Secrets From An Ex Conman

1. A Con Artist Depends On Their Intelligence

Image Source / New ScientistA con artist is the type of criminal that depends very much on their brain rather than brawn. They don't need to have big muscles or aggression to get you to do what they want - they need to be clever and skilled whilst being strategic in trying to con you.

2. They'll Let You Have A Win - Before You Lose

Image Source / WikipediaWhen you hear something which is a little too good to be true, you're unlikely to believe it if you don't see any physical reward. That's why con artists will gain your trust by letting you have a little bit of something before they con you. This could be money or a reward, so that you begin to believe you can actually get something out of the deal - because you've already received a taste!

3. They Target The Most Vulnerable

Image Source / The GuardianWhile the elderly or disabled are the most obvious for this, vulnerability can come in many forms, and at any age. A vulnerable person could be a middle-aged man who's just lost his job, or a young teenager looking to pay off their student debts and struggling to make ends meet. The con artist will target those people who will more probably be ruled by emotions at that point in time.

4. They'll Use Time Restraints To Make You Act Impulsively

Image Source / WikipediaIn the same way you get those emails from your favorite online retailers saying DON'T MISS OUT - SALE ENDS TOMORROW, con artists will use time restraints to make you worry about missing out on a 'great deal'. There will play on your impulsive emotions to make you agree to fast action.

5. They'll Make It Seem Like They're Offering Something Exclusive

Image Source / Course HeroThere wouldn't be a big market for their tricks and fake deals if you could get the same thing they're offering from somewhere else - namely, legitimate places. So anything they offer you is going to be 'exclusive' to them, which makes a victim feel as though they don't have any choice but dealing with the con artist if they want that specific deal.

6. They'll Happily Let You Talk

Image Source / WikipediaYou can learn a lot about someone who wants to fill a silence, and also a person who wants to openly talk about themselves can make it easy for con artists. They will happily let victims talk and talk, because the more the victim says, the more the con artist will be able to work out where they're most vulnerable, and what it is that would appeal to them.

7. They'll Start With Small Transactions

Image Source / WikipediaA con artist will start small to gain your trust. They won't go straight in with 'yes you can make one million dollars with me!'. They will often do small transactions to try and gauge your reaction and test the waters. Then when the smaller transactions have been successful, you're more likely to trust the con artist when it starts getting bigger.

8. They'll Use Your Name - And Most Likely Act Like They Already Knew It

Image Source / MakeBadgeIt's more likely to create a trusting relationship with someone if you use their first name during your conversations. It shows they're paying attention and remembering your name, and makes it seem more personal. But a lot of con artists will also use your name and act like they already knew it to gain your trust, like, 'Hi John, do you remember when we spoke last year?' even though you've never spoken to them before in your life.

9. They Will Dress The Part Of The Trustworthy Character

Image Source / WikipediaCon artists don't just use their confident voices to win your trust - they will also dress the part. How they dress is just one part of the whole 'successful and confident' persona that they need to give off to have you trust that they know what they're doing. Con artists need to look the part, as well as sound the part.

10. They'll Mirror Your Body Language

Image Source / WikipediaWhen you're familiar with someone, you can start to mimic their body language without even realising you're doing it. It's just shows that you're familiar with this person. Con artists will do the same, but on purpose - they will mimic you, or mirror you, during conversations, in an attempt to build a bond with you, because it can feel a bit like bonding. They might cross their arms when you do, or sit down the same way you do.

11. They Concentrate On Your Emotions, Not Your Logic

Image Source / WikipediaThe way they reel you in is not to make a convincing case to the logical side of your brain, but to play into your emotions as much as possible - because emotional decisions will be more likely to be risky or impulsive ones. This is common with fraud and con crimes because victims are usually in vulnerable situations - like needing money - which can make them emotional.

12. They're Professionals At Listening

Image Source / WikipediaCon artists need to be very, very good listeners. Not only is this to let you talk so they can learn more about you and how your brain works, but also to build that level of trust. A person is going to trust a con man more if they speak less and listen more.

13. They'll Place A Time Limit On Great Deals

Image Source / Simple WikipediaIn the same way you might be more tempted to buy something online when it's a limited time sale and the clock is counting down, a con artist will put a time limit on a deal too good to be true. This can put more pressure on you to be impulsive to make sure that you don't miss out on what seems to be a great deal.

14. They Might Use AI Or Chatbots To Get Recordings

Image Source / WikipediaThe beginning of some scams can be operated by having an AI or chatbot call you. A common scam is to have an AI ask 'Can you hear me?' when you immediately answer the call, in the hope of recording your voice saying 'Yes.' This recording of your voice may then be used for larger scams, like when you call customer services numbers and respond 'yes' or 'no' to get certain information.

15. They May Wear Recognisable Uniforms

Image Source / WikipediaDressing the part isn't just about wearing a nice business suit. Con artists may go the whole hog and wear full uniforms from companies or careers that many people trust. An example of this is when con artist Frank Abagnale bought a pilot's uniform to wear so people would more easily trust him passing through.

