Games Con Men Play - The Semiosis of Deceptive Interaction

• NCJ Number: 74884
• Journal: Journal of Communication Volume: 30 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1980) Pages: 104-112
• Author(s): A Hankiss
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Aspects of the deceptive interactions of con artists with their victims are identified in this Hungarian article, using case histories from police records.

Abstract

The 'bait,' which is dangled by the con artist before the victim, induces the victim to participate in the con scheme. The offering of the bait is often preceded or accompanied by 'stroking,' ranging from sentimental gestures to respectfulness, gifts, and other veiled and indirect reinforcements for trust. Con artists aim at authenticating themselves within the scheme by establishing a connection with the victim or presenting knowledge and scenarios that will convince the victim of the con artist's integrity and presented identity. How the victims misinterpret the information provided by the con artist makes the stratagems work. Con artists accomplish this by playing on the victim's stereotyped expectations on one or more of three levels -- the rational, the psychodynamic, and the sociodynamic. These stereotyped expectations are habitual patterns of construing meanings that are yoked to the customary, the directly given, the momentary, the already experienced, and one's ego. Misinterpretation on the rational level is usually connected with false premises. At the psychodynamic level, the con artist works on the emotional willingness and interest of the victim in the bait. At the sociodynamic level, the con artist focuses on the relationship of roles between con artist and victim. At the start of the game, the con artist casts the victim in a certain role which the victim desires (a person of status, knowledge, skill, etc.), and the con artist adopts the complementary role in appearance and behavior. The victim is thus led to act out the role subtly defined by the con artist in taking the bait. Parallels between the biblical Eve's misinterpretation of reality and the modern victims of con games are briefly explored. A few footnotes are included.