Have you ever been conned?

A couple of years ago, I almost lost lots of money in a house deal that was too good to be resisted. But the apparent seller made a gross blunder that would have trapped most people. He was in a big hurry. He needed me to deposit 10% before he flew out of the country and leave me finalizing the details with his lawyer. Strange enough, the agency through which he was selling his house is an international brand.

People lose money to con artists mainly because of trying to get something for nothing. All scammers have one thing in common – they ask for money with a sense of urgency. They put pressure on their clients and threaten you for any delays. They don’t give you time to sleep over the deal and examine the facts. They appeal to your emotions. The deal has to be closed now.?

Whether petty tricksters appealing to be bailed from an emergency, or bank swindlers plotting for big money, they make you focus on the opportunity cost and what is at risk for delay-dallies. Investment cons will even give someone a fat cheque publicly to convince you how people are making money in their financial scheme. But the cheque recipient is one of them. They think through the process end-to-end.

Scam artists are non-violent criminals and they achieve much more than violent robbery. Even in the West, they have outsmarted the entire security system. The difference between conmen and genuine salesmen is that the latter deliver on their promise. Swindlers exploit your most vulnerable positions. Love scammers, for example, will promise marriage, sex or even taking you abroad for a better life.

In this time and age, you must understand the criminal code of fraudsters. Many of today’s racketeers are jobless graduates that think ahead of you. They use the right words, ask the right questions and they put people in the right situation to do exactly as they tell them. If they ever make a presentation in your presence, see beyond their expensive grooming. Refuse to close any deal as an emergency.

Most politicians use similar tactics. They appeal to the voters’ desperation for change. They buy big cars and dress sharp to fool you that they don’t need your money – they’re trying to help the community. They sell a very convincing story and most of them don’t deliver on their promises. If someone does not deliver what they promised, he is a conman. One of these days, I’ll write about social media cons. ??

DR. K. N. JACOB?