How to Flush Out Con Artists
They're smooth-talking, convincing, and they can make you do things that you never thought you would do; con artists have been around since dawn, and they have remained the same with some technological adjustments. Today's snake oil vendors have much more elaborate ways to get you to do what they want, but when you learn how to spot a con artist, you will be better able to resist their scams and save yourself from trouble.
7 Signs of a Con Artist
Con artists come in all shapes and sizes, but they have a few things in common that help to spot them; the following signs of a con artist will help you discover who may be trying to defraud you and stop the con in its tracks:
Charm and Niceness
To lure in their victims, con artists need charm that can blind even the most skeptical person. While charm is not a bad quality, con artists use it to hurt other people and try to get them to do things they want. In most cases, the main goal of the con artist is to take his victim's money, which he can do by gaining the trust of their intended money machine. Charm can easily melt away doubt, so you need to notice when someone is trying to charm you.
Teaming Up with You
A con artist will try to create forced teams with you by using words like "we" and "us". This forced teaming is intended to make you feel as if the con artist and you are in the same boat, which will in turn make you more malleable. Teaming up with their intended victims helps con artists get closer to unsuspecting individuals to get their money or other assets.
Claiming to Make Quick and Easy Money
When con artists try to get money out of people, with false investments, for instance, they will make it seem like they can make millions in minutes. A con artist will boast about how much he makes to make it seem like you can do the same if you just partner up with them. Wealthy people usually do not talk about their finances, especially to complete strangers, so if someone is telling you how much they make, it is a sign of a con artist.
Promising Things that You Did Not Ask for
Promises by con artists are intended to make you feel confident that you are in good hands and that whatever the scammer is saying will come true. When a con artist sees that you are unsure what to do with him, he will give you promises left and right that everything will be alright and that you are in good hands. You should be very critical about promises people give you because there are no guarantees in life, especially when it comes to money, and even financial experts cannot give you 100% assurance that you will get what you want.
Refusal to Hear the Word 'No'
One of the clear-cut signs of a con artist is a refusal to hear the word 'no'; con artists try to work their victims as hard as possible, so refusal is not an option for them. These types of people try to take control of others, and hearing that they cannot is unacceptable to the con artist. If someone is unwilling to take a 'no' from you, take it as a warning sign that they may be trying to con you.
Dressing for Success
To get you to believe that they are successful con artists will dress the part and try to project an image of success through their clothing. The average con artist will be dressed to impress and try to look professional and successful at all times while trying to make you think that they were just like you once.
Bringing Out the Worst in You
Fear, greed, and insecurity are just some of the qualities that con artists bring out of their victims; when trying to get their hooks into you, con artists will make you act with emotion rather than logic. If you question the con artist, he will make you fear failure and cause you to become insecure and put your trust in them. Be careful about people who try to instill fear in you and do not let yourself make emotional decisions, especially when it comes to money.
Con artists lack a conscience and they do whatever they can to defraud people and take their money. If you met someone that promises you quick money and great rewards, be critical of them and do not believe everything you hear. If you want to check people's credentials, education, criminal history, and personal information, perform a people search or phone number search on ProPeopleSearch.com. The site will provide you with complete access to public records that will give you valuable data about people. In any case, make sure that people who contact you for business ventures or financial transactions have legitimate intentions, and watch out for signs of con artists with every such individual that you meet.
