The Zulu Prince Scam
In the 1890s, self-proclaimed Zulu princes toured the United States, performing a con game on Americans eager to know Africa and Christianize its peoples.
The Red Sting: Conmen in the USSR
The Soviets loved a good confidence game, as was made evident by the popularity of the fictional character of Ostap Bender after Russian Revolution.
Wanting to Believe In Rainmakers
A form of entertainment and outgrowth of desperation, self-styled rainmakers allowed the powerless people of the Great Plains to seemingly take action.
We’re Going to Need a Bigger Note
Song sharks have been a problem for aspiring lyricists nearly as long as there’s been a music industry.
Grifting In The 18th Century: The Grift Remains the Same
When faking an identity, it helps to choose something foreign to your audience.
Charity Scams of Yore
Between the 1850s and 1940s, a charity scam worked a collection circuit of Evangelical Christians in least five hundred towns across eighty countries.
Why Do We Fall for Scams?
People want to believe that the person they trust with their money, or their hearts, is telling the truth. The con artist relies on that.
The Life Changing Linguistics of… Nigerian Scam Emails
How do scammers use language to trick their victims?
Our Spam Emails, Ourselves
More money, more hair, less belly fat, better health: our spam emails expose our worries and weaknesses.
Fraud Against Seniors: Can Scholarship Help Fight It?
Are some seniors more in need of education than others about fraud against seniors?