Description
No one thinks it can happen to them, but Americans are 40 times more likely to be defrauded than to have their cars stolen or their homes burgled. Con artists ruin people financially and emotionally, leaving in their wake a trail of destruction, broken hearts, and deflated dreams. The first step to combating fraud is to understand it. What do scams look like? Why are they effective? The next step is to take action. How can we protect ourselves and our families? The Con: How Scams Work, Why You're Vulnerable, and How to Protect Yourself informs and engages with accessible stories of ordinary people from all walks of life thrown into unexpected and disorienting circumstances. The book goes behind the scenes of real-world cons to examine the logistics and psychology that enable scams to succeed. The goal is to help people understand and recognize deception, and in the same way that they avoid other potentially dangerous situations, take a detour. Once readers have gained a clear idea of what scams look and sound like and learned simple strategies to reduce personal risk, protecting themselves will be just as instinctive as putting on a seat belt.
About the Author
James Munton is an expert in deception and misdirection. A successful magician, James provides entertainment, marketing and training for corporations and organizations. He has performed for Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Cheney and three times at the White House. He is an in-demand speaker on the subjects of identity theft and data breaches. He has appeared on Fox 5 News and ABC Morning News (Washington, D.C.) and in a National Geographic Television documentary special. He has been featured in articles in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He is a past president of the National Capital chapters of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians. Jelita McLeod is an award-winning writer who has worked in marketing, advocacy and public relations for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, International Educator, The College Board Review and Vital Speeches of the Day. Her commentary has aired on the National Public Radio program All Things Considered. Currently a freelance writer, she has served as a full-time speechwriter and as director of external relations at the Fulbright Association. She previously worked at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University, and overseas in England and Japan.
Reviews
It is unfortunate but in my 20 years in law enforcement I can recall many of the same victims' stories as told in The Con. James and Jelita have provided historical and statistical information with actual accounts of these frauds through the victims and suspects perspectives. These victims' stories along with the tips and resources can help raise awareness and hopefully help individuals prevent or recover from these ever prevalent crimes. -- Michael B. Dana, Financial Crimes Detective, Dallas Police Department
This is the best book about scams I have ever read. It is a wake-up call for all those who think they can't be conned. The compelling stories show how real-world cons unfold, why they work and what we must do to protect ourselves. An essential and entertaining guide to spotting and avoiding scams in everyday life. -- Julieann Dimmick, attorney, formerly of the Office of the General Counsel, Enforcement; US Department of the Treasury
I have had the honor of reviewing Jelita McLeod and James Munton's manuscript on con games, titled The Con; How scams work, Why you are vulnerable and How to Protect Yourself. Looking over each of the chapters of the collection of con games played on unsuspecting victims and the personalized stories, I am reminded of many of the reports I have taken on a variety of scams. As a law enforcement officer and a magician, I have lectured on flim flam to many groups over the years. Jelita and James book is an interesting collection of many of the more popular cons played out throughout the world. The sad part is, how this affects the victim. Suicides have been a part of how the victim dealt with being swindled. Some, of older age, have been confined to a nursing home as their children felt their parents could not cope in the world after being scammed and losing everything they had. I am most impressed with the Warning Signs and Tips to Protect Yourself at the end, along with a vast array of Resources a person can contact should the unthinkable occur. Overall, I recommend this to everyone as a training guide to alert them as to the seedy side of people. I recommend this book to citizens and law enforcement personnel who want to educate themselves on many of the scams that are occuring daily. Jelita and James have performed a great service by writing this book and putting it out so all can understand the mechanics of the con and how to protect yourself. As the old adage goes, if it is too good to be true, it probably is. -- Glenn Hester, police officer, Glynn County, GA
This book is a must read. Well written, informational and entertaining, it is full of interesting stories that drive home the number and variety of scams in operation, how intelligent people fall for these scams and how to protect yourself. There were scams that I had not heard of even after being in the security business for over 15 years. -- Marta Zaricznyj, CEO and security consultant, Znovation, LLC
The popular cultural depiction of a con shows an ingenious bit of skulduggery pulled off by a charming schemer or schemers. Think The Sting and Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen. But the prevalence of cons-40 times more common than car theft and burglary-and the range of its perpetrators, from family members to global Internet scammers, demand more vigilance than do other crimes. Magician and expert on deception Munton, abetted by writer McLeod, goes behind the scenes to present stories of ordinary con victims to dissect how scams are perpetrated and the elements and tactics of typical cons. The authors go on to detail seven categories of con, from foreign lottery and sweepstakes scams to reshipping schemes to fraudulent home repair. From telemarketing tricks to crimeware, they describe how scammers use technology to gain access to potential victims. They also detail how to protect against the cons, identify possible setups, and reduce the likelihood of falling into conning traps. Finally, they advise readers on recovering from identity theft. Completely fascinating and insightful. * Booklist *
Book Information
ISBN 9781442207325
Author James Munton
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 318g
Dimensions(mm) 224mm * 145mm * 17mm
About the Author
James Munton is an expert in deception and misdirection. A successful magician, James provides entertainment, marketing and training for corporations and organizations. He has performed for Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Cheney and three times at the White House. He is an in-demand speaker on the subjects of identity theft and data breaches. He has appeared on Fox 5 News and ABC Morning News (Washington, D.C.) and in a National Geographic Television documentary special. He has been featured in articles in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He is a past president of the National Capital chapters of both the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians. Jelita McLeod is an award-winning writer who has worked in marketing, advocacy and public relations for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, International Educator, The College Board Review and Vital Speeches of the Day. Her commentary has aired on the National Public Radio program All Things Considered. Currently a freelance writer, she has served as a full-time speechwriter and as director of external relations at the Fulbright Association. She previously worked at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University, and overseas in England and Japan.
