PROFILE OF A CON ARTIST

Scams are organized by the con artist with the most know-how: A formidable foe called The Insideman

 

What sets the con artist apart •  A formidable foe

The Insideman: an experienced con artist

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to pin one of those standard criminal profiles on con artists - a 35-year old white male who was mistreated by his mother?

It just doesn't work that way.

 

What sets the con artist apart

Scammers come from diverse backgrounds.  They may come from a broken home or the most stable and well-adjusted of families.  They may have been afforded an excellent education, or very little.  Such backgrounds do not set them apart.

Nor are they set apart by their country of origin, sexual preferences, political bent, religious beliefs, or ingrained social values.  Actually, pertaining to those last three, the con artist is a free spirit.  His or her own personal welfare far outweighs standard social considerations.

What does set the scammer apart is the natural ability, often discovered at a very young age, to manipulate the people around them.  Added to this is the fact that such manipulation leaves them without any feeling of guilt or remorse.  On the contrary, it leaves them with an intense feeling of satisfaction - a particular glow that encourages them to continue manipulating to get whatever they want, regardless of the cost to the giver.

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A formidable foe

Con artists, particularly those who specialize in big cons such as High-Yield Investment Programs, Debenture Trading, phony Investment Clubs, and Boiler Room Telemarketing, are above average in intelligence.  They are self-educated and know how to be extremely sociable, although they are anti-social which means lacking any social conscience.  Their charm and sincerity are empty of any real concern - masks # 5 and #6 respectively.

They have the innate ability to juggle several balls at once without missing a beat.  They easily compartmentalize their different characters, victims, and on-going scams.  Gifted with an exceptional memory, the swindler can access each current script with the speed of a computer; and if they cannot quite remember a fact (or lie), they can dance around the lapse so convincingly that you will seldom, if ever, notice.

I do not mean to portray the con artist as a Superman, only as an enemy to be respected for his prowess.

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The Insideman: an experienced con artist

The Insideman may be referred to by the Middleman as a Trustee, Trader, Commitment Holder, Banker, or Funder.  He is touted by the Middleman as one whom only the privileged few ever get to see or speak to.  He is placed on a financial pedestal right up there with the most sophisticated and secretive of financiers.

Once you have "proven your worthiness" you are admitted to the inner circle.

You become one of the privileged few.  You get to meet The Insideman.  And you will be charmed right out of your boots by this character in the play because he knows exactly how to match your interests.

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