This unique volume presents cutting-edge research on the nature and extent of a wide range of scams, cons, frauds, and deceptive activities, including sextortion, the use of ransomware, phishing, identity theft, Ponzi schemes, online shopping fraud, gift card scams, and health care fraud targeting elderly victims. The contributions to this book raise and attempt to answer several intriguing questions: Why have governments in each global region failed to respond more aggressively to these crimes? What can/should the private sector and social media giants be doing? Can the current responses of both governments and the private sector be linked to the public’s ambivalence about how to respond to these forms of offending and victimization? Does a large segment of the public admire individuals who get involved in these activities, in large part due to the positive portrayal of scammers, fraudsters, and con artists in both literature and cinema? Or does the public’s view of the harm caused by these scams and cons vary, based on our view of who is victimized (e.g., individuals or corporations) and/or why they were chosen? Will governments – as they have done in the past – attempt to influence the public’s views by restricting access to books and movies that focus on the latest scams, cons, and frauds taking place on-line and in-person via book banning and other forms of censuring? And finally, should this discussion of the influence of books and cinema on the public’s views of scams, frauds, cons, and deception be broadened to include the government’s ongoing attempts to censure a wide range of books and films that may influence the public’s view of morality—and more recently, the public’s view of our government—due to their content? Timely and thought-provoking, this book will be a key resource for researchers, scholars, and practitioners in criminology and criminal justice, sociology, law, psychology, and social work, while also appealing to interdisciplinary researchers seeking insight into the relationship between positive portrayals of scammers, fraudsters, and con artists in literature and cinema, and the public’s perception of individuals who get involved in these activities. It was originally published as a special issue of Victims & Offenders.

🔍 Unmask the Masters of Deception! 🔍 Dive into the shadowy world of con artists with The Conman’s Game: Scams, Frauds, and the Masters of Deception. 🌍✨ This compelling book, brought to you by the ChatStick Team, uncovers the most notorious scams throughout history and the criminal minds behind them. From the earliest frauds that shook society to the sophisticated cybercrimes of the modern age, this book offers a thorough exploration of deception in all its forms. What You’ll Find Inside: Historical Roots: A journey through the earliest recorded frauds and the evolution of scams over time. The Ponzi Phenomenon: An in-depth look at Charles Ponzi’s infamous scheme and its enduring legacy. Identity Thieves: The shocking tales of impostors who mastered the art of deception. Corporate Greed Exposed: A detailed account of the Enron scandal and the fallout that followed. Cybercrime Chronicles: Navigate the complex and dangerous world of digital fraud in today’s connected society. The Psychology of a Con: Understand the psychological tactics that make these criminals so effective. Impact on Victims: Heart-wrenching stories of loss and betrayal from those who fell prey to these schemes. The Pursuit of Justice: Follow the tireless efforts of law enforcement to bring con artists to justice. Why You Should Read This Book: True Crime Enthusiasts – Immerse yourself in the real-life stories of con artists who defied the law. Educational Insight – Gain a deeper understanding of how scams have shaped societies across the world. Psychological Exploration – Delve into the minds of history’s most cunning criminals and learn what drives them. Ideal for readers interested in true crime, criminal psychology, and historical fraud, The Conman’s Game is an unmissable journey through the darker side of human nature. Download your copy today and discover the secrets behind the world’s most infamous scams! 📚🎯

-- The main target for scams are those 50 years of age or older. -- This book will expose all the latest scams, frauds, and cons -- and can be updated yearly, if necessary, to expose all the latest schemes. Fraud -- credit card fraud, telemarketing scares, Internet scares, identity theft and hundreds of other items that are geared to separate you from your money -- is a multi-billion dollar business, both in the U.S. and worldwide. From a simple three-card monte game on a street corner to sophisticated banking and Wall Street swindles, cons, frauds and scams are destined to strike one in ten Americans this year. Check kiting, ATM scares, bankruptcy fraud, real estate scams, Nigerian money offers, and even slave reparation scams -- there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of ways to get suckered by telemarketers or just plain fast-talking swindlers. Scary stuff, right? This book identifies the myriad of scams, cons, and frauds perpetrated every minute of every day in this country, and gives cutting-edge, up-to-date advice on how you can protect yourself from unscrupulous cons of every conceivable stripe. There will also be an entertaining section on con artists through history, from the infamous grifters of the Great Depression to the masterminds of the recent Enron collapse -- perhaps one of the greatest scams in America's history.

Fraud is big business and it rots the fabric of finance and accountancy, as it is exercised by all day trading of bonds, junk bonds, loans. Twenty-five years ago, fraud was said to be rapidly expanding and manifests itself by shady deals, fraudulently converted cash. Fraudsters who are active, especially electronic fraud, do in fact treat the use of fraud as serious "business" and the execution of frauds as "work", much as other criminals treat their activities as their "job"! Identity theft poses a frightening threat of being taken in by crooks. If twenty-five years ago it was estimated that the amount of fraudulent cash around the world at any one time more than equalled the Gross National Products of several third-world countries, it would not be believed--a damning indictment indeed. In this fascinating and comprehensive study on Fraud the author takes advantage of the fact that people seem thrilled to hear about frauds, like murders. She has prepared works that will use the reader's' attention to discuss law enforcement and the consequences of breaking the law by committing frauds.

Looks at the growing problem of intentionally misleading and erroneous information on the Web.