Think You Can't Be Fooled?
353897
There's nothing like a good scam. I love scams in books and movies --  Ocean's Eleven, Catch Me If You Can, The Sting. I suspect I'd be a lot less charmed if I were to encounter one in real life though.

I feel simultaneously prepared for scams and resigned to being a dupe after reading Maria Konnikova's The Confidence Game. She describes different types of scams and cons with plenty of examples. People who have impersonated others, grifters, shell game artists, they're all here, and it's fascinating. She explains how they pull off their operations and why people fall for them.

It's great to know how the psychics and fast talking pitchmen play on our weaknesses, and even intelligent people who are nobody's fool can fall for these hucksters. Because -- psychology. They play on our trust, our vulnerability, our fears, and sometimes we're weak and they really move in. They tell us what we want to hear, promise us what we secretly want. Konnikova concludes that we actually might be better off, psychologically, to be more trusting than more suspicious overall. Not exactly the advice I was hoping for, but I can see her point.

Lots of great scam stories, and some food for thought as well. (And look for the YouTube video Konnikova describes of trickster Derren Brown paying New York merchants with blank paper while distracting them with chit chat. Pricelesss!)
2518118
When I read and see a description of the product I plan to purchase, I expect to receive the same. Not the case here, I received copies. Why can't these merchants be honest with us? Most are. This guy is a liar, and hoping people accept his copies, or don't know any better. He is a rip-off.
2295890
This book is a deception. Once you open it you realize that its value does not live up to expectations. I am sure the real Tablets exists but are hidden from the eyes of the public. This isn't the real thing.
2544255
If you believe this book's title proposition, then you believe anyone can MAKE YOU like THEM. Do you really believe that? The author is saying she can make me like her. But I could never like someone who writes books that simply prey on the gullibility of people who lack confidence.

I can understand her, and see that her childhood produced a woman with very low ethical standards that she has so far been powerless to raise. And it is not her fault, it is just how things turned out. But I couldn't like her until the day she urges people to burn all her books, and writes something truthful and helpful.
102718
when ever you are told your being scammed its never a happy moment.  But before you can put an end to it you have to know what is really happening!
1002433
Do I feel just "slightly" scammed? Uh, yes - cover color - check - preview color - check - purchase download - B&W - gotcha!
BEWARE OF THE BAIT AND SWITCH!!!!
2184455
If you have ever known a confidence man, you will recognize Gregor McGregor, the man who had the nerve to invent a country and then sell land in it to gullible prospective settlers, some of whom actually went there to find nothing but jungle and mosquitos. All confidence men seem to be of the same character; so caught up in their own pretnesions that they actually believe them. They are appealing people full of hope and optimism who are able to convince people to believe them. They are all about deception and deceit and rarely even feel the pain that they cause in others. They always have excuses and others to blame when things go wrong. They are eager to take credit for success but always have someone else lined up to take the blame when things go wrong. They are evasive about their past and brush off any serious inquiry as an affront from a lesser being. Their lies are so big that nobody would imagine them to be a lie, especially when shrouded in complexity and boambast.

Don't know any confidence men? Of course you do; Barrack Obama is on TV evey night and Gregor McGregor is just the 1820 incarnation of this massive phony and fraud. And can anybody tell me why no one has seriously attempted to get Obama'a college records?  The same reason that they never questioned McGregor; they bought into the con.
2792959
Peter Breggin, Md, and his friends may benefit

from misleading naive and desperate people.

Squiggles
4004160
Mind boggling information on manipulation of The Word by those who didn't/don't really believe it anyway! ...beware - it may make you want to braid a whip to take to these men!
3224972
Excellent.  Just hard to believe the deceit and lies.  Has anyone been held to justice over this?
2441813
This book gives a modern take on one of the world's oldest professions; tricking people out of their hard earned money.  While "confidence men," "con artists" and schemers have always been operating from the fringes (OK, from Wall Street and Main Street too,) today it's a different world with the Internet. Lots more victims to lure and rip off.  And business is booming.

The author updates us on the latest sleazy tactics. I especially enjoyed the section, "I SEO."  The book dissects phony sales pitches and bogus buzz words to fool the unsuspecting into wasting their money. Customers believe they are rising in Google page rankings, when they are actually not doing a thing for their online presence.

My ultimate favorite chapter is the first one, especially pages 10 and 11, re: online reputation management.  You'll have to read the book to find out why!

Looking forward to the next expose.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Charity-Bashed/dp/B0046A9OA2/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Charity Bashed</a>
9651
I was yet another purchaser tricked. I naturally presumed that the accompanying CD's come with the book but NO they want you to purchase them separately. I should nave read the reviews. please do not fall for this!!
2258144
We all need to be aware of what is happening in this world. So easy to be totally deceived!
2109448
deceiving picture, you cannot trick the buyer if you are selling only one bulb. until they don't fix the problem, the review stays
3332443
Gets you thinking about how you may need to look deeper into "facts" that people give you.  There is a small lie in most assumptions.
4626804
The most important question anyone should ask themselves is; does this dummy camera look real. Will it fool people into thinking it's an actual functioning camera. If the answer is yes, then you have found what you're looking for and you should consider buying it. But what if the answer isn't quite "yes." What if it only comes close?

I liked the way this camera looked over the others that were offered and I bought it. When it arrived, my initial thought was; I guess it looks as real as a plastic camera can. Sometimes it's hard to tell from an items picture what you're going to get until you actually hold it in your hand. Don't get me wrong, the photo they have posted is actually what you will receive. There is no deception; just understand it's all plastic. Maybe real security camera's and their accociated mounting brackets are actually made of plastic these days, I don't know. I guess I was hoping for some thin aluminum somewhere to help with the deception. I agree with the other reviewers in one sense; it does look real ... but I have to add, 'if it's not viewed too closely or when it's dark.' If you have somewhere high you can mount it, I think you will be pleased. Keep in mind not to mount it too high because you will eventually have to replace the batteries (2 AA, not included.) Also, don't mount it directly under an unmovable object for the same reason. The battery compartment is on top of the camera and you don't want to take the entire camera down just to swap out the batteries. You may also want to consider buying a coaxial cable and tying it together with the fake cord that comes with the camera. All real cameras use coaxial cable. One final thought; there's a lot of debate regarding the blinking light. Do what you feel is right. I personally kept the blinking light on, but it's vey easy to stop it by simply removing the batteries.

This camera comes close and I am currently using it. It has fooled some of my neighbors already and that's a good sign it's doing what it was intended to do. On the other hand, some of my neighbors could be just humoring me and not saying anything.
1666027
I may changed my review after I have finished the book; it is interesting so far.  I may not give full stars though, because this book was listed as free - right up until I clicked on the 'buy it' button - then I got a screen saying it wasn't really free, it was $2.99.  That's still not much, and I went ahead and bought the book this time, but it doesn't seem right to trick potential readers that way.  Had I known the real price ahead of time, I wouldn't have objected; I just don't like to be tricked.