[UA] OT Anyone run a con like this (was Cons to Watch out for)

[Cassady Toles]

On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 14:02:29 -0700 (PDT), ua at lists.uchicago.edu wrote:

  Anyone ever run a scam like this?  I promise I'll
  report you the minute you confess.
  
I used to run short cons in my late teens but never long cons like the one
discussed.  The distinction is that a short con involves one point of
contact, a long con involves multiple points of contact or contact with
multiple people.  A short con is more likely to break your nose, a long con
is more likely to land you in jail.  

I suspect logistically, this scam wouldn't work as well as you think it
would and I don't think that the runner would be able to claim "bag-man"
status like Bailey was suggesting.  I used to work at a bank.  I know how
efficient banks are at investigating fraud.  By federal law, the branch is
supposed to check id whenever dispensing money.  This is especially true of
Less cash recieved transactions.  Multiple unusual deposits get a flag
automatically in most bank computer systems, and a series of them would
result in a routine fraud investigation.  Add to this that people in other
banks are going to start noticing the money missing to begin with and things
start to fall apart for our little con man. 

Further, the fact that you got cash recieved implicates you as conspirator
status.  And they know it was you because of the little cameras in banks.

That all said, the fraud could be a cute basis for an RPG or an adventure. 
But in reality I question its feasability.  Besides, for the amount of time
and energy necessary to pull this fraud through, you might as well just get
a job...

If you're looking for good short con ideas, the secret is in selling people
shit that no one wants or needs for little enough money that they think of
themselves as stupid for falling for it.  My best example of this was the $5
elevator passes I used to sell to freshmen in a high school with no two
story buildings.

I also ran an illegal football pool out of a series of lockers, but wound
that down because the logistics were getting mind boggling.

And ultimately I got tired of competing for the Hustler archtype...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I am the messiah in the bottom of a bottle of Jack Daniel's.  Drink of me
and
no peace." -- Cobra Baghdad www.peoplehateme.com
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