16. They Don't Target 'Stupid' People

Image Source / Manage By Walking AroundWhen you think of people being targeted by scams, you may think that con artists want people who lack the intelligence to spot a scam, and that only 'stupid' people would ever fall for it. But it's not the case. Scammers target successful people with money to spare, because that's the whole point. This includes lawyers, doctors and 'smart' people - the very people you'd expect never to fall for scams, but who definitely do!

17. They May Have Extensive Experience 'Hustling'

Image Source / WikipediaCon artists are good at talking, because it's what they do. But con artists may not have always been so, and may have been recruited because of their ability to hustle, talk their way out of situations and manipulate like a puppet master. They need to be people who can convincingly lie.

18. They Practice To Perfect Their Persona

Image Source / Encyclopedia BritannicaThey concentrate on developing the persona of the successful 'bigwig', the type of person that you'll feel like you can trust to make the money. Behind the scenes, con artists will decide on that persona and mask that will help them seem more confident and successful to you.

19. They Want To Get You 'Under The Ether' To Close The Deal

Image Source / NPRA con man will aim to get their target 'under the ether', which is a state they describe as emotions being very stirred up so that logical decisions are out the window and those emotions take over. Once the con artist has got their target into this state, they prey on the fact that emotion will take over intelligence.

20. It's All About A Victim's 'Need Or Greed'

Image Source / WikipediaEither a target is so greedy that they're not thinking straight because all they're focusing on is making a whole load of whopping cash, or they have a desperate emotional need (like they lost their job or their kids need to go to college) and the con artist seems like a blessed fix for that.

21. Old People Are Targets Not Just Because They're Vulnerable

Image Source / WikipediaOlder people are more vulnerable, and more likely to have money they're sitting on. But a con artist also targets older people because they're more likely to talk about what they care about, and talk about what they're afraid of. Older people will more likely happily tell you about their grandkids, their family, their needs and also their fears of not having money, for example.

22. Men Can Be More Likely Targets

Image Source / WikipediaThis may surprise you, as women are constantly told they're more emotional than men, but one ex-con artist said that men were likely targets because they're more emotional than women. That men are more likely to have an ego, and be pushed by feelings of inferiority - and of course this translates to how much money they have, too.

23. If You Say You'll Talk With A Lawyer, They'll Stop

Image Source / WikipediaSome victims may be drawn in enough, but still say that they want to take a step back and discuss with their lawyer before they go any further with the arrangement. At this point, a scammer won't push or try to play along - they'll just hang up the phone as soon as a lawyer is mentioned.

24. They Take Advantage Of You Believing Their Word

Image Source / WikipediaThey'll play on your trust and the power of them simply saying that something is true. A lot of victims may ask a lot of questions and claim they're going to check something, but in reality they just want to hear you confirm something, like, 'Yes, of course we're certified and legitimate' as though that's all they need to hear. But, surprisingly, a lot of people won't check - and scammers know that.

25. They'll Use Scams That Are Applicable To The Times

Image Source / WikipediaScammers will adapt very quickly to the areas where people will be most interested in making money. For example, they may switch to mortgage scams during a time when house prices are doing well, and they have potential targets lined up who have paid off their mortgages and have a property worth something.

26. Your Tone Of Voice Can Reveal So Much

Image Source / WikipediaA scammer can immediately learn what kind of person you are, and how successful their scam might be, just based on your tone of voice or the first thing you say. An ex-con artist explained that he could tell based on the high-pitched and eager voice of someone he was scamming that the person would be submissive and agree to what the artist was asking.

27. Personal Information Is About More Than Bank Details

Image Source / WikipediaYou might think that you're protecting yourself against scammers by keeping your personal information safe, such as address, credit card details or bank account number. But personal information to con artists is about more than that. Even a passing comment about how much you love your children can give them ammunition for emotional manipulation.

28. They Take Advantage Of Social Compliance

Image Source / WikipediaIn our day to day life there's an automatic compliance for authority figures or people we see as automatically to be trusted. This could be handing a waiter your bank card to pay a bill, or letting people into your home because they say they're from the water board or electric company. Scammers take advantage of this by posing as people you would usually be compliant with.

29. They Depend On Herd Mentality

Image Source / WikipediaA lot of con artists may take advantage of the herd mentality, where one person is more likely to agree to a scam if they can see other everyday people agreeing to it, too. These other people could also be con artists posing as everyday people who agree to what the lead con artist is saying. When you say these 'everyday' people jumping up to make some cash, it's more likely you'll follow them.

30. They'll Exploit A Person Willing To Do Something Illegal

Image Source / WikipediaIf a con artist is peddling something which is illegal, and they manage to convince you that it's a worthwhile venture, this works in their favour because their target who agreed to it in the first place is then less likely to report the scam because it would mean admitting their own part in illegal activities.