Talk:Confidence trick

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Confidence trick article.
Article policies
Archives: 1
Archive
Archives


Contents

[edit] what!? has anyone here ever heard of "short-changing"?

the most common form (i would imagine) of confidence tricks is short-changing (a.k.a quick-changing). it seems odd that this is not mentioned here, or that it doesn't have it's own aricle entry. someone listed a very petty version of it in the listed cons, but that is nowhere sufficient. the only idea i can think of is that somebody (administrator perhaps), wouldn't allow this in the article because it would encourage people to try it, because of it's relative ease to commit. anyone? Helio462

[edit] I'm so angry I don't have to pay you????

This paragraph is the first under "Other Confidence Tricks" and, in my opinion, comes across very soapbox-y and personal. Certainly, there's no reference offered to this particular "scam." I think it should be removed, but I'm new to this and therefore not sure if I should go ahead and do it or leave it those who have been responsible for editing this page so far. Also, the author seems like the kinda person who I wouldn't want to piss off, even in cyberspace. Please advise. Thanks.----guinevere34

[edit] Totse

The Totse info should be placed, since it tells people HOW to initiate different scams, such as some used to bilk Wal*Mart, often called "Wally Mart", "Wally World" on Totse. 65.163.112.114 (talk) 22:23, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Charity "tricks" don't belong here.

The charity "tricks" described aren't confidence tricks, they are just beggars' lies. Their success doesn't depend on the "mark" being fooled, because it doesn't matter whether the person really is disabled, has children, is out of gas, etc. It only matters that the "mark" is sympathetic. There's a guy in San Francisco who has been showing people a foot-long bloody peeled-off scab on his arm for years now, asking for cab fare to the hospital, pretending it just happened (bike accident or something). Yes, he's really bleeding. No, it's not a confidence trick. No, he's not taking a cab to the hospital with your $25. It's just a lie, not a trick, and certainly not a confidence trick. Even less, the beggar with her kids. 99.129.197.47 (talk) 05:02, 17 February 2008 (UTC)

If its a scam, it belongs here. 65.173.105.114 (talk) 21:43, 3 March 2008 (UTC)
If I understand your example correctly this guy is using a confidence trick. The mark mistakes the use to which the con artist intends to put the money and it is this misunderstanding that evokes the charitable response. It may not "matter whether the person really is disabled...," etc, but it does depend on deceiving the mark in some way (or else, presumably they would tell the "beggar," to sod off. Grubel (usurped) (talk) 17:56, 22 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] In the movie examples

Awake (2007) is a recent movie involving con artists and should be listed. http://imdb.com/title/tt0211933/

192.160.131.13 (talk) 05:26, 22 March 2008 (UTC)stf

[edit] Usage in slang

This section, aside from being poorly written, is unsourced and possibly not notable. Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not for things made up in school one day may also apply. I'm going to remove it. 207.108.142.61 (talk) 18:15, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

Cool. Nestorius (talk) 22:34, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Anyone know the spelling of 'Coup de grau'

I'm thinking it, or a similar word means, the crowning 'Sting' - 'the best one I've ever done'. Please let me know asap. Thank you.