Reviews
It is unfortunate but in my 20 years in law enforcement I can recall many of the same victims' stories as told in The Con. James and Jelita have provided historical and statistical information with actual accounts of these frauds through the victims and suspects perspectives. These victims' stories along with the tips and resources can help raise awareness and hopefully help individuals prevent or recover from these ever prevalent crimes. -- Michael B. Dana, Financial Crimes Detective, Dallas Police Department
This is the best book about scams I have ever read. It is a wake-up call for all those who think they can't be conned. The compelling stories show how real-world cons unfold, why they work and what we must do to protect ourselves. An essential and entertaining guide to spotting and avoiding scams in everyday life. -- Julieann Dimmick, attorney, formerly of the Office of the General Counsel, Enforcement; US Department of the Treasury
I have had the honor of reviewing Jelita McLeod and James Munton's manuscript on con games, titled The Con; How scams work, Why you are vulnerable and How to Protect Yourself. Looking over each of the chapters of the collection of con games played on unsuspecting victims and the personalized stories, I am reminded of many of the reports I have taken on a variety of scams. As a law enforcement officer and a magician, I have lectured on flim flam to many groups over the years. Jelita and James book is an interesting collection of many of the more popular cons played out throughout the world. The sad part is, how this affects the victim. Suicides have been a part of how the victim dealt with being swindled. Some, of older age, have been confined to a nursing home as their children felt their parents could not cope in the world after being scammed and losing everything they had. I am most impressed with the Warning Signs and Tips to Protect Yourself at the end, along with a vast array of Resources a person can contact should the unthinkable occur. Overall, I recommend this to everyone as a training guide to alert them as to the seedy side of people. I recommend this book to citizens and law enforcement personnel who want to educate themselves on many of the scams that are occuring daily. Jelita and James have performed a great service by writing this book and putting it out so all can understand the mechanics of the con and how to protect yourself. As the old adage goes, if it is too good to be true, it probably is. -- Glenn Hester, police officer, Glynn County, GA
This book is a must read. Well written, informational and entertaining, it is full of interesting stories that drive home the number and variety of scams in operation, how intelligent people fall for these scams and how to protect yourself. There were scams that I had not heard of even after being in the security business for over 15 years. -- Marta Zaricznyj, CEO and security consultant, Znovation, LLC
The popular cultural depiction of a con shows an ingenious bit of skulduggery pulled off by a charming schemer or schemers. Think The Sting and Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen. But the prevalence of cons-40 times more common than car theft and burglary-and the range of its perpetrators, from family members to global Internet scammers, demand more vigilance than do other crimes. Magician and expert on deception Munton, abetted by writer McLeod, goes behind the scenes to present stories of ordinary con victims to dissect how scams are perpetrated and the elements and tactics of typical cons. The authors go on to detail seven categories of con, from foreign lottery and sweepstakes scams to reshipping schemes to fraudulent home repair. From telemarketing tricks to crimeware, they describe how scammers use technology to gain access to potential victims. They also detail how to protect against the cons, identify possible setups, and reduce the likelihood of falling into conning traps. Finally, they advise readers on recovering from identity theft. Completely fascinating and insightful. * Booklist *
Book Information
ISBN 9781442207325
Author James Munton
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 318g
Dimensions(mm) 224mm * 145mm * 17mm
