{"id":25319,"date":"2021-12-06T16:53:49","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T00:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=25319"},"modified":"2022-04-13T12:22:00","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T20:22:00","slug":"15-signs-of-a-con-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/15-signs-of-a-con-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Signs You’re Dealing with a Con Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If there\u2019s one thing that scammers, con artists and hustlers are counting on, it\u2019s that most of us still believe we can spot fraud from a mile away.\u00a0 The statistics suggest otherwise.\u00a0 More than 2.1 million Americans reported fraud <\/a>in 2020, and that\u2019s just the ones who admitted to falling victim to online scams and similar ruses.\u00a0 So what is a con artist and how can you distinguish them from a genuine salesperson, business partner or even romantic date?\u00a0 Look out for these 15 common signs of a scammer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. They Seem To Appear From Nowhere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the characteristics of con artists is that they turn up seemingly out of the blue \u2014 at least for you, that is.\u00a0 They\u2019ve probably done their research and marked your card well in advance.\u00a0 But when they appear at your door or in your email inbox, it seems natural and coincidental, with a pretext or story ready-prepared to back it up.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. The Name\u2019s Other\u2026A.N. Other<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no surprise that con artists rarely use their real names.\u00a0 Serial con artist Samantha Azzopardi<\/a>, for example, operated under assumed names in Australia, Canada and Ireland, claiming to be a Swedish royal and Russian gymnast along the way.\u00a0 So even if someone has given you a business card, run a search online for the given name.\u00a0 If no registered addresses or social media accounts show up, you might well have a con artist on your hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Dressing the Part<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Appearances can be deceiving.\u00a0 British journalist Mazher Mahmood<\/a> managed to dupe royals and celebrities by posing as the \u201cFake Sheikh.\u201d\u00a0 Less sophisticated scammers can trick their victims with a flashy suit, expensive accessories or even a fake badge or uniform.\u00a0 The key question to ask is whether the image matches the backstory.\u00a0 Suits can be hired, uniforms stolen and watches counterfeited, but if the person has \u201cforgotten their wallet\u201d yet again, something doesn\u2019t add up.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Unfamiliar Address<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Online con artists in particular will often use a business address that is not only familiar but also impressive.\u00a0 In fact, the address listed on their card or website is either bogus or simply a mail drop that doesn\u2019t match a physical address.\u00a0 Running a reverse search of their phone number<\/a> or the address they gave you<\/a> on Spokeo should reveal whether they are legitimate or not.\u00a0 A quick search on Google StreetView can even suffice.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. They Are Often Unreachable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your new acquaintance or business contact calls you relentlessly, but when you try to call them you either go straight to voicemail or can\u2019t get through at all.\u00a0 That\u2019s probably because the number they are using is not theirs.\u00a0 Con artists can hide their real number through VoiP software or withhold Caller ID features.\u00a0 Reverse lookup their number to find out who\u2019s really calling you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. Urgency and Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to legendary con artist turned security consultant Frank Abagnale<\/a>, a clear red flag that you\u2019re dealing with a con artist is that the offer is urgent, exclusive or based on a hot tip, rumor or inside information.\u00a0 The person won\u2019t give you time to breathe, even if the pressure is applied with charm and apparent concern.\u00a0 Ask for time to think it over and discuss the offer with friends for a clue to the con artist\u2019s real intentions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. Overly Friendly and Empathetic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Con artists use conventional sales techniques for their own wicked ends.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t matter if the context is business or romantic; if the person seems to remember your name after meeting you one time, recalls an impressive level of detail from your conversations, and is able to zero in on you with disarming focus, be suspicious.\u00a0 By itself, of course, excessive friendliness is hardly a smoking gun, but not if it\u2019s supported by other concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. Storytime…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Con artists not only have highly developed interpersonal skills, but they can also spin a convincing yarn. \u00a0 Extroverts by nature, they seem to have a story for everything, and deliver their patter so fast it leaves you breathless.\u00a0 That makes them easier to catch out, however, by using a simple police interrogation technique.\u00a0 Ask them to repeat a story they told you recently and check that the details match.\u00a0 Even the best con artists will struggle to keep track of their lies without slipping up.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9. Name Dropping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Leveraging the psychological trick of social proof, con artists will often drop names to add legitimacy or authority to their story.\u00a0 They may claim to know influential people or to be connected to you through a mutual acquaintance.\u00a0 The only way to confirm is by following up on their references and testimonials, if they have them, of course.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Catching a Catfish<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve received a friend request on social media from someone you don\u2019t know.\u00a0 There are no mutual connections, the person does not appear to have any genuine followers, and their profile is thin on detail.\u00a0 Should you accept?\u00a0 Not without doing a reverse photo lookup of their profile picture.\u00a0 Catfishing<\/a> is a common con that starts with a bogus social media profile.\u00a0 With a few simple tools from Spokeo, it\u2019s easy to expose, however.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. Return to Sender, Address Unknown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Meeting someone for a date in a neutral venue is a sound tactic, but if you\u2019re still in the dark about where a person lives after the fourth or fifth date, for example, you might want to question their authenticity.\u00a0 If they don\u2019t share their address, or always seem to be on the move, their home might not be the only thing they\u2019re trying to hide.\u00a0 Run a reverse lookup on their phone number<\/a> to confirm where they\u2019re calling from.\u00a0 If the area code doesn\u2019t even match the city, you\u2019re onto something.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. Excuses, Excuses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Their phone is out of battery, they left their wallet at home, or their flight has been delayed.\u00a0 To keep you off their trail, con artists will use a variety of excuses.\u00a0 It might be genuine, of course, but if they\u2019re less receptive to any excuses on your part and keep pressuring you into a decision, that\u2019s a sure sign of a con artist.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gif: https:\/\/imgflip.com\/gif\/5tvib6<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Relentless and Impulsive Behavior<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday you didn\u2019t even know each other.\u00a0 Today they\u2019re showering you with gifts, messages and attention. Suspicious?\u00a0 It might be flattering, but really short bursts of intense activity are just another hard sales technique.\u00a0 Whether the goal is to accept a business offer or a romantic one, beware of anyone who won\u2019t let you step back and assess.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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14. Emotional Blackmail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some of the most common scams are from con artists who appeal to our empathy, even if the person is a relative stranger.\u00a0 That\u2019s the feature of the Grandparent Scam, and numerous other online hustles that beg for help.\u00a0 But faced with a new friend from a foreign country in dire need of assistance, it\u2019s worth questioning why they came to you first and not someone closer to home.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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15. Mirroring<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using the principle of similarity<\/a> for persuasion, many con artists will forge a close connection by either mirroring your own gestures and speech patterns or claiming similarities between your life and theirs.  They will list experiences and anecdotal evidence that suggests they are just like you, for example.  The goal is to trigger your empathy and put you at ease when a better tactic is to be on your guard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s con artists have a wealth of online and digital tools at their disposal, but most still rely on age-old persuasion and deception techniques.  Luckily, technology works in your favor too.  Use Spokeo\u2019s suite of tools to reveal real identities, expose scams and protect yourself from con artists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n