Con artists

 

Question 1:

some reasons:

Distraction

Con artists keep you focused so you miss what’s really happening.

Following Authority

They pretend to be people in charge so you’ll trust them without questioning anything.

Herd Mentality

They make it look like lots of people are doing it so you feel safer trying it for yourself.

Your Dishonesty

They get you to do something shady so you won’t report them, as you’re afraid for yourself.

Lying Confidently 

They tell believable stories that seem normal, which makes it harder to spot the lie.

Question 2:

Essentially anyone can become a mark. The right con artist can do numbers to your account. It’s largely about the place and time for the con to occur. Con artists themselves make great marks as they have a very high confidence level. As long as your within a graspable situation for their act to take place they can get you wrapped around their fingers.

Question 3:

1, First they(the roper) search out for their mark. In the example stated in the article was the con artist looking for an out-of-towner as they couldn’t call their banker for advice during the con.

2, They then befriend the mark, showing them around town and maybe trickling in a little deal or two along the way to get the marks mindset ready for the con.

3, Then the insideman is introduced to the scheme, having the roper steer the mark towards them, making the insideman take over the script. The roper claims they know the insideman, giving them a good reputation.

4, The insideman reveals to the mark his magical wealth, letting him into his inner circle, further tricking him with his tale of how he got rich.

5, For this stage, the insideman shows the mark proof that their “magical trick” actually works. This really locks the mindset of being able to make some moolah in, helping motivate them towards investing.

6, The insideman breaks down the situation for the mark and tells them how much they could take them for. The others within the con would offer the insideman some of their own money, showing they believe this will work.

7, The mark has to send the money without noticeable suspicion from their wife or banker.

8, This is when the mark hands over all of the con artists profit - the main part of the scheme.

9, This is the final stage when the mark needs to be cooled off. Sometimes it can be violent(a fake bloody shootout so the mark needs to flee), but it’s more often than not an elongated, boring act.

Question 4:

To have a mindset of; if it seems too good to be true, it certainly is. if you can identify that chances are you’re not gonna win big for doing essentially nothing then you should be more sceptical, which in return helps you understand what might be taking place.