Criminal Anecdote

[AFS]

I'm writing a script about confidence men, and just looking for a little inspiration.

While I'm basing most of the goings-on on personal experience (either witnessed or participated in), I'm looking to see if anyone has any anecdotes on crimes, scams, etc. Something you have seen, preferably.

As an example, to show what kinds of things I'm looking for, I used to know a guy who would collect four ten dollar bills, and cut a diffrent corner off of each one. He would then tape each corner onto one $1, and use it at bars, or other places with bad lighting. Not condoning this practice, mind you.

Thanks.

 

[12quidkidinnit]

What about this old chestnut. I was told about it years ago. I don't know if it's actually been done, (or even been the subject of tv or film, but it goes something like this.

A well dressed person walks into an art shop in a posh city (somewhere like Oxford UK) and he's carrying an oil painting. He tells the proprietor he's got an appointment with his accountant but doesn't want to risk leaving the painting in the car. He adds that it's not worth a great deal but is of huge sentimental value. He offers the shop some money if they will agree to look after it until he comes back.

20 minutes later a second person goes into the shop. He eventually "notices" the painting and makes a remark like, "I can't believe it, I haven't seen one of those in years, how much do you want for it ?"

The shop proprietor tells him it's not for sale, but the person is persistent, and says he would be willing to pay up to £25,000 for it.
The proprietor repeats that it's not his to sell, but by now the thought of a quick profit is distracting him.
The visitor says, "When you see the owner, ask if he's willing to sell, I'll give a good price !".

An hour later, when the owner comes back for his painting, the shop owner offers £17,000 for it. This money is accepted, and the second customer never anwers the phone, or comes back to the shop.
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And then of course there's the franchise con. Someone advertises a cleaning business franchise for £5000, and is rather vague about what a potential franchisee will actually get for the money. It turns out to be a mop and a bucket.

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Too good to be true !

Someone approaches you and says that if you give them £50 now, they will give you £100 in 3 days time.
So you take a gamble, and amazingly, 3 days later, you are given the £100 as promised.

Two weeks later when the same person suggests a similar scheme, you jump at the chance. But this time, it's £300. And again, the person is true to their word, and within 3 days you get £600.

You don't know how this person is doing it, but you're making a nice profit so you don't care.

Then greed and stupidity take over, so the next time you meet this person, you give them £3000, and they disappear with the money (and they've made a 'profit' of £2650)

You can't trust anyone nowadays. :crybaby:

* Oh and there was a car storage depot near Manchester Airport where car engines used to go missing. People would go on holiday and leave their car there for a couple of weeks. During that time, their 6 month old car would have its engine removed, and replaced with a smokey old high mileage one, often of a smaller capacity. People didn't realize until it was too late and they'd paid their bill, as the car would be brought out of the compound for them. It would still start and run, but by the time the car got to the motorway, it would be rattling and losing power, and the car storage company would deny any knowledge of it.