Conned - Dreams deferred
- Big Whiz
- Aug 31, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 2, 2025
"My theory of self-made men is, then, simply this; that they are men of work. Whether or not such men have acquired material, moral or intellectual excellence, honest labor faithfully, steadily and persistently pursued is the best, if not the only, explanation of their success . . . all human experience proves over and over again, that any success which comes through meanness, trickery, fraud and dishonor, is but emptiness and will only be a torment to its possessor."
Scammed – Dreams Deferred
If you have been paying attention, you know that my overall advice in this capitalistic society has always been buyer beware! I speak constantly and clearly about the sickness of greed that destroys or denigrates everything it comes into contact with. There are sadly no aspects of life that remain untouched by this disease. This evil erodes any sense of good moral character. Suddenly the financial ends justify any means and kills any intention of correct judgment. Even the murderer or drug peddler, who may normally understand the terrible consequences of their actions, at once concludes that obtaining the power and adoration that comes with having money is worth the subsequent finger pointing.
If an individual who has grown accustomed to the shame and longing inherent in the trappings of poverty, is finally coveted for gaining wealth, he finds himself trapped! In a world where the majority aspire to be rich at all costs, we ride the flimsy edges of a slippery slope. Millionaires and billionaires count on this insane desire to keep themselves from excess scrutiny, and of course to maintain their misguided sense of power and prestige. In this day and age, no one questions how wealth was obtained; they only want to share in it. This is why you seldom, if ever, see documentaries or movies where the true focus is placed on victims of crimes, but more so on the thieves, con artists, and dregs of society. Planet Earth has lost all semblance of the need for righteousness or virtue. Gone are the days of being helpful neighbors, since we have been thoroughly and meticulously trained in the arts of competition and jealousy. Now is the time to diminish the power of money by understanding and renewing our love of ethics. Our own admiration of their pseudo power is what perpetuates our own lack of self-worth.
Today I was fortunate to watch a documentary called “Conned.” The tales reemphasized warnings that I have repeatedly put forth to writers, dreamers, creators and the world. Victims of cons too often feel a horrible sense of embarrassment and vulnerability which frequently fosters self-isolation. Couple this with the vulnerability that many creative personalities already feel when sharing their works. For this reason, I commend the courage it took for these victims to speak so candidly of there personal experiences. We do wise to take heed! Nothing kills dreams or destroys confidence like being grifted. Creators seek a kind ear, an admiring eye, and support for their creations.
Deceivers utilize our natural want for belief and support to rush even the diligent into suppressing their basic suspicions. Had it not been for far more pressing financial matters, I too could have easily been fooled into the deep web of a scam. Drastic situations can sometimes cause the mind to ignore common sense. The saddest part of this is that, when someone shows genuine excitement about our talents, we simply cannot trust their words. The risk has become too great. Cons hold themselves close to reputable people within the industry and are well-versed in the jargon of said industry. This is why we must research the professional language as well as the expected price for services rendered. If you receive an offer for a tool like copyrighting, that exceeds the normal $45 - $50 rate, you’re probably being taken advantage of. Many respectable sources remain unaware that their names and reputations are being used in furtherance of a swindle. Grifters have established vast networks over time, that increase the scale and depth of their crimes. To counter this, we must build our own network that exposes these criminals and their associations. Some organizations already exist like SCARS. If you’ve had the misfortune to be contacted by scammers, put them on blast! Make their names and those of their collaborators well-known to the public. The use of pseudonyms is prevalent in the business of conning. Use of video conferencing is encouraged when dealing with anyone that you are considering sharing your work with, in a business setting. Record these so that you have a record of faces. Criminals can use fake names, but their faces are their own. Rendering such crimes ineffective will drop their success rate, thereby decreasing the rapid spread of the greed disease. The less chance they have of succeeding, the greater the risk of arrest and accountability.
"Fraud is the daughter of greed!" - John Grant
Now let’s delve into the nature of scammers and the characteristics of a con. Make no bones about it, even the savviest fall victim to scams. Fraud has been a part of human existence since humanity’s existence. The notion of gaining by way of artful manipulation is an ancient concept. Scams have been evolving and improving over millennia. Positive traits like desire, ambition and self-confidence can be weaponized against us. This world of social influence and idol worship often leads to the assumption that icons would never betray our trust. For the record; anyone can be a scammer, and anyone can be scammed, under the proper circumstances. Historically, if you received a succession of promises, but the delivery always remained a future event, you were probably dealing with a con. Modern criminals are more sophisticated than this. Their plans are multilayered, with contingencies in case the mark develops doubts. Specific scams are designed for particular victims. They are tailor-made to fit! Research is done on a range of factors, including age, financial status, technical knowledge and life occurrences. Bombarding the victim with a mass of different emails, phone calls, texts or ads assists in determining which scams are best suited for which marks.
Let’s say a victim generally never responds to a false ad disguised as a respected bank, but clicks on an ad from a fake singles’ retreat. Cons take note of this vulnerability, scrap the bank ads and employ tactics for a lonely-hearts scam instead. The mark has been separated from the herd. Much like fishing, many bait are deployed. until which one the fish in the area are biting becomes known. When the fishermen feel a nibble, they attempt to set the hook in deeper via legal threats, promises, or incredible deals with short time constraints. Be leery of any “limited time only” offers. Once the hook is securely set, the reeling begins. There is always a proposed need or benefit that only the scammer can help with. If the bait taken was a legal threat where the mark supposedly owed $5,000, the con can magically settle this burden for a measly $1,500 . . . only if you act immediately, of course. A detailed payment process will follow. This is when the scammer guides the victim step-by-step through a meticulous set of instructions to secure the bag. The fish may wiggle and resist at this point, but the fishermen continue to reel in. From this initial success, the criminals now up the ante. Some unforeseen problem with the process rears its ugly head. Additional monies will be required to resolve this new issue. Scammers may emphasize how close everything is to being completed or remind the victim of how much money they have already invested in the resolution. The ease with which this next payment is received and the amount will determine the grifters’ next move. They now have the option to create additional challenges, requiring still more money, or disengaging completely, and ceasing all further communication. In keeping with our fishing analogy, the fishermen can either release the fish by cutting the line, or keep reeling the fish further in. By the time the mark recognizes the plot, their finances have ordinarily been depleted. In the event that the scheme is realized before it runs its course; stop sending money promptly. Do not allow the previous payments to coerce you into sending more. Recouping money from scams is a major undertaking, however, it is not impossible. Most police departments and governments now include fraud departments. Advancements are being made in efforts to hold these types of criminals accountable for their crimes.
"Fraud is to accept what you cannot repay." - Publilius Syrus
Betrayal induces a sense of guilt, anxiety, shame and a lingering lack of trust in victims. Most victims are hesitant to make their experiences public fodder. This speaks directly to the need for a caring, experienced network, to address occurrences, problems and solutions. We all are either victims or potential victims. Conversations should begin to include children, so they learn to recognize and avoid cons earlier than we did. An extra benefit of establishing a network, would be that we could purchase and support each other’s works. Not that we should ever turn a blind eye to quality, but there are great artisans in our midst. We are our own greatest supporters. I encourage each of you to not be discouraged, but to be more aware. Take your due diligence to another level . . . communicate with other writers and artists. It takes a lot of fortitude to take a loss and keep creating. Allow their evil efforts to motivate and inspire your perseverance. If not, then the cons win. Support is how we strengthen our ranks! God speed to you all.
"We have developed a healthy fear of the big machines. Though we crave their amazing reach and technological tools, we abhor the inherent possibility for abuse."
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