How to Catch a Con Man

Con men often try to rush their marks into making big decisions.

Con men are smooth, personable manipulators with tried-and-true systems for fooling their marks. Some pose as salesmen or investment businessmen and pressure, charm or hype people into giving them money. Others attach themselves to eligible, self-sufficient women and seek access to their finances, insurance or credit cards through marriage. Fortunately, a cautious investor or girlfriend can learn to recognize the signs that she is being tricked and catch a con man before he catches her.

Instructions

1. Know the warning signs. Be wary of a person who dresses impressively, has a fancy office and talks extensively about his personal successes in investments or finance but is unwilling to give information about his background, track record or what exactly he will do with your money.

2. Request information in writing. Ask for a copy of the business's balance sheet or get references from his bank. In personal relationships, ask to see the person's tax returns or birth certificate to confirm that he is not lying about his finances, name or age.

3. Investigate when you are pressured. You can see major warning signs if he is pressing you to invest with him without time for consideration, saying that his proposition has no risk for you and guarantees results, calling more often than you expect to encourage you to invest or, in personal relationships, rushing you into marrying him. Refuse to let him pressure you and demand detailed information and proof of previous successes before you make decisions.

4. Look for major lies. Con artists often invent businesses, addresses and employment histories; look up businesses he mentions in your state's business directory to ensure that they are legitimate. If he claims that his date of birth as registered with his employer or on his birth certificate is inaccurate or he has more than one Social Security number, suspect fraud.

5. Notice your emotions when you talk to the person. If he makes you feel inadequate and incapable of making decisions yourself, he may be manipulating you into letting him make choices for you. If he makes you feel afraid that you will miss a big opportunity if you do not do as he says, consider it a warning sign.

6. Trust your intuition. If a person feels too suave or a deal feels too good to be true, keep your distance.

Tips & Warnings

• Con men are often very charismatic. Do not be manipulated by someone's personal likeability -- if he wants you to trust him on his word alone and will not give you hard evidence of his legitimacy, walk away.

• Con artists often choose several marks who all know each other in the hopes that these people will refer him to one another and will not look further for references. Do not simply accept your friends' or neighbors' review of a person or business without doing further research.

References

• North American Securities Administrators Association: How to Spot a Con Artist
• Dr. Phil.com: Tips to Keep You Away From a Con Man

Resources

• Citizens United to Find Fugitives: Beware of the Con Artist