he is such an easy target).  Never underestimate a tactic that has been used since grade school.

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

Steps in a con game 20

Another method that is used by the "inside man" to convince the mark that he needs to pay into the scheme NOW is for the mark to extol his virtues.  In other words, the inside man shows the mark that he is such a good person, any doubts about investment are unwarranted.

     Once again, you guessed it, let's use Madoff as an example.  Madoff was a great contributor to many charities, both secular and religious.  He was well known as a patron of the arts and as someone who used his vast wealth to better his fellow human beings.  His reputation in this respect was spotless (of course, let's not forget that he was using his ill-gotten gains to do this charity work).

     This is yet again another method to convince the mark that all is well. After all, if a person such as Madoff devotes so much of his time and effort to charitable causes has to be a good human being, right?

     Once again, this is another example of how it is not wise to lost focus.  In this case, the mark is deliberately having his "vision blurred" by this non-relevant data.

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

Steps in a con game 19

We are continuing our discussion as to how the con artists are trying to separate the mark from his money - the real money.  We discussed how the mark can be pressured by the inside man telling him that "the window is closing on this opportunity" and to "get in now."

     Another way to get the mark to cooperate has been with us since kindergarten - peer pressure.  The inside man and/or the con artist is not above using peer pressure to work on the mark.  Remember Bernie Madoff - he had everyone and his brother trying to get in on his "investments."  Madoff would often point out that "with so many people investing in my interests, how can it not be legitimate?"  In other words - everyone else is doing it, why not you?

     Surprising as it seems, peer pressure is alive and well among adults.  It doesn't take much to put pressure on full grown adults to try and get them to cooperate.  The line "everyone else is doing it" can be a powerful incentive when the underlying cause is to make money.

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