#con men

[tilbageidanmark]

THE TWILIGHT ZONE, 2025.

[trivia-polls-daily]

No cheating, please! Answer the trivia question to the best of your ability, then check below the cut! Please do not give away answers in comments or tags!

Answer below:

In 1925, conman "Count" Victor Lustig "sold" the Eiffel Tower twice:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/man-who-sold-eiffel-tower-twice-180958370/

[pendragyn]

I Stumbled across your artworks and I must say I am really intrigued,  I’m really impressed by your talent and creativity, I’ll like to purchase at least 5 of your artworks as NFT for ($8,300) 4 Etherums each, you can give me a feedback by reaching out to me on WhatsApp here's my number +1 (540) 358-8637

well this is a new one, but most definitely a scam nonetheless. You going to make an nft out of what? pics of my crochet? pics of my cat? Man, if I were a real artist this would be such a letdown. The Nigerian Prince of NFTs over here.

Signs of a phishing scam;

Out of the blue - they have no reason to know you but somehow they've picked you out of all the other suckers bank account holders fabulous artists out there.

Compliments, but vague - "your artworks" which art? "impressed by your talent" talent in what? "Heard nice things about you" from whom?

Asking to give you a large sum of money - look, most everyone dreams of a big break, so it's an easy spot to prey on people.

Money will be under the table or tax free, or in this case, untraceable Bitcoin - which means the people they scam will have little to no legal recourse.

Easy money - you won't have to do any more work for it, just a simple phone call, email etc.

If someone is legitimately interested in you and your artwork, they're going to talk to you about specifics; they're going to ask if you'll sell the pieces they like or if they can commission a piece from you. It's not going to be a stranger dropping thousands in your lap out of nowhere.

stay safe friends

[ceevee5]

[travsd]

50 Years Ago Today: The Sting

The Sting was released this day in 1973 — 50 years ago. I had just turned 8 when the film came out. It was definitely one of the key films in that heavy period of Hollywood nostalgia of the early ’70s which I wrote about here. Its ultimate source was David Maurer’s 1940 book The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man. Maurer had interviewed scores of real-life grifters for his book, getting…

[blackredleathergloves]

In the big-con games the steps are these:

1. Locating and investigating a well-to-do victim. (Putting the mark up).

2. Gaining the victim's confidence. (Playing the con for him.)

3. Steering him to meet the insideman. (Roping the mark.)

4. Permitting the insideman to show him how he can make a large amount of money dishonestly. (Telling him the tale).

5. Allowing the victim to make a substantial profit. (Giving him the convincer.)

6. Determining exactly how much he will invest. (Giving him the breakdown.)

7. Sending him home for this amount of money (Putting him on the send.)

8. Playing him against the big store and fleecing him. (Taking off the touch.)

9. Getting him out of the way as quietly as possible. (Blowing him off.)

10. Forestalling action by the law. (Putting in the fix.)

-The Big Con, David W. Maurer

[tilbageidanmark]

I suddenly recall how extremely popular this little Indian "Guru" was about 45 years ago. We were so hungry for spiritual solutions from the east, that we latched on to any charlatan who showed up, no matter how ridiculous they were.

[ronaldparlato]

Bobby Evans was a genius, a real American, an icon, a tribute to the best of America's entrepreneurial spirit. A Nietzschean Superman beyond good an evil? He was no such thing, no amoral beast riding astride the herd. He was just a simple man who knew how to dance with willing partners. Americans are born to prosper. Some do it on paths of propriety and good faith, and others like him around tricky bends and curves; but both are Americans to the core

[dogwithglasses]

A man in my home state legally changed his middle name to Pro-Life so the ballot would say “pro-life” when he ran for governor, but the secretary of state’s office said they never put middle names on the ballot and the ballot is supposed to be neutral, not for political expression. So he changed his entire legal name to just Pro-Life with no last name. Now he gets listed on ballots as “Pro-Life (a person, formerly known as Marvin Richardson).” He runs for governor in almost every election and usually gets like 2% of the vote. He has said he will continue to run for political office until he dies

He used to be Mormon but left the church because they weren’t strict enough on abortion

Yeah that tracks

[ltsaradharkness]

Elon musk and Donald Trump are both smart and good businessman in the same way any con artist is smart and a good businessman eventually it will all fall apart but until then they do have some idea of what they're doing and how they're doing it. I always think of The music Man, literally the main character is a f****** con artist the fact that the story has a happy ending is actually b*******. The music Man was one of my least favorite productions I did in high school. With the exception that my best friend did the guy whose hair falls out and that was a fun behind the scenes like the behind the scenes of doing the music man was awesome but the musical itself is terrible. He should not be able to teach those kids how to play those instruments he should not end up with the girl and he should not end up with a cozy life in a small town that he conned into believing he was this great person.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"GETS THREE-YEAR SENTENCE IN 'GOLD-BRICK' FRAUD CASE," Toronto Star. September 29, 1933. Page 1. --- Mussolino Goes to Penitentiary - Pat Bruno 18 Mos., Emmanuel Three ---- THEY GOT $1,500 ---- The three men found guilty of conspiracy and false pretence in the "gold-brick" case received sentences in general sessions to-day.

The charges were conspiracy and defrauding a young man of $1,500.

Antonio Mussolino was sentenced to three years in Kingston penitentiary on each of three counts, concurrent.

Patrick Bruno, found guilty on two counts, was given eighteen months in Ontario reformatory on each, concurrent.

Emmanuel Bruno, found guilty of conspiracy and strongly recommended to mercy by the jury, was sentenced to three months at the jail farm.

Judge Parker imposed the sentences in place of Judge Widdifield, who sustained an accident subsequent to the trial. His honor told Mussolino he was taking into consideration the intimation restitution of $1,133 was to be made.

"Otherwise," said his honor, "you were fiable to be sentenced to seven years."

During the trial three "gold- bricks" used by the accused to deceive were sawn apart, and experts found an alloy of copper, brass and other metals. semblance striking. to They said the re- genuine gold was

[Mussolini appealed his term but lost out and had his conviction confirmed. He was 49, single, born in Calabria, and had served terms at Burwash Industrial Farm and the Toronto Jail Farm. He was convict #3220 at Kingston Penitentiary and worked in the tin and paint shop. He was released in November 1935, having earned his full 'good time.']

[colddeadfingerpeeler]

Barbara Walters was having none of Doknakld's bullshit.

"People are saying, What a great deal he made..."

"No, they're not."

[furiouscrusadeavenue]

Gabi.

[jbfly46]

The south is the land of (mostly) cowards and conmen. There are conmen who moved from up north to become preachers and defraud the state government while telling the mayor and the local police what to do. You can get away with practically anything there by claiming you’re doing it in the name of God.

[liberty1776]

Zelensky is not even in the same league as the world's real biggest con man Benjamin Netanyahu. He not only gets lots of contributions from US government and TV Christian Zionist preachers. Both the Democrats and Republicans are both controlled by the Zionists, both are the Zionist party. President Trump dances as his puppet. Got US government to help cover up Israel's September 11 attacks he planned.

Zelenskyy's useful idiots.